Geared axial multistage expander device, system and method

Abstract

Method, system and axial multistage expander including a casing and a plurality of stages. A stage includes a stator part connected to the casing and having plural statoric airfoils, and a rotor part configured to rotate relative to the stator part and having plural rotoric airfoils. The axial multistage expander also includes a support mechanism connected to the casing and configured to rotatably support the rotor part. Rotoric airfoils of at least one stage of the plurality of stages are configured to rotate with a speed different from rotoric airfoils of the other stages. The stator part, the rotor part and the support mechanism of the plurality of stages are provided inside the casing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An axial multistage expander, comprising:
 a casing;   a plurality of stages, a stage including,   a stator part connected to the casing and having plural statoric airfoils, and   a rotor part configured to rotate relative to the stator part and having plural rotoric airfoils; and   a support mechanism connected to the casing and configured to rotatably support the rotor part,   wherein rotoric airfoils of at least one stage of the plurality of stages are configured to rotate with a speed different from rotoric airfoils of the other stages, and   the stator part, the rotor part and the support mechanism of the plurality of stages are provided inside the casing.   
     
     
         2 . The expander of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a gearbox connected between the rotoric airfoils of the at least one stage and a shaft of the expander, the gearbox being provided inside the casing.   
     
     
         3 . The expander of  claim 2 , wherein the gearbox is epicyclic. 
     
     
         4 . The expander of  claim 3 , wherein the epicyclic gearbox comprises:
 a central gear connected to the shaft, the shaft being configured to rotate together with rotor parts of the plurality of stages except the at least one stage;   a planet gear rotatably connected to the central gear; and   an outer ring gear rotatably connected to the planet gear and configured to rotate the rotoric airfoils of the at least one stage while the shaft is configured to rotate the rotoric airfoils of the other stages.   
     
     
         5 . The expander of  claim 1 , wherein an end tip slope of the plural rotoric airfoils increases along a longitudinal axis of the rotor part. 
     
     
         6 . The expander of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a generator connected to a shaft of the expander and configured to generate electrical power or a compressor connected to the shaft or a pump connected to the shaft.   
     
     
         7 . The expander of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an epicyclic gearbox connected between the rotoric airfoils of the at least one stage and a shaft of the expander, the gearbox being provided inside the casing; and   rotating means attached to the rotor part of the at least one stage and configured to rotately support the rotor part of the at least one stage when rotating relative to the shaft.   
     
     
         8 . A system for expanding a gas, the system comprising:
 an axial multistage expander configured to receive the gas at high temperature and/or high pressure; and   a driven machine connected to the axial multistage expander and configured to be driven by the axial multistage expander,   wherein the axial multistage expander includes,   a casing;   a plurality of stages, a stage including,   a stator part connected to the casing and having plural statoric airfoils, and   a rotor part configured to rotate relative to the stator part and having plural rotoric airfoils;   a support mechanism connected to the casing and configured to rotatably support the rotor part,   wherein rotoric airfoils of at least one stage of the plurality of stages are configured to rotate with a speed different from rotoric airfoils of the other stages, and   the stator part, the rotor part and the support mechanism of the plurality of stages are provided inside the casing.   
     
     
         9 . A system for generating energy, the system comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress air;   a combustion chamber fluidly connected to the compressor and configured to receive the compressed air and fuel and to burn a mixture of compressed air and fuel;   an expander configured to receive hot gases from the combustion chamber;   a thermal energy storage device configured to store thermal energy of the gases received from the expander;   a gas storage device in fluid communication with the thermal energy storage device and configured to store the cooled gases;   an axial multistage expander configured to receive the gases from the gas storage device after being heated by the thermal energy storage device; and   a driven machine connected to the axial multistage expander and configured to be driven by the axial multistage expander,   wherein the axial multistage expander includes rotoric airfoils of at least one stage of a plurality of stages that are configured to rotate with a speed different from rotoric airfoils of other stages.   
     
     
         10 . A method for assembling an axial multistage expander, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of stages, the stages including a stator part connected to a casing and having plural statoric airfoils and a rotor part configured to rotate relative to the stator part and having plural rotoric airfoils;   connecting the rotoric airfoils of at least one stage to a gearbox such that the rotoric airfoils rotate with a speed different from the rotoric airfoils of the other stages;   installing a support mechanism to be attached to the casing; and   rotatably attaching the rotor part to the support mechanism.