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US 6,779,964 B2Granted
Viscous drag impeller components incorporated into pumps, turbines and transmissions
OwnerDaniel Christopher Dialinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for facilitating the movement of fluids, transferring mechanical power to fluid mediums, as well as deriving power from moving fluids. The present invention employs an impeller system in a variety of applications involving the displacement of fluids, including for example, any conventional pumps, fans, compressors, generators, circulators, blowers, generators, turbines, transmissions, various hydraulic and pneumatic systems, and the like.
Claims16
An impeller assembly, comprising:
- (a) a central hub;
- (b) a first reinforcing backing plate fixedly connected to the central hub;
- (c) a stacked array of parallel discs fixedly connected to the first reinforcing backing plate, wherein the each disc possesses a central aperture, and wherein the discs are inter-spaced along a parallel axis;
- (d) at least two rods to fixedly connect the central hub, the first and second reinforcing backing plates and the stacked array of discs;
- (e) a support frame attached to one end of the rods;
- (f) a second reinforcing backing plate fixedly attached to the stacked array of parallel discs, wherein the second reinforcing backing plate possesses a central aperture;
- and
- (g) a central cavity formed by the central apertures, the central cavity being devoid of a shaft, whereby, upon radial movement of the central hub, a fluid flows through the central apertures of the second reinforcing backing plate and the stacked array of discs and the spaces between the discs.
5 more elements
A fluid turbine, comprising:
- (a) an impeller assembly comprising:
- (i) a central hub;
- (ii) a first reinforcing backing plate fixedly connected to the central hub;
- (iii) a stacked array of parallel discs fixedly connected to the first reinforcing backing plate, wherein the discs possess a central aperture, and wherein the discs are inter-spaced along a parallel axis;
- (iv) a second reinforcing backing plate fixedly attached to the stacked array of parallel discs, wherein the second reinforcing backing plate possesses a central aperture, whereby, upon radial movement of the central hub, a fluid flows through the central apertures of the second reinforcing backing plate and the stacked array of discs and the spaces between the discs;
- (v) at least two rods extending through the array of parallel discs;
- and
- (vi) a support frame attached to one end of the rods;
- (b) a housing in which the impeller assembly is contained within creating a complementary surface for the impeller assembly, wherein the housing has a plurality of reversing nozzle housings providing a plurality of inlets, and wherein the housing has an outlet port;
- (c) a plurality of reversing nozzles contained within the reversing nozzle housings;
- (d) a controlling mechanism connected to the plurality of reversing nozzles such that the position of the reversing nozzles is adjustable;
- (e) a fluid inlet conduit connected to the reversing nozzles;
- and
- (f) a bearing assembly retained in the housing and in tight association with a shaft of the impeller assembly for retaining and supporting the impeller assembly, wherein the impeller assembly is radially driven by the fluid flowing from the reversing nozzles and through the inlets across the discs of the impeller assembly and eventually discharged from the outlet port.
11 more elements
A fuel turbine, comprising:
- (a) a compressor impeller assembly comprising:
- (j) a central hub;
- (ii) a stacked array of parallel discs, each disc having a central aperture, the discs being inter-spaced along a parallel axis, whereby, upon radial movement of the central hub, a fluid flows through the central apertures of the stacked array of discs and the spaces between the discs to increase the pressure of the fluid;
- and
- (iii) a fluid outlet to release the high pressure fluid;
- (b) a power impeller assembly comprising:
- (i) a combustor to introduce the high pressure fluid to the fuel and to ignite the fuel, the combustor having a fluid inlet to receive the released high pressure fluid and a fuel inlet to receive fuel;
- (ii) a central hub;
- (iii) a stacked array of parallel discs, each disc having a central aperture, the discs being inter-spaced along a parallel axis, whereby, upon ignition of the fuel, a fluid flows across the stacked array of discs;
- (iv) at least two rods extending through the array of parallel discs;
- and
- (v) a support frame attached to one end of the rods;
- (c) a shaft extending from the central hub of the compressor impeller assembly to the central hub of the power impeller assembly, whereby the shaft is rotated by the fluid flowing across the discs of the power impeller assembly;
- and
- (d) a starter in communication with the shaft to initiate radial movement of the central hub.
