FR2870883A1 - Turbomachine for use as generator, has blades rotating around respective axles parallel to rotation axle of rotor, where axles of blades are disposed in circle on rotor and positioning of blades is similar for each angular position of rotor - Google Patents

Abstract

The turbomachine has blades (5) rotating around respective axles (6) parallel to a rotation axle (11) of a rotor, where the axles (6) are disposed in circle on the rotor. The rotation of the blades is synchronized such that each blade carries out a half rotation for one turn of the rotor. The positioning of different blades is similar for each angular position of the rotor with respect to a stator (1). An independent claim is also included for a compression device comprising two turbomachines placed in series.

Description

2870883 1

  The present invention relates to a turbomachine with moving vanes thus enabling energy to be exchanged between a fluid in flow and a rotor driven by a rotational movement on which said vanes are disposed. This turbomachine operates with a closed stator only provided with an inlet opening and an outlet opening to ensure the flow of the fluid involved in the energy exchange.

  The turbomachine of the invention can operate as a generator, when it communicates energy to the fluid, and that its rotor is rotated for example by an external motor: the blades then transfer energy to the fluid.

  Conversely, it can operate as a receiver, that is to say a turbine, when it receives energy from the fluid, which energy is then transmitted back to the rotor. The energy communicated to the fluid in the generating version causes an increase in its pressure, whereas the energy borrowing, when it is the fluid that is used as the primary vector of the energy in a turbine use, is accompanied by a decrease in pressure.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a turbomachine having a very high efficiency, in a use both generator and turbine, which implies that the energy losses are, in the structure that has been developed, reduced to a minimum.

  In other words, when the turbomachine communicates energy to the fluid, and that it operates as a generator, the problem is to minimize the mechanical losses and simultaneously ensure a maximum compression ratio. In turbine operation, when the fluid communicates its energy to the mechanical system, the concern is to provide a mechanical system that, unlike many current turbines, retains the pressure well.

  These objectives, and others which will become apparent in the following description, are well made by the turbomachine of the invention, which is characterized in that: - each blade is free to rotate about a parallel axis to the axis of rotation of the rotor and located at its geometric center; the axes of rotation of the blades are arranged in a circle on the rotor; the rotation of the blades is synchronized so that each performs a half rotation for a revolution of the rotor; the positioning of the different blades is identical for each angular position of the rotor relative to the stator; and 2870883 2 the stator has internal and external walls parallel to the axes of rotation defining a passage passage of the blades allowing contact or a quasi-permanent contact between the axial direction zones respectively the innermost and the outermost of each blade and said walls.

  The originality of this configuration lies in the fact that each blade rotates on itself at the same time as around the central point of the turbomachine, in a closed configuration provided to ensure optimal maintenance of the internal pressure by creating chambers interior of variable volume.

  The inertia of the mechanical system is reduced, in particular because of the double rotation, and the possibilities it generates in the design of the latter, each rotary blade constituting in itself a smaller mechanical system which, with regard to the connections, the Relative movements, leaks, parasites, sealing, etc ... is much easier to control a single rotating structure subject, especially at high power, to significant stresses.

  Preferably, the vanes are arranged inside the stator at regular intervals on the rotor. The behavior of variable volume chambers, during compression or expansion of the fluid according to the generator or turbine uses, remains uniform and allows a regularity of operation favorable to the mechanical strength of the system.

  According to the invention, the rotor of the turbomachine of the invention comprises two plates between which are disposed the inner and outer walls of the stator defining the passage passage of the blades, and to which they are connected.

  The inner and outer walls of the stator, which participate in their form to the objective of improving the tightness of the assembly, have in fact a plot that is similar to an ellipse. This shape allows the blades at any time, regardless of their relative position during their own rotational movement, to obstruct the corridor defined by the walls of the stator. This construction allows the production of compression chambers or expansion between two successive blades of the turbomachine, and promotes the compression or expansion operation with maximum efficiency at least in the areas in which the chambers thus defined do not interfere with the inlet and outlet openings of the fluid.

