US1872165A

US1872165A - Regulating system for hydraulic turbines

Info

Publication number: US1872165A
Application number: US147419A
Authority: US
Inventors: Moody Lewis Ferry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1922-01-07
Filing date: 1926-11-10
Publication date: 1932-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 1949-08-16

Description

Aug. 16, i932. L. FJMOODY REGULATING SYSTM FOR HYDRAULIC TURBINES original Filed Jan. 7, 1922 wvithin' an annular chamber 8.

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 enmanI sian-:vs

LEWIS FERRY Moons?, or .riirmnnrlrma PnNNsYLvANIA REGULATING' ysYsr'nM Fon HYDRAULIC 'JJU'RBINESy Griginal' application filed January 7, 1922, Serial No. 527,544. Divided andtliis application filed Novenilir 10,1926. serial No. 147,419;

This inventionrelates to a mechanism and system' for controlling.hydraulic turbine ap? paratus, and more particularly tothe control fluid iiow to the turbine apparatus. This case is a' division of my copending application iiled January 7, 1922, Serial No. 527,544.

Anobject of the invention is to provide for al hydraulic turbine a regulating system having a plurality of regulating devices `directly controlling the flow'. Another object is to provide means whereby the devices areiunder a ui'iied controli for governing the 'speed and power ofthe turbine apparatus.`

A more speciiic object oi" the present in vention is to provide a single ,turbine yunit with two types of regulating devices which in one specilic aspect of the invention are gates, one being' adapted for quick-regulation to care for the usual load variations to which a plant is subjected, andthe other beiiigused for a slow adjustment-` Other objects will beapparent from thJJ following'descriptiono the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a partial vertical section through a turbineA unit showing the governor andcontrol mechanism in elevation, and

' cg. a nism; c

In the illustrative embodiment of my invention l have shown a turbine' runnerR disposed within a plunger gate g, which coni-` prises an linner member 5 slidable on an annular wall 6, while a piston 7 is disposed Fluid to the annular recess for moving the plunge'rgate upwards is conducted through a pipe`9 and controlled by an operating device, generall ly indicated'lay The weight of the lplunger vandthe water pressurel exerted thereon will be suiiicient for opening the plunger when fluid Ipressure in the chamber 8 1s released,

The upper end of the gate is curved Vto provide a smooth fluid passagezleadlng to the turbine-runner. rlhe runner 1s supported is a'sectional view of'a valve mechaupon a usual shaft 10 which is connected to a usual generatorT. Fluid How/'to the runner is also controlled by a series Vof wicket. gates G', which' are actuated byusual' linksv 1l and a vshifting ring 12, the shifting' ring being' actuated by a usual servo-motor 55,. The wicket gates are disposedl on the inside of stay vanes S disposed in the usual entrance passage E.

The turbine unit hasan -automatic speed governor 45 driven from the turbine and acting to control the wicket gates G to vary relatively quickly the power supply according to the load, and to subsequently readjust the power Ysupply at relatively slow. rate. The governor 45,` which is of the. usual cen# trifugal iiyballtype or equivalent device per.-

forming the' same functions, as for example an electrical device, is adapted through usual linkages to control the admission and exhaust of fluid to the servo-motor 5,5, therebyoperating the wicket gates inthe usual manner,

while usual primary and" secondary restoring mechanism including elements 52, 53 and 47 act'upon the governor to prevent hunting and to restore the turbine to its normal speed.

it is desired in the arrangementherein disclosed to use 'inan individual turbine two diilere'nt types of regulating means yin the form of gates, one type of gate,rthe wicket gate, being employed forquick regulation to care for' the usual load variations to whiclr the plant is subjected, and the other 'typeof gate, the plunger gate, being used for a slow adjustment under' a vsecondary rmethod of control. Q Vhile gates have been Vspecifically shown, it will be understood that there may be used other types o' power regulating.

mechanisms by which power is va'riably Yob-A tained from the flow through the unit, such other ,typesk including adjust-able runner vanesiope'rated in any wellv known manner;`

By the arrangement described herein it'will,`

in general beiunnecess'ary for the wicket gates to be capable of closingoinpletely, or of controlling the load throughout the entire power'range of the unit; a small number ot wicket gates could be used, widely spaced around the intake of the runner, thus reducing both the hydraulic friction of the gate surfaces and the hydraulic load which the operating mechanism must handle. For complete clo-sure, or for handling large load changes, the plunger gate would be operated by the secondary control; for quick fluctuations, the wicket gates would operate under governor control. After any quie.; change in the position of the wicket gates corresponding to a` change in load, the plunger would under the iniluence'of the secondary control system slowly follow up the motion of the wicket gates unti'l both the wicket gates and plunger gate have automatically adjusted Y themselvesito corresponding degrees of openmg.

