Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01D—NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES
  • F01D1/00—Non-positive-displacement machines or engines, e.g. steam turbines
  • F01D1/02—Non-positive-displacement machines or engines, e.g. steam turbines with stationary working-fluid guiding means and bladed or like rotor, e.g. multi-bladed impulse steam turbines
  • F01D1/026—Impact turbines with buckets, i.e. impulse turbines, e.g. Pelton turbines
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01D—NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES
  • F01D1/00—Non-positive-displacement machines or engines, e.g. steam turbines
  • F01D1/02—Non-positive-displacement machines or engines, e.g. steam turbines with stationary working-fluid guiding means and bladed or like rotor, e.g. multi-bladed impulse steam turbines
  • F01D1/10—Non-positive-displacement machines or engines, e.g. steam turbines with stationary working-fluid guiding means and bladed or like rotor, e.g. multi-bladed impulse steam turbines having two or more stages subjected to working-fluid flow without essential intermediate pressure change, i.e. with velocity stages
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01D—NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES
  • F01D1/00—Non-positive-displacement machines or engines, e.g. steam turbines
  • F01D1/34—Non-positive-displacement machines or engines, e.g. steam turbines characterised by non-bladed rotor, e.g. with drilled holes

Definitions

• This invention relates to a steam driven engine which can provide rotary movement of a drive shaft.
• a steam driven engine comprises means for delivering pressurised steam at right angles onto drive vanes located on two or more interconnected co-axial rotatable cylindrical rotors across each of which the respective drive vanes extend radially at an angle to their axis of rotation, the second rotor being of greater length than the first, and in which the drive vanes of each rotor revolve in an annular pressure chamber surrounding each rotor, the swept volume of the vanes in the annular pressure chamber surrounding the second rotor being greater than that of the swept volume of the vanes in the annular pressure chamber surrounding the first rotor.
• the second annular pressure chamber surrounding the second rotor is, in effect, a lower pressure section.
• the pressure steam can be delivered onto the drive vanes through pressure jets located at three or more circumferentially spaced apart points in each of the annular chambers and the steam can be exhausted through three of more points in the first annular chamber and delivered to the three or more pressure jets in the second annular chamber.
• steam delivery means are included which carry the steam from each exhaust point in the first annular pressure chamber and deliver it to the pressure jet in the adjacent annular pressure chamber at a point displaced angularly around the axis of rotation of the rotors.
• the second rotor is of a greater diameter than the first rotor.
• Each rotor preferably carries three or more drive vanes .
• the engine includes a third interconnected rotatable cylindrical co-axial rotor across which drive vanes extend radially at an angle to the axis of rotation thereof and which rotate in a third annular pressure chamber surrounding the rotor, the swept volume of the blades in the third annular chamber being equal to or greater than the combined swept volumes of the annular pressure chambers of the first and second rotors.
• the third rotor can be of smaller diameter than the second rotor.
• the construction can include a casing in which the cylindrical co-axial rotors are located in separate compartments, a dividing wall or walls between the respective compartments housing the exhaust points from one chamber and the pressure jets in the next chamber.
• At least one of the pressure jets can be slightly angularly offset in its pressure chamber in order to eliminate a top dead centre stoppage.
• the pressure steam is delivered into the annular pressure chambers at points about the axis of rotation which are dissimilar.
• Preferably specialised heat resistant steels are employed in the construction of the various parts and these can be laminated with ceramics to eliminate steel expansion.
• the use of this construction will enable minimum clearance between the drive vane ends and the pressure chamber walls.
• the increased volume of the second and third pressure chambers can be dimensioned to produce the same power as the first high pressure chamber.
• the pressurised steam is preferably delivered through Venturi nozzles.
• a cylindrical shroud is located on the outer edges of the drive vanes on each rotor.
• Engines of the kind set forth above can be mounted in tandem which will ensure equal pressure between the two and ensure smooth running.
• a gearbox can be fitted which will assist in economical running. If such a gearbox is provided when the engine is not under power, but the car is still moving, the engine will free wheel and brakes, for example disc brakes, can be fitted to the drive shaft or shafts in addition to the normal car brake system.
• Figure 1 is a part cross-sectional diagrammatic side elevation of an engine according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on the lines II-II of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is an isometric diagrammatic view of the drive shaft and its associated cylindrical rotors and their drive vanes for use in the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 is an end view of the construction shown in Figure 3 incorporating a modification
• Figure 5 is an isometric view from above of a practical construction of the engine show in Figures 1 and 2; and, Figure 6 is an isometric view of an alternative form of drive shaft, rotors and drive vanes which is for use in the construction shown in Figure 5.
• the steam driven engine comprises an outer casing 1 which is divided into three cylindrical compartments 2, 3 and 4.
• the casing has a front end wall 5 and rear end wall 6 and two intermediate dividing walls 7 and 8.
• a rotary drive shaft 9 is sealed in the casing 1 by steam tight seals 10 provided in the end walls 5 and 6.
• a first rotatable cylindrical co-axial rotor 11 which is located in the compartment 2
• a second rotatable cylindrical co-axial rotor 12 is mounted in compartment 3
• a third rotatable cylindrical co-axial rotor 13 is mounted in compartment 4.
• the axial length of the second rotor 12 is approximately twice that of the rotor 11 and the axial length of the third rotor 13 is approximately the same as the second rotor 12 but it is of smaller diameter.
• the rotors have diametric dimensions to provide annular pressure chambers which surround them within the compartments 2, 3 and 4 and these are indicated by reference numerals 14, 15 and 16.
