Turbine

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to the technical field of energy machinery, and discloses a turbine. According to the turbine, the magnetic suspension bearing is arranged in the shell of the turbine to radially support the rotating assembly, the air bearing is arranged on the shell, the rotating assembly is axially supported through airflow of the air bearing, and the air bearing is used for supporting the airflow of the rotating assembly and isolating a fluid medium out of the containing cavity of the shell. According to the arrangement, the two bearings are mutually orthogonally decoupled and mutually independent in the degree of freedom, the rotating self-balancing effect of the magnetic suspension bearing is utilized in the radial direction, the dynamic balancing difficulty can be reduced, the running speed of the rotating assembly is increased, the airflow of the air bearing is utilized in the axial direction to achieve the isolation effect, a sealing structure does not need to be additionally arranged, and the structure of the turbine can be simplified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of energy machinery technology, and in particular to a turbine. Background Technology

[0002] Both air bearings and magnetic bearings are widely used in high-speed rotating machinery, each with different application characteristics and fields. Air bearings, with their high precision and rigidity, are used in machine tool spindles and similar applications. In a hydrostatic spindle, high-pressure gas is introduced externally, flowing into the air gap through a throttling orifice. The size of the air gap is negatively correlated with the pressure within it, thus achieving a kind of elastic support, allowing the workpiece to suspend above the air gap and eliminating contact friction between the two surfaces. The air gap of an air bearing is typically in the range of 5 to 10 micrometers, requiring high machining precision and good dynamic balance (micrometer-level precision) on the air-bearing surface; otherwise, severe vibration will occur at high speeds. Magnetic bearings utilize electromagnetic control and feedback technology. Silicon steel sheets are arranged on the spindle, and a certain number of coils generate an electromagnetic attraction. Sensors detect the spatial displacement of the spindle in real time, feeding back to the controller to adjust the attraction of the coils, allowing the spindle to suspend in a certain position and eliminating friction. Magnetic bearings have a rotational self-balancing effect, allowing the spindle to rotate relative to its center of mass while allowing a certain deviation in the outer diameter. Magnetic bearings have low requirements for spindle manufacturing precision and operate at high speeds, with radial runout typically ranging from 20 to 100 micrometers. Due to this characteristic, they often cannot be used in conjunction with other types of bearings; typically, the motor and turbine are mounted on the same rigid spindle. Furthermore, the radial runout makes it difficult to install dry gas seals. Because of the large spindle clearance, turbine-side gas can easily pass through the magnetic bearing and escape, causing numerous practical and safety problems. Magnetic bearings themselves cannot operate in environments containing high levels of impurities or flammable and explosive gases.

[0003] Generally, when the spindle is working, it needs to be constrained both radially and axially, thus requiring a combination of radial and axial bearings. The axial bearing can also be called a thrust bearing or traction bearing. In the design of traditional high-speed turbines, in order to reduce design difficulty, facilitate mechanical maintenance, and consider the compatibility between different types of bearings, usually only one of mechanical bearings, air bearings, or magnetic bearings is used. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a turbine that solves the technical problems of low sealing performance of magnetic levitation bearings and poor compatibility with air bearings.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of the present invention provide a turbine, comprising:

[0006] The housing has a receiving cavity; a rotating assembly has a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the first end being located outside the receiving cavity and the second end being received inside the receiving cavity, the first end being used to contact the fluid medium and rotate to achieve energy conversion; a magnetic levitation bearing is disposed on the inner wall of the housing and located outside the rotating assembly, used to support the rotating assembly radially; an air bearing includes a stator air bearing plate and a rotor air bearing plate disposed opposite to each other, the stator air bearing plate being disposed on the housing, and the rotor air bearing plate being located on the side of the stator air bearing plate opposite to the housing and fixed to the first end; the stator air bearing plate is used to support the rotating assembly axially by airflow and to isolate the fluid medium outside the receiving cavity by airflow.