The secondary control for theplunger gate is provided with a special operating stand h and connecting mechanism capable of moving the plunger gate at a slow rate compared to the wicket gate motion.v To attain this operation, connections are provided between the wicket gate operating mechanism and the control stand 7L, and include a rod 50 which will partake of the movement oi" the gates G through elements 52, and 53. The secondary control stand is shown on a larger scale in Fig. 2 and is connected to the rod 5() by a bell crank 56 and a vertical rod 57 running upward into the base of the control stand h. This rod 57 is connected to a hori- Zontal floating lever 58. The left han(L end of this floating lever is link-,connected to the lever 60 linked to the plunger gate g. The center of the floating lever is connected to and actuates the stem 62 of a fluid pressure valve 63 contained in the upper portion of the control stand L.

The valve 63 is of the balanced piston type which when moved downward connects the pressure port 642 by pipe 9 to the lower end of the chamber 8 through port connection 6G to close the plunger gate. Upward movement of the valve 63 places port 66 and passage 67 in communication, thereby exhausting fluid in chamber 8 and moving the plunger gate to open position. The port. 65 is used in certain installations for conducting fluid pressure to a second operating chamber but in this arrangement the gate is opened due to its weight'and the water for the turbine acting thereon. The valve stem 62 passes through the valve and is screw threaded therein at 68 and swiveled at 69 and provided with a hand-wheely 70 so that the valve 63 may be moved either by vertical movement of the stem 62 or by'rotationalv movement of thestem 62V when turned by the handwheel 70.

Assuming theV gates of the turbine to be at rest at any given moment, a change in the navales station load will cause the governor 45 to operate to move the gates G and these in turn will move the horizontal interconnecting rod 50. The effect of this will be to raise or lower the right hand end or" the floating lever 58, the left hand end of this lever being held stationary by its restoring rod connection 59 to the plunger gate. The middle of the lever 58 will move the valve stem 62 with a motion corresponding to that of the inter-connecting rod 50. This motion will open the hydraulic piston valve 63 admitting pressure to the chamber 8 and move the plunger in a closing direction. Shifting of the plunger gate will be communicated to the left hand end of the floating lever 58 and when the plunger gate rhas moved an amount corresponding to the motion of the interconnecting rod 50 theL valve 63 will be restored to midpositi'on. This' gate motion will take place at a definitely restricted rat-e sufficiently slow so as not to interfere with the primary regulation of the unit. This restriction may be caused by a limited port area of the valve and a limited size ot piping leading to the operating chamber of the plunger.

The action just described will cause the plunger gate tofollow up the gate motion of the wicket gates and take up a corresponding position. lVhile this automatic control by governor 45 is thus applied the hand control motion of hand-wheel 70 is always in gear, so that at any time an operator may superpose the hand control motion on all other controlled motions which are in progress. It

is thus possible to shut down the unit by hand at any time, as in case of emergency, without iirst disconnecting any other mechanism, and it is also possible to adjust the valve 63 so as to proportion the positions of the wicket gates and plunger with relation to each other. in any desired manner. l

The effect of the interconnecting mechanism is always to cause the plunger gate to follow up, and approach the position corre- 31 sponding to that taken by the wicket gate.

The action just described is very eifectively brought about in that the wicket gate is adjusted for quick operation while the plunger gate moves more slowly.

A further advantage of this plural arrangement of regulating means is that improved efficiency may be had by the joint action of both types of gates in that when they are both partially closed to the proper 'i relative positions better operating conditions can be secured than by the use of either gate alone.

