US 12,169,081 B2
Integrated expander and motor-compressor assembly and closed loop cooling circuit comprising such an assembly
Thomas Alban, Le Creusot (FR); Benjamin Defoy, Le Creusot (FR); and Pascal Gaudez, Le Creusot (FR)
Assigned to Thermodyn SAS, Le Creusot (FR)
Appl. No. 17/758,556
Filed by Thermodyn SAS, Le Creusot (FR)
PCT Filed Jan. 8, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/025004
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 8, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/144144, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2000382 (FR), filed on Jan. 15, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0037800 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. F25B 11/04 (2006.01); F04D 25/06 (2006.01); F04D 29/057 (2006.01); F04D 29/058 (2006.01); F25B 1/053 (2006.01); F25B 31/02 (2006.01)
CPC F25B 11/04 (2013.01) [F04D 25/06 (2013.01); F04D 29/057 (2013.01); F04D 29/058 (2013.01); F25B 1/053 (2013.01); F25B 31/026 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An integrated expander and motor-compressor assembly comprising:
one housing;
at least two transmission shafts, each supported in the housing by at least two radial bearings;
a flexible coupling device connecting the transmission shafts;
an electric motor mounted on a first transmission shaft; an expander cantilevered at a free end of a second transmission shaft; and,
at least one compression section mounted between the two radial bearings on the second transmission shaft and having a high pressure part and a low pressure part fluidly coupled to the high pressure part so that a gas coming out of the low pressure part is compressed in the high pressure part,
wherein the integrated expander and motor-compressor assembly comprises:
a gas diffuser positioned between the expander and a first radial bearing of the second transmission shaft, the first bearing being the closest bearing to the expander, and
a first duct connected between the gas diffuser and the first radial bearing and connected to an inlet of the low pressure part,
wherein the gas diffuser is configured to diffuse gas directed to the expander and to the first radial bearing,
wherein the gas diffuser is configured to be fed with a part of the gas entering the high pressure part,
wherein the first duct being configured to draw up a part of the diffused gas.