Vertical shaft with a slide bearing for a turbine or a generator

Abstract

A vertical shaft with a slide bearing for a turbine or generator. The invention relates to a vertical shaft (1) with a hydrodynamic slide bearing (2) comprising the following features or components: an annular fixed bearing housing (3) which surrounds the shaft (1); a plurality of bearing segments (4) which are fixed components of the bearing housing (3), surround and support the shaft (1) and form a bearing gap (5) therewith; the shaft (1) has a radially inner oil trough (1.2) and radially outer oil trough (1.3) communicating therewith; an oil lubrication system in which the oil flows through the following components: the bearing housing (3); a first connection line from the bearing housing (3) to the inner oil trough (1.2); an overflow channel (1.4) from the upper end of the radially inner oil trough (1.2) to the upper end of the radially outer oil trough (1.3); bores (7) from the radially outer oil trough (1.3) to the bearing housing (3); and a cooling device (10) with connections to the bearing housing (3). The invention is characterised by the following features: a scoop shovel is provided, which is a component of the guide pipe; the guide pipe (9) is a component of a conducting connection between the bores (7) and the cooling device (10).

Claims

1. A vertical shaft with a hydrodynamic slide bearing, comprising: an annular fixed bearing housing, which surrounds the shaft; a plurality of bearing segments, which are fixed constituents of the bearing housing, which surround and support the shaft, and form therewith a bearing gap; the shaft has a radially inner oil trough as well as a radially outer oil trough communicating therewith; an oil lubrication system, in which the oil flows through the following components: the bearing housing; a first connection line from the bearing housing to the inner oil trough; an overflow channel from the upper end of the radially inner oil trough to the upper end of the radially outer oil trough; bores from the radially outer oil trough to the bearing housing; a cooling device with connections to the bearing housing, comprising: a scoop shovel is provided, which is a component of a guiding pipe; the guiding pipe which is an integral part of a conducting connection between the bores and the cooling device.

2. A vertical shaft with a hydrodynamic slide bearing according to claim 1, wherein the scoop shovel is directly connected downstream of the bores.

Description

(1) The invention is described below with reference to the drawing. The following details are shown:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a unit according to the invention with a shaft 1 and a bearing 2 in an axial section.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a guiding pipe with a scoop shovel situated at the end thereof, and more precisely in a side view 2a, in a view 2b rotated with respect to the view 2a as well as in a section 2c following the cutting line A-A.

(4) FIG. 3 shows in enlarged view the region around the scoop shovel.

(5) FIG. 4 shows in schematic representation the course of the lubricant.

(6) The shaft 1 supports a rotor (not represented here) of a water turbine. It runs vertically. See the rotational axis 1.1;

(7) The bearing 2 is annular. It is fixed and torque-proof.

(8) It includes a housing 3. The housing 3 has the configuration of an annular chamber, which surrounds the shaft 1 concentrically. Important parts of the housing 3 are a cylindrical peripheral wall 3.1 as well as an annular bottom 3.2 and a supporting ring 3.3. The supporting ring 3.3 is welded to the peripheral wall 3.1.

(9) Further important components are bearing segments 4. These are for instance in the form of strips or plates. They are arranged in a plurality all around the shaft 1. They form a bearing gap 5 with the envelope surface of the shaft 1. The bearing gaps 5 aforementioned must be lubricated.

(10) The shaft has an inner oil trough 1.2. It extends over a certain length of the shaft 1 parallel to the rotational axis 1.1. The shaft 1 moreover presents an outer oil trough 1.3 which also runs parallel to the rotational axis 1.1 and communicates with the inner annular gap via an overflow 1.4.

(11) An annular storage chamber, which extends around the rotational axis 1.1 as a closed annular chamber, is situated at the lower end of the outer oil trough 1.3 of the shaft. A plurality of bores 7 running in radial direction are connected to said annular chamber. They are for their own part in conducting connection with a guiding pipe 9. A scoop shovel 8, which is extremely important for the invention, as will be explained later, is situated at the inlet end of the guiding pipe 9. A cooling device is connected to the other end of the guiding pipe 9. It is not shown here, but in FIG. 4.

(12) During operation, the lubricant, generally oil, flows from the annular storage chamber 6 into the bores 7. The centrifugal force following the rotation of the shaft 1 conveys the oil through the bores 7 to the scoop shovel 8. The oil crashes there onto the scoop shovel. Consequently, the kinetic energy contained in the oil is transformed into pressure energy.

(13) The result is a pressure which is big enough to convey the oil through the guiding pipe 9 to the cooling device.

(14) The guiding pipe 9 and the scoop shovel 8 are as single pieces. See FIG. 2 with the FIGS. 2a to 2c.

(15) FIG. 3 enables to see the relationships in detail. The bores 7 in the shaft 1 generate the accumulation of pressure which is necessary to the circulation of oil. We are dealing here with a punch pump. The scoop shovel 8 enables to increase the pressure further so that the oil flows through the whole circuit.

(16) FIG. 4 shows the path of the oil, indicated by arrows. The oil flows through a cooling device 10 among other things.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(17) 1 Shaft 1.1 Rotational axis 1.2 Inner oil trough 1.3 Outer oil trough 1.4 Overflow 2 Bearing 3 Housing 3.1 Cylindrical peripheral wall of the housing 3.2 Annular bottom of the housing 3.3 Supporting ring 4 Bearing segment 5 Bearing gap 6 Storage chamber 7 Bores 8 Scoop shovel 9 Guiding pipe 10 Cooling device