US733105A - Elastic-fluid turbine. - Google Patents

Description

v IPATENTED JULY 7, 1903., L. WILSON. ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE.

- APPLICATION nun JAN. a0, 1903. no noun.

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ill/i THE-NORRIS PETERS co. Pam-ammo mew 'PATENTED JULY 7, 1903. L. WILSON.

ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. so, 1903.

'THE nonms PETER! co, wonxu'mcn wash-("407cm o, c.

with fixed blades or alternately with other prompt removal of such liquid and to prevent itsfurther friction with the moving partsot' troughs are separated from each otherwhen of the turbine, the clearance-space between UNITED STATES Patented July '7, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE;

LIDA witsou, or BRooKLiimnEw YORK.

LAsTlo-Fruio TURBINE.

, srnicrnrcarron forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,105, t me July) 7, 903.

Application filed January 30; 1903.

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LIDA WILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pierrepont I-Iouse, Montague street, Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in Elastic Fluid Turbines, fully described and repre accompanying drawings, forming a part of the'same. s

The present invention relates to improvements in turbines operated by steam or other gaseous elastic fluid, wherebyliquid occurring l in the turbine may readily be removed therefrom and whereby the gaseous elastic fluid may be maintained at high pressure (even when being used at reduced volume) until it is discharged fromthe nozzles upon the blades of the turbine.

For turbines having moving blades liquid intermeshed between these causes great fries tion, especially if arranged in alternate series moving blades running in a reverse direction 5 and this invention provides means for the the turbine. I- eflect this by the following-i described appliances: Between the fixed blades (when such exist in the turbines) and themoving blades and (when there are no fixed blades) between the moving blades themselves a clearance-space provided through which the-liquid may be thrown outward in the direction of the outer casing by the centrifugal action of the ,moving blades. The liquid so ejected would upon striking the caseing be reflected back onto the moving blades unless caught and removed from the turbine. For this purpose I provide a trough located in a chamber around each series of the moving blades between them and the outer casing to receive the discharged liquid. These there are fixed blades in the turbine by the rings which attach the fixed blades to the casing, or in case all the blades revolve, by rings extending between each series of moving blades for a short distance toward the center the moving blades being sufflciently enlarged parts of the turbine.

ingly-reduced efficiency.

for such distance to allow space for such Serial No. 141.159. (No model.)

chambers, whence it is removed through pipes to suitable traps which permit the exit of the liquid, but not of gas, (such as ste'a1n,) so that any hot gas (such as steam) which passes with the liquid to the chamber through the clearancespace between the respective blades cannot escape from the turbine-casing with the'liqnid, but formsaheatingjacket around the moving blades and helps to equalize the expansion of the outer with that of the inner The fixed blades and other stationary parts of the turbine may be provided with water-lute joints where desired around the shaft and other moving parts of t the turbine.

In turbines operated by steam or other gaseous elastic fluid it is desirableto regulate the supply of such motive fluid in proportion to the workto' be done from time to time. If this is effected by throttling oi the gaseous motive fluid by the main supply-valve, it

reaches the turbine-blades much expanded at greatly-reduced pressure and correspond- It is therefore desirable to throttle the gaseous motive fluid in the nozzle bywhich it enters the turbine as near to their inner orifices adjacent to the turbine-blades as possible, so that the pressure may be fully maintained (even when the volume delivered to the blades is reduced) up to the said orifices, which should be so situated that the gaseous motive fluid has the shortest possible distance to travel therefrom and in which to expand itself before its primary impact upon the turbine-blades. I eifect this by inserting a rotatable throttle-valve of special construction in each nozzle situated as close to the inner orifice adjacent to the valve extending through a suitable stuffingboX to the outside of the turbine and all the shanks connected to be actuated simultaneously by suitable gearing, which may be operated (as preferred) by hand or automatically blades as possible, the shank of each throttleby a governor of any convenient type. The

drawings illustrate the throttle-valves placed in a series of nozzles leading from the gaseousmotive-fluid-supply chamber to the turbineblades. On the throttle-valve shanks outside the turbine are pinions actuated by teeth on a ring surrounding the casing, this ring being actuated by suitable gearing moved by the governor or by hand when preferred.

My invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is aside elevation in section at the centerline where hatched of a turbine employing my improvements. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the turbine casing with the parts broken away where hatched into sections at various planes, the portion between lines 1 and 2 being in section on line 1 2 in Fig. 1, the portion between lines 2 and 3 being in section on line 2 3 in Fig. 1, the portion between lines 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 being in section at the end of the drum, and the portion between lines 4 and 5 being in section on line 4 5 in Fig. 1'. Fig. 3 is a section on line 7 '7 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side View, and Fig. 5 a cross-section near the top end, of one of the nozzle-valves. Figs. 3 to 5 are 011 alarge scale.

A designates the bed-plate, and B the pedestals for the shaft B of the turbine-drum D. The drum is carried by the shaft and has attached to it a series of wheels 6, having radial impact-blades e and rotated within the easing formed of the shell E and heads F F.

