US990781A - Turbine. - Google Patents

Description

W. G. ROSS.

A TURBINB. APPLICATION FILED .APB..9, 1910.

990,781 Patented 11111.25, 1911.

\ s sums-snm 1.

III m fn: Nonms Pzrsks co., wAsmNcroN, n, c.

W. G. ROSS.

. 1 TURBINE. l

L PIIOATION FILED APB. 9 1910 25, I

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

w u "5? a) La@ J y al w j 19 a j] l 24 I. n f l l? IA J9 l ,ef 5 3 Jigs. l

W. G. RUSS.

Patented A pI'. 25, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

nl: Nnnxls rirrns to.. WAsmNcroN, D. c.

WILLIAM G. ROSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TURBINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

Application filed April 9, 1910. Serial No. 554,487.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. Ross, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county o-f Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turbines, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of the present invention are to provide an improved type of rotary engine constructed to utilize in an efiicient manner, the expansive or impulsive energy of a fluid: to provide a rotary engine having a rotor of special construction, and with tubular buckets passing therethrough from one side to the other; to provide a casing for this rotor and having chambers which serve as conduits to conduct the driving fluid to a plurality of buckets in succession; to provide improved heating means for steam driven turbines whereby the steam, while being conducted from one bucket to another can be heated, thereby reducing condensation in the passages; and to provide other improvements in the construction whereby the engine will be efficient and reliable in operation, inexpensive tomaintain and of low initial cost.

A specific construction embodying this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation with part of the steam jacket broken away to show an end plate of the casing with the steam chests mounted thereon. A portion of that end plate is broken away to show the rotor. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, the section being taken along the line A-A of Fig. l, but following an irregular course in such a. way that the two tubular portions of each bucket appear in the figure as being in direct alinement, although in the actual structure they meet at an obtuse angle. Fig. 3 is a sectional development of a part of the rotor and its casing, and shows the relation of the steam chests whereby steam projected from a nozzle into one bucket can be conducted around to another bucket, and so on in succession through a series of buckets, the section corresponding to the surface of a cylinder, as for instance, that represented by the line B-B of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail of the inlet nozzle. Fig. 5 is a section of the same on the line C-C of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows a modification wherein the steam which is delivered through a bucket near the periphery of the rotor is conducted through a steam chest to a bucket located nearer the shaft, and so on in succession until it finally leaves the rotor from one of the buckets nearest the axis. Fig. 7 is a partial irregular section, having the general direction of the line D-D of Fig. 6, the section being taken in such a way that the two converging halves of each bucket appear in the gure as a straight tube. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of the means for conducting away water of condensation from the steam chests in turbines of large sizes.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. l to 5, inclusive, the rotary engine comprises a shaft l, carrying a rotor. This shaft is journaled in end plates 2 and 3, which constitute the side walls of the casing within which the rotor turns. The plates are securely fastened to a base 4, as by means of bolts 5, and can be moved toward each other a short distance by means of an adjusting screw 6. An annular band 7 may be secured to the outer edges of the plates to form the outer wall of the casing or chamber, within which the rotor turns. Bolted to the outer face of each end plate is an annular steam jacket S, through which superheated steam may be circulated to maintain a high temperature. Within each steam jacket and bolted to the outer face of the end plate are a plurality o-f casings or steam chests 9, each having an inlet port and an outlet port, and each serving as a. conduit through which steam delivered or released from one bucket can be expanded and heated and then conducted forward to another bucket. The chests 9 are preferably larger in transverse section than the nozzle area of the passages through the buckets so as to reduce the frictional resistance to the flow of steam through the chests and provide pockets for collecting condensation in the larger sizes of engines. In such larger sizes of engines, each of the steam chests may have a trapped outlet pipe connected to its lower part for conducting away the water resulting from condensation of the steam. In order to avoid confusion of the drawings, these pipes are shown only in Fig. 8, and are there shown diagrammatically.

The rotor comprises a pair of disks 10 and 11, each having a hub keyed to shaft l. Mounted on the inner or adjacent faces of these hubs are a pair of annular plates 12 and 13. Bolts 14; pass through the hubs, and

through these annular plates to hold the several elements in rigid relation. At the outer edges of the disks 10 and 11, a plurality of bolts 15 are arrangecheach having its outer end screw-threaded in a disk and its inner end carrying a head which is seated in a recess in the opposite annular plate. Each bolt 15 has a wrench hold near its middle so that it can be tightened to draw the outer edge of the annular plate toward the adjacent edge of the disk.

