US2614870A - Turbine diaphragm - Google Patents

Description

oct. 21, 1952 J, L. RAY 2,614,870

TURBINE DIAPHRAGM Filed Oct. 5l, 1946 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 21, 1952 lUNIL'ItllD "()fliFlCE Y 2,614,870 f TURBINE DIAPHRAGM `:FrancesiL. "Rayg*Loing` Beach," Calif., assignorA to A1lis"Glialme'r`s Manufacturing CompanyiMili watikee; Wist; a corporation of `Delaware ...Application catcher. 31, 19.46, serial No. @masas ffrrolaims. 1

This invention relatesto meansproviding a ldiaphragm `ina -turbine constructed r.and `arranged `for operation by elasticllidand especially in a Iturbine Wherethe.operating` fluid isrtilized at high temperatures. Theinvention, is adapted to be embodied in.a gas turbine, andflmore-specifical1y,`the invention 'relates toi'diaphragm means in which is embodied sealing means.' between the diaphragm means proper andthe",turbineshaft. The principal lobject of the" invention is to; proide new and improved 'diaphragm means 'of .thesetypea t "The usual steam turbine practice "offsupporting" diaphragmV seal 'ring" meansby 4means 'of .,springs, the construction:and/arrangement being such as topermit the sealring meansto deflect when contacted by the'shaft; cannot'beused in gas' turbinesbecause the` springs relax "at the hightemperatures prevailing. "'Itis` an lobject of the" invention to' provide new and "improved diaphragm means comprising seal Iring-"'.ineans Vwhich will obviate"this"dfficulty.

i A more" specific object of theV inventionl is the provision ci newandiimproved diaphrgammeans comprising sealring means" in which' thefseal ring means' is resilientlybiased towarditheishaft and will Aresilientiy yield and"deflect'*whencontacted 'by the shaft;` 'andfwherein vfthe resilience is un- "affected" by the high" temperatures prevailing.

t A stillmore specific objectbf'theinvention is "the provisionofk new and improved; diaphragm I means comprising vseal ringfmeansi in'yvhich the "resilience of an elastici 'ludor-gas"is'lutilized to provide the desired'resilient'biasing -and'yielding effect. y

Other objects `will app'earbhereinafterl asff the ydescription of" the* invention' proceeds. r

" the objects are I attained -willappearlirom this specification and the accompanying drawing r shovvi-ngi vseveral embodiments zth'ereoffandf :forming a partof .this application, :and iall these :novel Lfeatures arey intendedicto- `:be ipointed-'iout :inf .the

lcl'aims.

11n the, drawing, Fig." l1'istam'enlarged.` longirftudinal sectional 1view, .on` theV line 1 I-,f-Ir of Fig.

2 looking 2in the'direction'of the..arrows,.show.mg a fragment of.4 a' half-section.. :oi-aigasr I turbine I embody-ing` `the invention;

. Fig. 3V 's a longitudinal sectional.` view, on an in the embodiment of FigS- 1 amig;` .r

y(onzas-fio) ,1,2 y e Eig.l` 4 is a fragmentary sectional Vview taken onthe,` line IV-f-.IVnof Fig. ,3, lookngin the` direc- ...tion .of ther arrows;

frFig, 5. is a `fragmentary radial sectionahview` n of. a, detail illustrating another embodiment; and

Fig. 6` is.. a: `fragmentary sectional View taken ...onkthe line VI--VLof` Eig. 5looking inthe direction of thefarrows.

1. I'Ihelturbinc illustrated comprisesa` stator and it ai rotor. `The stator. includes ,any cylinder. creasing aII) surroundingrthe rotor. `iAs shownlinnFig2 the casing I0 is made in segmental halves having fastened togethergby@boltsnot shown) .,or in l any ,suitablet way. .The rotor@ includes, a. spindle ...or shaitl. .'IllienshaftI.3` is `here shown as carry- .ing wheels; I,4.I5.each.offwhichis provided. atits outer periphery y:with` a setofiradially :extending .circumferentiallwspaced Yvaries or. blades I 6, I 1. ,.@Disposedtbetweenthe wheels.l 4, .I5 and.sup