The head F is formed with an annular motivefluid chamber G, from which nozzles a extend nearly to the impact-blades e on the first wheel e. The motive-fluid chamber is supplied with motive -fluid by one or more pipes G. Each wheel, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is formed with a series of radial blades 6, the spaces 6 between the blades forming channels through which the motive fluid passes from one side and direct it backwardly from the opposite side. -The wheels are spaced apart upon the shell of the drum sufficiently to admit intermediate flat rings f, which are attached to the casing E and are formed with blades f, adjacent to the blades 6, the faces of the blades f being opposed reversely to the faces of the blades a, so as to receivethe backward current of motive fluid and discharge it again forwardly upon the blades of the succeeding wheel e. The nozzles a are extended radially at suitable intervals and are tapered in cross-section and inclined from the chamber G to their outlets to deliver the motive fluid in a forward direction upon the blades 0. A space is provided between the periphery of each wheel and the casing to form a chamber 1 between the adjacent fiat rings f. A clearance-space g is formed between each of the rings and wheels to perrhit the escape of liquid which may be condensed between the blades, and an annular trough h is attached to the casing within the chamber I by a central plate It to receive the liquid which is discharged from the wheels and prevent it from falling back again upon the wheels. The chamber I, ex-

isting between flat rings f, serves in the lower to said corner.

boxes 0 for the stems.

half of the casing to lead the liquid to its lowest point, where a discharge-pipe iconducts the liquid to a trap j. One of the traps is shown for illustration in'Fig. 2. Seven of the wheels 6 are shown upon the drum in Fig. 1, and the motive fluidis therefore expanded repeatedly in passing from one wheel to another through the blades of the stationary ring f. The rings f extend from the casing inwardly, close to but not in contact with the shell I) of the drum, and thus divide the interior of the easing into separate chambers, each of which is trapped separately by the construction described, so that condensed liquid is not only discharged from the bottom without permitting gas to escape, but communication between th e chambers I, surrounding the several wheels, is prevented. The flat rings f thus form partitions which prevent the motive fluid in one of the chambers I from communicating with the motive fluid in any of the other chambers I, and the reduction of pressure, therefore, takes place by the expansion of the motive fluid in passing through the blades .2 and f The casin g contains an exhaust-chamber F at the last of the series of wheels, into which the exhaust-steam is delivered and discharged therefrom by any suitable outlet, as the pipe H in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows several of the nozzles a, having enlarged inlets from the chamber G, the illclination of the nozzle to the side of the wheel 6 forming a sharp corner at one side of the nozzles outlet, opposite to which a sectoral valve plug 0 is fitted in a sectoral groove formed along the side of the nozzle opposite The valve in cross-section is a sector of a circle and is fitted to the sectoral groove, so as to lie flush with one side of the nozzle when full opening of the'latter is desired. The valve is so located that when the edge nearest to the outlet of the nozzle is turned inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, it moves toward the sharp corner at the opposite side of the nozzles outlet, and thus contracts the passage directly adjacent to the delivery-point, where the motive fluid is discharged upon the blades 6. This construction is adapted to prevent the expansion and consequent loss of pressure in the motive fluid when throttled at a distance before it is discharged upon the first rotating wheel, and this effect is produced by employing the rotating valve-plugs and locating them opposite to the sharp corner at the outlet of the nozzle, where they may operate at the actual delivery-point. The stems c of the valves are of cylindrical form and are extended radially outward through the casing, which is provided with stuffing- Beyond the stuffingboxes a toothed pinion J is applied to each of the stems and meshes with an annular ring-gear K. The ring-gear is broken away in Fig. 2 to expose one of the pinions and is shown in Fig. 1 fitted to a circular seat upon the left-hand end of the shell E, upon which it may be moved to turn the pinions. Bearings Z are attached to the shell E and support a shaftm anda worm n, a section of teeth upon a periphery of the ring-gear. A hand-wheel n upon the shaft m enables the operator to turn the ring-gear and adjust all of the valves 0 within the nozzles simultaneously. The heads F are shown provided withlute-joints applied to the shaft 13 where'it passes through the heads. Such joint furnishes a means between the stationary and revolving parts of turbines to prevent the escape of fluid, while avoiding the friction and heat engendered by a closely-fitting packing. The lute-joint'is composed of a series of rings and intermediate grooves upon one surface and corresponding rings and intermediate grooves upon the other surface, the opposing rings and grooves intermeshing with one another nearly but'not quite in contact, so that fluid between such rings and grooves renders them fluid-tight by their centrifugal action as they revolve interm eshed with one another. A ring P upon the shaft 13 is shown providedwith such rings and grooves, and the head F is provided with an annular chambered casting having similar rings and grooves, the chamber being supplied with water under pressure by a pipe g, which water is delivered from the chamber between the rings by suitable passages, so as to lubricate the moving parts. The centrifugal force generated by the rotating rings throwsthe fluid forcibly into the l opposed grooves, and thus forms a fluid-tight as, for instance, the inner 4 rings around the shaft joint which prevents the escape of any fluid from the casin g, while the moving surfaces are fully lubricated. Such apackingof luted rings and grooves may be applied to the junction of any of the moving and stationary partsedge of the rings f and the adjacent surface of the drum D. It will be readily seen that the pressure within the casing tends to discharge through the luteany liquid that may be carried by the motor fluid, and where such liquid suffices to lubricate the rings the supply of liquid through the pipe q would not be required.

