Dual type multiple stage, hydraulic turbine power generator including reaction type turbine with adjustable blades

A hydraulic turbine-electrical power generator operative at a pre-selected speed comprising

• a single shaft assembly having first and second ends for mounting a hydraulic turbine means and an electrical power generator thereon between said ends,
• hydraulic turbine means mounted adjacent a first end of the single shaft,
• first bearing means mounted on said shaft for said turbine,
• said power generator comprising an electrical induction generator mounted on said shaft on the opposite side of said bearing means from said turbine means to be rotatably responsive to the rotary movements imparted to said shaft upon the operations of said turbine means and in accordance with the speed thereof,
• a second bearing means mounted to said shaft adjacent the second end of said shaft,
• said hydraulic turbine means including thrust equalizing means mounted to said shaft adjacent said first bearing means,
• said hydraulic turbine means comprising at least a plurality of reaction type turbine stages arranged to be in combination, rotatably responsive to a fluid flow coupled to said turbine means, a first one of said turbine stages being arranged for first receiving the fluid flow for providing torque to rotate said shaft and discharging the fluid flow at a relatively lower velocity and pressure into a second one of said turbine stages, said first one of said turbine stages comprising at least a single stage having a radial turbine runner means mounted to said shaft to be rotatably responsive to the fluid coupled thereto for rotating said shaft,
• said second one of said turbine stages comprising at least a single stage having an axial turbine runner means mounted to said shaft to be rotatably responsive to the fluid coupled thereto whereby the combination of said reaction type turbine means control the rotary speed of said shaft, said axial runner means being characterized as having a plurality of adjustable blades for permitting the pitch of the blades to be adjusted for controlling the effective operative fluid head for the turbine means to cause said shaft to rotate at a pre-selected speed, said axial runner means includes means for adjusting the pitch of the adjustable blades, said means for adjusting the pitch of the adjustable blades thereof includes gear drive means secured to said axial turbine runner means and rotatably coupled to each of said adjustable blades for permitting the pitch of the blades to be varied in accordance with the desired flow therethrough, said gear drive means comprises a main drive gear secured to said axial runner means and rotatable in response to rotary motion imparted thereto, and individual gears coupled to be driven by said main drive gear and individually secured to an individual adjustable blade, and rotatable positioning shaft coupled to said gear drive means for actuating the gear drive means in response to rotary movements imparted to said positioning shaft,
• the plurality of reaction type turbine stages are pre-selected to have reverse performance characteristics so that, in combination, the effective fluid head for the turbine means is controlled to achieve a pre-selected single operating speed for rotating said shaft and thereby the production of electrical current from said power generator at a single electrical frequency,
• common housing means for said hydraulic turbine means and said induction generator for enclosing and isolating said shaft between said first and second ends of said shaft and said turbine means including said thrust equalizing means, said housing terminating adjacent one of said turbine runner means whereby said runner means and the remaining portion of said shaft is outside said common housing,
• draft tube means secured to said common housing means for enclosing said last mentioned turbine runner means and adapted for coupling the fluid flow to said runner means and discharging the fluid flow therefrom, said draft tube means functioning to slow down the fluid flow and increase the back pressure at said runner means to thereby aid the turbine in the recovery of fluid pressure,
• containment vessel means mounted over and in spaced relationship with said common housing and said remaining portion of said shaft and extending axially outwardly of said common housing and said remaining portion of said shaft, said vessel having a fluid flow inlet adjacent said second bearing means end of said vessel and a fluid outlet at the opposite end thereof, said fluid inlet and outlet being in flow communication with each other so the fluid flow is around said common housing means,
• said vessel including nozzle means spaced for receiving the fluid flow from said vessel fluid inlet and converting said fluid flow into a relatively higher velocity fluid flow for impinging on said one turbine arranged for receiving said fluid flow for rotating said shaft.

