Turbine

Abstract

A turbine rotor assembly including a unitary body including at least one inlet for inlet of a fluid into the rotor assembly and a plurality of flow channels extending through the unitary body and terminating in an outlet portion, the at least one inlet in fluid communication with each of the plurality of flow channels.

Claims

1. A turbine rotor assembly including a unitary body including at least one inlet for inlet of a fluid into the rotor assembly and a plurality of flow channels extending through the unitary body and terminating in an outlet portion, the at least one inlet in fluid communication with each of the plurality of flow channels, wherein the unitary body is substantially circular when viewed in one orientation and bell-shaped having an arcuate waist when viewed in a perpendicular orientation, a respective outlet portion of each of the plurality of flow channels is provided on an outer lateral side edge of a lip of the unitary body, substantially tangentially to the outer lateral side edge of the lip in order to create rotational force and tangential thrust as the fluid exits the respective outlet portion, each of the plurality of flow channels is arcuate and continuous without obstruction between the at least one inlet and a converging-diverging nozzle in order to translate axial flow of the fluid into the rotor assembly into radial flow to provide rotation of the rotor assembly, each of the plurality of flow channels is discrete and completely separate from one another between the at least one inlet and the respective outlet portion, each of the plurality of flow channels is at least partially helical extending from a portion of the unitary body adjacent to the at least one inlet to each respective outlet portion of the plurality of flow channels, the unitary body is formed from a single piece construction formed from a metallic or an elastomeric material that is sintered or 3D printed.

2. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 1 associated with a shaft in order to create usable work used to generate electricity.

3. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 2 associated with the shaft via a magnetic coupling attached to the rotor assembly and which is magnetically associated with a magnetic coupling attached to the shaft.

4. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the turbine rotor assembly is driven by the fluid.

5. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the fluid is a compressible and liquefiable vapour.

6. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the fluid is a zeotropic fluid mixture.

7. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the respective outlet portion including the converging-diverging nozzle creates tangential thrust and causes the turbine rotor to rotate.

8. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein each respective outlet portion is coplanar with one another to create a maximum speed of rotation.

9. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 1 further including an opening provided into the unitary body extending from a lower wall of the unitary body to receive a fastener to attach a magnetic coupling to the unitary body.

10. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein a lower wall of body extends substantially concentrically with the arcuate waist of the unitary body in order to minimize the amount of material used to form the unitary body.

11. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of flow channels provided in the body includes at least one convergence zone.

12. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the at least one convergence zone in each flow channel is provided adjacent to but spaced from the outlet portion of each flow channel.

13. A turbine rotor assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein: a divergence zone is provided in each flow channel adjacent to but spaced from the outlet portion of each flow channel downstream from the at least one convergence zone; and/or the at least one convergence zone is approximately one half of a cross-sectional area of each flow channel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

(2) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a turbine rotor assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a view from the bottom of the turbine rotor assembly illustrated in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 is an axonometric view of the turbine rotor assembly illustrated in FIG. 1 with a top portion of the body partially rendered transparent for clarity purposes.

(5) FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the turbine rotor assembly illustrated in FIG. 1 along line A-A.

(6) FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the body of a turbine rotor assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the inlet and top portion of the body rendered transparent to view the internal workings.

(7) FIG. 6 is a view from beneath the body illustrated in FIG. 5.

(8) FIG. 7 is a plan view of the body illustrated in FIG. 5.

(9) FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the turbine rotor assembly illustrated in FIG. 1 with a bottom portion of the body partially rendered transparent for clarity purposes.

(10) FIG. 9 is a view from beneath the body illustrated in FIG. 8.

(11) FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of the turbine rotor assembly illustrated in FIG. 1.

(12) FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a magnetic coupling element according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(13) FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of the magnetic coupling element illustrated in FIG. 11 long line B-B.

(14) FIG. 13 is an isometric view of a turbine rotor assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(15) FIG. 14 is a sectional side elevation view of a turbine rotor assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention inside a rotor housing.

(16) FIG. 15 is an isometric, partially transparent view of a turbine according to a preferred embodiment showing the flow pattern through the turbine in an initial period of flow.

(17) FIG. 16 is an isometric, partially transparent view of the turbine illustrated in FIG. 15 subsequent to FIG. 15 showing the flow pathways.

(18) FIG. 17 is an isometric, partially transparent view of the turbine illustrated in FIG. 15 subsequent to FIG. 16 showing the flow pathways.

(19) FIG. 18 is an alternative view of the turbine illustrated in FIG. 17 showing the flow pathways.

(20) FIG. 19 is a further alternative view of the turbine illustrated in FIG. 17 showing the flow pathways.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(21) According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, a rotor assembly is provided.

(22) The turbine rotor 10 illustrated in the accompanying Figures includes a unitary body, e.g., unitary body 100 in FIGS. 3 and 8, including at least one inlet 15 for inlet of a fluid into the rotor 10 and a plurality of flow channels 12 extending through the unitary body and terminating in an outlet 13, the at least one inlet 15 in fluid communication with each of the plurality of flow channels 12.

(23) The turbine rotor assembly illustrated in FIG. 14 including the rotor 10 is designed to be a medium speed, medium torque rotor assembly which has particular application when used to generate electricity. The rotor is designed to rotate within the housing 52 and is associated with a takeoff shaft (not shown) in order to create usable work which can then be used to generate electricity. The rotor assembly is preferably associated with the takeoff shaft via a magnetic coupling 53 which is illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 11 and 12. Openings may be provided in the rotor 10 to attach the magnetic coupling directly to the rotor 10.

