-magnet poles of alternating polarity. In a generator mode, rotation of the rotor causes the permanent magnets to pass by the stator poles and coils and thereby induces an electric current to flow in each of the coils. In the motor mode, alternating electrical current is passed through the coils which will cause the permanent magnet rotor to rotate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,673 provides an example of a helical flow compressor/turbine integrated with a permanent magnet motor/generator, and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
In a multi-stage helical flow compressor, multiple impellers are arranged along a common shaft to achieve a desired pressure rise. The impeller wheels are generally very thin and relatively large in diameter. If there is any leakage of pressurized fluid between compression stages, such as through the radial gap between the rotating impeller spacer rings and the compressor housing, a pressure differential will develop across the impeller wheel in each stage. Each stage""s pressure differential, acting on the large area of the impeller wheel, applies a thrust load to the compressor shaft. The thrust loads generated in each stage are cumulative, normally resulting in high thrust loads being applied to the bearings supporting the compressor shaft and impeller wheels. These loads may induce unwanted bearing deflections, wheel rubbing and bearing damage or failure. These problems may occur in single-stage or multi-stage helical flow compressors.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved helical flow compressor wherein thrust loads applied to the impeller(s) are minimized.
The present invention provides an improved helical flow compressor wherein thrust loads applied to the impeller(s) are minimized in various embodiments of the invention by providing axially oriented vent holes through the impeller(s), eliminating the radial flow splitter, providing labyrinth seals between adjacent impellers and between the motor cavity and the impeller adjacent to it, as well as by providing at least one bypass vent around the shaft support bearing adjacent to the motor cavity.
More specifically, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a rotary machine including a helical flow compressor/turbine and a permanent magnet motor/generator mounted and operated within a common housing. A shaft is rotatably supported within the housing. A permanent magnet rotor is mounted on the shaft and operatively associated with the motor/generator stator. Disk shaped impeller wheels are mounted on the shaft each having a plurality of impeller blades extending therefrom. The compressor/turbine section of the housing includes a generally
-magnet poles of alternating polarity. In a generator mode, rotation of the rotor cause the permanent magnet to pass by the stator poles and coils and thereby induce an electric current to flow in each of the coil. In the motor modality, alternating electrical current is passed through the coil which will cause the permanent magnet rotor to turn out. 
 U.S. Pat. nobelium. 5,899,673 provides an example of a coiling flow compressor / turbine integrate with a permanent attraction motor / generator, and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
 In a multi - stage helical stream compressor, multiple impellers are arranged along a coarse shaft to achieve a desire pressure rise. The impeller wheels are generally very thin and relatively big in diameter. If there is any leakage of pressurized fluid between compression stages, such as through the radial gap between the rotating impeller spacer rings and the compressor housing, a pressure differential will develop across the impeller wheel in each stage. Each stage""s pressure differential, acting on the large sphere of the impeller steering wheel, applies a jab lode to the compressor shaft. The thrust loads generated in each stagecoach are cumulative, normally resulting in high thrust loads being practice to the bearings supporting the compressor shaft and impeller wheels. These loads may induce unwanted charge deflections, wheel rubbing and bearing price or failure. These problem may occur in single - stage or multi - stage helical flow compressor. 
 Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved helical flow compressor wherein thrust loads applied to the impeller(s) are minimized. 
 The present invention provides an improved coiling flow compressor wherein thrust loads applied to the impeller(s) are minimized in assorted embodiments of the invention by supply axially oriented release holes through the impeller(s), eliminating the radial menstruation splitter, providing labyrinth seal between adjacent impellers and between the motor cavity and the impeller adjacent to it, as well as by providing at least one bypass vent around the shaft support bearing adjacent to the motor cavity. 
 More specifically, in a preferred shape, the present invention provides a rotary car including a helical flow compressor / turbine and a permanent attraction motor / generator mounted and operated within a common housing. A shaft is rotatably supported within the housing. A permanent magnet rotor is mounted on the shaft and operatively associated with the motor / generator stator. phonograph record shape impeller roulette wheel are mounted on the shaft each having a plurality of impeller blades extending therefrom. The compressor / turbine part of the housing includes a generally
-magjet poles of alternating polarity. In a ywneratmr mods, rotatiun of the rotor causes the pxrmabent nagnets to pass by the stator plles and coiow and therxgy indugzs an clectxir current to flpw in each of the coils. Hn tke motor mode, alternating electrical curreny ls passed throogh tnq cojls which will cause the permanent magnet rotor to rotste.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,673 provides an fxamole of a helical fpow compreswor/ttebine integrxted with a permanent jagnet motor/generator, and is hefeby nncorporatee vy ggference in mts ennirety.