  The tightness is further enhanced, especially between the rotor plates and the stator walls, by the existence of flexible segments which do not interfere with the relative movement of the blades with respect to the stator, but contribute to effectively partitioning each compression or relaxation chamber with variable volume.

  According to the invention, the blades are preferably provided at their axial ends with a disk embedded in the volume of each rotor plate and flush with its surface, free to rotate relative to said plate.

  This mechanical characteristic of course makes it possible to improve the mechanical efficiency of the system, by minimizing the friction losses, without affecting the efficiency of the compression or expansion operations of the fluid, since the discs do not encroach on the volume of the passage. internal.

  To further optimize the mechanical connections, the discs are connected to the rotor plates by means of a bearing for example ball or bearings.

  Each mechanical connection is in fact designed in the sense of a reduction of the resistant forces to reduce the mechanical losses of efficiency at each step.

  As in the connection between the rotor plates and the stator walls, the sealing between the blade discs and the rotor plates is achieved by means of flexible annular segments to isolate the fluid in the variable volume chambers during compression or relaxation operations.

  As has been mentioned before, one of the fundamental aspects of the turbomachine of the invention lies in the synchronization of the rotation of the blades. From a mechanical point of view, this synchronization relies in particular on the existence, on one of the end discs of each blade, of a linkage shaft to a device for synchronizing speed and position of said blades.

  The rotor, driven by a clean rotation movement, is thus provided with complementary elements allowing it to manage the rotation of each blade.

  More precisely, according to one possibility, each shaft is provided with a pulley allowing its connection by chain or belt on the one hand with the pulleys equipping the trees joined to the other blades, and on the other hand with a pulley secured to the stator.

  In a manner known per se, the diameters of the different pulleys are provided to ensure the reduction provided within the scope of the invention, namely a half rotation for each blade when the rotor performs a complete revolution.

  Alternatively, another solution is to equip each shaft with a toothed wheel allowing its connection via other gears or gears, with a toothed wheel secured to the stator.

  2870883 4 The choice of the different gears allows, again, to transmit the speed reduction from the rotor to the blades.

  According to another variant, each shaft may be provided with a toothed wheel driven in rotation by a ring gear integral with the stator.

  In this case, said ring comprises, for example, an internal toothing which meshes with the outside of the circular system formed by the toothed wheels in rotation with each shaft connected to the blades.

  According to one possible configuration, the other end disk of each blade that has no shaft is provided, on its face opposite the blade, a pair of studs protruding from the rotor plate and moving in guide rails made in a stator wall oriented parallel to said rotor plate.

  The movement of the blades is therefore, in a certain way, forced by this guidance in slides which can in addition be lubricated.

  In the same logic of sealing as before, it is possible to provide the radial edges of the vanes of sealing segments.

  It should be noted that these segments, the use of which may be required or advised in certain types of use, may also be omitted in other applications.

  The turbomachines of the invention can also be configured as a motor, when one of the walls of the stator is equipped with a fuel injector disposed near a spark-type ignition device.

  In this case, it is of course necessary to provide for the positioning of the injector or spark plug in a section of the wall near the fluid inlet opening, for the air supply, and to manage the closure of the combustion chamber by appropriately configuring the outer casing of the stator. In this respect, it is possible to arrange the adjacent inlet and outlet openings.

  It is obviously possible to associate such a motor with a turbomachine 30 of the invention arranged upstream, to perform a precompression of the oxidizing fluid.

  In general, the invention relates, in addition to the turbomachines themselves, compression devices which are characterized in that they comprise at least two turbomachines arranged in series. This configuration having successive stages of compression allows a progressive increase in pressure according to the principle of an aircraft reactor.

