HK1162422B - High efficiency turbine - Google Patents

Description

High efficiency turbine

Technical Field

The present invention relates to turbines for generating power.

Background

It is well known to generate power by using a fluid or to rotate a turbine to generate thrust. However, most use propellers, vanes, etc. to convert energy from a fluid flow to produce power. For example, U.S. patent No.2,996,266 to rebastin uses fan blades to blow air down through its device; U.S. patent No.2,997,254 to Mulgrave et al uses a fluid impeller; U.S. patent No.4,021,135 to Pedersen et al uses two curved fairings to direct air into the turbine blades and create a downwind vortex of the turbine blades to rapidly spin the blades; and, earnests, U.S. patent No.4,066,381, uses a stator to redirect flow and fan blades to push fluid through an aperture.

Other developments include Eckel, U.S. patent No.4,140,433, which uses a number of stationary blades to direct air into the turbine blades and curved fairings to create a downwind vortex of the turbine blades to spin the blades quickly; and Beck, U.S. patent No.5,170,963, discloses a fluid flow pattern radially discharged from the axis of rotation of the fan.

However, there is still a need for a more efficient, more economical and safer turbine. The present invention meets the needs, among others.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is a fluid dynamic turbine having many unique features that increase the rotational speed and torque of conventional turbines. In particular, the turbine has two impulse turbine sections which, when used in combination, produce increased power from the fluid input by extracting energy from the fluid twice, thereby increasing the efficiency of the turbine. More particularly, the first impulse turbine portion rotates as the surrounding fluid passes through the plurality of flow slots. After passing through the flow channel, the fluid is reused by directing the fluid into the outer periphery of the device where it contacts the second impulse turbine portion, thereby extracting additional energy from the fluid.

The turbine also uses a much larger surface area than previously developed turbines, which increases the surface area available for impact, thereby facilitating rotation of the rotor assembly. In addition, it uses the energy of the flowing fluid in multiple stages to increase power. Thus, based on a comparable fluid input, the turbine rotates more rapidly than a conventional turbine, thereby generating more torque. In addition, when used as a wind generator or other exposed turbine, the risk of killing birds or other wildlife is significantly reduced due to the low profile blades.

Accordingly, there is provided a turbine comprising a rotatable shaft having an axis of rotation; and a rotor assembly comprising: (a) a rotatable disk having a direction of rotation, a center, a front surface, a rear surface, and a periphery, the rotatable shaft coupled to the center of the disk, (b) a first impulse turbine section comprising a plurality of flow slots disposed between the front surface and the rear surface, wherein each flow slot comprises: an impingement surface, a launder inlet, a launder outlet, and a launder channel fluidly connecting the launder inlet and launder outlet, wherein the impingement surface is inclined from the front surface to the rear surface and perpendicular to the radial direction of the disk, and (c) a second impulse turbine section comprising an upstream side rotor and a downstream side rotor, wherein the upstream side rotor comprises a plurality of ducts disposed between the front surface and the rear surface, wherein each duct has: a tube inlet fluidly connected to one of the launder outlets, a tube outlet disposed at the periphery, and a channel fluidly connecting one or more of the tube inlets to one of the tube outlets, and wherein the downstream-side rotor portion comprises: an annular rim having a perimeter, and a plurality of vanes coupled to the rim and disposed along the perimeter, wherein the vanes have a primary fluid contact surface, and the primary fluid contact surface lies in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation and at an angle of about 45 to less than 90 degrees relative to a radial direction of the disk.

Drawings

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a turbine according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1a shows a detail of the front of the turbine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the turbine of FIG. 1; and

fig. 3 shows a cross section of the front part of the turbine of fig. 1.

Detailed Description

The fluid driven turbine arrangement is unique compared to conventional wind and aeronautical turbines. The turbine may be used with air, steam, water, or other fluids to generate power, for example, as a generator or an aircraft turbine.

Turning to FIG. 1, a fluid turbine 10 is illustrated in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The turbine includes a rotatable shaft (not shown) and a rotor assembly 30. The rotor assembly 30 includes a rotatable disk 40, the disk 40 having a direction of rotation 42, a center 12 on which the rotatable shaft is coupled, a front surface 18, a rear surface 20, and a periphery 14.

The rotor assembly further includes a first impulse turbine portion 50, said first impulse turbine portion 50 having a plurality of flow slots 15 disposed between the first surface 18 and the rear surface 20, preferably in one or more, more preferably two or more annular patterns. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the flow slots 15 are arranged in a first annular pattern 16 near the periphery 14 and a second annular pattern 17 near the center 12. Each launder 15 has a launder inlet 51, a launder outlet 52 and a launder channel 53 fluidly connecting the inlet 51 and the outlet 52 on the front surface 18. The channels 53 are preferably inclined 55, 56 from the front surface 18 to the rear surface 20 and are perpendicular with respect to the radial direction 54 of the disc. In certain preferred embodiments, the runner is attached to the disk 40. In certain preferred embodiments, the launder is part of the disc 40. In certain embodiments, the impact surface comprises a majority of the front surface.

