US 6,378,287 B2Granted

Multi-stage turbomachine and design method

OwnerKenneth F. Griffithsinventor

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Abstract

A gas turbo-machine and method of designing and constructing such machine includes preselecting specific operating conditions for the gas turbo-machine, and constructing a master stage as a model to have a given design and geometric shape which results in substantially the optimum efficiency during operation of the master stage at the preselected operating conditions. At least one additional stage is then added to the master stage which is substantially identical to the master stage in geometric shape and design, but in which the linear dimensions of the additional stage differ from those of the master stage in accordance with the formula LT={square root over (DT+L )} where L is the ratio of the linear dimensions of the additional stage to the master stage and D is the gas density ratio of the master stage. The turbo-machines of the present invention may be either axial or radial flow, compressors or gas turbines, and isothermal, adiabatic or combinations thereof in operation, there may or may not be tributary flow to or from one or more of the stages and the turbo-machines may be utilized in the generation of electrical power.

Claims53

Dependent claims

A multistage gas turbo-machine comprising a first stage and a subsequent stage of differing sizes, each stage having turbo-machine blades which are contacted by the gas, an inlet in each stage for introducing the gas to the turbo-machine blades in the stage, a discharge from each stage for discharging the gas from the turbo-machine blades in the stage, and the discharge from one stage communicating with the inlet of the other stage;

and
wherein said first and subsequent stages are substantially identical to each other in design and geometric shape, but in which the linear dimensions of said subsequent stage differ from those of said first stage substantially in accordance with the formula L T = D T 3
where LT is the ratio of the linear dimensions of the subsequent stage to the first stage when said subsequent stage is downstream of said first stage, and DT is the gas density ratio of said subsequent stage, and D T = ( M A + M B ⁢ tot M A ) ⁢ ⁢ ( P I / P O T I / T O ) n - 1
where:
MA=molar volume flow rate to intake of stage 1, moles/sec;
MB tot=total tributary volume flow rate generated in or between all preceding stages, moles/sec;
PI=absolute pressure of gas entering stage in question;
PO=absolute pressure of gas leaving stage in question;
TI=absolute temperature of gas entering stage in question;
TO=absolute temperature of gas leaving stage in question;
and
n=number of the stage in question.

9 more elements

A method of designing and constructing a multistage gas turbo-machine comprising the steps of:

preselecting the operating conditions for the gas turbo-machine of gas pressure ratio, gas intake temperature and gas air flow rate;
constructing a master stage to have a given design and geometric shape which results in substantially the optimum efficiency during operation of said master stage under the preselected operating conditions;
and
constructing at least one additional subsequent stage of said multistage gas turbo-machine, said additional subsequent stage being substantially identical to said master stage in geometric shape and design, but in which the linear dimensions of said additional subsequent stage differ from those of said master stage substantially in accordance with the formula L = D 3
where L is the ratio of the linear dimensions of the additional subsequent stage to the master stage when the additional subsequent stage is downstream of the master stage, and DT is the gas density ratio of the additional subsequent stage, and D T = ( M A + M B ⁢ tot M A ) ⁢ ⁢ ( P I / P O T I / T O ) n - 1
where:
MA=molar volume flow rate to intake of stage 1, moles/sec;
MB tot=total tributary volume added to flow rate generated in or between all preceding stages, moles/sec;
PI=absolute pressure of gas entering stage in question;
PO=absolute pressure of gas leaving stage in question;
TI=absolute temperature of gas entering stage in question;
TO=absolute temperature of gas leaving stage in question;
and
n=number of the stage in question.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/883,551Filed 18 Jun 2001 · continuation in part
Priority: 17 Mar 2000
Published: US 2001/0047648 A16 Dec 2001
Granted: 30 Apr 2002
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

F01D 1/10
With stationary working-fluid guiding means and bladed or like rotor, e.g. multi-bladed impulse steam turbines: having two or more stages…
F02C 6/003
Plural gas-turbine plants; Combinations of gas-turbine plants with other apparatus; Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for special use: gas-turbine…
F02C 6/203
Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for driving vehicles: the vehicles being waterborne vessels
F02C 7/143
Of working fluid: before or between the compressor stages