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US 4,280,791 AGranted
Bi-directional pump-turbine
OwnerGordon S. Gawneinventor
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OwnerGordon S. Gawneinventor
Estimating the term…
An improved fluid propulsion apparatus of the type which includes a housing, a plurality of spaced apart discs rotatably mounted on a shaft and positioned within the housing, and a plurality of fluid inlet and outlet ports all in communication with the interior of the housing. The housing includes a circumferential peripheral zone defined as the region between the interior of the housing and the periphery of the discs. The apparatus may be utilized as a pump or as a turbine. During operation as a pump, the shaft and discs are rotated and fluid is introduced into the housing at a port at the center of the housing, flows in an outwardly spiralling path between the discs within the housing, and flows into the peripheral zone from where it is removed through one of several ports at the periphery of the housing. The ports at the periphery of the housing are positioned such that the apparatus may be utilized as a pump with the discs and shaft rotated in either a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction. When the apparatus is utilized as a turbine, fluid is injected into the peripheral zone through a port at the periphery of the housing and flows in an inwardly spiralling path thus causing rotation of the discs and shaft, and the fluid then exits the housing from a port adjacent the shaft. Again, the positional relationship of the ports at the periphery of the housing permits the injection of the fluid to rotate the discs and shaft in either the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. The ports at the periphery of the housing may be pitot-like flow paths bored in a pitot block which is removably secured to the housing to provide versatility of fluid flow characteristics.
In a fluid propulsion apparatus including a generally circular hollow housing, a shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, a plurality of spaced-apart circular discs mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith interiorly of said housing, said discs being concentric relative to said housing, a circumferential peripheral zone defined as the region between the interior of the housing and the periphery of said discs, a first fluid port means and a second fluid port means each of said first and second fluid port means extending through said housing and in communication with the interior thereof so that a fluid stream entering one of said port means flows through said housing in a spiral path and exits from the other of said port means, the improvement of a bi-directional pump-turbine comprising:
In a fluid propulsion apparatus including a generally circular hollow housing, a shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, a plurality of spaced apart circular discs mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith, interiorly of said housing, said discs being concentric relative to said housing, a circumferential peripheral zone defined as the region between the interior of the housing and the periphery of said discs, first, second and third fluid port means, each of said fluid port means extending through said housing and in communication with the interior thereof so that a fluid stream entering said first or third fluid port means flows through the housing in a spiral path and exits from the second fluid port means and so that a fluid stream entering said second fluid port means flows through said housing in a spiral path and exits from said first or said third fluid port means, the improvement comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.