[0007] Optionally, the air bearing includes a stator air bearing plate and a rotor air bearing plate disposed opposite to each other. The stator air bearing plate is disposed on the housing and located on the side closer to the fluid medium. The rotor air bearing plate is fixed to the first end of the rotating assembly. The stator air bearing plate is provided with a gas flow channel, which has an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end is used to connect to an external gas source assembly, and the outlet end is used to output the airflow to the rotor air bearing plate to support the rotating assembly and isolate at least a portion of the fluid medium.

[0008] Optionally, the stator air flotation plate includes a first surface facing the rotor air flotation plate and a second surface facing away from the rotor air flotation plate. The gas flow channel includes a first sub-air channel disposed on the second surface, a plurality of through holes disposed in the stator air flotation plate, and a plurality of air outlets disposed on the first surface. The plurality of through holes and the plurality of air outlets are all arranged at intervals around the rotating assembly. One end of the first sub-air channel is used to connect to the gas source assembly, and the other end of the first sub-air channel is connected to the plurality of air outlets through the plurality of through holes. The air outlets are used to output the airflow to the rotor air flotation plate.

[0009] Optionally, the air outlet is configured to retract inward, so that the size of the air outlet is smaller than that of the through hole.

[0010] Optionally, the plurality of air outlets include inner ring air outlets and outer ring air outlets. There are multiple inner ring air outlets, which are spaced apart around the rotating component. There are also multiple outer ring air outlets, which are spaced apart around the rotating component.

[0011] Optionally, at least part of the air outlet is configured to extend along a curve.

[0012] Optionally, the stator air flotation plate includes a first surface facing the rotor air flotation plate and a second surface facing away from the rotor air flotation plate. The gas flow channel includes a first annular air channel disposed on the second surface, a plurality of through holes disposed in the stator air flotation plate, a second annular air channel disposed in the stator air flotation plate and surrounding the rotating assembly, and an air outlet disposed on the first surface and surrounding the rotating assembly. The plurality of through holes are spaced apart around the rotating assembly. One end of the first annular air channel is used to connect to the gas source assembly, and the other end of the first annular air channel is connected to one end of the second annular air channel through the plurality of through holes. The other end of the second annular air channel is connected to the air outlet.

[0013] Optionally, the air outlet is configured to contract inward, so that the size of the air outlet is smaller than that of the first annular air passage.

[0014] Optionally, the orientation of the air outlet is set to form an angle with the axis of rotation of the rotating assembly and to be radially outward.

[0015] Optionally, the rotor air flotation plate has a plurality of spirally extending air grooves on the side facing the stator air flotation plate. The extension direction of the plurality of air grooves is configured to be the same as the rotation direction of the rotor air flotation plate, and the plurality of air grooves are arranged around the rotating assembly. The plurality of air grooves are used to cause the airflow to be ejected along a path perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating assembly when the rotor air flotation plate rotates, so as to isolate the fluid medium.

[0016] Compared to related technologies, the embodiments of the present invention provide radial support for the rotating components by installing a magnetic levitation bearing inside the turbine housing, and an air bearing on the housing to provide axial support for the rotating components using its airflow. Furthermore, the airflow from the air bearing also serves to isolate the fluid medium outside the housing cavity. This arrangement ensures that the two sets of bearings are orthogonally decoupled and independent in their degrees of freedom. Radially, the self-balancing effect of the magnetic levitation bearing reduces the difficulty of dynamic balancing and increases the operating speed of the rotating components. Axially, the airflow from the air bearing provides isolation, eliminating the need for additional sealing structures and simplifying the turbine's structure. Attached Figure Description

[0017] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the turbine along the axis of rotation according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of region A in the middle;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the second side of the stator air flotation plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first side of the stator air flotation plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the stator air flotation plate along the axis of rotation according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a front view of the first side of another stator air-bearing plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 7 This is a front view of the first side of another stator air-float plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the second side of another stator air-float plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the first side of another stator air-float plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another stator air-bearing plate along the axis of rotation according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the air groove structure of a rotor air-float surface according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that many technical details have been presented in the various embodiments of the present invention to enable the reader to better understand this application. However, the technical solutions claimed in this application can be implemented even without these technical details and various changes and modifications based on the following embodiments.