The buckets carried by the rotor are of unusual construction, and each comprises two tubular portions 17 and 18, converging as shown in Fig. 3, and having their junction point between the annular plates 12 and 13. Each bucket may therefore be described as tubular in shape, and as extending through the rotor from one side to the other. It will be seen that each half of a tubular bucket can be put in place in a rotor disk, before the two halves of the rotor are assembled on the shaft. each tube to its plates by inserting the tube through holes in the plates and then eX- panding it by Ya rolling operation well understood in boiler making. This expansion brings the tube into intimate and tight contact with the plates. After each half of a rotor has been assembled, it can be machined to final size, and then bolted to its companion half, as here shown. The outer faces are then machined to insure true balance. Each bucket can be advantageously cut away at each end, as shown at 19 in Fig. 3, to leave a short tapering vent through which steam may pass, even after the bucket has moved out of direct alinement with the port orchannel through which the steam is passing to or from the bucket. This also insures a continuous flow of the steam throughout the whole series, andinsuring that all condensation will be blown out at the exhaust pipe. In large sizes, a pipe 9A (Fig. 8) is trapped in the bottom of each steam chest 9, and these are brought together in a ymain pipe 9B or header 9D which connects with a steam trap 9C.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the buckets are grouped in four series: 20, 21, 22, and 23, arranged concentrically, as shown in Fig. 1. Each series may have its own inlet nozzle, and its own outlet, and may have as many expansion chambers or conduits as the particular steam pressure and speed of rotation may seem to justify.

Each nozzle or inlet may be of the type illustrated in Figs. 1V and 5, wherein is shown a feed pipe 24 screw-threaded into a nozzle comprising two parts or halves 25 and 26 seated in the end plate of the engine casing and hollowed out at their adjacent sides to form a discharge port 27 of suitable shape. The ease with which the nozzle can be removed and dismembered for cleaning or grinding is of importance. The nozzle is preferably set at an oblique angle to thc adjacent end of a tubular bucket, and should lie. approximately in the plane through which the bucket is moving during the period it receives steam directly from the nozzle. The steam thus received by a bucket is discharged from the opposite end of the bucket.

lVith' a rotor having four sets or series of buckets, I prefer to use four inlet nozzles arranged in pairs, two on either side of the engine` each two being` at diametrically opposite points. Thus, if nozzle 2l be arranged to discharge into series 22, then nozzle 28. which supplies t-he outer row of buckets 20 may be on the same side of the engine as nozzle 24, and located diametrically opposite that nozzle. The other two nozzles 24T' and 28 can be arranged in similar manner on the other side of the engine. By thus distributing the points at which the steam I prefer to secure enters the rotor, the end thrust of the rotor is equalized. and the strains induced by the driving fluid are adequately distributed. In the form shown, the inlet nozzles are of the expansion or De Laval type. The succeeding nozzles 27A in each series are tapered so as to converge toward their outer ends. and the nozzles are successively increased in size so as to take care of a certain amount of expansion of the steam which occurs during its passage through a series of buckets, assuming that the inlet nozzles are such as to effect only7 a partial expansion of the steam.

It will be understood that for each annular series of buckets there may bc a series of inlet nozzles, but for the sake of simplicity of the drawings, only one of such inlet nozzles is shown for each series of buckets. The number of buckets through which the steam can be successively passed will of course depend upon the initial pressureI of the steam. It will also be noted that when an inlet nozzle registers with a bucket passage, all of the other nozzles of the same series will simultaneously register with bucket passages, thus providing for the free flow of steam throughout the series. The vents 19 insure that each nozzle will deliver steam or fluid to a bucket until the succeeding bucket has come into position for receiving the steam, and there will thus be a continuous flow of steam.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the rotor is the same as that described above, and the end plates 29 and 80 are similar to those of Fig. 2, and carry respectively` the annular steam jackets 31 and 32, but the steam chests or conduits mounted within these steam jackets have a di'erent arrangement or grouping from that heretofore described.

Referring to Fig. 6, it will be seen that lla the steam chests 38, 34 and 35 lead the steam progressively from one series of buckets to a series nearer the axis, and so carry the steam from buckets moving at high velocity toward buckets moving at less velocity, until at the final stage, the steam is discharged through an outlet port 36, arranged in alinement with the innermost train of buckets s4. and a5.

In both of the forms shown in the drawings, the rotor is provided in its outer faces with annular grooves 38 and 38A which tend to reduce leakage in a manner Isimilar to that in which the grooves in pistons tend to reduce leakage.

The operation of either of the modifications illustrated may be described briefly as follows: Steam at high pressure and temperature entering the casing by way of a nozzle. say nozzle 24 of Fig. 3, passes into the adjacent end of a tubular bucket and gives up a portion of its kinetic energy, moving the bucket forward,and thereby turningthe rotor and its shaft l. As the bucket moves forward, the notch or vent 19 at the trailing corner of the bucket allo-ws so-me steam to enter the bucket until after the succeeding bucket begins to take steam from the nozzle. The nozzle is never entirely shut off by movement of the rotor past its discharge opening.