A hydraulic turbine-electrical power generator comprising

• a single shaft assembly having first and second ends for mounting a hydraulic turbine and an electrical power generator thereon between said ends, said shaft assembly being bidirectionally axially movable,
• hydraulic turbine means mounted adjacent a first end of the shaft,
• first bearing means mounted on said shaft for said turbine,
• said power generator comprising an electrical induction generator mounted on said shaft on the opposite side of said bearing means from said turbine means to be rotatably responsive to the rotary movements imparted to said shaft upon the operation of said turbine means and in accordance with the speed thereof,
• second bearing means mounted to said shaft adjacent the second end of said shaft,
• said hydraulic turbine means comprising at least a plurality of reaction type turbine stages arranged in serial fashion to be serially rotatably responsive to a fluid flow coupled thereto, the first of said reaction type turbines comprising at least a single stage having radial runner means mounted to said shaft to be rotatably responsive to a high velocity fluid flow to rotate said shaft at a speed in accordance with the hydraulic pressure and velocity of the fluid impinging thereon and discharging the fluid flow at a relatively low velocity and pressure into a second of said reaction type turbines comprising at least a single stage having an axially turbine runner means mounted to said shaft to be rotatably responsive to the discharged fluid flow from the first reaction type turbine, said axial runner means being further characterized as having a plurality of adjustable blades for permitting the pitch of the blades to be adjusted for maximizing the efficiency of said second reaction type turbine and thereby the power recovery from a liquid stream and for achieving a pre-selected shaft speed, said axial runner means includes means for adjusting the pitch of said adjustable blades,
• the plurality of reaction type turbine stages are pre-selected to have reverse performance characteristics so that, in combination, the effective operative head of said hydraulic turbine means is controlled to achieve a pre-selected operating speed for rotating said shaft and thereby the production of electrical current from said power generator of a single electrical frequency,
• said hydraulic turbine means including thrust equalizing means mounted to said shaft between said first bearing means and said radial runner means of said first reaction type turbines,
• a common housing means for said hydraulic turbine means and said induction generator for enclosing and isolating said shaft between said opposite end of said shaft and said turbine means including said thrust equalizing means, said housing terminating adjacent said axial turbine runner means of said second reaction type turbines whereby said runner means and the remaining portion of said shaft is outside said common housing,
• said first bearing means having an inner race mounted to said shaft and an outer race loosely mounted against said common housing means to permit the shaft to move axially, bidirectionally, relative to said housing a pre-selected distance,
• containment vessel means mounted over and in spaced relationship with said common housing and said remaining portion of said shaft and extending axially outwardly of said common housing and remaining portion of said shaft, said vessel having a fluid flow inlet adjacent said first bearing means end of said vessel and a fluid flow outlet at the opposite end thereof, said fluid inlet and outlet being in a flow communication with each other so the fluid flow is around said housing means,
• said vessel including nozzle means spaced for receiving the fluid flow from said vessel fluid inlet and converting said fluid flow into a relatively higher velocity fluid flow for impinging on said runner means of said first reaction type turbine for rotating said shaft,
• draft tube means secured to said common housing for enclosing said axial turbine runner means and adapted for coupling the fluid flow from said radial runner stage to said axial turbine runner and discharging the fluid flow therefrom, said draft tube means functioning to slow down the fluid flow and increase the back pressure at said axial turbine runner means to thereby aid the turbine in the recovery of pressure,
• said axial turbine runner means includes means for adjusting the pitch of the adjustable blades thereon,
• said thrust equalizing means comprising a stationary thrust plate ring means secured to the common housing adjacent to said first bearing means and extending axially outwardly of said bearing means,
• said runner means including throttling ring means constructed and defined integrally with said runner on one side thereof for coaction with said thrust plate for defining a substantially fixed orifice for receiving a portion of said high velocity fluid flow coupled to impinge on said runner means and a variable orifice defined between the throttling ring and the thrust plate and varying in size in accordance with the bidirectional movements of said shaft and receiving said fluid at such variable orifice from said fixed orifice, the fluid conveyed to said variable orifice flows through said first bearing means thereby cooling and lubricating the bearing and into said common housing to thereby cool said induction generator,
• and conduit means coupled to said common housing adjacent said second bearing means and to the low pressure fluid flow outlet for said vessel for conveying said coolant liquid to said outlet,
• said thrust equalizing means including first wear ring means secured to said common housing for coaction with said throttling ring means and second wear ring means secured to said containment vessel for coaction with the discharge end of said runner means of said first reaction type turbine, the diametrical spacing of said first wear ring means is constructed and defined to be larger than the diametrical spacing of said second ring means for creating thrust forces upon the application of hydraulic fluid thereto effective to cause the shaft assembly to move in response thereto and in direction therewith until the thrust plate ring means engages said throttling ring means whereby said variable orifice closes and thereby throttles the fluid flow into the variable orifice,
• the closed condition of the variable orifice defines a chamber between said first wear ring means and the closed variable orifice allowing fluid pressure to build up therein so when the pressure is build up in said chamber to a pre-selected level sufficient for counteracting said created thrust forces and thereby producing movement of said shaft assembly away from said engaged position of said thrust plate ring means and the throttling ring means and then causing the flow of fluid into the variable orifice accompanied by the reduction of the pressure built up in said chamber whereby the balancing of the generated thrust forces occurs gradually and smoothly and without overshoot with the bidirectional axial movements of the shaft assembly.