[0030] In embodiments of the present invention, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "middle," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing the present invention and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated devices, elements, or components to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0031] Furthermore, in addition to indicating direction or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in certain situations to indicate a dependency or connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] Furthermore, the terms "installation," "setting," "equipped with," "opening," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are primarily used to distinguish different devices, components, or parts (which may be the same or different in specific type and construction), and are not intended to indicate or imply the relative importance or quantity of the indicated devices, components, or parts. Unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0034] The turbine of this invention refers to a machine that converts the energy contained in a fluid medium into mechanical energy or electrical energy. For example, compressors, steam turbines, turbines, flue gas turbines, expanders, and generators can all be called turbines. The working medium of the turbine, i.e., the fluid medium (also called the working fluid), can be a gas, such as steam, fuel gas, air, other gases or gas mixtures, or a liquid, such as water, oil, or other liquid media.

[0035] This invention addresses the poor compatibility of different types of bearings and the complex sealing structures in existing turbines by proposing a novel turbine, comprising: a housing with a receiving cavity; a rotating assembly having a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the first end being located outside the receiving cavity and the second end being received inside the receiving cavity, the first end being used to contact a fluid medium and rotate to achieve energy conversion; a magnetic levitation bearing disposed on the inner wall of the housing and located outside the rotating assembly, used to radially support the rotating assembly; and an air-bearing bearing including a stator air-bearing plate and a rotor air-bearing plate disposed opposite to each other, the stator air-bearing plate being disposed on the housing and the rotor air-bearing plate being located on the side of the stator air-bearing plate opposite to the housing and fixed to the first end; the stator air-bearing plate is used to axially support the rotating assembly through airflow and to isolate the fluid medium outside the receiving cavity through airflow. Compared to existing technologies, this embodiment incorporates a magnetic levitation bearing inside the turbine's outer casing to provide radial support for the rotating components, and an air bearing on the outer casing to provide axial support for the rotating components using its airflow. Furthermore, the airflow from the air bearing also serves to isolate the fluid medium outside the casing's containment cavity. This configuration ensures that the two sets of bearings are orthogonally decoupled and independent in their degrees of freedom. Radially, the self-balancing effect of the magnetic levitation bearing reduces the difficulty of dynamic balancing and increases the operating speed of the rotating components. Axially, the airflow from the air bearing provides isolation, eliminating the need for additional sealing structures and simplifying the turbine's structure.

[0036] The implementation details of the turbine in this embodiment are described below. The following content is only for the convenience of understanding and is not necessary for implementing this solution.

[0037] like Figure 1 As shown, the turbine 100 of this embodiment includes a housing 110, a rotating assembly 120, a magnetic levitation bearing 130, and an air bearing 140. The housing 110 has a receiving cavity 111, and the rotating assembly 120 has a first end and a second end opposite to each other. The first end is located outside the receiving cavity 111, and the second end is received in the receiving cavity 111. The first end is used to contact the fluid medium to realize energy conversion.

[0038] The magnetic levitation bearing 130 is disposed inside the housing 110 and located outside the rotating assembly 120, that is, opposite to the rotating assembly 120. The magnetic levitation bearing 130 is used to support the rotating assembly 120 in the radial direction to avoid the rotating assembly 120 from contacting and rubbing with other structures of the turbine 100 during operation.

[0039] An air bearing 140 is disposed on the housing 110. It supports the rotating assembly 120 axially by outputting airflow and uses the airflow to isolate the fluid medium outside the receiving cavity 111.

[0040] In some feasible solutions, the air bearing 140 includes a stator air bearing 141 and a rotor air bearing 142 disposed opposite to each other. The stator air bearing 141 is disposed in the housing 110 and located on the side closer to the fluid medium, while the rotor air bearing 142 is fixed to the first end of the rotating assembly 12. Airflow is ejected from the stator air bearing 141 and axially supports the rotating assembly 120. At the same time, the airflow can blow away the fluid medium entering between the stator air bearing 141 and the rotor air bearing 142, thereby isolating the fluid medium outside the receiving cavity 111.