` ,.-portedacross.thegspacebetween theshaftflland ``the stator casingill isudia-phragm means. .The Q I diaphragm, meansif is, hererzvshdwnras comprising a 4 single ringfmeans l Which,.`.sirnilarly` toKA the casing I0, may be made in segmental halves fastened .-togethemn any Lsuitable way. ,interposed `in and I. form-ing amaraof :the .ringgmeans. I8,are a plura-lity ofrblades I3 providinglnozzles .forwdirect @ingifg'asaagainst vthe;iblades I 1 iof .ther-wheel I5. l .Ehering meanstIS here;showntashaving :its enten,annulartperipheryfccnsltucted:and ar- :tranged: forlost.fnrlotion` connection with therzsta- I -I tomto permit expansionsand;contraction ,offthe being adapted to nt slidably in an annular recess y nsthefnormal .position ofathea axisrofnthershat I I 3- Ifiperipheryiisafrsealcring` .I means 1:.2 where-s shown '-tseeFig.`v 2) ascomprising.;four` arcuatesegments "1225239242 25;eachf'ofuapproxmately .90% ,Itfwill A be Aunderstood that the number ofasegxnentsamay lbe a Adesired:suitable :numberfotherfxthanbfour.

"f Each segmenti 2 24F- 2 5 ist provided.; with. a: I desired numberlof axiallywspacedl,` arcuate rVazshaped projections26cthepoints-Fofwhichare cooperable with annular projections* 21w'on :the `shaftrnltrto prevent vpassage lkoffegas, `'ati `theshaft,l from one t as will lbe understoodfby `those' skilledinl the4 art. Each segment`i22-^2`5 innere-shown as having a cover.

355 through the tube 40, the tube being sealed I `by welding 42,'when the gas pressure within the bellows is at a desired selected value. Thus the gagement `with the radially inner surfaces of the recesses 32,y 33;, the points of the V-shaped proyjections 23 are in the desired close juxtaposition with the annular projections 2l. Also, in this position of the parts a desired suitable clearance.

exists between the radially outer surface of the flanges .33, 3l and the radially outer surfaces of the recesses. 32, 33. Each segment22--25 is resiliently, yieldably held in the desired position by biasing means which, in this instance, includes two elements for each segment, cooperable with r`circmnferentially spaced portions of the respec- 'tive segment. vReferring to segment 22 by-way l of example, this segment is biased by two elements 3l,'35, and as seen in Fig. 2, one of the biasing elements 34 is here shown aspositioned to act against the segment 22 at or near one end thereof and the other element 35 is posi--l tioned to act against the segment 22 at or near the other end thereof. Thesegment 23 is simivlarly biased by elements 34a, 35a., the remaining vsegments being similarly biased by pairs of elements.

the head 44 and the adjacent under side of the cover 31 to permit compression of the element as will appear.

The elements 34, 35, and so on, are freely disposed in recesses extending radially into the ring means I8. One of these recesses, 4l, is shown in section in Fig. 1. The construction and arrangement is such that the cover 31 engages the `end f the recess 47 and the cover 38 engages the radially outer surface of the seal ring means 22. As here vshown a small radially extending recess 48 is provided to accommodate the free end of the tube 40. l

rIt'will rbe understood that the elements 34, 35 may be placed in the respective recesses 41 and the flanges 3| of the segment 22, for example, inserted into the annular recesses 32, 33 by circumferential movement. If desired, recesses 41a,

Referring now to l'ig. 3 which shows one of the biasing elements in detail, the element 34 is in the nature of a capsule and comprises a bel- "lows 3E made of suitable metallic material or `other suitable heat resistant material.

The bellows 33 is conveniently made of generally cylin- 'dr'ical form and provided Vwith generally disk- 'form end covers 3l, 38. The ends of the bellows '36 are welded or otherwise suitably fastened, gas tight, to the covers 3l, 33, the covers being here shown asprovided with annularflanges 39 which are recessed to accommodate the 'ends of the bellows.

The cover 31 is here shown as provided with a gas inlet tube 4B welded at 4|, or otherwise suitably fastened, gas tight, in an aperture in the Gas may be introduced into the bellows `is here` shown as comprising a rod 43 which may be 'welded to an inside surface of the cover 38, the rod being provided with a head 44 engageable with projections 45, 46'extending radially inward from the end of a flange extending axially from theiinside of the cover 37. VThe head 44 and projections 45, may be so formed that these parts may be readily assembled, the head being here shown as constructedv and arranged so that it will pass through a gap between the projections, the parts being then turned 90 to the position shown in Fig. 4, before the bellows 36 is welded to the cover 3l or the cover 38.,

Desirably, a suitable clearance exists between `the under surface ofthe head 44 and the adjaance also exists between the upper surface of corresponding to recesses 4l, may be made axially accessible by forming them with an aperture 49 extending axially into a face of ring means y|8a as shown in Fig. 6, the ring means |8a corresponding toring means I6. A seal ring segment 22a and a biasing element 34d may then be assembled sidewise with the ring means |8a, and held in position by a plate 5|] fastenable by screws 5| to the ring means laa, the plate 5G having an annular recess 33a corresponding to the annular recess 33 of Fig. 1, and being here shown as having an annular axially extending flange 52 cooperating with an annular recess in the ring means limi.Y