A hydraulic turbine-electrical power generator comprising

• a single shaft assembly having first and second ends for mounting a hydraulic turbine and an electrical power generator thereon between said ends, said shaft assembly being bidirectionally axially movable,
• hydraulic turbine means mounted adjacent a first end of the shaft,
• first bearing means mounted on said shaft for said turbine,
• said power generator comprising an electrical induction generator mounted on said shaft on the opposite side of said bearing means from said turbine means to be rotatably responsive to the rotary movements imparted to said shaft upon the operation of said turbine means and in accordance with the speed thereof,
• second bearing means mounted to said shaft adjacent the second end of said shaft,
• said hydraulic turbine means comprising at least a plurality of reaction type turbine stages arranged in serial fashion to be serially rotatably responsive to a fluid flow coupled thereto, the first of said reaction type turbines comprising at least a single stage having radial runner means mounted to said shaft to be rotatably responsive to a high velocity fluid flow to rotate said shaft at a speed in accordance with the hydraulic pressure and velocity of the fluid impinging thereon and discharging the fluid flow at a relatively low velocity and pressure into a second of said reaction type turbines comprising at least a single stage having an axially turbine runner means mounted to said shaft to be rotatably responsive to the discharged fluid flow from the first reaction type turbine, said axial runner means being further characterized as having a plurality of adjustable blades for permitting the pitch of the blades to be adjusted for maximizing the efficiency of said second reaction type turbine and thereby the power recovery from a liquid stream and for achieving a pre-selected shaft speed, said axial runner means includes means for adjusting the pitch of said adjustable blades comprising a main drive gear secured to said axial runner means and rotatable in response to rotary motion imparted thereto, and individual gears coupled to be driven by said main drive gear and individually secured to an individual adjustable blade for said axial turbine runner to vary the pitch thereof in accordance with the rotary motion coupled to said individual gears by said main drive gear, said main drive gear comprises a bevel drive gear and said individual gears comprise bevel gears coupled to be responsive to the rotary motion imparted to the main drive bevel gear,
• the plurality of reaction type turbine stages are pre-selected to have reverse performance characteristics so that, in combination, the effective operative head of said hydraulic turbine means is controlled to achieve a pre-selected operating speed for rotating said shaft and thereby the production of electrical current from said power generator of a single electrical frequency,
• said hydraulic turbine means including thrust equalizing means mounted to said shaft between said first bearing means and said radial runner means of said first reaction type turbines,
• a common housing means for said hydraulic turbine means and said induction generator for enclosing and isolating said shaft between said opposite end of said shaft and said turbine means including said thrust equalizing means, said housing terminating adjacent said axial turbine runner means of second reaction type turbines whereby said runner means and the remaining portion of said shaft is outside said common housing,
• said first bearing means having an inner race mounted to said shaft and an outer race loosely mounted against said common housing means to permit the shaft to move axially, bidirectionally, relative to said housing a pre-selected distance,
• containment vessel means mounted over and in spaced relationship with said common housing and said remaining portion of said shaft and extending axially of said common housing and remaining portion of said shaft, said vessel having a fluid flow inlet adjacent said first bearing means end of said vessel and a fluid flow outlet at the opposite end thereof, said fluid inlet and outlet being in flow communication with each other so the fluid flow is around said common housing means,
• said vessel including nozzle means spaced for receiving the fluid flow from said vessel fluid inlet and conversing said fluid flow into a relatively higher velocity fluid flow for impinging on said runner means of said first reaction type turbine for rotating said shaft,
• draft tube means secured to said common housing for enclosing said axial turbine runner means and adapted for coupling the fluid flow from said radial runner stage to said axial turbine runner and discharging the fluid flow therefrom, said draft tube means functioning to slow down the fluid flow and increase the back pressure at said axial turbine runner means to thereby aid the turbine in the recovery of pressure,
• said thrust equalizing means comprising a stationary thrust plate ring means secured to the common housing adjacent to said first bearing means and extending axially outwardly of said bearing means,
• said runner means including throttling ring means constructed and defined integrally with said runner on one side thereof for coaction with said thrust plate for defining a substantially fixed orifice for receiving a portion of said high velocity fluid flow coupled to impinge on said runner means and a variable orifice defined between the throttling ring and the thrust plate and varying in size in accordance with the bidirectional movements of said shaft and receiving said fluid at such variable orifice from said fixed orifice, the fluid conveyed to said variable orifice flows through said first bearing means thereby cooling and lubricating the bearing and into said common housing to thereby cool said induction generator,
• and conduit means coupled to said common housing adjacent said second housing means and to the low pressure fluid flow outlet for said vessel for conveying said coolant liquid to said outlet,
• said thrust equalizing means including first ring means secured to said common housing for coaction with said throttling ring means and second wear ring means secured to said containment vessel for coaction with the discharge end of said runner means of said first reaction type turbine, the diametrical spacing of said first wear ring means is constructed and defined to be larger than the diametrical spacing of said second wear ring means for creating thrust forces upon the application of hydraulic fluid thereto effective to cause the shaft assembly to move in response thereto and in a direction therewith until the thrust plate ring means engages said throttling ring means whereby said variable orifice closes and thereby throttles the fluid flow into the variable orifice,
• the closed condition of the variable orifice defines a chamber between said first wear ring means and the closed variable orifice allowing fluid pressure to build up therein so when the pressure is build up in said chamber to a pre-selected level sufficient for counteracting said created thrust forces and thereby producing movement of said shaft assembly away from said engaged position of said thrust plate ring means and the throttling ring means and then causing the flow into the variable orifice accompanied by the reduction of the pressure built up in said chamber whereby the balancing of the generated thrust force occurs gradually and smoothly and without overshoot with the bidirectional axial movements of the shaft assembly.

