Conduit Turbine Speed Limiting via Flexible Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbines designed for conduits face challenges with significant speed variations in fluid flow, leading to potential damage from high speeds or excessive costs due to overdesign, as they struggle to balance operational efficiency and safety, especially during events like fire hydrant operations.
Innovation Solution
A speed limiting system using flexible elements connected to the turbine unit, allowing the turbine to move and adjust its position within the conduit to manage fluid flow rates, preventing excessive rotational speeds and maintaining stability during normal operations while allowing bypass during overspeed conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the turbine is overdesigned to withstand high-speed flow, then the turbine can survive overspeed conditions, but the cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible element (spring) is introduced as an intermediary component between the turbine unit and the conduit. This spring acts as a mediator that allows the turbine unit to move freely during normal operation but restricts excessive movement during overspeed conditions, thereby protecting the turbine without requiring overdesign of the turbine itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The turbine unit is designed with dynamic movement capability along the flow axis, constrained by the flexible element. The system transitions from a static turbine to a dynamically adjustable position that can respond to flow conditions, allowing the turbine to optimize its operation across varying flow rates without requiring overdesign for maximum speed.
2Productivity
If the turbine is designed for restricted speed range, then the turbine operates efficiently at normal speeds, but the turbine can be damaged by high-speed flow
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine unit is designed to move dynamically along the flow axis in response to flow conditions. During normal operation, the turbine operates at optimal positions for efficient electricity generation. During overspeed conditions, the turbine unit can move to bypass positions, allowing excess flow to pass around the rotor, thereby protecting the turbine while maintaining efficiency during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible element serves as a mediator that decouples the turbine unit from rigid constraints, allowing it to respond to flow conditions. This intermediary mechanism enables the turbine to maintain efficient operation at normal speeds while providing protection during high-speed events without requiring the turbine to be overdesigned for maximum speed.
3Device complexity
If the turbine unit is fixed in position, then the structure is simple and stable, but the turbine cannot adapt to significant speed variations in fluid flow
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine unit is designed with simple dynamic movement capability along the flow axis, constrained by a flexible element. This adds minimal complexity while enabling the turbine to adapt to significant speed variations in fluid flow. The turbine unit can move to optimize its operation across varying flow rates, transitioning from a static to a dynamically adaptable system with minimal added complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively limits turbine speed, preventing damage and reducing costs by allowing fluid to bypass the rotor during high-speed events, maintaining efficient electricity generation within nominal conditions and avoiding unnecessary overdesign, thus ensuring a stable and cost-effective operation.
Implementation Method 1
a speed limiting device that comprises at least one flexible element connected to the turbine unit
Implementation Method 2
an electricity generation turbine for a conduit comprising a turbine unit including a rotor
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine (1) for a conduit comprising a turbine unit (13) including a rotor (3), characterized in that the turbine (1) comprises a speed limiting device for said turbine unit (13), which device comprises at least one flexible element (4) connected to the turbine unit (13), so as to limit the flow rate of the fluid passing through the rotor (3) in order to limit the rotational speed of the rotor (3) of the turbine unit (13).