It will be evident that the elements 34, 35 and so 'on will resiliently bias the seal ring means 2| toward the shaft I3 and one or more of the elements will resiliently yield to' permit radial local movement or deflection of the seal ring means in accordance with the particular radial direction and amount of movement of the shaft I3. The clearance between the head 44 and the adjacent inner surface of the cover 31, and the clearance between the radially outer surfaces of the flanges 33, 3| and the radially outer surfaces of the recesses` 32, 33, are made sufficient to allow for the maximum anticipated movement of the seal ringmeans 2| by reason of radial movement of the shaft |3. It will also be evident that the biasing force provided by the biasing elements 34, 35 and so on will not be lessened under high temperature conditions.

Desirably, butv not essentially, a small hole 54 (Fig. l) is provided, this hole'placing the recess ll'l in communication with the upstream side of the diaphragm means. This is to assure that the external fluid pressure on the bellows 36 is the same as that atthe upstream side of the diaphragm means. It will'be understood that a similar hole -54 may be provided for each recess 4l. The hole 54a, Fig. 5, corresponds to the hole 54.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiments of the invention provide new and improved turbine diaphragms and accordingly accomplish the objects of the invention. On the other hand,

yit will also be obvious to those skilled in the art Ythat the illustrated embodiments ofthe invenkwithout departing from the spirit of the invention, or sacrificing all of the advantages thereof,

`and that, accordingly, the disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and the inventionjis not limited thereto. 1

permitting relative said receptacle being Anient of said 'receptac "structed and `arranged.f for' operation by Hiiuid,` `confprising primary diaphragm me lost motion connection means be t adelmysm tween; one of saidpartshaying" t" cess theopeingofwhichfac A of said parts; Aand resilientm ns fa bia ng said parts radially away from biasing means including 'atie Ically sealed recepta i i t t i. i l i ,i gl i tive radial movement of `at least a -portion of said parts.

2.1 Means previdalga diepnrfagrrel-lthef between thermes shaft andan "nnuierfwn surrounding said rotor ,shaft ofa turbine cone lows .of heat resistant materialcontainingwan inert gas,1said pluralityof bellows beingdisposed in said recesses respectively:and removable 'therefrom merelyby relative` movement of bellows andthe respective r esses, said bellows 1when in said recesses vyieldi'nglygpermitting radial V movement of said segmentsrespectivelym L v3. Means providing a' diaphragm for the space between the rotor shaft and an annular wall surrounding said rotor shaftof a turbine con- .structed and arranged fon operation bylelastic fluid, comprising: at least two concentric parts; "j

lost motion connection means between said parts permitting relative radial movement therebetween; one of said parts having at least one recess the opening of which faces toward the other of said parts; resilient means for biasing said parts radially away from each other, said biasing means including at least one hermetically sealed receptacle containing elastic fluid, said receptacle being disposed in said recess and removable from said recess merely by relative movement of said receptacle and recess, said receptacle when in said recess yieldingly permitting relative radial movement of at least a portion of said parts; and means whereby the fluid pressure in said recess is equalized with the fluid pressure within said annular wall at a selected side of said diaphragm means.

4. Means providing a diaphragm for the space between the rotor shaft and an annular wall surrounding said rotor shaft of a turbine constructed and arranged for operation by elastic fluid, said diaphragm means including relatively radially movable parts, and means for yieldingly biasing said parts radially away from each other comprising hermetically sealed receptacle means shaft and ycoQperable with" and `movable resbectjtofsadprima? diaphragm. t .and l means for i yieldingly biasing" jaidf Se ing leans; toward "aiashaft comprising nennetieaiiy vsealed receptacle means Lcoiiftaii ling` elastic iiul, reacting. ppstlr rallvl toward, said pnma'rv diaphragm Ineens` endlsaid sealing t t 6,' Ylbs-airis(providing a diaphfasmor the .S between the rotor shaft and ,anfannular wallr roundmgsaid rotorshaftofa turbine constructed and arrangedfor operation by elastic fl1 l id, said `diaphragm means including relatively radially movable parts,` and means foryieldingly biasing said t parts radially away from each .lothen comprising a pluralitypf, circumferentally spaced hermetically Sealed receptales containinsmilasticliiuidjindividually reacting radially oppositely toward said parts.