[0041] This configuration ensures that the two sets of bearings are orthogonally decoupled in terms of degrees of freedom, operating independently without affecting each other, thus enabling compatibility. Furthermore, the use of magnetic levitation bearings 130 for radial support reduces the difficulty of dynamic balancing and increases the operating speed of the rotating assembly 120. Axial support for the rotating assembly 120 is achieved using the airflow output from air bearings 140. Simultaneously, this airflow also blows away the fluid medium flowing towards the receiving cavity 111, isolating the fluid medium outside the housing 110 without requiring additional sealing structures, thus simplifying the structure of the turbine 100.

[0042] In this embodiment, a volute 112 is provided at one end of the outer shell 110, and the volute 112 forms a fluid cavity for containing a fluid medium. Specifically, the fluid cavity has a medium flow channel 1121, and the fluid medium mainly flows along the medium flow channel 1121.

[0043] The rotating component 120 can actively rotate to drive the flow of a fluid medium, such as the rotor of an energy conversion device that performs work on the fluid medium, like a compressor or pump. Alternatively, the rotating component 120 can passively contact the fluid medium, with the fluid medium performing work on the rotating component 120, such as the rotor of an energy conversion device, like a generator or steam turbine.

[0044] Specifically, the rotating assembly 120 includes a rotating shaft 121 and a turbine 122. The turbine 122 is fixed to one end of the rotating shaft 121 and located outside the housing 110. The other end of the rotating shaft 121 is located inside the housing 110. The turbine 122 is used to contact the fluid medium and perform work on the fluid medium through the rotation of the turbine 122, or the fluid medium performs work on the turbine 122, so that the turbine 122 rotates and drives the rotating shaft 121 to rotate.

[0045] More specifically, the turbine 122 is housed in a fluid cavity, and a medium flow channel 1121 is arranged around the turbine 122. When the fluid medium flows in the medium flow channel 1121, the fluid medium can drive the turbine 122 to rotate. Alternatively, when the turbine 122 rotates, it can drive the fluid medium to flow along the medium flow channel 1121.

[0046] A rotor 1211 is mounted on the rotating shaft 121, and a stator 113 is mounted on the inner wall of the outer casing 110. The stator 113 is positioned opposite to the rotor 1211.

[0047] In this embodiment, multiple magnetic levitation bearings 130 are provided and spaced apart along the axial direction of the rotating assembly 120. For example, two magnetic levitation bearings 130 are provided, and the two magnetic levitation bearings 130 are distributed at intervals along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 121. Preferably, one is located inside the housing 110 on one side along the axial direction, and the other is located inside the housing 110 on the other side along the axial direction, that is, on opposite sides of the stator 113 in the axial direction. During the operation of the turbine 100, the two magnetic levitation bearings 130 jointly provide radial support to the rotating shaft 121, which is more stable.

[0048] It is understood that the present invention does not limit the specific number of magnetic levitation bearings 130. Depending on the actual requirements such as the size of the turbine 100, the fluid medium, and the operating parameters, those skilled in the art can make an adaptive selection of the number of magnetic levitation bearings 130.

[0049] Specifically, the stator air float plate 141 is fixed to the side of the housing 110 near the turbine 122. The stator air float plate 141 has a central through hole for the rotating shaft 121 to pass through the inside of the housing 110. The rotor air float plate 142 is fixed to the first end of the rotating shaft 121. The turbine 122 is provided on the side of the rotor air float plate 142 away from the housing 110.

[0050] See Figure 2 The stator air float plate 141 is provided with a gas flow channel 1411. The gas flow channel 1411 has an air inlet end and an air outlet end. The air inlet end is used to connect to an external air source assembly, and the air outlet end is used to output airflow to the rotor air float plate 142 to support the rotating assembly 120 in the axial direction and isolate the fluid medium outside the receiving cavity 111.