As a further means of` controlling the unit an'electric motor 72 may be provided contained within the base of the control stand L and connected through a worm 73 and worm wheel 7st Yand long faced pinion 75 to a gear 76 mounted on thevertical restoring rod 59 at the left end of the floating lever 58. This gear 76 rotates a` nut engaging a screw-on the restoring rod sothat by operating the motor the floating lever 58 may be raised or lowered vand the valve 63 correspondingly moved. This motor 72 furnishes ya 'remote control means by which the turbine'may be operated from the switchboard'or other1 convenient location. This remote control inechanisin, therefore, like the hand controll mechanism, is always in gearand it is not'` possible for an operator to leave'it disconnected.- The motor 72 may be arranged to operate directly on Vthe valve spindle or stem 62 instead of' upon the restoring rod59, the effect being ,the Same in either case.` l 1 My gate arrangement' has the further adi vantage of being able to'utilize the plunger gate to shut olf positively iiuid flow to .the turbine yrunner when the turb'zne is' idle, thus eliminatin g' leakage 'while during operation of the turbine, the plunger performs the additional'functicn of regulatingiiow through the turbine'and cooperates;with the wicket gates to control the flow nio-re efficiently.

Denotino" the quick-acting flow controlling mechanism (here shown'as wicketgates) the primary gate inechanismand the slow-act# ing mechanism (here shown as a.v plunger gate) the secondary gatemechanism, then as explained above, the ellect oi' the intercon-y necting mechanism is alwaysto cause the secondary gate mechanism to follow kup and approach theposition corresponding to 'that talren by the primary gatemechanfsm under governor control due to a load change. 'fitter the iirst shift of the primary gatesy to taire' up practically the entire load change at a relatively rapid rate the effect will be for the primary gates gradually to unload a part of the load control upon the other gate mecha-V nism, until only its proper shareremains with the primary Vgate mechanism, that is, the secs ondary gate'iiiechaiiism will gradually talre up part of the controlaiid relieve thevpr'iniarygate until both gate 'mechanisms'approach corresponding positions, leaving the unit. with the adjustment of loadthen dividedbetweenboth gatelmechanisms. All quiclrfiluc-v t-uatioiis are taken by the primary gate mech-,

anism and then the load adjustment is;y slowly istributed between the two mechas'" nisms. in load, the increase, its gates quickly opening so li' the load change is an increase to maintainas nearly as possible a `constant speed of the unit. The secondarygate will then begin slowly to open andthe primary gate will slowly close until both gates have reached an equilibrium Vas set by their respective governing valves.

vI claim:

V1. @he combination with a liydraulic'turbine having arunner and provision'tor directing Fluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery,ofa'plurality'otgate the primary gate mechanism will take,

gate mechanisms is adapted tchate an open-YK ing different ltrom the' other including means for' coordinating the operationofsaid gate mechanisms. y j 'i .Y f

8. The combination with a hydraulic turbine having a runner and provision for di# recting Afluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery, or a plurality of sets of gate mechanisms, and means whereby opera'-V tionV of one set automaticallyeiects operation of the other. V

4.' T he combination with a'hydraulic tur! bine havingv a runner and provision for-ili-v recting Huid thereto simultaneouslyY around its entire periphery, of af plurality of sets of gate mechanisms oi dii'lerent types, operat ing means'for each,:and means for coordinating the operation of said operating means. LfThe combination with a hydraulictiir-- bine having a runner and provisionrfor diiecting fluid thereto simultaneouslyaround its entire periphery, of a gate mechanism for;V eilecting a relatively quick fluid adjustment,

and a second gatemechanism for effecting relatively slow adjustment, andmeans for et' fectin said. slow adiusiment automaticall g d i after a quick adjustment.

6. The combination with a liydraiilic`tur-,- bine `of Ywicket and'olun -er date mechanisms, and means whereby after movement of the wicket gate. mechanism said plungergate is moved automatically.

7. Thecombinatioii with ahydraulic tur` bine, of wicket and plunger-gate mechanisms,

means for supporting said` mechanisms in` concentric relation, and means whereby after' movement kofthe wicket gate mechanism said plunger gate is'moved autoinitically.`y n

8. v,The combination with a hydraulicl tur# bine, of a plungerv gate adjacent the turbine runner, a wicket gate surrounding saidrun! neifoutside of the plunger gate, and iii'elnS whereby. after'movement of the wicket gatef said plunger gateis moved autoclosed while said plunger gate is'V wholly closed.

10. The combination with a hydraulic tur-H bine', of wicket'and plunger gate mechanisms,-

for Y means for effecting relatively quick adjustment of said wicket gate mechanism, and means for thereafter effecting relatively slow adjustment of the other gate mechanism.

11. The combination with a hyraulic turbine having a runner and provision for directing fluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery, of a plurality of gate mechanisms, means for effecting relatively quick adjustment of one of said mechanisms, and means for effecting relatively slow adj ustment of the second mechanism, including means whereby both of said mechanisms will approachautomatically asubstantially equal degree of opening in accordance with the turbine load.