  Of course, the number of blades, as well as their dimensions, are variable depending on the use and the size of the turbomachine. In general, the design of the turtomachine of the invention allows the implementation of multiple variants according to the applications envisaged, as well as the use of a wide range of materials of all kinds to manufacture its various components.

  Among others, we can mention plastic, steel, tungsten, carbon, refractory materials, etc ... the choice being made according to the constraints of use (lightness, power, nature of the fluid, etc.). ..). The use of so many materials is made possible in particular by the absence of micro kinetic shocks, including resistance to inertia, hence the possibility of using heavy parts at high speed, including supersonic.

  The uses of such a turbomachine are obviously extremely numerous, the high efficiency it offers constituting an important advantage. For the record, we can mention the use of steam turbine, which allows operation at lower pressures than current turbines to obtain an equivalent performance.

  The energy gain is obvious, opening up the possibility of using more modest installations, and therefore more economical than current installations for equivalent uses.

  The turbomachines of the invention also make it possible to recover energy in gas furnaces, or any other fuel furnace, for example to transform the lost mechanical energy into electrical energy.

  Air compressors are also a possible application, air friction between the moving and stationary parts being reduced in the machine of the invention, which implies, for an identical yield, kinetic energy losses and less noise. high, and therefore a decrease in energy consumption.

  Mention may also be made of the use of the turbomachines of the invention in jet engines, or other engines, in which they notably provide an appreciable gain in terms of compression. Again, because of the high efficiency, the compression allowed by the turbomachines of the invention is achieved at lower rotation, i.e. with less fuel and less energy loss. At equal power, the engines usable are much lighter, achievable at a lower cost, and they finally cause reduced pollution.

  In the field of pumps, the excellent sealing of the machine of the invention allows efficient suction, especially in suction pumps.

  The advantages of the invention are therefore numerous and considerable. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the appended figures for which: FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a turbopump according to the invention, in longitudinal section; Figure 2 shows, in cross section, the mechanical structure of the implantation of a blade; FIG. 3 shows the series association of two turbomachines according to the invention, used as compressors; FIG. 4 shows the association, always in series, of a compressor with a motor according to the invention; and Figures 5-7 illustrate possible examples of blade synchronization system.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the stator (1) comprises an outer wall (2) and an inner wall (3) which delimit a corridor (4) whose width changes as a function of the position of the blades (5), which are movable in rotation about central axes (6). The stator (1) has an inlet opening (7) and an outlet opening (8) for the fluid, the direction of flow of which is indicated by horizontal arrows (F). The blades (5) are provided with a disc (9) free to rotate in a circular shape plate (10) of the rotor, which in this case marries the outer contour of the stator (1). This rotor is rotated about the axis shown in (11), in the direction of the arrow (F ').

  The basic principles of operation of the turbomachine of the invention appear particularly well in this figure. Starting for example from the dawn (5) appearing in the upper part of the figure, where the corridor (4) is the widest, it is obvious that the different positions of each of the vanes (5) shown are such that after a complete revolution of the rotor, the angle traveled by each blade is equal to 180. Thus, the blade (5) which appears in the lower part of the turbomachine has rotated by an angle of 90 for an angular displacement which corresponds to a half-turn of the rotor.

  In each of the positions of the blades (5) which are shown, the portion closest to the axis of rotation of the rotor (11) on the one hand, and at least a portion furthest from said axis, c that is to say, the closest to the periphery of the stator (1), is in contact with the inner and outer walls of the corridor (4).

  The blade (5) at the top of the figure being oriented perpendicular to the axis of the corridor (4), it is of course at this place that said corridor (4) is the widest. In contrast, the lower blade tangential to the axis of the corridor, and having only its thickness in the direction of its displacement, this portion of the corridor (4) is the smaller in width.

  This figure clearly shows that the different blades (5) form between them expansion or compression chambers having a variable volume between the inlet (7) and outlet (8).

