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

Abstract

A hydraulic turbine power generator mounted on a single shaft wherein the hydraulic turbine means includes a plurality of reaction type turbine stages arranged to be in combination, rotatably responsive to the hydraulic fluid coupled to the turbines. One of the turbine stages having axial turbine runner means mounted to the single shaft and having a plurality of adjustable blades for permitting the pitch of the blades to be adjusted for controlling the effective operative fluid head to cause the shaft to rotate at a preselected speed and including means for adjusting the pitch of the adjustable blades. The turbine stages can be a Francis type turbine and a Kaplan type turbine. The hydraulic turbine power generator can be oriented in an upward direction to cause the fluid flow to travel upwardly through the turbine stages and function as a two phase turbine expander resulting in the separation of the liquid phase from the gas/vapor stage.

Description

[0001] Hydraulic Turbine Power Generator incorporating a plurality of Reaction type turbine stages including a turbine stage with adjustable blades for maximizing turbine efficiency and controlling the output electrical frequency of the power generator.BACKGROUND OF INVENTION[0002] This invention is an improvement of the Hydraulic Turbine Power Generator that is the subject of the Weiser U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,205, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. The hydraulic turbine of U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,205 is operable with a hydraulic fluid source that has a variable flow rate and a high pressure and is converted by the turbine structure to a relatively high fluid velocity. The turbine runner blades disclosed in the prior patent are fixed, axial runner blades so that the rotary speeds imparted to the single shaft mounting the hydraulic turbine and power generator is operative at a variable, rotary speeds. The power generator is provided with a variable frequency exciting cu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

0004] The basic concept of the present invention is the incorporation of a plurality of reaction type turbine stages arranged in serial fashion on the single shaft for the hydraulic turbine power generator with the output stage of the hydraulic turbine being responsive to the fluid flow discharged from the input turbine stage or stages and being characterized as having a plurality of adjustable blades that permit the pitch of the blades to be adjusted for varying the fluid flow through the output stage to achieve a substantially constant speed for the single shaft mounting the hydraulic turbine and electrical power generator and maximizing the efficiency of the turbine. The input turbine can be a Francis type turbine stage of single or a plurality of stages while the output turbine stage can be a Kaplan type turbine stage.

0005] In accordance with the present invention the adjustable pitch blades can be rotated to any desired position by

Problems solved by technology

Experience with the patented hydraulic power generator has resulted in that the need for the variable speed, constant frequency controller, identified in the above identified prior patent as element IS, has produced problems due to the operational problems due encountered with the commercially available controller IS.

This problem has resulted in

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