A hydraulic turbine-electrical power generator comprising

• a single shaft assembly having first and second ends for mounting a hydraulic turbine and an electrical power generator thereon between said ends, said shaft assembly being bidirectionally axially movable,
• hydraulic turbine means mounted adjacent a first end of the shaft,
• first bearing means mounted on said shaft for said turbine,
• said power generator comprising an electrical induction generator mounted on said shaft on the opposite side of said bearing means from said turbine means to be rotatably responsive to the rotary movements imparted to said shaft upon the operation of said turbine means and in accordance with the speed thereof,
• second bearing means mounted to said shaft adjacent the second end of said shaft,
• said hydraulic turbine means comprising at least a plurality of reaction type turbine stages arranged in serial fashion to be serially rotatably responsive to a fluid flow coupled thereto, the first of said reaction type turbines comprising at least a single stage having radial runner means mounted to said shaft to be rotatably responsive to a high velocity fluid flow to rotate said shaft at a speed in accordance with the hydraulic pressure and velocity of the fluid impinging thereon and discharging the fluid flow at a relatively low velocity and pressure into a second of said reaction type turbines comprising at least a single stage having an axially turbine runner means mounted to said shaft to be rotatably responsive to the discharged fluid flow from the said first reaction type turbine, said axial runner means being further characterized as having a plurality of adjustable blades for permitting the pitch of the blades to be adjusted for maximizing the efficiency of said second reaction type turbine and thereby the power recovery from a liquid stream and for achieving a pre-selected shaft speed, said axial runner means includes means for adjusting the pitch of said adjustable blades including a main drive gear secured to said axial runner means and rotatable in response to rotary motion imparted thereto, and individual gears coupled to be driven by said main drive gear and individually secured to an individual adjustable blade for said axial turbine runner means to vary the pitch thereof in accordance with the rotary motion coupled to said individual gears by said main drive gear,
• the plurality of reaction type turbine stages are pre-selected to have reverse performance characteristics so that, in combination, the effective operative head of said hydraulic turbine means is controlled to achieve a pre-selected operating speed for rotating said shaft and thereby the production of electrical current from said power generator of a single electrical frequency,
• said hydraulic turbine means including thrust equalizing means mounted to said shaft between said first bearing means and said radial runner means of said first reaction type turbines,
• a common housing means for said hydraulic turbine means and said induction generator for enclosing and isolating said shaft between said opposite end of said shaft and said turbine means including said thrust equalizing means, said housing terminating adjacent said axial turbine runner means of second reaction type turbines whereby said runner means and the remaining portion of said shaft is outside said common housing,
• said first bearing means having an inner race mounted to said shaft and an outer race loosely mounted against said common housing means to permit the shaft to move axially, bidirectionally, relative to said housing a pre-selected distance.
• containment vessel means mounted over and in spaced relationship with said common housing and said remaining portion of said shaft and extending axially outwardly of said common housing and remaining portion of said shaft, said vessel having a fluid flow inlet adjacent said first bearing means end of said vessel and a fluid flow outlet at the opposite end thereof, said fluid inlet and outlet being in flow communication with each other so the fluid flow is around said common housing means,
• said vessel including nozzle means spaced for receiving the fluid flow from said vessel fluid inlet and converting said fluid flow into a relatively higher velocity fluid flow for impinging on said runner means of first reaction type turbine for rotating said shaft,
• draft tube means secured to said common housing for enclosing said axial turbine runner means and adapted for coupling the fluid flow from said radial runner stage to said axial turbine runner and discharging the fluid flow therefrom, said draft tube means functioning to slow down the fluid flow and increase the back pressure at said axial turbine runner means to thereby aid the turbine in the recovery of pressure,
• said thrust equalizing means comprising a stationary thrust plate ring means secured to the common housing adjacent to said first bearing means and extending axially outwardly of said bearing means,
• said runner means including throttling ring means constructed and defined integrally with said runner on one side thereof for coaction with thrust plate for defining a substantially fixed orifice for receiving a portion of said high velocity fluid flow coupled to impinge on said runner means and a variable orifice defined between the throttling ring and the thrust plate and varying in size in accordance with the bidirectional movements of said shaft and receiving said fluid at such variable orifice from said fixed orifice, the fluid conveyed to said variable orifice flows through said first bearing means thereby cooling and lubricating the bearing and into said common housing to thereby cool said induction generator,
• conduit means coupled to said common housing adjacent said second bearing means and the low pressure fluid flow outlet for said vessel for conveying said coolant liquid to said outlet,
• said thrust equalizing means including first wear ring means secured to said common housing for coaction with said throttling ring means and second wear ring means secured to said containment vessel for coaction with the discharge end of said runner means of said first reaction type turbine, the diametrical spacing of said first wear ring means is constructed and defined to be larger than the diametrical spacing of said second wear ring means for creating thrust forces upon the application of hydraulic fluid thereto effective to cause the shaft assembly to move in response thereto and in a direction therewith until the thrust plate ring means engages said throttling ring means whereby said orifice closes and thereby throttles the fluid flow into the variable orifice,
• the closed condition of the variable orifice defines a chamber between said first ring means and the closed variable orifice allowing fluid pressure to build up therein so when the pressure is build up in said chamber to a pre-selected level sufficient for counteracting said created thrust forces and thereby producing movement of said shaft assembly away from said engaged position of said thrust plate ring means and the throttling ring means and then causing the flow of fluid into the variable orifice accompanied by the reduction of the pressure built up in said chamber whereby the balancing of the generated thrust force occurs gradually and smoothly and without overshoot with the bidirectional axial movements of the shaft assembly,
• and a rotatable positioning shaft arranged coaxially with said single shaft assembly and accessible outside of said hydraulic turbine-electrical power generator, said positioning shaft being secured for rotating said main drive gear upon imparting rotary forces to said positioning shaft.

