US772294A - Governor for hydraulic turbines. - Google Patents

Description

-7 ,2 4- I, PATENTED 0GT.11,1904. L. RIBOURT.

GOVERNOR FOR HYDRAULIG TURBINBS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24. 1903. N0 MODEL- BSHEETS-BHEET 1.

PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904.

7 L. RIBOURT. GOVERNOR FOR HYDRAULIC TURBINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.2 4. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2;

N0 MODEL.

Flip 2.

Devenma Zoaz fifoourl UNITED STATES Patented October 11, 19 04.

PATENT OFFICE.

LEON RIBOURT, OF VESINET, FRANCE.

GOVERNOR FOR HYDRAULIC TURBINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,294, dated October 11, 1904.

Application filed December 24, 1903. Serial No. 186,477. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON RIBoURT, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Vesinet, Seme-et-Oise, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Governors for Hydraulic Turbines, of which the followlng 1s a specification.

This invention relates to governing devices for turbines; and the object of the same is to provide a simple and eflicient means for effectmg and assuring uniformity in the operation of the turbine, despite variations in the head of Water supplying the latter and in the load. If the speed of a turbine is to remain uniform, which is almost universally the condition aimed at, the available energy developed by the hydraulic motor alone supports the fluctuations in question.

Centrifugal regulators or governors such as are nowin use for controlling the admission of water to the turbine do not. so far as I am aware, assure a sufficiently uniform speed under allconditions, and it is the purpose of the present invention to obtain this result, and its construction permits of this for the reason that it develops considerable power for operating the motor device of the sluice-valves of the turbine, even with the slightest variations in speed and whatever may be the power of or the conditions under which this mechanism is constructed. Furthermore, my device operates, in addition to the relay-valve adapted to ordinary fluctuations, a larger valve-under extraordinary conditions for permitting the quick closing of the sluice-valves of the turbine. This construction permits of dispensing entirely with fly-Wheels and also permits of employing light turbines running at high speeds and developing high powers. Another advantage of my device is that it permits of employing devices the dimensions of which are independent of the size or importance of the turbine to be governed. Therefore the regulator can be applied to any installation, whether already existing or to be constructed. It is only required that the regulator or governing means shall be connected in some convenient manner with the motor device or re lay operating the sluice-valves of the turbine through the ordinary or any suitable mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the comparative delicacy of control of the centrifugal governor and of the governor herein described. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the entire apparatus, showing the governing device connected with the motor or relay for operating the sluice-valves of the turbine. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the cut-ofi or obturator, on a much larger scale than Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a cross-section at line MM in Fig. 3.

A tank H, containing oil or water, has immersed in the liquid a rotary pump or meter Z, which is driven by the turbine to be regulated and which produces a constant circulation of the liquid in the direction of the arrows. Pendent in the tank H is a tubular body K, having an inlet R at its side connected with the eduction side of the meter Z. Extending down through the axis of the tube K is a piston-rod I, connected with a piston D in the tube above the inlet R, and with a sharp-edged disk piston F in a nozzle E on the lower end ofthe tube and forming a con' tinuation thereof. The piston D is backed by a spring'l, which tends always to press the pistons and their rod downward, and the tension of the spring is regulablc by means of a screw-plug U in the upper end of the tube K. The important feature of this device resides in the nozzle E and disk piston F. Hence this feature has been illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. The cylindrical bore G of the nozzle E is of less diameter than the bore of the tube K and piston D; but the nozzle is provided in the wall of its bore with a plurality of V-shaped grooves 0, which begin at a point near the upper part of the nozzle and extend to its lower end, becoming gradually larger toward said lower end. As all the liquid delivered by the meter Z atR must pass out through these grooves to the induction side of the meter, it will be noted that the cross-section of the outlet will be governed by the position of disk piston F in the nozzle. The higher it ascends the more contracted will be the outlet, and the lower it descends the more open and free will be the outlet. The pressure of liquid from the meter at the inlet R tends to drive the piston D upward with a pressure governed by the difference in area of the two pistons D and F, and this is resisted by the spring T. This device as a whole forms a cut-off or obturator.

