A compressor having a rotor assembly within which a rotor is rotated on an eccentric shaft in a sealed chamber. Two or more intake ports are provided that open into the sealed chamber and two or more exhaust ports are provided with one way valves, to permit compressed gas to exit the sealed chamber. The geometry of the rotor and sealed chamber and eccentric drive are such that apices of the rotor remain in contact with a peripheral wall of the sealed chamber as the rotor rotates and apex seals are provided on the apices of the rotor to prevent leakage of the gas around the apices of the rotor. In a preferred embodiment the rotor is a multi-lobed rotor orbiting within a trochoidal chamber.

A compressor may include a first compression member, a second compression member, and a motor assembly. The second compression member is movable relative to the first compression member and cooperates with the first compression member to define a compression pocket therebetween. The motor assembly drives one of the first and second compression members relative to the other one of the first and second compression members. The motor assembly includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor is rotatable relative to the stator about a rotational axis. The stator surrounds the rotational axis. The rotor may include magnets that are arranged around the rotational axis. The magnets may be spaced apart from the stator in an axial direction that is parallel to the first rotational axis.

A method and system is provided for pressure balancing one or more seals in machines such as expanders and/or compressors using the process fluid which is being expanded or compressed to provide the pressure for pressure balancing the other side of the one or more seals. The one or more seals may be part of a pressure containing chamber which may comprise a seal, a bearing and/or a gear on a rotating shaft common to the seal. An amount of pressure to be supplied to housing(s) for a machine so as to create a pressure cascade, and thereby dropping the pressure in each subsequent chamber as pressure approaches atmosphere. Pressure differentials may be directed to leak process fluid to the chamber into the process. Pressurized lube oil systems may be employed for balancing pressure and delivering lubricant to the seals, bearings and gears.

A device for generating electrical power, the device comprising a scroll expander with first and second scrolls configured to move relative to each other when a fluid is provided to an inlet at a higher pressure than a pressure at an outlet. The first scroll is configured to provide a magnetic field and the second scroll comprises one or more conductors in which electric currents are induced when the first and second scrolls move relative to each other.

An apparatus for driving fluid includes a housing having an interior chamber in communication with a fluid inlet for receiving the fluid and a fluid outlet for expelling the fluid, a cam rotatably mounted within the interior chamber, the cam configured to drive fluid to flow, the cam having an annular channel formed therein, a working vane extending into the annular channel for sliding therein as the cam rotates, wherein the working vane divides the annular channel into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber such that, as the cam rotates, the inlet chamber expands and the outlet chamber contracts, a follower vane extending into the annular channel for sliding therein as the cam rotates, wherein the follower vane allows fluid to pass in the annular channel, and a rocker arm for providing dependent motion between the working vane and the follower vane.

Systems to drive a downhole pump include an enclosure body with a magnetically transparent wall. A magnetic driver or a stationary member with coil windings in slots is disposed outside the enclosure body. A magnetic follower or a movable member with one or more permanent magnets is disposed inside the enclosure body such that the magnetic follower or movable member is exposed to a different environment compared to the magnetic driver or stationary member. The magnetic driver and magnetic follower, or the stationary member and movable member, are separated by a gap containing at least a portion of the magnetically transparent wall. A prime mover is operatively coupled to the magnetic driver. A rod couples the magnetic follower or the movable member to the downhole pump. Movement of the rod with the magnetic follower or the movable member operates the pump.

The invention relates to a scroll compressor (10) and to a method for operating the scroll compressor (10). The scroll compressor (10) has a stator (15), an orbiter (20) which can be moved about an orbiter axis (55) relative to the stator (15), and a coupling device (50). The stator (15) and the orbiter (20) engage into each other and at least partly delimit at least one working area (105) for compressing a fluid (110) which can be filled into the working area (105). The coupling device (50) has a first coupling unit (60) which is arranged on the stator (15) and a second coupling unit (65) which is arranged on the orbiter (20) opposite the first coupling unit (60), wherein the first coupling unit (60) is magnetically coupled to the second coupling unit (65), and the second coupling unit (65) introduces a coupling torque (M.sub.K) which acts about the orbiter axis (55) into the orbiter (20).

A scroll fluid machine includes a pair of a fixed scroll (15) and an orbiting scroll (16). The scroll fluid machine has an one-side stepped scroll structure in which a stepped part (16E) is provided only at a predetermined position on a tooth bottom surface (16D) of a involute spiral wrap (16B) of one of the fixed scroll (15) and the orbiting scroll (16) in a spiral direction, and a stepped part (15E) corresponding to the stepped part (16E) on the tooth bottom surface (16D) is provided only at a predetermined position on a tooth top surface (15C) of a involute spiral wrap (15B) of the other scroll in a spiral direction. The stepped part (16E) on the tooth bottom surface (16D) is provided at a position on an inner side of a spiral end position (16F) of the involute spiral wrap (16B) at intake closure by an involute angle of n radians in the spiral direction or at a position on an outer side of the inner-side position.

A three stage vacuum pump has three stages of fixed scrolls and orbiting scrolls that operate simultaneously. A motor drives the second orbiting scroll within the third fixed scroll upon three equally spaced idlers. One idler then transmits rotation and torque into the second stage. The second orbiting scroll has involutes upon both surfaces to engage the second fixed scroll inwardly and the first fixed scroll outwardly. The first fixed scroll has fins upon its back that extend into the atmosphere to transfer heat to air cool the pump. This pump also has a fan accelerating heat transfer. The pump operates the scrolls directly from a motor or from a motor and magnetic coupling so that the atmosphere does not infiltrate the pump.

A magnetic coupling assembly includes a thermal isolation system that isolates the assembly from a heat source such as a pump coupled to a driven side of the assembly, thereby enabling the assembly to operate at a reduced temperature. The system may include a labyrinth seal that reduces convective heat transfer to the assembly. The seal may include a sealing gap defined between a rotating component and a stationary component. The gap is sized to limit gas conductance therethrough. The system may also include one or more spacers positioned to reduce or eliminate conductive heat transfer from one component to another. The assembly may be utilized in a pump for contactless coupling of a motor shaft to a pump shaft.