  FIG. 2 shows in more detail the mechanical scheme for implantation of a blade in the turbomachine of the invention. In this case, the rotor consists of two plates movable in rotation about the axis (11), referenced respectively (10) and (12). Each of these plates comprises a succession of circular housings distributed at regular intervals on the circle of the axes (6) of the vanes (5). These circular housings (13, 14) receive discs (9, 15) secured to the ends of the blades (5), these discs (9, 15) being connected via bearings, for example ball bearings (16, 17) to the plates (10). , 12) The seal between discs (9, 15) and the trays (10, 12) is preferably formed by circular segments (18, 19).

  Whatever its position during its rotation relative to its central axis (6), each blade is in contact, or almost in contact with the outer walls (2) and inner (3) of the stator (1). This contact can be sealed by means of segments (20, 21). Such sealing by means of segments can also be carried out respectively between the outer wall (2) of the stator (1) and the plates (10, 12), via the segments (22, 23), and between the inner wall ( 3) and said trays (10, 12) via the segments (24, 25).

  Each variable volume compression or expansion chamber as shown in FIG. 1 is then effectively isolated, from the point of view of pressure, which makes it possible to optimize the compression and expansion operations provided by the turbomachine, respectively. in its two possible operations.

  One of the blades (15) end blades (5) is further provided with a shaft (26) passing through the plate (12) of the rotor, a portion protruding from said plate (12) is provided with a pulley (27 ') or a toothed wheel (27) enabling it to cooperate with the system for synchronizing the speed and the position of the vanes (5), as will be shown in more detail in FIGS. 5 to 7.

  The other disc (9) has two studs (38, 39) which protrude from the rotor plate (10) via an opening (40) and move in guide rails (41, 42) of suitable shapes a wall (43) of the stator parallel to the plate (10). The shape of these slides appears in Figure 7.

  The association of two turbomachines according to the invention, which is shown in FIG. 3, consists in connecting the output (8) of a turbine engine used as a generator, that is to say compressing air, to the inlet (7) of another turbomachine also operating as a generator. These two successive stages allow to achieve a greater compression, it is still possible to increase by associating, still in series, other turbomachines of the invention.

  The association that emerges from Figure 4 shows two turbomachines that operate on a slightly different principle, the first acting in simple compression, while the second has moreover an injector (28) and a spark plug (29) which allow operation in thermal engine by explosion of the mixture in the chamber formed at the inlet of the turbomachine. In this case, the outer wall of the stator (1) is configured so that the combustion chamber is closed at the moment of the explosion, which implies an increase (30) of the surface of the outer casing of the stator ( 1). The cloud representing the exhaust gas (N) is discharged through the outlet opening (8).

  FIGS. 5 to 7 illustrate more particularly the various systems for synchronizing the rotations of the vanes (5). Thus, in FIG. 5, a central shaft (31) protruding from the rotor and a toothed wheel which is secured to it are integral with the stator (1) and the rotation of the rotor is transmitted to external gears (27) via intermediate gears (33). ).

  Since the number of teeth of the gears (32) is twice as low as that of the gears (33, 27), the latter impart to the blades (5) a rotational movement which is twice as slow as that of the rotor, and allows each blade to perform only half a turn during a complete rotation of said rotor.

  The variant shown in Figure 6 is based on a pulley (32 ') which replaces the gear wheel (32) of the previous version. This pulley (32 ') is connected to the outer pulleys (27') integral in rotation of the blades (5) via a belt or chain (34), the rotation of the rotor thus being passed on to a single pulley (27 '). The retransmission of the movement to the other pulleys (27 ') is effected via an external belt or chain (35). Since the diameter of the outer pulleys (27 ') is twice that of the lower pulley (32'), the rotational speed of the blades is two times less than the rotational speed of the rotor.

  According to another alternative, represented in FIG. 7, a central shaft (31) is not used, but an outer ring (36). This is calculated so that the movement printed on the different gears (27) secured to the vanes (5) is twice as slow as the rotation of the rotor.

