US2614747A

US2614747A - Gaseous flow regulator

Info

Publication number: US2614747A
Application number: US21249A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sabinus H Christensen
Original assignee: Carrier Corp
Current assignee: Carrier Corp
Priority date: 1948-04-15
Filing date: 1948-04-15
Publication date: 1952-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 1969-10-21

Description

Oct. 21, 1952 s. H. CHRISTENSEN GASEOUS FLOW REGULATOR Filed April 15. 1948 FIG.2

INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 21, i952 s ears Ltldjii? oassons stow REGULATOR Sabinus H. Cl1ristcnsen, Boston, Mass, assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse,-N. EL, acorporation of Delaware Application strait, leis, Serial No. 21,249

V 1 v This invention relates to gaseous flow regulators and more particularly to an adjustable regulator for imparting or removing a spiral or twisting direction to gaseous flow through a cir- 011121 duct. Q

' Heretofore, centrifugal compressors, for examplefspin vanes have been provided to impart a desired rotation to gaseous refrigerantpassing to an impeller." Generally, the angle at which such vaneswere disposed was fixed but 'in'sorne cases the'vaneswere adjustable in order to vary such angle. For most satisfactory results, it is essential that the leading edge of each vane be tangential to the direction of oncoming fluid fiow. Thus, with a fixed vane myone direction of flow could exist during operation of the machine or inefficiencies would result; With adjustable vanesas, heretofore known, any adjustment resulted in theleading edge being disposed at an angle to the direction of fluid flow which also resulted in ineficiency.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a regulator in which the leading edges of the vanes are fixed and tangent to the direction of fluid flow while the body of the blade is flexible and may be deformed to impart or to remove a desired direction to the fluid flow.

An object of the present invention is to provide a regulator including flexible metal vanes having their leading edges fixed and tangent to the direction of oncoming fluid flow and means whereby the outer trailing edge of each vane may be twisted thus deforming the body of the vane to impart or to remove rotation or spin to the fluid flow. Other objects of my invention will be readily perceived from thefollowing description.

This invention relates to a regulator for gaseous flow in a circular duct which comprises in combination a plurality of flexible, resilient vanes having their leading edges fixed and tangent to the direction of oncoming fluid flow, and means for adjusting the angles of the vanes while the leading edges thereof are held in fixed position and tangent to the direction of fluid flow.

The attached drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation illustrating the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line IIII of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the present invention embodied in acentrifugal compressor; and

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 2 Claims. (01. 220-114) V Y 2 IV-IV of Figure '3; illustrating a and flexed positions; Referring to the drawing, there 15 shown in Figures 1 and 2 a circular duct 2 having disposed therein a regulator S'to impartor' to remove rotation or spin to gaseous fluid passing therevane in straight through. The regulator 3 comprises a, central member 3, preferably formed in two sections as shown in FigureZ to 'aidin assembly; A plurality of spaced vanes 5' extend radially iron member ti. It is essential in my invention that vanes 5 be formed of a flexible, resilient material such as a flexible metal sheet as hereinafter described.

An insert member 6 is disposed within the wall of duct 2, member lrhaving an opening 7 to receive a guide ring 8. The leading edge 9 of each vane is securely bolted as shown at H) and ii to insert 6 and; to member l to hold it in fixed position and tangent to the direction of fluid flow;

Prods ii are secured totheouter trailing edge iii of each vane 5. On one side, rod i2 is disposed in an opening it in guide ring 6. On the opposite side, rod 52 extends through an opening 15 in guide ring 8. A shaft it extends through the wall of duct 2 carrying a crank ll engaging rod l2. Gear I8 is disposed on the end of shaft 56 without duct 2 and may be actuated automatically or manually to rotate shaft l6, thereby rotating crank ii to rotate ring 8 and twisting the outer trailing edge it of vane 5 as shown in dotted outline in Figure 4 to deform the body of the vane to impart or to remove a desired spin to the fiuid flow. It will be appreciated vanes 5 may be twisted to produce either a right-hand or a left-hand spiral flow with equal efiiciency.

In Figure 3, I have illustrated diagrammatically the regulator employed in a centrifugal compressor as a pro-rotation guide vane disposed at the inlet is to a centrifugal impeller 20 to impart a desired spiral flow to gaseous refrigerant passing to impeller 26. The regulator comprises a plurality of spaced vanes 25! composed of flexible sheet metal, the leading edges 22 of vanes 2! being fixed in position tangent to the direction of flow and the outer trailing edges 23 being twisted in a direction normal to the vane surface to deform the body of the vane thereby changing the direction of gaseous flow.

While I have disclosed that the trailing edges of the vanes may be tapered, it will be appreciated under some circumstances the leading edges may be tapered or both edges may be curved or straight as required for most satisfactory results. It will be appreciated, if desired,

the leading edges of the vanes may also be adjusted if desired similarly to the trailing edges.

The present regulator may be employed to impart or remove spin to a gaseous medium passing through a circular duct. It may be employed at the inlet to a centrifugal impeller for the purpose of shifting the surge point, maximum capacity and head While the speed is held constant. If desired, it may be employed to match the first stage and subsequent stages of an axial flow compressor to obtain the correct inflow angle to the rotating cascades. likewise, .the present invention may be utilized to remove residual spin of gas in a duct, for. example, from' the last stage of an axial fiow compressor or from wind tunnel fans.

The present invention provides fluid rotation vanes which include all the advantages of prior structures while eliminating their disadvantages. Tangential entry to the fluid is maintained at all times irrespective of the required turning angle which eliminates loss due .to separation. The adjustable .vanes provide a wide range of effective turningangles. .The efficiency of the present regulatoris as good at all-turningangies as the .efiiciency of prior structures when operating at their design turningrangle.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it willbeunderstood my invention is not'limited thereto since it-may be otherwise embodied within the-scope ofthefollowing claims.

I'claim:

1. Ina centrifugalcompressor, the combination of an impeller for-compressing fluids, and adjustable means disposed at the inlet to-said impeller for determining the direction of fluid supplied to the impeller, saidmeans comprising a plurality of flexible'metal vanes, a central-member, said vanes being mounted on and extending radially from said central member, the leading edge of each vane being attached to the central member and held in fixed position tangent to the direction of fluid fiow, a wall member surround- 5 ing the vanes, the outer edges of each vane being attached to the wall member, a movable guide ring disposed in said wall member, members extending from the itrailing edge of each vane into openings in theguide ring,

means for moving the guide ring to twist the .outer trailing edge of each vane thereby deformvinglthe bodyof the vane to vary the direction offluid passing to the impeller.

:2. zIn-aregulatorrfor gaseous flow in a circular '15 lduct, ithe combination of a central member tached to the central member and held in fixed positionltangentto the direction of-fiuid flow, a wall member-surrounding-the vanes, the leading edge of each vane being attached to -the {wall member, a movable guide-ring placeddn thezwall member and extending circumferentiallyvvabout the vanes, members extending iromathe-trailing edge of each -vane into openings v,int'the g-uide ring, and means for moving the guide ring to deform the-body of each vane wherebythadirection-of .fiuid flowmay be-adjusted.

:SABINUS CHRISTENSEN. REFEREN'GES CITED The following references are of record: in, the

file 'of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT-{S Number Name lDate 2,280,638 .Rufi Apr.- 2-1,: 1942 2,337,861 Adamtchik Dec. 28,1943 2,339,150 Codrington J an. 11, 1 944