12. The combination with a reaction type of hydraulic turbine having a runner and provision for directing fluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery, of a plurality of gate mechanisms, means for effecting adjustment of one of said mecha-V l nisms, including restoring mechanism, means for effecting adjustment of the other mechanism, and means for coordinating the operation of both of said means.

13. The combination with a hydraulic turbine having a runner and provision Jfor directing fluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery, of a plurality of gate mechanisms, means for effecting adjustment of one of said mechanisms, including restoring mechanism, and means for eecting adjustment of the other mechanism, including another restoring mechanism.

14. The combination with a hydraulic turbine having a runner and provision for directing fluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery, of a plurality of gate mechanisms, means for effecting adjustment of one of said mechanisms including restoring mechanism, means for effecting adjustment of the other mechanism including another restoring mechanism, and means whereby one of said gate adjusting mechanisms is rendered operative after operation of the other adjusting mechanism.

15. The combination with a reaction type of hydraulic turbine having ya runner and provision for directing fluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery, of means for controlling fluid flow thereto, including means for effecting quick control of the fluid, restoring mechanism for said quick control means, and means for effecting a slow control over the fluid flow automatically after the quick control has been effected.

16.V The combination with a. hydraulic turbine having a runner and provision for directing fluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery, of means for controlling fluid flow thereto, including means for effecting quick control of the fluid, restoring mechanism for said quick control means, and means for automatically thereafter effecting a slow control over the fluid flow, including means whereby said adjustment is eected during a single change in the turbine load.

17. The combination with a reaction type of hydraulic turbine having a runner and provision for directing fluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery, of a plurality of gate mechanisms, means for effecting adjustment of one of saidl mechanisms,including a speed responsive governor having restoring mechanism associated therewith, and means for effecting adjustment of the other gate mechanism, including means controlled by said governor.

18; The combination with a hydraulic turbine having a plurality of gate mechanisms so relatively disposed that either of them is adapted when closed to prevent fluid flow to said turbine, of power operated means for effecting operation of each of said mechanisms and also relative adjustment therebetween, and hand controlled means for effecting adjustment of one of said mechanisms.

19. The combination with a hydraulic turbine having a plurality of gate mechanisms so relatively disposed that either of them is adapted when closed to prevent fluid flow to said turbine, of power operated means for effecting operation of each of said mechanisms and also relative adjustment therebetween, and hand controlled means for effecting adjustment of one of said mecha-nisms independently of the other mechanism.

20. The combination with a hydraulic turbine, of wicket and plunger gate mechanisms,

a fluid actuated servo-motor for actuating said wicket gate mechanisms, fluid pressure operating means for said plunger gate, a speed responsive` governor mechanism for controlling fluid flow to said servo-motor, a

restoring mechanism associated with said governor for controlling said servo-motor, a

valve `for controlling actuating fluid for said plunger gate operating means, and restoring mechanism associated therewith, said latter l valve being controlled by said governor.

21. The combination with a propeller type of hydraulic turbine having a runner and provision for directing fluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery, of a plurality of regulating means cooperating with the flow through said turbine to control the power and speed thereof, and means whereby operation of one of said plurality of means automatically effects operation of the other, said regulating means being adapted to have independent relative movement.

22. The combination with a hydraulic turbine having a runner and provision for directing fluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery, of a plurality of regulating means of different types cooperating with the flow through said turbine to control the power and speed thereof, and common controlimeansfor effecting operationofA eachr of said regulatingmeans.. l j

23.. The combination with a hydraulic turbine having a runner and provision fory dif-v recting fluid thereto*simultaneously around itsentire peri chery, cfa `plurality of regulating; means ofv different: types, cooperating with. the How through said turbine to y control `the power and speed thereof, one of said means having pivotally `actuated elements, a governor for; controlling said pivot elements, and'means connectedto said pivot elements for movementy therewith to controlsaid other regulating means.

245. Incombination with a hydraulic turbine having a propeller'ru'nner provided with unshrouded blades, of wicket" gates and a cylindrical gate disposed'on the outside Vof the` turbine-runner, both of said gatesfbeing spacedf'romsaidrunner to provide a transition: space, :said wicketk gates beingy adapted tozimpartfA variable degrees of whirl. to the inflowing-luid to .said turbine.

