| 摘要 |
A non-contact rotary vane gas expanding apparatus (10) functions to convert controlled expansion of gas under pressure to rotary motive power. The gas expanding apparatus includes a stator housing (12), a rotor (14) supported in the stator housing (12) to undergo rotation relative thereto with the rotor (14) having an output member thereon, a plurality of vanes (16) disposed in a plurality of radial slots defined in the rotor and being circumferentially spaced from one another and radially reciprocable relative to the rotor such that outer tip portions of the vanes (16) are maintained in non-contacting substantially sealed relation with the stator housing (12), a plurality of gas receiving pockets defined in the rotor adjacent to trailing sides of the radial slots and of the outer tip portion of the vanes (16) with reference to the direction of rotation of the rotor (14) relative to the stator housing, and a plurality of formations defined in the stator housing (12) to effectuate the transfer of gas under pressure through the stator housing (12) to successive ones of the gas receiving pockets to enable the expansion of the pressurized gas therein to cause rotation of the rotor (14) and the output member (32) therewith. The non-contact rotary vane gas expanding apparatus (10) can be utilized in a rotary motive power production system in conjunction with a source of thermal energy, a closed flow circuit, and a control arrangement defining fluid pressure transfer paths connected to the gas expanding apparatus for enabling the system to automatically develop the optimum thermal conversion efficiency by automatically matching the pressure ratio thermally generated across the gas expanding apparatus with the pressure ratio thermally generated in the closed flow circuit.
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