12 more elements
A fluid turbine, comprising:
- (a) an impeller assembly comprising:
- (i) a central hub;
- (ii) at least two rods to fixedly connect the central hub and extending through the stacked array of discs;
- (iii) a support frame attached to one end of the rods;
- and
- (iv) a stacked array of parallel discs, each disc having a central aperture, the discs being inter-spaced along a parallel axis, whereby, upon radial movement of the central hub, a fluid flows through the central apertures of the stacked array of discs and the spaces between the discs;
- (b) at least one housing in which the impeller assembly is contained within creating a complementary surface for the impeller assembly, wherein the housing has a plurality of reversing nozzle housings providing at least one inlet, and wherein the housing has an outlet port;
- (c) at least one reversing nozzle each contained within the reversing nozzle housing;
- (d) a controlling mechanism connected to the plurality of reversing nozzles such that the position of the reversing nozzles is adjustable;
- (e) a fluid inlet conduit connected to the reversing nozzles;
- and
- (f) a bearing assembly in supporting association with a shaft of the impeller assembly, wherein the impeller assembly is radially driven by the fluid flowing from the reversing nozzles and through the inlets across the discs of the impeller assembly and eventually discharged from the outlet port.
9 more elements
A support frame in an impeller assembly having a stacked array of parallel inter-spaced discs, each disc having a central aperture, through which central apertures a fluid flows and along the spaces between the discs, the impeller assembly further having at least two rods extending through the array of discs, the support frame comprising:
- (a) at least two rod attachments, each rod attachment for securing one end of each of the rods to the array of discs, and
- (b) at least two arms having a first arm end being coupled to at least one of the rod attachments.
A fuel turbine, comprising:
- (a) a compressor impeller assembly comprising:
- (i) a central hub;
- (ii) a stacked array of parallel discs, each disc having a central aperture, the discs being inter-spaced along a parallel axis, whereby, upon radial movement of the central hub, a fluid flows through the central apertures of the stacked array of discs and the spaces between the discs to increase the pressure of the fluid;
- (iii) at least two rods extending through the array of parallel discs;
- (iv) a support frame attached to one end of the rods;
- and
- (v) a fluid outlet to release the high pressure fluid;
- (b) a power impeller assembly comprising:
- (j) a combustor to introduce the high pressure fluid to the fuel and to ignite the fuel, the combustor having a fluid inlet to receive the released high pressure fluid and a fuel inlet to receive fuel;
- (ii) a central hub;
- and
- (iii) a stacked array of parallel discs, each disc having a central aperture, the discs being inter-spaced along a parallel axis, whereby, upon ignition of the fuel, a fluid flows across the stacked array of discs;
- (c) a shaft extending from the central hub of the compressor impeller assembly to the central hub of the power impeller assembly, whereby the shaft is rotated by the fluid flowing across the discs of the power impeller assembly;
- and
- (d) a starter in communication with the shaft to initiate radial movement of the central hub.
12 more elements
An impeller assembly, comprising:
- (a) a central hub;
- (a) a reinforcing backing plate fixedly connected to the central hub;
- (b) a stacked array of parallel discs fixedly connected to the reinforcing backing plate, wherein the each disc possesses a central aperture, and wherein the discs are inter-spaced along a parallel axis;
- (c) at least two rods to fixedly connect the central hub, the reinforcing backing plate and the stacked array of discs;
- (d) a support frame attached to one end of the rods;
- and
- (e) a central cavity formed by the central apertures, the central cavity being devoid of a shaft, whereby, upon radial movement of the central hub, a fluid flows through the central apertures of the stacked array of discs and the spaces between the discs.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.