25. In combination with a hydraulic tur'-l bineA having airunnernwichet ga tes adaptedfto impart varyingf degrees of whirl to the fluid flwingtozsaidturbine, and stay varies, of a cylindrical gate disposed outside'ot thefrunf ner and within the stayvanes.v

2.6. In combination with a hydraulicturbinei having an entrance casing, a runner disposed therein, and'wiclietfgates and agevernor; of means-whereby said wicket gates are adapted'for relatively quick actuation by said governor forcregulating the speed.. and load ottheun'it,y a cylindrical gate, andv means controlled by4 saidwicket gates for edecting relatively slow operation of said cylinder gate.

27. In combination with a hydranlictun binehaving a-:runner and means forming an entrance passagethereto, of wiclretgatesfor controlling isaid passage, and being adapted to impart varying-degrees ofwhirl to inflowingluid, and cylindrical gate also-being adaptedto close saidfpassage and so arranged that its closing movement is inl a direction toward'the turbine head. f

Q8.Y The combination with avhydraulie turbine-having a runner and provision for directingy fluid thereto simultaneously around its entire periphery, offa pluralityof regulating means cooperatingwith the 'liow through saidfturbine` to control the power and' speed thereof, means whereby said plurality of means arer operatively connected butv `Aare mechanically independent whereby relative movement therebetween may be had.v

29; The combination in` a hydraulic tur# bine. comprising a high specilic speed-propeller'type runner, an entrance passage` for turning the water from a'radial to an axial direction, adjustable gatesl for controlling andrvariably whirling the ilow therethrough and-'spaced from said runnerto :form aftransition space,-and acylinder gateiniadditionlto said adjustable gates. c

l30.-,The' combination iny ahydraulic turbine comprising a highspeciic speed propeller. type runner, anentrance passage for turning the water rfrom a radialtofan axial direction, adjustable Vgates for varia-blywhirli-` ing and controllingthe flowV therethrough and spaced-from said runnerjto `fornr'a-transition space, anda cylinder gate disposed on the :in-V

side of said-adjustable gates;

3l.` Thecombination in: a hydraulic tur# bine comprisingaE high specific speedipropeller type runner, anfentrancepassage ,for turning the water 'from fa radial f to. anaxial direction, y adjustable guide varies-disposed fin theradial portion ofsaidapassagefor control#y ling and variably whirling the* flow'the'rethrough andspacedffrom saidrunner to form atransition space, anda fluidoperatedcylindergate in addition gto said'adjustablevanes 32: The combination:y in a hydraulic turbinecomprisingj a. high specific:y speed. pro#k peller type' runner, anentrancepassagelead ing thereto and having stayr varies-therein, adjustable-guidevanes alsoldisposede in said entrance' passage and beingl adapted! toi-impart-varying'd'egrees offwhirltotheinflow'ing iiuid, and a*cylindergate'adaptedi toolose said passage and disposed on theinside of saidstay vanes, saidcylindergate and guide varies-being spacedfrom isaidf runnerfto. pro` vide a transition space therebetween.-k

38, The'combinationfinf al hydraulic turbineY comprisingv a2 hi gli. specific.v speed'. propellen type frunn'er,l an entrancepassa-gefor conducting fluid ktheretmqfixed stay vanesin saidfpassage, 4adj ustable guide vanesalsodis posedy therein and spaced fromf said? runner to forma transition vspace* and being adapted to impartvaryingdegrees oiwhirhto vthefin.h flowing fluid, andacylindenlgate'adaptedfto close said entrance .ipassagef` and disposed on the` inside of'said' stay vaines:V

34. The'combinationv in.` af hydraulic turbinecomprising means forming: ai passage which turns from-a-radiaL to an? axialldire tion7 a runnerdisposed in saidrpassageyad. justable wicket" gates in 'the radial l portion of said passage adapted to' impart varying.de grecs-of whirlto the fluidflowing .to said runner, and a. i cylinder gate'adaptedfto -novefait-` ially of said -runner and-acrossthefradialiporf tion of said passage.V n c 35. The combination in'arhydraulicfturbine comprising means forming a l passage which turns from a'fradialto anafxialffdireotion, arunner disposed in said'fpassage, justable wicket gates in the radial portion of said passage adapted to impart varying degrees ofwhirl to the-fluid lowingltosaid runner, a cylinder gateadaptedftoY move 'axially of said runnernandacrossthe-radialfporL tion-of said passage,andstayvanesalso dis-f posed in the. radial-fportion` ost said* passage and adapted to maintain the opposed walls l thereof in fixed spaced relation at all times.