It will be observed that the blades carried by the drum are formed between a hub and felly, permitting each wheel to be made of cast metal in one piece and bored to fit upon the drum'and secured thereto by any usual means. If made of cast metal, a metal tire or clamping-band (shown at t in Fig. 1) is preferably shrunk upon the felly to strengthen the wheel. The rings f, which contain the reversing-blades f, are of similar construction, embracng an inner hub and an outer annulus, to both of which the blades f are at tached, and the outer annulus attached to the casing E. The cross-section of the blades 6 and f is clearly shown in Fig. 3 adapted to throw the current of motor fluid alternately in opposite directions to make impact with the opposing surfaces of the blades 6 in the most effective manner. The blades may be which meshes with in the several series of fixed strengthened by being connected circularly at intermediate points between the hub and felly.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed herein is- I 1. A turbine having moving blades, and opposed fixed blades to reverse the motion of the motive fluid, with a clearance'space between the respective sets of blades, a casing inclosing the whole, and a trough supported inside the casing surrounding the said clearance-space to catch the liquid discharged from the clearance-space.

2. A turbine having a series of moving wheels formed with .blades, such wheels spaced at intervals, a casing inclosing such wheels, intervening rings fixed to the casing between the said wheels with clearance-space between such rings and wheels, the rings hav ing opposed blades for reversing the motive fluid and forming chambers within the casing around said wheels, and a trough supported in each chamber surrounding each wheel to catch the liquid discharged from such clearance-space, a pipe for drawing the liquid from the said chamber, and atrap connected with such pipe to prevent the escape of gas therefrom.

3. In a turbine, the combination, with several series of moving blades arranged at intervals, and a said blades, of rings attached to the casing extending inwardly between the respective series of moving blades, the said rings supporting stationary blades between the respective series of moving blades, witha clearancespace between such respective series, the.

gaseous motive fluid expanding progressively and moving blades and becoming gradually reduced in pressure in its progress through said successive series of blades, troughs in the chambers between the rings to guide, receive and transmit the liquid from the clearance-spaces, a pipe from each chamber to draw the liquid from the same and a separate trap upon each of the said pipes to discharge the liquid without permitting the gaseous motive fluid to pass out.

4:. In a turbine, the combination, with blades carried therein, and a casing inclosing them, of nozzles to deliver the motive fluid upon the blades, within the casing, rotatable valves inserted across the nozzles near their outlets and adapted when turned to contract the area of the nozzles directly adjacent to the said blades, a ring-gear encircling the casing, a pinion upon each valve-stem outside the casing and meshing with such ringgear, and means for turning the ring-gear to adjust the valves simultaneously.

5. A turbine having a drum provided with and supporting a series of wheels, each comprising a hub, felly and intermediate blades gas-tight casing surround ngof suitable shape to cause the motive fluid to traverse laterally through the wheel and to deflect it backwardly, and a clamping-band applied outside of the felly to hold the wheel firmly together.

6. The combination of a turbine, of a drum provided with and supporting series of spaced moving wheels each comprising a hub, felly, clamping-band and intermediate blades, of suitable shape to cause the motive fluid to traverse laterally through the wheel,and to deflect it backwardly, a casing surrounding the wheels, stationary rings attached to the casing between the wheels, and having passages of suitable shape to cause the motive fluid to traverse laterally through them and direct it forwardly, clearance-spaces between each wheel and the adjacent rings, a chamber containing a trough around each moving wheel between its periphery and the casing, ineans to removeliquid from each chamber separately but not to permit gas to pass out with such liquid, nozzles provided with rotatable valve plugs near their orifices, the valves being arranged to be turned simultaneously by suitable gearing, luted rings and L grooves to form fluid-tight joints where desired between stationary and moving parts of the turbine, all provided, constructed and combined in the same turbine, as and for the purposes and substantially as herein described.

'7. The combination in a turbine, of a drum provided with and supporting series of spaced moving wheels each comprising a hub, felly, clamping-band and intermediate blades of suitable shape to cause the motive fluid to traverse laterally through the wheel and to deflect it onto the adjacent. moving wheel, a casing surrounding the wheels, stationary rings attached to the casing and extending inwardly for a short distance therefrom between each series of moving wheels, clearance-spaces between each moving wheel and its adjacent moving wheels, a chamber containing a trough around each moving wheel between its periphery and the casing, the chambers being separated by the stationary rings attached to the casing extending inwardly for a short distance between the moving wheels, means to remove liquid from each chamber separately but not to permit gas to pass out with such liquid, nozzles provided with rotatable valve-plugs near their orifices, the valves being'arranged to be turned simultaneously by suitable gearing, luted rings and grooves to form fluid-tight joints where desired between stationary and moving parts of the turbine, all provided, constructed and combined in the same turbines, as and for the purposes and substantially as herein described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LIDA VILSON.

\Vitnesses THOS. F. J. KELLY, R. W. Wool).

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