Patent ID: 9695795
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: F03B,F04F,F05B,Y02B,Y02E

Claim:
1. An energy recovery apparatus comprising: a rotor including a duct and configured to move the duct and low pressure fluid in the duct to a first position, and to move the duct and high pressure fluid in the duct to a second position; a high pressure input port disposed in a first end cover, the high pressure input port configured to admit high pressure fluid for compressing low pressure fluid and displacing compressed fluid while the rotor is in the first position; a high pressure output port disposed in a second end cover, the high pressure output port configured to release compressed fluid while the rotor is in the first position; a low pressure output port disposed in the first end cover, the low pressure output port configured to release decompressed high pressure fluid from the duct at low pressure while the duct is at the second position; a low pressure input port disposed in the second end cover, the low pressure input port configured to admit low pressure fluid into the duct to displace decompressed fluid while the duct is at the second position; a first high pressure seal surface in the second end cover and adjacent the low pressure input port; and a first groove disposed on a first outer surface of the second end cover and between the first high pressure seal surface and the low pressure input port, the first groove configured to release pressure and decompress high pressure fluid in the duct as the rotor moves the duct over the first groove and into alignment with the low pressure input port, wherein the first groove extends through only a portion of the first outer surface of the second end cover such that an innermost surface of the first groove forms at least a portion of the first outer surface of the second end cover; and a second high pressure seal surface in the first end cover and adjacent the low pressure output port.