'36. The-combination in a hydraulic turbine comprising means-forming a passage which turns from a radial to an axial direction, a runner disposed in said passage, adjustable wicket gates in the radial portion of said passage adapted toimpart varying degrees of whirl to the fluid flowing to said runner, a cylinder gate adapted to move ially of said runner and across the radial portion of said passage, and stay vanes also disposed in the `radial portion of said passage and adapted to maintain the opposed walls thereof 'in fixed spaced relation at all times, said cylinder gate being adapted to move to its closing position against one of said walls.

37. In combination, an impeller, conduit means forming a vane-free space in advance of said impeller, means for varying the quantity of fluid passing through said spaceto said impeller, and adjustable means functioning independently of said quantity varying means for varying the direction of flow of said fluid relatively to said impeller.

38. In combination, an axial flow impeller, conduit means for directing fluid inwardly and axially toward said impeller, a gate for varying the quantity of fluid passing through said conduit means, and a series of adjustable guide vanes for'varying the degree of whirl of the fluid admitted to said impeller through said conduit means.

' 39. In combination, an axial flow impeller, conduit means for admitting Huid axially toward said impeller, a gate movable axially of said impeller for controlling the quantity-of fluid admitted through said conduit means, and adjustable means functioning independently of said gate for varying the degree of Whirl of the fluid admitted to said impeller through said conduit means.

40. In combination, an impeller having a vane-free transition space in, advance thereof, means for varying the quantity of fluid delivered to `said impeller through said space, and adjustable, means functioning independvently'of said quantity Vvarying means for varying the degree of whirl of said fluid relatively to said impeller.

4l. In combination,` an impeller, conduit means forming a vane-free space in advance of said impeller, means 'for' varying the quantity of fluid admitted to said impeller through said space, and adjustable means operable independently of said quantity varying means for varying, the direction of flow of the fluid admitted to said impeller through said space.

42. In combination, an impeller, conduit means forming a vane-free transition space directly in advance of said impeller, means for varying the quantity of fluid admitted to said impeller through said space, and adjustable means located closely adjacent to said quantity varying means for varying the direction of flow of fluid admitted to said impeller through said space, said direction varying means functioning independently of said quantity varying means.

43. In combination, an impeller, conduit means forming a vane-free transition space for conducting fluid along the axis of said impeller, means for varying thel quantity of fluid flowing through said space, and adjustable means located in advance of said space and closely adjacent to said quantity varying means for varying the direction of flow of fluid admitted to said space, said direction varying means functioning independently Vof said quantity varying means.

44. In combination, an impeller having a vane-free space adjacent thereto, a gate movable axially of said impeller to vary the quantity of fluid passing through said space, and a series of adjustable guide vanes for varying the direction of flow of said fluid, said gate functioning independently of said guide vanes.

45. In combination, an impeller having a vane-free transition* space directly in advance thereof, a gate movable axially of said impeller to vary the quantity of fluid admitted thereto through saidrspace, and an annular series of adjustable guide vanes surrounding the axis of said impeller for varying the degree of whirl of the said fluid.

46. In combination, an impeller, means forming a passage comprising radial and axial flow portions connected by a transition space for conducting fluid to said impeller, means for relatively moving the bounding surfaces of said passage to control the quantity of fluid admitted to said impeller, and means functioning independently of said quantity controlling means for varying the degree of whirl of the entering fluid. 47. In combination, an impeller, conduit means for delivering fluid inwardly and axially toward said impeller, said conduit means comprising a movable wall forming a surface curving from the radial to the axial direction and said wall being movable to control the quantity of fluid delivered to said impeller, and means functioning independently of said quantity varying means for varying the degree of whirl of the fluid delivered to said impeller.

48. In combination, an impeller, conduit means for delivering fluid toward said impeller, said conduit means comprising a wall movable along the axis of said impeller to control the quantity of fluid admitted to said impeller, and means functioning independently of said quantity varying means for `varying the degree of whirl of the fluid delievered to said impeller.

49. In combination, an impeller, conduit means for delivering fluid to said impeller. Said conduit means comprising a wall movable along the axis of said impeller to vary the quantity of fluid admitted to said impeller, and means movable about axes parallel to the axis of said mpeller and functioning independently of said quantity vary-k said fluid.

LEWIS FERRY MOODY.