7`.` Means providing adiaphlfagm for the space between the rotor shaft andfan annular wall surrounding said rotor shaft of a turbine construeted 4and arrangedlffor operation by elastic fiuid, "sa"id diaphragm means including relatively Aradially movable parts, andmeans f or yieldinglybiasing said partsradially awayfrom each other corn- `prising a hermetically sealed bellows containing an inert gas, reacting radially oppositely toward saidparts." 4 v l8. Means providing a diaphragm for the v space `betweenthe rotorshaftandanannular wall surrounding said rotor shaft of a` Gurbineleons tructed and arranged for operation by elastic lfl'uidssaid diaphragm means includingfprmary phragm means ,Cooperable withand movable ially Iin sealing relationwithrespect `to Vsaid .annular Wall, sealing means cooperable with, seid shaft and coperable ,with and movable. A radially with respect' to said primary diaphragm means,` .and means for 4- yieldingly, biasing Saidwsealing means toward `said shaft comprising a hermetically sealed bellows of heat resistant material containing an inert gas, reacting oppositely radially toward said primary diaphragm means and said sealing means.

9. Means providing a diaphragm for the space t and arranged for operation by elastic iiuid, said diaphragm means including at least two concentric parts, lost motion connection means between said parts permitting relative radial movement therebetween; one of said parts having at least one recess facing an adjacent one of said parts, and means for yieldingly biasing' said parts radially away from each other comprising at least one hermetically sealed receptable containing elastic fluid disposed in said recess and reactitng oppositely radially toward said adjacent par s.

10. Means providing a diaphragm for the space between the rotor shaft and an annular wall surrounding said rotor shaft of a turbine constructed and arranged for operation by elastic fluid, said diaphragm means including primary diaphragm means cooperable with and movable radially in sealing relation with respect to said annular wall, sealing means including a plurality of segments forming a ring about and cooperable with said shaft and cooperable with and movable radially vwith respect to said primary diaphragm means,

and means for yieldingly biasing said sealing means toward said shaft comprising a plurality of hermetically A sealed receptacles containing elastic fluid, reacting oppositely radially toward said primary diaphragm means and said sealing i means.

11. Means providinga diaphragm for the space between the rotor shaftand an annular wall surrounding said rotor shaft of a turbine constructed and arranged for operation by elastic uid, said diaphragm means including primary diaphragm meansrcooperable with and movable radiallyk in sealing relation with respect to said annular wall, sealing means including a plurality of segments forming a ring about and cooperable with said shaft and cooperable with and movable radially with respect to said primary diaphragm means, and means for yieldingly biasing said sealing means toward said shaft comprising a plurality of hermetically sealed bellows of heat resistant material containing an inert gas, individually reacting radially oppositely toward said primary diaphragm means and said sealing means.

12. Means providing a diaphragm for the space between the rotor shaft and an annular wall surrounding said rotor shaft of a turbine constructed and arranged for operation by elastic fluid, said diaphragnfrmeans including primary diaphragm means cooperable with and movable radially in sealing relation with respect to said annular wall, said diaphragm means having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially directed recesses, sealing means including a plurality of segments forming a ring about and cooperable with said shaft and cooperable with and movable radially with respect to said primary diaphragm means, and means for yieldingly biasing said sealing means toward said shaft comprising a plurality of hermetically sealed bellows of heat resistant material containing an inert gas, disposed in said recesses respectively and individually reacting radially oppositely toward said primary diaphragm means and said sealing means.

13. Means providing a diaphragm for the space o between the rotor shaft and an annular wall surrounding said rotor shaft of a turbine constructed and arranged for operation by elastic uid, said diaphragm means including relatively radially movable parts, means for yieldingly biasing said parts radially away from each other comprising hermetically sealed receptacle means containing elastic fiuid, reacting radially oppositely toward said parts, and means whereby the external uid pressure on said receptacle means is equalized with the fluid pressure Within said annular wall at a selected side of said diaphragm means.

14. Means providing a diaphragm for the space between the rotor shaft and an annular wall surrounding said rotor shaft of a turbine constructed and arranged for operation by elastic fluid, said diaphragm means including at least twp concentric parts, lost motion connection means between said parts permitting relative radial movement therebetween, one of said parts having at least one radially facing recess; means for yieldingly biasing said parts radially away from each other comprising at least one hermetically sealed receptacle containing elastic iiuid disposed in said recess and reacting radially oppositely toward said parts, and means Whereby the uid pressure in said recess is equalized with the fluid pressure within said annular wall at a selected side of said diaphragm means.

JAMES L. RAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany of 1906

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