During operation, fluid flowing toward the rotor assembly 30 contacts the impingement surfaces 55, 56 and is then directed into the launder inlet 51, through the launder channel 53 and into the launder outlet 52. This fluid flow causes rotor assembly 30 to rotate in the direction of rotation 42, which in turn causes the rotor shaft to rotate. The rotating shaft can then be used to generate power.

Upon exiting the flowpath outlet 52, the fluid enters a second impulse turbine portion 60 (FIG. 2) of the rotor assembly. The second impulse turbine portion of the rotor assembly includes an upstream side rotor 70 and a downstream side rotor 80 (FIG. 3). The upstream side rotor 70 includes a plurality of ducts 27 disposed between the front surface 18 and the rear surface 20 of the disk 40. Each conduit 27 has a conduit inlet 62 fluidly connected to one of the spout outlets 52, a conduit outlet 64 disposed at the perimeter 14, and a passage 66 fluidly connecting one or more of the conduit inlets 62 to the conduit outlet 64. In certain preferred embodiments, the launder outlet 52 and the duct inlet 62 are identical. In certain preferred embodiments, the upstream side rotor is attached to the disk. In certain preferred embodiments, the upstream side rotor is a portion of a disk.

The downstream rotor includes an annular rim having a plurality of deflecting vanes 26 attached to a perimeter 82. In certain preferred embodiments, the rim is attached to the disc. In certain other embodiments, the edge is a portion of a disk. In still other embodiments, the rim and disk may be independently rotatable about an axis. Each vane has a fluid contact surface 84, the fluid contact surface 84 lying in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation and being at an angle 86 of from about 45 to less than 90 degrees, more preferably from about 75 to less than 90 degrees, and even more preferably from about 85 to about 89 degrees, relative to the radial direction 54 of the disc.

Fluid flows through the channel in a radial or radial direction 68 from the conduit inlet 62. In certain embodiments, the channel is configured to increase the velocity of the fluid flowing through the channel, preferably without significantly restricting the fluid flow through the channel. In some embodiments, the flow cell may have one or more means for facilitating high velocity fluid flow through the channel, e.g., an auxiliary opening.

When the fluid is discharged out of the outlet of the duct, it impacts the downstream-side rotor, causing the downstream-side rotor to rotate. For embodiments in which the downstream side rotor and the upstream side rotor rotate independently, the downstream side rotor preferably rotates at a higher speed than the upstream side rotor.

The turbine is preferably constructed from a disc of plastic, metal, fiberglass or composite material such as carbon fiber.

Claims (10)

1. A turbine, comprising:

a. a rotatable shaft having an axis of rotation; and

b. a rotor assembly, comprising:

i. a rotatable disk having a direction of rotation, a center, a front surface, a rear surface, and a periphery, the rotatable shaft coupled to the center of the disk,

a first impulse turbine portion comprising a plurality of launders disposed between the front surface and the rear surface, wherein each launder comprises:

the impact surface is provided with a plurality of impact surfaces,

the inlet of the launder is provided with a trough,

a launder outlet, and

a launder channel fluidly connecting the launder inlet and the launder outlet, wherein the impact surface is inclined from the front surface to the rear surface and perpendicular to the radial direction of the disc, an

A second impulse turbine portion comprising an upstream side rotor and a downstream side rotor, wherein the upstream side rotor comprises a plurality of ducts disposed between the forward and aft faces, wherein each duct has:

a conduit inlet in fluid connection with one of the launder outlets,

a conduit outlet disposed at the periphery, an

A channel of a conduit fluidly connecting one or more of the conduit inlets with one of the conduit outlets, an

Wherein the downstream-side rotor portion includes:

an annular rim having a periphery, an

A plurality of blades bonded to the rim and disposed along the perimeter, wherein the blades have a primary fluid contact surface, and the primary fluid contact surface lies in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation and at an angle of about 45 to less than 90 degrees relative to a radial direction of the disk.

2. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the launders are arranged in one or more annular patterns around the center.

3. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the passage of the conduit fluidly connects two or more of the conduit inlets with one of the conduit outlets.

4. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the annular rim and the disk are independently rotatable about the shaft.

5. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the blades are angled about 75 to less than 90 degrees relative to the radial direction.

6. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the blades are angled about 80 to about 89 degrees relative to the radial direction.

7. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the launder, the pipe and the blades are adapted to extract energy from a flowing liquid.

8. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the launder, the duct and the blades are adapted to extract energy from flowing gas.

9. A wind power generator comprising a turbine according to claim 1.

10. A steam turbine comprising the turbine of claim 1.