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US 7,281,379 B2Granted
Dual-use radial turbomachine
AssigneeUTC Power Corporation
InventorJoost J. Brasz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The impeller is preferably modified to use back swept, radial or forward swept blades to accommodate relatively low, medium and high lift, respectively applications for both centrifugal compressor and turbine rotor use.
Claims18
A method of constructing a turbine for use in a rankine cycle system having in serial flow relationship a pump, a boiler, a turbine and a condenser, comprising the steps of:
- providing a volute for receiving a vapor medium from the evaporator and for conducting said vapor radially inwardly;
- providing a plurality of nozzles circumferentially spaced and disposed around the inner periphery of said valuate for receiving a flow of vapor therefrom and conducting it radially inwardly;
- and
- providing an impeller disposed radially within said nozzles such that the radial inflow of vapor from said nozzles impinges on a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades of said impeller to cause rotation of said impeller;
- wherein, the angle of said impeller blades is chosen according to the degree of lift for the intended application, such that for relatively low-lift application, the impeller blades are back swept, for intermediate-lift applications, the blades are radially disposed, and for relatively high-lift applications, the impeller blades are forward swept.
2 more elements
An organic rankine cycle system of the type having in serial flow relationship a pump, an evaporator, a turbine and a condenser, wherein said turbine comprises:
- an arcuately disposed volute for receiving an organic refrigerant vapor medium from the evaporator and for conducting the flow of said vapor radially inwardly;
- a plurality of nozzles circumferentially spaced and disposed around the inner periphery of said volute for receiving a flow of vapor therefrom and conducting it radially inwardly;
- and
- an impeller disposed radially within said nozzles such that the radial inflow of vapor from said nozzles impinges on the plurality of circumferentially spaced blades on said impeller to cause rotation of said impeller;
- and
- discharge flow means for conducting the flow of vapor from said turbine to the condenser;
- wherein, said impeller blades are either back swept or forward swept
- and further wherein each of said nozzles has its radially inner and outer boundaries defined by radii R1 and R2, respectively, and wherein R2/R1>1.25.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.