Rotary expansion power unit with valve disc connected to crankshaft

摘要

A rotary expansion power unit, such as a steam engine, which has a planetating rotor in a housing having an epitrochoidal cavity. In known engines, hot expansion fluid is directed through a hollow interior in the rotor and surrounds the rotor journal bearing. This leads to excessive expansion of the rotor and requires an excessive flow of cooling oil to the bearing. The invention isolates the expansion fluid from the interior of the rotor by having a valve disc fastened to the rotor crankshaft with a first seal means between the valve disc and housing end wall and a second seal means between the valve disc and rotor.