At the normal speed of the turbine the meter Z forces the liquid to circulate as described, the moving parts of the odometer assuming a condition of equilibrium, which is dependent on the volume of liquid delivered, the cross-section of the discharge-opening at the nozzle E, the pressure of the liquid in circulation, and the tension of the spring T. If the velocity of the meter increases, there will be a corresponding augmentation of the liquid-pressure on the pistons D and F and they rise slightly, compressing the spring T and reducing the cross-section of the outlet in the nozzle. This reduction or partial closing of the outlet increases the pressure of the circulating liquid. This increase in pressure is utilized through means and under conditions which will now be described.

A ballasted plunger-float B depends into the liquid in the tank H and is provided at its upper end with a rack C, which gears with a curved rack Q on one end of a floating bar Q, and this bar carries at its other end a like curved rack Q which gears with a rack J on the upper end of the piston-rod P, which carries the piston P of the motor relay or engine, which operates the sluice-valves of the turbine. Water is admitted to and discharged from the cylinder L through a port 20 below the piston P, and the flow of water to and from the cylinder is controlled by a slidevalve 0 in a chest N. WVater enters the chest through a pipe 9 and to and from the chest and cylinder by a pipe 8. The water exhausts normally by a pipe 25. The valve-stem e is coupled through an eccentric .2 to a link f, suspended loosely from the middle of the bar Q.

The operation is as follows: \Vhen the pressure increases in the tank H from the causes above stated, the float B rises, its rack C rocking the bar Q about the teeth on the rack J as a fulcrum. This rack cannot at first descend, because the liquid under the piston P is cut off from escape by the slide-valve a; but as the bar Q is moved upward it carries up with it the valve 6, which thus opens the ports of both the pipes s and t under the valve, and thus allows the liquid to exhaust from the cylinder L through the pipe t. The piston P now descends and closes the sluicevalves of the turbine. At the same time it carries down with it the rack J, the bar Q being thus made to turn about the contact of its curved rack Q with the rack C as a fulcrum. The valve 0 is thus shifted downward until it comes to the dead-point. The valve remains thus immovable as soon as the tendency of the float B to move upward ceasesthat is to say, when the regular velocity is attained and the output or delivery from the meter Z has come back to the normal.

In order to maintain in the motor controlling the sluice-valves all the mobility desired and to assure precision in its movements, it will be desirable to give to the piston P and valve 6 very moderate dimensions; but with these minimum dimensions of the valve the ports controlled thereby would be insufficient to insure the quick closure of the sluice-valves of the turbine in a case, for example, where there is a sudden throwing off of the load from the turbines in large installations. To insure in such cases a very rapid closing of the sluicevalves, recourse will be had to the means shown in Fig. 2, which will now be described.

A plunger-float S depends into the liquid in the chamber H, and its upper end is cou-' pled to one arm of a lever X. The other arm of this lever is coupled to a rod '0, which passes through a stuffing-box down into a cylinder N and rests on the valve V, which is held up to a seat in a partition in the cylinder by a spring 00. The chamber in the cyl inder W below the valve is connected with the exhaust from the cylinder L by a pipe y and above the valve by a branch pipe 6 to the exhaust t. The valveV will be held normally closed tight, andthe float S will be so ballasted that it will not be actuated by slight fluctuations of pressure in the tank H; but if there should be an exceptional acceleration in the velocity. of the turbine and consequently a momentary abnormal pressure on the liquid in the tank the float S will be lifted, and this movement through the lever X and rod '0 will depress and open the valve V, thus permitting the water under the piston P to escape rapidly, so that the said piston may descend and quickly close the sluice-valves of the turbine. V

The eccentric-coupling 2 of the valve-stem Q with the pendent link f from the bar Q enable the valve 0 to be set with reference to said bar by turning the eccentric around more or less. This has the same efl ect as shortening or lengthening the valve-stem. This rotation of the eccentric is effected by hand and by its means the valve may be shifted in such a manner as to exhaust the liquid under the piston P, and thus close the sluice-valves of the turbine without regard to the speed of the latter or to the pressure on the liquid in the tank H. The turbine may thus be stopped in a moment, if necessary, and by reversing the movement of the eccentric the turbine will be again set in motionthat is to say, such reverse rotation of the eccentric pushes down the valve 6 and uncovers the port leading to the pipe 8, so that water may flow directly from the pipe g to the cylinder L and drive upward the piston P therein.