• the diametric dimensions of the rotors and their axial lengths define the volumes of the pressure chambers, that is, the volume of the second pressure chamber 15 is approximately twice that of the first combustion chamber 14 and the volume of the third annular pressure chamber 16 is approximately equal to the combined volumes of the pressure chambers 14 and 15.
• Each rotatable cylindrical rotor carries three drive vanes which extend radially at an angle to the axis of rotation. These drive vanes are indicated respectively by reference numerals 17, 18 and 19 on each of the rotors. The depth of each of the drive vanes 17, 18 and 19 extends across the width of their respective pressure chambers 14, 15 and 16 so that their outer edges 20, 21 and 22 are closely adjacent the inner wall of the casing 1. Thus, the drive vanes of each rotor revolve in an annular pressure chamber surrounding each rotor.
• Means for delivering pressurised steam at right angles onto the drive varies 17, 18 and 19 is provided by jet nozzles to which the steam is supplied from a boiler 30 through a suitable insulated pipeline 31.
• the pressurised steam is supplied to three Venturi-shaped injection nozzles 32 in end wall 5.
• the injection nozzles 32 are shown as being located substantially axially to the axis of rotation of the shaft 9 but in practice they are angled so that the jets of steam entering the annular pressure chamber 14 impinge on the drive vanes 17 at right angles as indicated by arrow 33.
• the injection nozzles 32 are not equally spaced around the pressure chamber 14 but are slightly differently angularly spaced in as much that at least one of them is offset with regard to the others in order to eliminate top dead centre stoppage.
• the exhaust ports lead into exhaust transfer passages 35 which extend angularly around the axis of rotation of the shaft 9 to a second set of three pressure jets indicated by reference numeral 36 and which are again offset angularly in a similar manner to those in the first pressure chamber 14.
• the second set of pressure jets 36 are again angled so that steam strikes the drive vanes 18 at right angles and as indicated by arrow 37.
• These nozzles are again positioned around the angular pressure chamber 16 in a similar manner to the nozzles in pressure chambers 14 and 15 and the nozzles are angled so that the high pressure steam strikes the drive vanes 22 at right angles, as indicated by refrence numeral 41.
• the steam is finally exhausted from the annular pressure chamber 16 through exhaust ports 42 which are spaced around the end wall 6 in a similar manner to the exhaust ports in the dividing walls 7 and 8.
• the diametric dimensions of the rotors may need to vary from one another in order to produce a practical and efficient engine, thus, the second rotor might require to be slightly larger in diameter than the first rotor.
• the dimensions of the rotors, drive vanes and diameters of the pressure chambers can be very close but no part of the rotors or pressure vanes need actually contact the walls of the chamber. Any tip losses around the rotors will merely result in steam being transferred into the next space behind the vane.
• a shroud can be provided around the outer edges of the drive vanes of each rotor.
• This type of construction is shown in Figure 4 which is an end view of the construction shown in Figure 3 and shows the end of the first rotor 11.
• a cylindrical shroud 50 is provided which is secured to the outer edges 20 of the guide vanes 17.
• the shroud 50 is the same axial length as the rotor 11 and thus prevents tip losses over the outer edges of the guide vanes 17.
• the outer circumference of the shroud 50 is arranged so that it has a minimum clearance within the appropriate pressure chamber 14.
• the casing 1 can include mountings 51 to secure it in position on an appropriate structure.
• FIG. 5 shows a practical form of made-up construction of the engine.
• the same reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts.
• the rotors and chambers are arranged in the opposite direction to that shown in Figure 1 and the direction of general gas flow through the engine is indicated by arrow G.
• steam enters the first chamber through the injection nozzles 32 which are at the left hand end of this construction.
• the end walls 5 and 6 and the dividing walls 7 and 8 are formed from appropriately shaped plates, secured together by tie rods 60, the chambers being formed between the plates by cylinders 61, 62 and 63.
• Bearings 64 are provided at each end of the drive shaft 9 and are mounted together with end plates 5 and 6 on a base plate 66. It will be seen that a relatively clean arrangement is provided with no external moving parts apart from the drive shaft 9.
• Figure 6 shows a drive shaft and its associated cylindrical rotors with their drive vanes which can be used in the construction shown in Figure 5.
• the same reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts to those previously described but in this arrangement it will be seen that the first rotor 11 is provided with five vanes which are indicated by reference numeral 67 and replace the three vanes 17 which are shown in Figure 3.
• Specialised heat-resistant steel can be employed in the various parts and these can be laminated with ceramics to eliminate steel expansion.
• the use of this type of construction again enables minimum clearance between the drive vane ends and the pressure chamber walls.
• the only lubrication required in the engine is to the bearings 10 and 11.
• a heavy lorry several engine units could be coupled together on the same drive shaft. If not loaded, or lightly loaded, only one unit may be required. With heavy loads, requiring more power, other units could be powered on steep gradients . Apart from fuel saving, with no noticeable vibration, and a silent engine it is more environmentally acceptable.
• the power for raising steam could be provided by any convenient fuel and an appropriately designed generator could be used.
• the fuel could be liquid petroleum gas, natural gas, methane, petrol, diesel oil or waste products and the engine therefore can be used and exported to third world countries where fuel is at a premium apart from natural fuels.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Engine Equipment That Uses Special Cycles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=31503662

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (2)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2004
  • 2004-01-09 GB GB0400437A patent/GB0400437D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2005
  • 2005-01-06 EP EP05701781A patent/EP1714005A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-01-06 WO PCT/GB2005/000010 patent/WO2005066461A1/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events