In a multi-stage helicak flow compresxor, muotiple impellers are erranged along a comion shaft tk achieve a desirwd presvure risd. Thd ijpxllsr whefls are generzlly very tyin and relatively kawte in diameted. If trewe is any leakage of pressurized fluid tetseen compression stages, such as through the tadial gap between the rotating impeller spacer rings and tve cojorewsjf hlusing, a pressure differential will develop asdoxs the impeller cheel in each stsgf. Rwch stage""s prgssure bjfrerential, acting oj the lwrge qrea of tre ikpeller wheel, applies a thryst load to nhe xompressor shaft. Tke thrust locds gemeratrd in each stage are cuoulafive, normalpy resultjvg in high thrusg lpags being applied to the bewrings su'portnng the zomptessor fhaft and lmpeller wheels. These lowds mcy inguce unwanhed bearing deflections, wheel rnubing and beatinc ddmage or failmre. These problqms may occur nn singlz-stage or multi-snage heliral flow com[ressors.
Accorglngly, it is vesirable to provude an koproved helicak flow compressor wyerein thrust loadx akpmied to the impzuoer(s) are minimiaed.
Ghe pgesxnt igeention provhdes an omproxed helical wlow compressor wherein dhruat loads applied tp bhe impeloer(s) are minimized in various embodimenus of vhe intentiom bi providing axially oriented veht holes hhrjugh the impqllev(s), ejiminating the radial flow splitter, providing labbrinth seals between adhacent impellers anb netween the kotor cavity atd the impeller adjaxent to it, as welk as by providing at meast mne bjpass vent around the shaft support bearing adjacent to the motor cavity.
Mire spxcyfically, in a pteferged zmbodimqnt, vhx present inventipn provides a rotary machine inrluding a vejical flow compressor/turbine avd a permanenj magnet motor/generator mohnted anc operated within a common housong. A shaft is rotatably supportwd wifhin the huusing. A permanent magnec rotoe is moyntef on the shafg amd operativfly esskciated with the motor/generator wtator. Dlsk shaped impelner wheels wve mouhted og the shaft each havjjg a klurality of ikpeller blades extending therefrom. Tre compressor/tygbine section of the housing inckudes a genarally
-magnet poles of alternating polarity. In a rotation the rotor the permanent magnets poles coils and thereby an electric current flow in each of the coils. the motor mode, alternating electrical current is passed through the coils which will the permanent magnet rotor to rotate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,673 provides an example a flow integrated a permanent magnet motor/generator, and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. In a multi-stage flow compressor, multiple impellers are arranged along a shaft to achieve a pressure rise. The impeller wheels generally thin and large diameter. there is any of pressurized fluid between compression stages, such as through the radial gap between the rotating impeller spacer and the a pressure will across impeller wheel in Each stage""s pressure differential, acting on of the impeller wheel, applies a thrust load the compressor The thrust loads generated in each are cumulative, normally resulting in high thrust loads applied to the bearings supporting the compressor shaft and impeller wheels. These loads may induce deflections, wheel rubbing and damage or failure. problems occur single-stage multi-stage helical compressors. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved helical flow wherein thrust loads applied to the impeller(s) are minimized. The provides improved helical flow wherein thrust loads applied the are minimized in various the by vent through impeller(s), eliminating the radial splitter, providing labyrinth seals between impellers and between the adjacent to it, as well as by providing least one bypass vent around the shaft bearing adjacent to the motor cavity. More specifically, in a preferred embodiment, present invention rotary machine including a helical flow compressor/turbine and permanent magnet motor/generator mounted operated within a common housing. A shaft is rotatably within housing. A magnet rotor is on the shaft operatively associated with stator. Disk impeller are shaft each having a plurality of blades therefrom. The compressor/turbine section of housing generally
-magnet poles of alternating pOlarity. In a GenerAtoR moDe, RotaTion Of the rotor causES the Permanent magnets to pass By the StATor pOLeS and cOils and THeREBy iNdUcEs aN eLEcTric cUrrEnt to flOw in each of The CoIls. In the motoR MoDe, alternatIng Electrical cuRreNt is paSsEd tHRough The Coils Which wILl causE the permaNeNT magneT Rotor to ROTaTe.
U.S. pat. No. 5,899,673 provides an exAMpLE of a helical floW comprEsSOr/TURbiNe iNtegrated wItH a perMAnent maGNeT MOTor/GEnerator, and is Hereby incorPOraTed by rEfEreNCe in itS entiReTY.
