Coupling of a motor with a generator

The invention relates to a motor-generator arrangement with an internal combustion engine, the output shaft of which is connected to the drive shaft of the generator via an elastic coupling.

Such motor-generator arrangements are used, for example, as modules for combined heat and power plants. The elastic coupling makes it possible to achieve torsional elasticity to compensate for torque surges and dampening of torsional vibrations, as well as radial elasticity to compensate for shaft misalignments.

The state of the art includes a solution as shown in Figure 1. The output shaft 2 of the internal combustion engine 1 is connected to the drive shaft 4 of the generator 5 via an elastic coupling 3. The motor housing 6 of the internal combustion engine 1 is rigidly connected to the generator housing 8 of the generator 5 via connecting parts 7. The entire motor-generator arrangement is elastically supported on the floor 9. As a result of this design, precise alignment of the internal combustion engine 1 with respect to the generator 5 is not required. However, the disadvantage of this variant is the transmission of vibrations via the rigid intermediate parts, which can impair the generator 5 and ultimately destroy it.

For this reason, attempts have already been made in the prior art to omit these rigid couplings, as the variants in Figures 2 and 3 of the prior art show. In the solution according to Figure 2, the internal combustion engine 1 and the generator 5 are attached to a foundation 10, which in turn rests elastically on the floor 9.

A similar construction is shown in Figure 3, in which the internal combustion engine 1 and the generator 5 are fastened on a common rigid frame 11 which rests elastically on the floor 9.

The disadvantage of the variants according to Figures 2 and 3 is the fact that such foundations or rigid frames for absorbing torque are structurally more complex and expensive.

The object of the invention is therefore to create an improved motor-generator arrangement which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

According to the invention this is achieved in that the motor housing of the internal combustion engine is connected to the generator housing of the generator in an elastic, preferably rubber-elastic manner. Such a preferably rubber-elastic connection between the motor housing and the generator housing enables the required torques to be reliably transmitted between the motor housing and the generator housing, but at the same time a vibration decoupling between the internal combustion engine and the generator is achieved, so that the generator remains protected from the engine vibrations. Such a coupling embodied, for example, as a rubber-elastic, flexible intermediate layer, can also avoid expensive common torque-transmitting frames or foundations.

A structurally preferred embodiment consists in that a first annular flange, arranged essentially around the output shaft, is attached to the motor housing, that a second, annular flange, arranged essentially around the drive shaft, is attached to the generator housing, and that the two annular flanges have at least one elastic Intermediate part are connected to one another, the elastic intermediate part advantageously having a rubber-elastic elastomer layer.

The vibration decoupling between the internal combustion engine and the generator can in principle, however, take place structurally in a variety of ways, preferably between elastomer elements, so that the vibrations from the engine are not passed on to the generator. In principle, constructions are suitable as they are already known per se for elastic shaft couplings (Boiz couplings, claw couplings, Wuist couplings, intermediate ring couplings, etc.)

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the following description of the figures.

Figures 1 to 3 already described show motor-generator arrangements according to the state of the art.

Figure 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a motor arrangement according to the invention,

Figure 5 shows a detail of the elastic coupling between the motor housing and the generator housing.

In the exemplary embodiment according to the invention shown in Figure 4, the internal combustion engine 1 drives the drive shaft 4 of a generator 5 via the output shaft 2. Both the internal combustion engine 1 and the generator 5 stand over simple rubber-mounted supports 12

AT 410 019 B on the floor 9. A torsionally and radially elastic coupling connects the output shaft 2 to the drive shaft 4.

According to the invention it is now provided that the motor housing 6 is connected to the generator housing 8 in an elastic, preferably rubber-elastic manner.

For this purpose, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a first annular flange 13 is arranged on the motor housing 6 essentially around the output shaft 2. A second annular flange 14 is arranged around the generator housing 8, essentially around the drive shaft 4. According to the invention, these two ring flanges 13 and 14 are now connected to one another in a rubber-elastic manner and decoupled from vibrations via an elastic intermediate part 15.

Figure 5 shows this elastic, flexible coupling by means of a rubber-elastic elastomer layer 15 in detail.

The elastomer layer 15 is applied to a steel core 16 and surrounded by a sleeve 17. The flange 13 of the motor housing 6 and the flange 14 of the generator housing 8 are connected to the nut 19 via the screw 18, the screw 18 being elastically supported in the elastomer layer 15 according to the invention. In total, several such elastically mounted screws are distributed over the circumference of the flanges 13 and 14.

The invention is of course not restricted to the exemplary embodiments shown. There are numerous design options for realizing the elastic coupling according to the invention between the motor housing and the generator housing. It is essential that this connection must be able on the one hand to transmit the required torques and thereby preferably to keep an axial offset as small as possible, on the other hand, preferably using elastomeric materials, is designed in such a way that it does not or only vibrates from the internal combustion engine transmits it to the generator in a strongly damped manner, thus protecting it from damage caused by vibrations. A complex foundation or frame construction, as provided in the prior art according to Figures 2 and 3, can be avoided.