(24) It is preferred that the moderate speed turbine rotor assembly of the present invention is driven by a working fluid, and a preferred fluid is a refrigerant or a similar compressible gas. The preferred working fluid is typically provided to the rotor assembly via the inlet, through to the flow channels in the rotor and out of the converging and diverging outlets defined in the rotor in order to drive moderate-speed rotation of the turbine rotor. The turbine of the present invention can also operate using a zeotropic fluid mixture.

(25) The moderate-speed rotor of the present invention includes a unitary body including a plurality of flow channels 12, each flow channel 12 terminating in an outlet 13 associated with a converging-diverging portion.

(26) As illustrated, the body is substantially circular when viewed in one orientation and substantially conical or part conical (frustoconical) when viewed in a perpendicular orientation. It is particularly preferred that the body be frustoconical in shape but bell-shaped having an arcuate waist, rather than the substantially planar waist that a truly conical shape has.

(27) In a preferred embodiment, the outlets 13 of the plurality of flow channels 12 are normally provided on a lateral side edge of the lip, e.g., lateral side edges 110 of lip 105 in FIG. 9, of the body. The outlets 13 are preferably oriented substantially tangentially to the lip in order to create rotational force as the preferred working fluid or gas exits the outlet 13. Each of the outlets 13 is preferably associated with a converging-diverging nozzle so as to create the desired tangential thrust and cause the rotor to rotate.

(28) The outlets 13 of the respective flow channels 12 are typically evenly staggered or offset slightly from one another in order to drive rotation.

(29) It is preferred that the outlets 13 are coplanar with one another in order to drive rotation in a balanced manner with most, if not all of the driving force applied in the same plane in order to create the maximum speed of rotation.

(30) Preferably, each of the plurality of flow channels 12 will be at least partially helical extending from a portion of the body adjacent to the inlet 15 to the outlets 13 of the plurality of flow channels 12 preferably provided on a lateral side edge of the lip of the body.

(31) Preferably, the flow channels 12 will each extend from a portion of the body adjacent to the inlet 15 of the preferred substantially conical or frustoconical body toward the peripheral lip but arc or curve away from the inlet 15 as the flow channels 12 extend toward the peripheral lip such that the terminus of the flow channel 12 is substantially tangentially oriented relative to the lip. All of the flow channels 12 typically extend in the same direction through the body. It is preferred that the plurality of flow channels 12 formed in the body are equally spaced about the body.

(32) Preferably, an even number of flow channels 12 will be provided in the rotor assembly of the present invention. Normally, there will be 5 to 15 flow channels 2 defined in the rotor assembly but the number of flow channels 12 provided will typically depend upon the size of the rotor assembly with a larger rotor assembly including more flow channels than smaller rotor assemblies.

(33) The plurality of flow channels 12 are preferably arcuate in order to translate axial flow into the rotor assembly into radial flow to provide rotation of the rotor assembly.

(34) It is further preferred that at least one, and typically a number of openings 17 are provided into the body extending from a lower wall of the body to receive one or more fasteners 18 to attach a magnetic coupling 53 to the body. Preferably, the attachment openings 17 are provided between adjacent flow channels 12 or more preferred, between each second adjacent flow channel 12.

(35) In a particularly preferred embodiment having 5 or more flow channels, four attachment openings 17 will be provided, one opening each for an elongate fastener 18 which extends into the body.

(36) A lower wall 19 of body may extend substantially concentrically with the preferred arcuate waist of the outer wall 21 of the body in order to minimise the amount of material used to form the body and thereby reduce the weight of the body. One or more thicker portions may be provided on the body if required to provide strength to the body.

(37) As mentioned above, the body is preferably formed from a metal material. A particularly preferred method of forming the body is three-dimensional metal printing technology as this will allow formation of the unitary body with the flow channels 12 formed thereinto.

(38) Each of the plurality of flow channels 12 provided in the body will preferably include an arcuate transition to a convergence zone 22 and then diverges through an arcuate transition into a divergence zone 20 closer to the outlet than the convergence zone 22. Preferably, the convergence zone 22 will be approximately one half of the cross-sectional area of the flow channel 12 and the divergence zone 20 will be approximately the cross-sectional area of the flow channel 12. Importantly, each flow channel 12 will preferably have a substantially uniform cross sectional area throughout the distance of travel without obstructions and only the preferred converging-diverging nozzle (formed from the preferred arcuate transition to convergence zone and then arcuate transition and divergence zone) shaping the flow through the flow channel 12.

(39) Functionally, the converging-diverging nozzle acts to increase the velocity of the fluid flow which will again help to maximise the speed of rotation of the rotor assembly.

(40) Preferably, the inlet 15 is tubular and provides fluid to each of the plurality of flow channels 12. The preferred inlet 15 is provided into the body, preferably substantially perpendicularly to the plane in which the outlets 13 of the rotor assembly are provided.

(41) It is particularly preferred that an inner terminus of the inlet 15 will close the upper end of each of the plurality of flow channels 12 such that fluid entering the rotor is forced to travel into at least one of the flow channels 12 and preferably, into all of the flow channels 12 equally.

(42) The preferred inlet will be formed integrally with the preferred bell shaped portion of the body. The preferred inlet will normally rotate with the rotor assembly. If so, external locations 23 are preferably provided on the inlet in order to mount the inlet for rotation.

(43) In the present specification and claims (if any), the word ‘comprising’ and its derivatives including ‘comprises’ and ‘comprise’ include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

(44) Reference throughout this specification to ‘one embodiment’ or ‘an embodiment’ means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases ‘in one embodiment’ or ‘in an embodiment’ in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.

(45) In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims (if any) appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.