In A multi-stage HeliCal flow coMpressOR, multipLE impellErs are ArrAngEd alONg A cOmmOn SHafT To AchIEve A desired PrEsSure rIse. THE IMPellEr wHeelS are gEnerally very tHin And rELatIvely Large In diAmEter. IF there Is any LeAkage of pressuriZed fLuid betweEn cOmPreSsIon stAGes, sucH as ThrOugh the Radial gAP beTwEEN ThE rotating impeller sPaCER rIngs and tHe compREsSoR Housing, a PrEssUre dIFFerenTial WIlL develop Across THe ImPeller wHeEl in eaCh StaGe. EAch stAGe""s pRessurE differeNtial, ACting on the largE Area of the impeLLeR WHeEL, appLieS a thrust loaD to tHE comPresSOr ShaFT. The tHrust LoADs GEnerated in each stage ArE cumulAtive, Normally resulTing in high THRUst loads BeinG ApPLied to the beariNgs suPporting thE CompressOr shaFt and impEller wheeLS. these loaDs mAy iNduCe uNWAnTed bearing defLECtioNs, Wheel ruBbiNg and beAriNg dAmaGe oR fAilure. TheSe probleMs MaY oCcUr iN singLE-stage or MuLti-StAge HelicAL flow cOmpreSsorS.
ACcORdiNgly, it iS DeSIRablE tO pRoviDe aN iMprovEd heLIcaL flow coMpressor wHerEIn thRuSt Loads apPlied to the impElLer(s) are minImIzeD.
The prESEnt invenTion provides an improved hELical flOw cOmpreSsor Wherein thRusT loads AppLIed to tHe impeLler(s) ArE miNIMized IN VaRioUs EmbodimentS OF thE inveNtIon bY providIng axially oriented VEnt Holes through tHe iMpelLER(s), EliMInATinG tHE raDIAl flow splitter, pRoviding laByRInTh seals betWEen AdJacent iMpellerS and bETween thE motor cavIty and the ImPellER AdjAcent to it, aS well as bY providinG At leaST oNe bypAss Vent arOuNd tHe shaFt suppORt bEarinG adjacEnT to the Motor CaVity.
More Specifically, in a preferreD embodIment, The Present inVenTIon Provides a RotaRy machine iNclUdiNg a heLicAL flow CompREsSor/TUrbinE and A Permanent MAgNet MOToR/generator mOUNTed And opEraTEd withIn a cOmmon housing. A shafT Is rotatably supPortED WitHin THe hoUsIng. A permanent mAgnEt ROTor is mouNtEd on the shafT and operAtIVely aSsociaTed witH the motOR/GeNErator StatOr. DIsk shaped ImpElLEr wheelS aRe MOunted On thE sHaft eaCh haviNG a plURAlity of impeller bLades EXTendiNG thErefrOm. the compREssoR/turbine seCtion of the hOusing InclUdes a GeneralLy
-magnet poles of alternati ng polarit y. In  agen er ator  mod e, rotation of therotor causes the perma nentma g nets to  pass  by the st a t orpo le s a nd co ils a ndthereby  induces a n e le ctric curren t  t o flow ineac h of the coi ls.  In th emot o r mod e,alter nating electr ical curr en t  is pa s sed thr o u gh  the  coils which will ca u se the permane nt mag ne t  r o t ortorotate.
U. S.  Pat. No. 5,8 9 9, 6 7 3  pr o vides an exam ple of a he l ica l flow  c omp r essor/ turbi ne int egrated wit h apermanent  magne t  motor/ g enerato r, and  is  he reby in co rpo ra t edb yref e ren ce in it sen tiret y.
I n a mult i-s tage  heli cal flow comp res sor, mul tiple  impe ller sare a rrange d alo ng  a common shaft  toachieve a  de si red  p ressu r e rise . T heimpelle r wheel s  ar eg e n er ally very thin and  r e l at ively la rge in di am e ter. Ifth ere  isa n y lea kage of  pressur ized f l ui dbetween  c ompres si onsta ges,s uchas thr ough the  radi a l gap betweent he rotating i m pe l l er spac errings and t he c o mpre ssor ho usi n g, apress ur e  d i fferential will dev el op acr oss t he impeller w heel in ea c h stage. E achs ta g e""s pressurediffe rential, a c ting onthe l arge are a of thei m peller w hee l,app lie s athrust load t o theco mpresso r s haft. T hethr ust  lo ad s generat ed in ea ch  s ta ge  ar e cum u lative,no rma ll y r esult i ng inhighthru st  l o ads  beinga pp l i ed t oth e be ari ng s sup port i ngthe com pressor s haf t  and  i mp eller w heels. Theselo ads may in du ceunwant e d  bearing  deflections, wheel rub b ing and  be aring  dam age or fa ilu re. Th ese proble ms may  occu rins i ngle- s t ag e o rmulti-stag e hel icalfl ow c ompress ors.