[0051] The stator air-bearing plate 141 and the rotor air-bearing plate 142 are arranged opposite to each other to form an air gap. The outlet end of the gas flow channel 1411 is connected to this air gap. After the airflow flows out from the outlet end, it enters the air gap and does work on the rotor air-bearing plate 142, lifting the rotor air-bearing plate 142 axially, thereby achieving axial support. Part of the airflow is blown out from the air gap to blow the fluid medium away from the air gap and into the medium flow channel 1121.

[0052] The gas source assembly is used to output gas to the gas flow channel 1411, enabling the gas flow channel 1411 to output airflow to the air gap to support the rotating shaft 121 and isolate the fluid medium.

[0053] Optionally, the air bearing 140 is preferably a static pressure air bearing. When the turbine 100 is working, the static pressure air bearing can balance the thrust on the turbine 122 in one direction, and the static pressure air bearing is more stable and controllable.

[0054] See Figures 2 to 5 In some feasible solutions, the stator air flotation plate 141 includes a first surface P1 facing the rotor air flotation plate 142 and a second surface P2 away from the rotor air flotation plate 142. The gas flow channel 1411 includes a first sub-air channel 1411a disposed on the second surface P2, a plurality of through holes 1411b disposed in the stator air flotation plate 141, and a plurality of first air outlets 1411c disposed on the first surface P1. The plurality of through holes 1411b and the plurality of first air outlets 1411c are all arranged at intervals around the rotating assembly 120. One end of the first sub-air channel 1411a is used to connect to the air source assembly, and the other end of the first sub-air channel 1411a is connected to the plurality of first air outlets 1411c through the plurality of through holes 1411b. The first air outlets 1411c are used to output airflow to the rotor air flotation plate 142.

[0055] In one specific embodiment, the first sub-air passage 1411a is a first annular air passage surrounding the rotating shaft 121, and one end of the first annular air passage is simultaneously connected to multiple through holes 1411b. In another embodiment, the first sub-air passage 1411a can be configured as multiple air inlets, and the multiple air inlets and multiple through holes 1411b are connected in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0056] See you again Figure 5 In some feasible solutions, the first outlet 1411c is configured to contract inward, making its size smaller than that of the through hole 1411b. This configuration increases the gas velocity at the location of the first outlet 1411c, thereby enhancing the effect of the airflow blowing away the fluid medium.

[0057] In some feasible solutions, multiple first air outlets 1411c can be configured with multiple turns or multiple layers. Taking two turns as an example, for instance... Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown. The first air outlet 1411c includes an inner ring air outlet and an outer ring air outlet located radially outside the inner ring air outlet. There are multiple inner and outer ring air outlets, and these multiple inner and outer ring air outlets are spaced apart around the rotating shaft 121. By increasing the number of rings or layers of air outlets, the support and isolation effects of the air bearing 140 can be improved.

[0058] Furthermore, the inner and outer air outlets can be arranged in a staggered manner in the radial direction, thus forming a gas barrier with better sealing.

[0059] In some feasible solutions, at least part of the first outlet 1411c is configured as a curved extension, such as... Figure 7 As shown. For example, the first air outlets 1411c of these arc-shaped extensions can have the same center or different centers. In addition, the first air outlets 1411c can be set as wavy lines or other forms to achieve a better isolation effect.

[0060] Understandably, the number of through holes 1411b and first air outlets 1411c can be arbitrarily set according to actual conditions. The present invention does not impose specific restrictions on this. As long as the airflow output through these first air outlets 1411c can stably support the rotating component 120 and isolate the fluid medium outside the receiving cavity 111, it is sufficient.

