Geometric Design of the Limaçon-to-Circular Fluid Processing Machine

Abstract

A limaçon machine is a rotary positive displacement device, in which the housing and rotor are constructed of limaçon of Pascal curves. Previous works have been published to investigate the working of these machines in two applications: gas expanders and compressors. This article presents a theoretical investigation into the potential of modifying the rotor profile of the limaçon machines to simplify the machine’s manufacturing process and to reduce production cost. The proposed modification will produce new characteristics for the housing–rotor interaction. An outcome that motivates the need to obtain new mathematical models to investigate the housing–rotor interference and describe the volumetric relationship of the new machine. This article also employs an optimization approach to design the best machine for a given set of operating conditions, i.e., expander, compressor, and pump. The outcome of this study confirms the validity of the proposed modification and its potential to produce a limaçon machine with favorable characteristics.