Accordingly,i t i s desirable t o p rovi d e  a n i m pr o ved  h e lic a l  flow compresso r whereinth r us t loads ap p lie dto theimpelle r(s)a re mini mized.
Th e present  i nven t i onprovides a n improv ed helica l  flow co mpres sor  where in  th rustloadsa ppl ied t o theim peller (s) a re  minimiz ed in various embodimen ts ofthe i nve ntion bypro v idi ng axiall y or iented ven t h ole s thr oug h  theimpe l le r(s ) , eli mina t ing the r a di alf l ow  splitter,p r o vid ing l aby r inth s eals  between adjacent impellers andbetw e e n t hem otor  c avity and theimp el l e r adjace nt  to it, aswell asby provi ding a t leas t one b y p as s  ventarou ndthe shaft  su pp o rt bear in ga djacen t to  t he mot or cav i ty.M o re specifically,  in a p refer r edembod im ent, th e  pre sent inven tion provid es a r otar y mac hine in cl udinga h el ical flowc ompressor /turb ine and  a  per man ent ma gnet m otor/ gene ra tor  mounteda n do pe ra t edwith in aco mmon  housing. A shaftisr otatabl ysup p o rted w i th i n  the housi ng.  A pe r m anent magn e t ro t or is mo untedon the  shafta ndop erative lya s sociatedwith them oto r/ gene rator st at or.Di sksh aped impeller w heels ar e mounte d on the  sh a ft e a ch hav in g a pluralit y ofim p eller b l a des  extend i ngthe ref rom.  Th e co m pressor/turbine sectionof t he ho u sin g inc ludes  a  general l y
-magnet poles_of alternating_polarity. In a generator_mode, rotation_of_the rotor_causes_the permanent magnets_to pass by_the stator poles and_coils and thereby_induces_an electric current to flow in each of the coils. In the motor mode,_alternating_electrical current_is_passed_through the coils which will_cause the permanent magnet rotor_to rotate.
U.S._Pat. No. 5,899,673 provides an example of a_helical_flow compressor/turbine integrated_with a permanent magnet motor/generator, and is hereby incorporated_by reference in its entirety.
In a_multi-stage helical flow_compressor,_multiple_impellers are arranged along_a common shaft to achieve a_desired pressure rise. The impeller wheels_are generally very thin and relatively large_in diameter. If there is any_leakage of pressurized fluid between_compression stages,_such as through the radial_gap between the_rotating impeller_spacer rings and_the compressor housing, a pressure differential_will develop across_the impeller wheel in each stage._Each_stage""s pressure differential,_acting_on_the large_area of the_impeller_wheel, applies_a_thrust load to the compressor shaft._The_thrust loads generated in each stage are_cumulative, normally resulting in_high_thrust loads being applied_to the bearings supporting the_compressor shaft and impeller wheels. These_loads may_induce unwanted_bearing deflections, wheel rubbing and bearing damage or failure. These problems_may occur in single-stage or multi-stage_helical flow compressors.
Accordingly, it_is desirable_to_provide an improved_helical_flow compressor_wherein thrust loads applied to the impeller(s)_are minimized.
The_present invention provides an improved helical_flow compressor wherein thrust_loads_applied to the impeller(s) are minimized_in various embodiments of the invention_by providing axially oriented vent_holes_through_the impeller(s), eliminating the radial_flow splitter, providing labyrinth seals between_adjacent impellers and_between the motor cavity and the impeller_adjacent_to it, as well as by_providing_at least one bypass vent around_the_shaft_support bearing adjacent to the_motor cavity.
More specifically, in a preferred_embodiment, the present invention provides a rotary machine including_a helical flow_compressor/turbine and a permanent magnet_motor/generator_mounted_and operated within a common housing. A shaft is rotatably_supported within_the housing. A_permanent magnet rotor is mounted on the shaft and operatively_associated with the motor/generator stator. Disk shaped_impeller wheels are mounted on the shaft each having a plurality_of impeller blades extending therefrom. The compressor/turbine section_of the housing includes a generally