[0061] See Figures 8 to 10 In other feasible solutions, the gas flow channel 1411 includes a second annular air channel 1411d disposed on the second surface P2, a plurality of through holes 1411b disposed within the stator air float plate 141, a third annular air channel 1411e disposed within the stator air float plate 141 and surrounding the rotating assembly 120, and a second air outlet 1411f disposed on the first surface and surrounding the rotating assembly 120. The plurality of through holes 1411b are spaced apart around the rotating assembly 120. One end of the second annular air channel 1411d is used to connect to the gas source assembly, the other end of the second annular 1411d is connected to one end of the third annular air channel 1411e via the plurality of through holes 1411b, and the other end of the third annular air channel 1411e is connected to the second air outlet 1411f. It should be noted that in this scheme, the second air outlet 1411f is an annular air outlet arranged around the rotating shaft 121, instead of multiple air outlets arranged independently. In this way, the closed annular air outlet can form a closed airflow barrier, completely isolating the fluid medium outside the receiving cavity 111.

[0062] See Figure 11 In some feasible solutions, the rotor air flotation plate 142 facing the stator air flotation plate 141 is provided with a plurality of air grooves 1421 arranged at intervals around the rotating shaft 121, and their extension direction is configured to be consistent with the rotation direction of the rotor air flotation plate 142. In this way, when the airflow is ejected from the stator air flotation plate 141 toward the rotor air flotation plate 142, the air grooves 1421 can guide the airflow to be ejected along a path perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 121, for example, along the extension direction of the air grooves 1421, so as to improve the effect of isolating the fluid medium.

[0063] It should be noted that the extending direction of the air groove 1421 is consistent with the rotation direction of the rotor air flotation plate 142, meaning that the general trend of the extending direction of the air groove 1421 is roughly the same as the rotation direction of the rotor air flotation plate 142. Figure 11 For example, if the rotor air flotation plate 142 rotates counterclockwise, then for an air groove 1421, it has an inner edge end 1421a and an outer edge end 1421b, and the inner edge end 1421a is located to the left of the outer edge end 1421b in the circumferential direction (counterclockwise side). If the rotor air flotation plate 142 rotates clockwise, then the inner edge end 1421a is located to the right of the outer edge end 1421b in the circumferential direction (clockwise side).

[0064] Optionally, each air groove 1421 can be a spiral or arc-shaped curved air groove, or it can be a straight line segment or a broken line segment formed by connecting multiple straight line segments end to end. The specific design can be selected according to the actual situation, and the present invention does not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0065] See you again Figure 11 In some designs, the size of the inner edge 1421a is smaller than the size of the outer edge 1421b, that is, the size of the air groove 1421 gradually increases from the inner edge 1421a to the outer edge 1421b.

[0066] See you again Figure 1 In some feasible solutions, a high-pressure air passage 114 can be provided on the outer casing 110. The high-pressure air passage 114 is connected to the first sub-air passage 1411a or the second annular air passage 1411d, and is used to supply airflow to the gas flow passage 1411. When the first sub-air passage 1411a is an annular air passage, the high-pressure air passage 114 only needs to be provided with one vent to connect to the first sub-air passage 1411a. When the first sub-air passage 1411a has multiple independently provided air inlets, the high-pressure air passage 114 can be set as an annular air passage to connect to each air inlet.

[0067] Understandably, the high-pressure air path 114 is located in the housing 110 and can be used to connect to the air source assembly. During the actual use of the turbine 100, the airflow rate can be controlled using a pressure controller and a flow sensor, and adjusted as needed.

[0068] To more precisely control the support effect of the air bearing 140, a first displacement sensor 143 can be installed on the stator air bearing plate 141 to detect the distance between the rotor air bearing plate 142 and the stator air bearing plate 141, thereby determining whether the current airflow meets the support requirements. Simultaneously, a second displacement sensor 144 can be installed at the other end of the housing 110 to detect the distance between the second end of the rotating shaft 121 and the bottom of the housing 110. The two displacement sensors work together to detect the distance, and the gas flow rate is automatically adjusted based on the detection results, resulting in more accurate performance.

[0069] See you again Figure 10 In some feasible designs, the second outlet 1411f is configured to contract inward, making its size smaller than that of the third annular air passage 1411e. This configuration increases the gas velocity at the location of the second outlet 1411f, thereby enhancing the effect of the airflow blowing away the fluid medium.