A method of generating electrical power at a pre-selected single electrical frequency comprising of steps of

• providing a single shaft having first and second ends and having hydraulic turbine means and an electrical power generator mounted thereon, the hydraulic turbine being mounted adjacent a first end of the single shaft,
• mounting first bearing means on said shaft for said turbine means adjacent said first end of the single shaft,
• mounting a second bearing means to said shaft adjacent the second end of said shaft,
• mounting said electrical power generator adjacent said second bearing means to be rotatably responsive to the rotary movements of said shaft upon the operation of said turbine means and in accordance with the rotary speed thereof,
• selecting a plurality of reaction type turbine means for mounting on said shaft for controlling the operative fluid flow head for the plurality of turbine means, one of the selected turbine means having radial turbine runner means mounted to be rotatably responsive to the fluid flow coupled thereto for rotating said shaft at a pre-selected speed, the other of the selected turbine means having axial turbine runner means mounted to be rotatably responsive to the fluid coupled thereto whereby the combination of the plurality of turbine means control the rotary speed of the single shaft for causing the electrical power generator to provide electrical power at a single electrical frequency related to the rotary speed of the single shaft,
• said axial turbine runner means having adjustable blades for controlling the pitch thereof and the fluid flow there through for permitting the effective operative fluid head of the combination of said plurality of reaction type turbine means to be controlled for controlling the rotary speed of the shaft to a pre-selected speed, said turbine means including means for adjusting the pitch of the adjustable blades for controlling the operating speed of said shaft,
• the plurality of reaction type turbine means being further characterized as having reverse fluid performance flow so that the shaft speed is controlled by the combination of the flow performance characteristics of the plurality of reaction type turbine means,
• adjusting the pitch of the adjustable blades of said axial turbine means for causing the shaft to rotate at a pre-selected, single speed,
• conveying a fluid flow having a pre-selected fluid flow head, velocity and fluid pressure to said radial turbine runner means for rotating said shaft and discharging the resulting fluid flow through said axial turbine means for further rotating said shaft in combination with the response of said radial runner means whereby a single rotary speed and thereby a single electrical frequency is achieved for the generated power.