US 7,448,847 B2 · Turbine with adjustable vanes

Abstract

There is provided an adjustable vane turbine and turbine generator using the same, in which hydrodynamic properties are employed to adjust adjustable vanes automatically in response to flow condition such as the flow rate of the working fluid, thereby simplifying the system using the adjustable vanes and reducing cost. In the adjustable vane turbine, a turbine wheel is installed in a turbine housing and rotatably supported by a shaft, and a plurality of adjustable vanes are movably installed between the turbine housing and the turbine wheel, wherein each of the adjustable vanes includes an adjustable vane member having one end portion rotatably fixed to the turbine housing, a vane control element attached on one side of the adjustable vane member at a set angle, and a guide element attached on the other side of the adjustable vane member, the plurality of adjustable vanes being connected using links between neighboring vanes.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A turbine having adjustable vanes disposed in the turbine for controlling an inlet flow into the turbine, said turbine comprising:

a turbine housing;
a turbine wheel installed in the turbine housing and having a rotating shaft;
and
a plurality of vanes pivotally installed at an inlet area of the turbine housing,
wherein each of the vanes includes an adjustable vane member having one portion pivotally fixed to the turbine housing and another portion elastically supported at the turbine housing, a vane control element disposed at one side of the adjustable vane member to pivotally move the adjustable vane member in response to flow rate of a working fluid entering the turbine, and a guide element for guiding positional adjustment of the adjustable vane member.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Turbine with adjustable vanes

Life of this patent

Turbine with adjustable vanes

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16