Suspension device

Abstract

A heat engine unit has a combustion chamber, the combustion chamber being in communication with a previous component of the heat engine unit, e.g., a compressor, a heat exchanger or a recuperator, at a first end, and in communication with subsequent stages of the heat engine unit at a second end. The combustion chamber comprises at least one part, and is allowed to expand when exposed to heat by being movably engaged at the first end. The combustion chamber is supported at the second end by way of a contact surface formed between the second end of the combustion chamber and supporting means to allow tilting of the combustion chamber.

1 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) for a heat engine unit ( 21 ), the combustion chamber being in communication with a previous component of the heat engine unit, e g a compressor, a heat exchanger or a recuperator, at a first end ( 10   a ), and in communication with subsequent stages of the heat engine unit at a second end ( 10   b ), 
 characterized in that the combustion chamber ( 10 ) comprises at least one part,    in that the combustion chamber ( 10 ) is allowed to expand when exposed to heat by being movably engaged at said first end ( 10   a ),    and in that the combustion chamber is supported at said second end ( 10   b ) by way of a contact surface ( 170 ) formed between said second end ( 10   b ) of the combustion chamber and supporting means ( 70 ) to allow tilting of the combustion chamber.    
     
     
         2 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one part of the combustion chamber comprises at least two parts, a first part ( 80 ) and a second part ( 90 ), which are attached together, wherein a first end ( 80   a ) of said first part and a first end ( 90   a ) of said second part constitute said first end ( 10   a ) of the combustion chamber.  
     
     
         3 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein a suspension arrangement ( 100 ) is attached to the first end ( 10   a ) of the combustion chamber for biasing the combustion chamber in the axial direction against said supporting means ( 70 ).  
     
     
         4 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the combustion chamber is lodged to slide at said first end ( 90   a ) of said second part ( 90 ) of said combustion chamber.  
     
     
         5 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein the combustion chamber is allowed to expand in the axial direction due to said first end ( 80   a ) of said first part ( 80 ) in the combustion chamber being attached to said suspension arrangement ( 100 ) in the form of at least one spring allowing movement of the combustion chamber.  
     
     
         6 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to any of the claims  1 - 5 , wherein said contact surface ( 170 ) is formed by way of a spherical surface ( 150 ) at the second end ( 10   b ) of the combustion chamber being in contact with a conical surface ( 160 ) of said supporting means ( 70 ), or by way of a conical surface at the second end ( 10   b ) of the combustion chamber being in contact with a spherical surface of said supporting means ( 70 ).  
     
     
         7 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to any of the claims  1 - 5 , wherein said contact surface ( 170 ) is formed by way of a spherical surface ( 150 ) located on an outer portion of said second part ( 90 ) of the combustion chamber between the first end ( 90   a ) of said second part and the second end ( 10   b ) of the combustion chamber, and is in contact with a conical surface ( 160 ) of said supporting means ( 70 ), or by way of a conical surface located on an outer portion of said second part ( 90 ) of the combustion chamber between the first end ( 90   a ) of said second part and the second end ( 10   b ) of the combustion chamber, and is in contact with a spherical surface of said supporting means.  
     
     
         8 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to any of the claims  1 - 5 , wherein said contact surface ( 170 ) is formed by way of a spherical surface ( 150 ) at the second end ( 10   b ) of the combustion chamber being in contact with a spherical surface of said supporting means ( 70 ).  
     
     
         9 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to any of the claims  2 - 8 , wherein said first part ( 80 ) of said combustion chamber has a larger inner dimension in relation to the outer dimension of the second part ( 90 ) of said combustion chamber for containing the main portion of said second part.  
     
     
         10 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to any of the claims  2 - 9 , wherein the centre of said first part ( 80 ) of said combustion chamber coincides with the centre of the second part ( 90 ) of said combustion chamber.  
     
     
         11 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to  claim 3  or  5 , wherein the suspension arrangement ( 100 ) comprises three springs.  
     
     
         12 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to any of the claims  6 - 8 , wherein said spherical surface ( 80 ) has a preferred radius of about 50-150 mm and most preferred about 75-85 mm.  
     
     
         13 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said combustion chamber is made of a heat resistant material, e g metal or ceramics.  
     
     
         14 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said combustion chamber is rotation symmetrical.  
     
     
         15 . A combustion chamber ( 10 ) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said combustion chamber has a cross-section with at least three sides.