Continuously variable turbine

Abstract

A compressor includes an assembly with a case body defining a chamber, a shaft defining a rotational axis, a ring piston positioned within the chamber, a rotor assembly positioned within the ring piston, the rotor assembly being mounted on the shaft, and a pair of opposed compression vanes, each compression vane having a seal component with a surface that matches an outer curvature of the ring piston to form a continuous surface seal between the seal component and the ring piston as the rotor assembly and the ring piston rotate about the axis of the shaft, the position of the continuous surface seals in the chamber defining a first sub-chamber and a second sub-chamber between the surface seals, the case body further including an inlet port and an exhaust port for each sub-chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compressor comprising:
 an assembly with a case body defining a chamber;   a shaft defining a rotational axis;   a ring piston positioned within the chamber;   a rotor assembly positioned within the ring piston, the rotor assembly being mounted on the shaft; and   a pair of opposed compression vanes, each compression vane having a seal component with a surface that matches an outer curvature of the ring piston to form a continuous surface seal between the seal component and the ring piston as the rotor assembly and the ring piston rotate about the axis of the shaft, the position of the continuous surface seals in the chamber defining a first sub-chamber and a second sub-chamber between the surface seals, the case body further including an inlet port and an exhaust port for each sub-chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor is configured to be staged with one or more additional compressors on the shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein the staged compressors provide maximum fluid flow or maximum flow pressure depending upon the of the arrangement of the connections between the inlet ports and the outlet ports. 
     
     
         4 . The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein the staged compressors are configured to operate as an air motor for an input of high air flow rate at low pressure or low air flow rate at high pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein the staged compressors operate as both motors and compressors on the single rotational axis defined by the shaft to utilize a kinetic, pneumatic or hydraulic energy source to generate a pneumatic or hydraulic output, as well as a kinetic output. 
     
     
         6 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet port is defined by an assembly including a check valve. 
     
     
         7 . The compressor of  claim 6 , wherein the check valve is a reed valve made of a thin, flexible material. 
     
     
         8 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet port is defined by an assembly including a check valve. 
     
     
         9 . The compressor of  claim 8 , wherein the check valve is a reed valve made of a thin, flexible material. 
     
     
         10 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein an inner surface or an outer surface or both the inner surface and the outer surface of the ring piston are coated with a material made of nano-particles to provide lubrication-less operation of the compressor. 
     
     
         11 . An assembly with a plurality of compressors, each compressor comprising:
 an assembly with a case body defining a chamber;   a shaft defining a rotational axis;   a ring piston positioned within the chamber;   a rotor assembly positioned within the ring piston, the rotor assembly being mounted on the shaft; and   a pair of opposed compression vanes, each compression vane having a seal component with a surface that matches an outer curvature of the ring piston to form a continuous surface seal between the seal component and the ring piston as the rotor assembly and the ring piston rotate about the axis of the shaft, the position of the continuous surface seals in the chamber defining a first sub-chamber and a second sub-chamber between the surface seals, the case body further including an inlet port and an exhaust port for each sub-chamber,   wherein the compressors are configured to be staged with one or more additional compressors on the shaft to rotate about the rotational axis.   
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the staged compressors are configured to operate as an air motor for an input of high air flow rate at low pressure or low air flow rate at high pressure. 
     
     
         13 . The compressor of  claim 11 , wherein the staged compressors operate as both motors and compressors on the single rotational axis defined by the shaft to utilize a kinetic, pneumatic or hydraulic energy source to generate a pneumatic or hydraulic output, as well as a kinetic output. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the inlet port is defined by an inlet assembly including a check valve. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the check valve is a reed valve made of a thin, flexible material. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly  claim 11 , wherein the outlet port is defined by an outlet assembly including a check valve. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the check valve is a reed valve made of a thin, flexible material. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein an inner surface or an outer surface or both the inner surface and the outer surface of the ring piston are coated with a material made of nano-particles to provide lubrication-less operation of the compressor.