  The guide rails of the studs (38, 39) protruding from blades appear in this figure. It is in fact a single slide with two internal and external portions whose plot is a curve tracing the combined movement of the rotation of a stud around the axis of the blade (5), associated with b rotation of the rotor plate (10). In the lower part of the figure, said curve comprises an intersection zone between the inner portion and the outer portion in which the studs invert the portion in which they move. Those who arrive from the outer portion borrow the inner portion and vice versa.

  The examples which have been illustrated by the figures above are of course not to be considered as being exhaustive of the invention. It encompasses all the variants of shape and configuration that are within the reach of those skilled in the art.

2870883 10

Claims (15)

  1. Turbine engine with vanes (5) arranged on a rotor cooperating with a closed stator (1) provided with an inlet opening (7) and an outlet opening (8) of the fluid, characterized in that: each blade (5) is free to rotate about an axis (6) parallel to the axis (11) of rotation of the rotor and located in its geometric center; the axes of rotation (6) of the blades (5) are arranged in a circle on the rotor, the rotation of the blades (5) is synchronized so that each performs a half rotation for a revolution of the rotor; the positioning of the different blades (5) is identical for each angular position of the rotor relative to the stator (1); and - the stator (1) has inner (3) and outer (2) walls parallel to the axes (6, 11) of rotation defining a passage (4) for passage of the vanes (5) allowing contact or quasi-contact permanent between the respectively the innermost and the outermost axial direction of each vane (5) and said walls (2, 3).   2. Turbomachine according to claim 1, characterized in that the blades (5) are arranged at regular intervals on the rotor.   3. The turbomachine according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the rotor comprises two plates (10, 12) between which are disposed the inner walls (3) and outer (2) of the stator (1) defining the corridor (4) passage of the blades (5), and to which are connected said vanes (5).   4. The turbomachine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the seal between the plates (10, 12) of the rotor and the walls (2, 3) of the stator (1) is formed using flexible segments (22, 23, 24, 25).   5. Turbomachine according to one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that each blade (5) is provided at its axial ends with a disk (9, 15) embedded in the volume of the plate (10, 12) of the rotor and flush with its surface, free to rotate with respect to said plate (10, 12).   6. Turbomachine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the discs (9, 15) are connected to the plates (10, 12) of the rotor by means of a bearing for example ball (16, 17) or bearings.   7. The turbomachine according to one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the seal between the discs (9, 15) of the blades (5) and the plates (10, 12) of the rotor is carried out using flexible ring segments (18, 19).   2870883 11 8. The turbomachine according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that one of the end discs (15) of each blade (5) is provided with a shaft (26) for connection to a synchronization device. speeds and positions of the blades (5).   9. Turbomachine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each shaft (26) is provided with a pulley (27 ') allowing its connection by chain or belt (34) on the one hand with the pulleys on the trees secured to the other blades, and secondly with a pulley (32 ') integral with the stator (1).   10. A turbomachine according to claim 8, characterized in that each shaft (26) is provided with a toothed wheel (27) allowing its connection via other gears or gears (33) with a toothed wheel (32) integral with the stator (1).   11. A turbomachine according to claim 8, characterized in that each shaft (26) is provided with a toothed wheel (27) driven in rotation by a ring gear (36) integral with the stator (1).   12. Turbomachine according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the other end disc (9) of each blade (5) is provided on its face opposite the blade (5), a pair of studs (38, 39) protruding from the rotor plate (10) and moving in guide rails (41, 42) formed in a wall of the stator (1) oriented parallel to said rotor plate (10).   13. Turbomachine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the radial edges of the blades (5) are provided with sealing segments (20, 21).   Turbine engine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of the walls of the stator (1) is equipped with a fuel injector (28) arranged near an ignition device (29). candle type.   15. A compression device based on turbomachines according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least two turbomachines arranged in series.