The diagram in Fig. 1 compares the delicacy or sensitiveness of the ordinary centrifugal governor to slight fluctuations of speed with my device, and this diagram will now be explained.

The equilibrium power of my governor being represented by the distance from m to n, the ordinate 2 corresponding to the normal speed, the effective sensitiveness of the device is represented by m p or m p for variations in speed of one per cent.- up or down. With the centrifugal governor the sensitiveness is represented by q 1 or q 9". In this diagram,ct 0

. o designates in dotted lines the parabolic curve indicating the measure of sensitiveness of the ordinary centrifugal governor used with tur bines for controlllng the servomotor-relay,

. and c 0 d designates in full lines the corresponding curve produced with the governor or odometer herein described.

Whatever may be the special form of the servomotor relay or device which efieets the closing and opening of the sluice-valves of the turbine, the important and essential feature is that through this relay the very quick and sensible variations of pressure in the liquid circuit of theodometer shall react almost instantaneously on the sluice-valves and shall bring back the parts to the neutral point as soon as the odometer itself shall have become stable at the normal speed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A governing device for regulating the speed of a turbine, comprisinga tank containing a liquid, means, driven by the turbine regulated, for producing a continuous circulation of the liquid in the tank in a closed circuit, and automatic means controlled and operated by the moving liquid for obstructing the flow proportionately to the speed of the current, whereby the pressure increases directly with the increase of speed.

2. A governing device forregulating the speed of a turbine, comprising a tank containing a liquid, means, driven by the turbine regulated for producing acontinuous circulation of the liquid in a closed circuit, and obturating means controlled by the moving liquid for obstructing the flow proportionately to the speed of the current, said obturating means comprising a tube through which the liquid must flow, an outlet-nozzle E on said tube, said nozzle having a bore G and flaring grooves 0, a piston-rod extending through the tube, a piston D on said rod, a spring back of said piston, and a disk piston F on the rod and playing in the grooved bore of the nozzle, the inlet for the liquid being. between said pistons, and the outlet being through the grooves of said nozzle.

3. An apparatus for the purpose specified, havinga tank containing a liquid, automatic means for increasing the pressure on said liquid in direct proportion to the increase in speed of the turbine governed, a motor-relay for operating the sluice-valves of the turbine, and means actuated by the pressure on said liquid and controlling the flow of water to and from the motor-relay.

4. An apparatus for the purpose specified, having a tank containing a liquid, means for increasing the pressure on said liquid in direct proportion to the increase in speed of the turbine governed, a motor-relay for operating the sluice-valves of the turbine, means actuated by the pressure on said liquid and controlling the valve of the motor-relay, an auxiliary valve controlling the exhaust of the motor-relay, and means actuated by the pressure on said liquid and controlling said auxiliary valve.

5. An apparatus for the purpose specified,

having a tank containing a liquid, means for increasing the pressure on said liquid in direct proportion to the increase in speed of the turbine governed, a motor-relay which operates the sluice-valves of the turbine, and means whereby variations in pressure on said liquid control the motor-relay, said means comprising the float B, dependent in the liquid in the tank, its rack C, the rack J on the piston-rod of the motor-relay, the floating bar Q, provided with curved racks gearing with the respective racks C and J, and means coupling the bar Q, with the valve of the motor-relay for operating said valve.

6. An apparatus for the purpose specified, having a tank containing a liquid, means for increasing the pressure on said liquid in direct proportion to the increase in speed of the turbine governed, a motor-relay which operates the sluice-valves of the turbine, means actuated by the pressure on the liquid in the tank and controlling the valve of the motor-relay,

and auxiliary controlling means for causing the motor-relay to close the sluice-valves quickly, said means comprising a float S depending in the liquid in said tank, a valve closing the exhaust of the motor-relay, and mechanism between the float S and said valve whereby the rise of the float opens the valve.

7 An apparatus for the purpose specified, having a tank containing a liquid, means for increasing pressure on said liquid proportionately to the increase in speed of the turbine governed, a motor-relay for operating the sluice-valves of the turbine, said relay having a controlling-valve, a float in the liquid in the tank provided with a rack, a rack on the piston-rod of the motor-relay, a floating bar hav- 1ng curved racks which gear respectively With the above-mentioned racks, a hnk suspended from said floating bar, and an eccentric .2,-

coupling said link With the stem of the controlling-valve of the motor-relay, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

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