[0070] Understandably, the extending directions of the first air outlet 1411c and the second air outlet 1411f can be perpendicular to the rotor air float plate 142. However, in some feasible solutions, both the first air outlet 1411c and the second air outlet 1411f can be configured such that their extending directions form an angle with the axial direction of the rotating shaft 121, and extend radially outwards, such as... Figure 10 As shown. Preferably, the extension direction of the above-mentioned air outlet is set to form an acute angle with the axis of the rotating shaft 121, for example, 15° to 45°. In this way, the airflow direction can be appropriately deflected towards the fluid medium, improving the isolation effect, while also reducing the gas flowing into the receiving cavity 111, avoiding excessive internal pressure in the turbine 100.

[0071] See you again Figure 1 To further prevent excessive internal pressure in the turbine 100 from affecting or even damaging the turbine 100, a vent hole 115 can be provided on the outer casing 110. The vent hole 115 is connected to the receiving cavity 111. Gas entering the receiving cavity 111 from the air gap can flow out of the receiving cavity 111 through the vent hole 115 to maintain stable internal air pressure in the turbine 100.

[0072] Taking a natural gas compressor as an example, its structure can be referenced. Figure 1 Simulation tests show that, under working conditions, when the speed is between 20,000 and 260,000 revolutions per minute, the turbine 122 can increase the pressure of the natural gas in the medium flow channel 1121 from 1 MPa to 4 MPa.

[0073] Specifically, the turbine 122 and the rotor air float plate 142 can be manufactured as a single piece. The air float surface is a finely ground plane with a flatness of less than 2 micrometers. On the stator air float plate 141, the through hole 1411b and the first air outlet 1411c are set as throttling holes, and the number is set to 20. The diameter of the throttling holes is 50 micrometers. The first sub-air passage 1411a is set as an annular air passage.

[0074] In this example, nitrogen is used as the gas supporting the bearing. Specifically, the nitrogen pressure is set at 6 MPa, which is greater than the natural gas pressure. Through simulation calculations, after the nitrogen is injected through the throttle orifice, the thickness of the air gap is 20 micrometers, and the pressure within the air gap is 3 MPa. When the thickness of the air gap is 10 micrometers, the pressure within the air gap is 4 MPa. In actual operation, the axial force on the turbine 122 will vary depending on factors such as gas viscous resistance, rotational speed, and centrifugal force. However, under certain operating conditions and air gap thickness, the thrust of the natural gas on the turbine 122 and the pressure generated by the air gap will ultimately cancel each other out, achieving passive balance. This achieves the structure of a hydrostatic air-bearing thrust bearing.

[0075] At this point, because the air gap is filled with high-pressure nitrogen, and the pressure is greater than that of natural gas, the nitrogen will flow towards the outer periphery and center of the gas floating surface within the air gap. Due to the small size of the air gap, the gas flow encounters significant resistance, resulting in a very small leakage rate of nitrogen into the natural gas, calculated to be approximately 10 liters per minute. This leakage rate is lower than industry standard regulations (a small amount of nitrogen mixing into the natural gas compressor during operation is permitted by industry regulations). On the other hand, the portion of nitrogen flowing towards the shaft in the air gap will enter the atmosphere through the vent 115 on the outer casing 110.

[0076] When necessary, the air gap can be increased by increasing the nitrogen inlet pressure. A larger air gap results in greater nitrogen leakage, but the natural gas compressor has strong impact resistance and provides good buffering against inlet pressure fluctuations. Alternatively, the nitrogen inlet pressure can be reduced to decrease the air gap, thereby reducing nitrogen leakage. However, in this case, the redundancy of the air bearing is small, making it easier for the stator air bearing plate 141 and rotor air bearing plate 142 to collide under impact.

[0077] To prevent nitrogen leakage or collisions between the air float plates, the axial displacement of the rotor air float plate 142 can be monitored in real time using the first displacement sensor 143 and the second displacement sensor 144, and the size of the air gap can be calculated based on the detection results. Thus, by combining the functions of the pressure controller, flow sensor, and displacement sensor, the pressure required for the air gap can be dynamically adjusted, allowing the natural gas compressor to operate continuously under optimal conditions.