The steam discharged into the tubular bucket has its direction of movement changed by the angular or curved shape of the bucket, and is also somewhat expanded and cooled within the bucket. It is ultimately forced from the bucket through a port leading to steam chests 9 located within the steam jacket 8. Superheated steam is constantly circulated through this steam jacket, and delivers heat through the wall of the steam chest to the steam within, thereby increasing the temperature and minimizing` condensation in the steam chest, and expanding the steam somewhat so that it can be re-delivered to the rotor through a bucket in advance of that wherein the steam was first received. From this second bucket, it can pass through into another steam chest for another re-heating and re-delivery to another bucket, and so on throughoutthe series to the exhaust chamber. The number of steam chests which can be used with profit in this way depends somewhat on the initial pressure of the steam and on the temperature of the heating medium in the steam jackets, but in general, the aim is to use such a number that when the steam ultimately passes from the engine by way of the outlet port 37 of Fig. 3, the greater part of its available energy will have been taken from it.

In the modification shown in Figs. l and 2, the conveyance of steam is from one bucket to another of the same series, but in the modification shown in Fig. 6, the steam is conveyed each time to a bucket nearer the axis of the rotor, and therefore moving at slower speed, and better suited for contact with steam which has lost part of its initial energy.

The rotor construction herein shown is exceedingly inexpensive as compared with those of the usual turbine rotors, and this construction has the further advantage over usual constructions of admitting of facing the rotor by machining it after it is assembled so as to make it run true, whereas in ordinary constructions in which bucket bladesI are used, it is necessary to true up the edges of the blades by hand. This feature admits of providing a minimum clearance space between the adjacent faces of the rotor and the surrounding casing.

Although only certain specific embodiments o-f this invention are herein shown, it will be understood that numerous details of the constructions shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention, as defined by the following claims.

I claim l. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprising a pair of co-axial disks, and a series of tubes extending between and through said disks to form buckets, said disks having the faces thereof at the ends of said tubes formed to provide elongated ports for the buckets.

2. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprising co-axial disks, and bent bucket tubes of substantially circular transverse shape carried by said disks.

3. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprising co-axial disks, and tubular buckets extending therebetween and arranged in concentric circles.

4. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprising plates spaced apart, and buckets carried thereby, each bucket consisting of two straight tubular portions converging toward each other at their place of intersection.

5. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprising a pair of disks, a plate for each disk, a tubular member extending from each disk to the corresponding plate, and means for holding said plates together with the ends of the tubular members in register with each other to form buckets.

6. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprising a pair of disks, a pair of plates between said disks, and tubular members extending between and through each of said plates and the corresponding disk and secured therein by expansion of the ends of said buckets, the meeting ends of said tubular members registering with each other.

7. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprising a pair of disks spaced apart in axial alinement, a pair of plates between said disks, and an annular series of tubular members iso extending between each disk and the corresponding plate, said plates being secured together With the tubular members in register with each other, said tubular members meeting at an angle to form bent buckets.

8. In a rotary engine, a rotor comprising a pair of disks spaced apart in axial alinement and mounted to rotate on their common axis, and an annular' series of bent cylindrical tubular buckets extending between passing through said disks and having itsends expanded .into tight contact with said disks, the ends of said bucket and the faces of said disks being formed to provideelongated ports.

12. In a rotary engine, the combination of a shaft, a pair of disks having hubs secured to said shaft, an annular plate mountled on each hub, means for holding said disks and plates .in rigid relation, and a pair of tubes, each having its outer end expanded to form aV tight connection with a disk, and each having its inner Yend expanded to engage an annular plate, said tubes being set at an angle to one another to form a tubular bucket extending through said disks.

13. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing, a steam chest on either side of said casing, chambers mounted on said casing Within said steam chests and heated by steam therein, a rotor Within said casing. said rotor having tubular buckets arranged to discharge a driving fluid into one of said chambers and subsequently to receive driving fluid from another of said chambers, and a nozzle for directing the driving Huid into said buckets in succession.

14. In a rotary engine, the combination of a rotor having tubular buckets arranged in concentric circles therethrough, a casing inclosing said rotor, a plurality of nozzles arranged at one side of said casing to project a driving fluid into said buckets, nozzles entering said casing from the opposite side, a plurality of chambers arranged to serve as conduits through Which the driving fluid escaping from one bucket may be conducted to another bucket for passage therethrough, and means for reheating the fluid during its passage through said chambers.

15. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing, a succession of chambers mounted on said casing, means for heating said chambers externally, a rotor Within said casing and having buckets, and means for projecting a driving fluid through a bucket into one of said heated chambers, said heated chambers being arranged to conduct said fluid to other buckets in succession.

Signed at Chicago this 26th day of March 1910.

WM. G. ROSS.

lVitnesses:

EUGENE A. RUMMLER, EDWIN PHELPS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

Images