Positive displacement capture device

Abstract

A positive displacement flow separator contains a rotor portion positioned inside a casing portion to act as a least area rotor which captures a volume and moves the volume along the length of the separator. The rotor portion contains a plurality of lobes which interact with grooves in the casing portion, such that the interaction of the lobes and grooves create barriers which capture the volume. The creation of the volume creates a flow barrier between a downstream end of the separator and an upstream end of the separator. The flow separator is coupled to a combustion portion to provide a flow of material to the combustion portion. Each of the rotor and casings portions are created by forming shapes which are equidistant at all points from a base curvature, where the base curvature is a least area rotor.

1 . A combustion device; comprising:
 a positive displacement flow device coupled to a combustion portion; said positive displacement flow device comprising:
 a casing portion having a plurality of grooves formed on an inner surface of said casing portion; and 
 and a rotor portion having a plurality of lobes formed on an outer surface of said rotor portion, where said rotor portion is positioned adjacent to said inner surface of said casing portion such that said lobes interact with said grooves; 
 wherein said interaction of said lobes with said grooves creates a plurality of contact points between said lobes and grooves which travel around a perimeter of, and along a length of, said rotor portion as said rotor portion rotates about an axis relative to said casing portion; and 
 wherein said interaction captures a volume of material and moves said volume along a length of said device due to said relative rotation, and 
   wherein said material exits said positive displacement flow device and enters said combustion portion where it is combusted,   wherein said plurality of said grooves and said inner surface of said casing portion are formed by creating a shape which is equidistant by a first distance from a base curve at all points along said shape, and   wherein said plurality of said lobes and said outer surface of said rotor portion are formed by creating another shape which is equidistant by a second distance from another base curve at all points along said another shape.   
   
   
       2 . The combustion device of  claim 1 , wherein the first distance is the same as the second distance. 
   
   
       3 . The combustion device of  claim 1 , wherein the first distance is larger than the second distance. 
   
   
       4 . The combustion device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first distance and the second distance changes along a length of said positive displacement flow device. 
   
   
       5 . The combustion device of  claim 4 , wherein the difference between said first distance and said second distance remains constant along said length of said positive displacement flow device. 
   
   
       6 . The combustion device of  claim 1 , wherein the shape of said base curve is different from the shape of said another base curve. 
   
   
       7 . A combustion device; comprising:
 a positive displacement flow device coupled to a combustion portion; said positive displacement flow device comprising:
 a casing portion having a plurality of grooves formed on an inner surface of said casing portion; and 
 and a rotor portion having a plurality of lobes formed on an outer surface of said rotor portion, where said rotor portion is positioned adjacent to said inner surface of said casing portion such that said lobes interact with said grooves; 
 wherein said interaction of said lobes with said grooves creates a plurality of contact points between said lobes and grooves which travel around a perimeter of, and along a length of, said rotor portion as said rotor portion rotates about an axis relative to said casing portion; and 
 wherein said interaction captures a volume of material and moves said volume along a length of said device due to said relative rotation, and 
   wherein said material exits said positive displacement flow device and enters said combustion portion where it is combusted,   wherein said plurality of said grooves and said inner surface of said casing portion are formed by creating a shape which is equidistant by a first distance from a base curve at all points along said shape,   wherein said plurality of said lobes and said outer surface of said rotor portion are formed by creating another shape which is equidistant by a second distance from another base curve at all points along said another shape, and   wherein a difference between said first distance and said second distance remains constant along a length of said positive displacement flow device.   
   
   
       8 . The combustion device of  claim 7 , wherein the first distance is the same as the second distance. 
   
   
       9 . The combustion device of  claim 7 , wherein the first distance is larger than the second distance. 
   
   
       10 . The combustion device of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first distance and the second distance changes along a length of said positive displacement flow device. 
   
   
       11 . The combustion device of  claim 7 , wherein the shape of said base curve is different from the shape of said another base curve. 
   
   
       12 . A combustion device; comprising:
 a positive displacement flow device coupled to a combustion portion; said positive displacement flow device comprising:
 a casing portion having a plurality of grooves formed on an inner surface of said casing portion; and 
 and a rotor portion having a plurality of lobes formed on an outer surface of said rotor portion, where said rotor portion is positioned adjacent to said inner surface of said casing portion such that said lobes interact with said grooves; 
 wherein said interaction of said lobes with said grooves creates a plurality of contact points between said lobes and grooves which travel around a perimeter of, and along a length of, said rotor portion as said rotor portion rotates about an axis relative to said casing portion; and 
 wherein said interaction captures a volume of material and moves said volume along a length of said device due to said relative rotation, and 
   wherein said material exits said positive displacement flow device and enters said combustion portion where it is combusted,   wherein said plurality of said grooves and said inner surface of said casing portion are formed by creating a shape which is equidistant by a first distance from a base curve at all points along said shape,   wherein said plurality of said lobes and said outer surface of said rotor portion are formed by creating another shape which is equidistant by a second distance from another base curve at all points along said another shape, and   wherein the first distance is larger than the second distance.   
   
   
       13 . The combustion device of  claim 12 , wherein the first distance is the same as the second distance. 
   
   
       14 . The combustion device of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first distance and the second distance changes along a length of said positive displacement flow device. 
   
   
       15 . The combustion device of  claim 14 , wherein the difference between said first distance and said second distance remains constant along said length of said positive displacement flow device. 
   
   
       16 . The combustion device of  claim 12 , wherein the shape of said base curve is different from the shape of said another base curve.