GB2216194A - Hydraulic turbine - Google Patents

Abstract

The turbine consists of a series of discs 1 keyed to a main shaft and separated by spacers also keyed to the main shaft. The rotor discs 1 have inset pivoted vanes 2 which are coupled as opposite pairs such that as the rotor disc is rotated through a fixed sealing shroud 4 a pivoted vane is folded into its recess, causing its opposite pivoted vane to be moved out of its recess (by means of a spring linkage system (Fig 5)), to rest upon the adjacent rotor disc. The turbine may be arranged to operate either as an undershot turbine (fig 2.) or an overshot turbine (fig 1) and each disc may have 4, 6 or 8 vanes. The turbine may utilise fibre reinforced composites and be provided with a barrier against water bourne debris. <IMAGE>

Description

GATED VANE TURBINE The innovation is a turbine of composite materials, operating in low heads of water at low speeds to generate electric power for rural areas or emergency power in isolated areas.

All Item Numbers referred to in brackets are common and are listed.

The Gated Vane Turbine can be undershot or overshot, Drawings 1 and 2, although the four vane arrangement only is illustrated. The number of vanes can be more, six or eight, depending upon the proportions of the structure.

The turbine structure is of stress-bearing composites, including fibre reinforcement where required to provide a lightweight and highly rigid structure.

The turbine consists of Rotor Discs (1) mounted on a mainshaft (7) and separated by spacers (8) also keyed to the mainshaft, (7). The Rotor Discs (1) have inset pivoted vanes (2) which are coupled as pairs opposite each other, Drawing No 5, such that as in Drawing 1, the Rotor Disc (1) is rotated through the Sealing Shroud (4), pivoted vane (2) is folded into its recess, causing the oppostite pivoted vane to be moved out into the flowstream by the action of the tension linkage (3 and 3A). The opposite pivoted vane (2) now moves across the flowstream and comes to rest upon the next Rotor Disc (1) as shown in Drawing 6.

The bearing surfaces for the pivoted vane (1) being the mainshaft spacer (8), the adjacent rotor disc (1) and pivoted vane's own bearings.

The angle between the pivoted vane (2) and its sealing surfaces is such as to prevent jamming under pressure. The seal between the flexible edge (not illustrated) to the pivoted vane (2), (note, this is the only friction seal for the pivoted vanes (2)). The Rotor Discs have location surfaces through the shrouds (4 and 5) which are water lubricated with a limited water flow through these surfaces. The stresses on the rotating structure when it is under pressure are devolved to the rotating discs (1) and through these to the main shaft. The location of the Rotating Discs (1) in their shroud recess prevent distortion of the discs. Not shown in the assembly is the trash barrier to protect against water bourne debris.

DRAWINGS - All part/itern numbers conmor throughout.

Drawing Description 1 General cross section of assembly in overshot arrangement. End view.

2 General crcss section of assembly in undershot arrangement. End view.

3 General cross sectioii of assembly in overshot arrangement. Front view.

4 Arrangements of vanes upon rotor disc.

End and side views.

5 Arrangem.ent of tension system and vane coupling End and side views0 6 Ar-rangement of vanes against adjacent rotor disc when under pressure from flow system.

Cross section.

7/8 Pressure gradient diagrams of overshot and undershot arrangements.

ITEM LIST Item ntunbers common to all drawings Item Number Description 1 Rotor Disc 2 Pivoted Vane.

3 Tension spring system (sealed).

3A Tension link - high strength fibres operating within its own low friction sleeve - located within rm of rotor disc.

4 Fixed sealing shroud - limited seal to water flow/pressure - structure folds pivoted vane into recess.

5 Fixed flowstream shroud.

6 Exit vent - controls discharge and flow rate.

7 Centre shaft - rigid composite structure keyed with rotor discs and spacers.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS FOR GATED VANE TURBINE

   Claim 1 A turbine constructed of composite materials, plastics, resins and fibres, etc, for use in combination with or without other materials and alloys.

   Claim 2 A turbine as in Claim 1, used with other turbines as in Claim 1, connected to each other to form a greater width.

   Claim 3 A turbine in the overshot arrangement.

   Claim 4 A turbine in the undershot arrangementO Claim 5 A turbine in which the Sealing Shroud and the Stream Flow Shroud can be rotated from the overshot arr angement to the undershot arrangemerW in response to periodic change of flow conditions, such as tide reversal.

   Claim 5 For the Pivoted Vanes and their control. It should be noted that there are numerous methods available for the control of the pivoted vanes such as cam and lobe, hydraulic linkage, tens ion springs, even the flow stream itself and many more.

   Claim 7 For any number of vanes, which depends upon the structure proportions and the stress upon the structure.

   Claim 8 For the vane/rotor alignment across the structure, such that the stresses and flows exerted upon the individ- ual rotor discs can be balanced across the shaft, with the flows through the structure.

   Claim 9 For the Exit Vent Systems for the control of flow, pressure, balance of shaft speed and other factors related to the clearance of flow stream from system exit.