Dirt extracting nozzle

A method of extracting solid particles while flowing through an expansible gas stream from a radial inflow turbine comprising the steps of:

• conically sloping the inner surface of the turbine nozzle ring to centrifugally force the solid particles towards the base of the conically sloping inner surface;
• providing a solid particles collecting groove at the base of the conical slope of the inner surface of the turbine nozzle ring;
• and
• tangentially discharging from the turbine nozzle ring the solid particles collected in the particle collecting groove.

A radial inflow turbine comprising:

• a radial inflow turbine wheel;
• and
• a turbine housing rotatably supporting said turbine wheel therein and including a turbine nozzle ring radially disposed around said turbine wheel to direct a flow of fluid thereto,
• said turbine nozzle ring having an inclined inner surface to direct any solid particles in the fluid flow towards one axial end of the turbine nozzle ring, a groove extending around the inner surface of the turbine nozzle ring at the axial end to which the solid particles are directed by the inclined surface, and at least one tangential passageway in said turbine nozzle ring extending from the circumferential groove to the exterior of said turbine housing.

In a radial inflow turbine for connection to a source of pressurized fluid with solid particles entrained therein, the radial inflow turbine having a housing. a radial inflow turbine wheel and turbine nozzle means for accelerating and directing fluid from the source of the turbine wheel, means for separating solid particles from said pressurized fluid so that wear of the turbine nozzle means is reduced, the means for separating comprising:

• said turbine nozzle means including a nozzle ring having a conical inner surface coaxial with said turbine;
• said inner surface being substantially coextensive with the channels between the blades, the radial inflow turbine wheel defining with said wheel a space within which solid particles entrained in the fluid are free to migrate radially outwardly and axially toward one axial end of the nozzle ring;
• and
• the nozzle ring also including a circumferentially extending groove at said one axial end of said inner surface, said groove being axially offset from the channels between the blades of said turbine wheel and being positioned to receive solid particles which have centrifugally migrated radially and axially along the inclined inner surface, said nozzle ring also including a tangential discharge port that is operable to exhaust separated solid particles from the radial inflow turbine.