[0078] The present invention has provided a detailed description of a turbine according to its embodiments. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the embodiments above is only for the purpose of helping to understand the ideas of the present invention. There may be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

Claims

1. A turbomachine, characterized in that, The turbine comprises: a housing having a receiving cavity; a rotating assembly having opposite first and second ends, the first end being located outside the receiving cavity and the second end being located inside the receiving cavity, the first end being used to contact a fluid medium and rotate to realize energy conversion; a magnetic suspension bearing provided on an inner wall of the housing and located outside the rotating assembly, and used to support the rotating assembly in a radial direction of the rotating assembly; an air floating bearing comprising opposite stator air floating plates and rotor air floating plates, the stator air floating plates being provided on the housing, the rotor air floating plates being located on a side of the stator air floating plates away from the housing and fixed to the first end, the stator air floating plates being used to support the rotating assembly in an axial direction of the rotating assembly by air flow and isolate the fluid medium outside the receiving cavity by air flow.

2. The turbine according to claim 1, wherein the stator air floating plates are provided with gas flow channels, the gas flow channels having gas inlet ends and gas outlet ends, the gas inlet ends being used to be connected to a gas source assembly, and the gas outlet ends being used to output the air flow to the rotor air floating plates to support the rotating assembly and isolate at least part of the fluid medium.

3. The turbine according to claim 2, wherein the stator air floating plates comprise first surfaces facing the rotor air floating plates and second surfaces away from the rotor air floating plates, the gas flow channels comprise first sub-gas channels provided on the second surfaces, a plurality of through holes provided in the stator air floating plates, and a plurality of gas outlets provided on the first surfaces, the plurality of through holes and the plurality of gas outlets being arranged around the rotating assembly at intervals; one end of the first sub-gas channels is used to be connected to the gas source assembly, and the other end of the first sub-gas channels is connected to the plurality of gas outlets through the plurality of through holes, and the gas outlets are used to output the air flow to the rotor air floating plates.

4. The turbine according to claim 3, wherein the gas outlets are arranged to be inwardly contracted, so that the size of the gas outlets is smaller than that of the through holes.

5. The turbine according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of gas outlets comprise inner ring gas outlets and outer ring gas outlets, the inner ring gas outlets are a plurality of and arranged around the rotating assembly at intervals, and the outer ring gas outlets are a plurality of and arranged around the rotating assembly at intervals.

6. The turbine according to claim 5, wherein at least part of the gas outlets are arranged to extend along a curve.

7. The turbine according to claim 2, wherein the stator air floating plates comprise first surfaces facing the rotor air floating plates and second surfaces away from the rotor air floating plates, the gas flow channels comprise first annular gas channels provided on the second surfaces, a plurality of through holes provided in the stator air floating plates, a second annular gas channel provided in the stator air floating plates and around the rotating assembly, and gas outlets provided on the first surfaces and around the rotating assembly, and the plurality of through holes are arranged around the rotating assembly at intervals. One end of the first annular air passage is used to connect the air source assembly, and the other end of the first annular air passage communicates with one end of the second annular air passage through a plurality of through holes, and the other end of the second annular air passage communicates with the air outlet.

8. The turbine according to claim 7, wherein, The air outlet is arranged to be inwardly tapered, so that the size of the air outlet is smaller than the second annular air passage.

9. The turbine according to any one of claims 3-8, wherein, The air outlet is arranged to be at an angle to the axis of the rotation assembly and radially outward.

10. The turbine according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein, One side of the rotor air float plate facing the stator air float plate is provided with a plurality of air grooves arranged around the rotation assembly, and the plurality of air grooves extend from the outer edge to the inner edge of the rotor air float plate, and the extension direction is configured to be consistent with the rotation direction of the rotor air float plate; the plurality of air grooves are used to make the airflow jet out along a path perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotation assembly when the rotor air float plate rotates, so as to isolate the fluid medium.

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