Turbocooler with multistage turbine wheel
AssigneeAllied-Signal Inc.
InventorTerence P. Emerson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A turbocooler includes a multistage turbine wheel for simultaneous and independent interaction with multiple gas streams to reduce the temperature levels of the gas streams. The turbine wheel includes at least two turbine stages designed to discharge the respective gas streams at different temperature levels, wherein the warmer gas stream is interposed between the colder gas stream and a turbocooler load. The warmer gas stream thus provides a thermal barrier isolating the colder gas stream from turbocooler heat sources thereby permitting increased temperature reduction of the colder gas stream for use, for example, in cryocooler applications. The multistage turbine wheel further facilitates bearing lift-off, for example, in a foil bearing machine.
Claims13
A turbocooler, comprising:
- a multistage turbine wheel having at least first and second sets of turbine vanes formed hereon;
- an output shaft rotatable with said turbine wheel;
- a load driven by said output shaft;
- means for supplying a first gas stream into driving interaction with said first set of vanes to rotatably drive said turbine wheel and to reduce the temperature of said first gas stream;
- and
- means for supplying a second gas stream into driving relation with said turbine wheel and to reduce the temperature of said second gas stream, said multistage turbine wheel comprising an elongated hollow and generally cylindrical hub, a set of radial flow vanes formed generally at one end of said hub to define said first set of vanes, and a set of axial flow vanes formed about the exterior of said hub in axially spaced relation to said radial flow vanes, said axial flow vanes defining said second set of vanes.
A turbocooler, comprising:
- a multistage turbine wheel having first and second sets of vanes formed thereon;
- a turbine housing;
- and
- means for rotatably supporting said turbine wheel within said turbine housing;
- said housing including means for independently and simultaneously circulating first and second gas streams respectively into driving relation with said first and second sets of vanes for rotatably driving said turbine wheel in the same rotational direction and for expanding said first and second gas streams to reduce the temperature levels thereof, said multistage turbine wheel comprising an elongated hollow and generally cylindrical hub, a set of radial flow vanes formed generally at one end of said hub to define said first set of vanes, and a set of axial flow vanes formed about the exterior of said hub in axially spaced relation to said radial flow vanes, said axial flow vanes defining said second set of vanes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.