Self-Stabilizing Steam Turbine Impeller Without Thrust Bearings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional steam turbines with axial flow impellers are large, costly, and difficult to maintain, requiring thrust bearings that complicate the structure and increase size, making them unsuitable for middle and small power generating occasions.
Innovation Solution
A self-stabilizing turbine design using impellers with concave forward structures and outward notches, allowing for self-stabilization and eliminating the need for thrust bearings, while utilizing cascaded impellers for efficient energy conversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an axial flow impeller is used to capture steam kinetic energy, then the steam turbine can be manufactured with conventional designs, but the turbine becomes huge in size and has high manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The blade design employs asymmetric geometry with a concave forward structure and concave outward notch that creates self-stabilizing characteristics. This asymmetric design allows the impeller to operate without thrust bearings while maintaining manufacturing feasibility, thereby reducing turbine size and cost
Solution Approach 2:
The impeller design enables self-stabilization during operation through its unique blade geometry. The concave forward structure and concave outward notch configuration allows the impeller to automatically maintain stable rotation without requiring external stabilization mechanisms or complex bearing systems, reducing overall turbine size
2Use of energy by moving object
If an axial flow impeller is used, then steam kinetic energy can be captured effectively, but thrust bearings are required which complicate the structure and increase size
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the thrust bearing component from the conventional axial flow impeller system. By designing blades with specific concave structures that generate self-stabilizing forces, the patent removes the need for separate thrust bearing assemblies, thereby simplifying the overall structure while maintaining energy conversion efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The blade structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it captures steam kinetic energy, provides self-stabilization, and eliminates the need for separate bearing support systems. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity while maintaining effective energy conversion
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional axial flow impeller blades are used, then the turbine can be manufactured, but maintenance becomes difficult when blades are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The impeller is designed with modular blade segments that can be independently replaced. The blade structure with its specific concave geometry allows for easy detachment and replacement without requiring disassembly of the entire turbine assembly, significantly improving maintenance ease while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
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 design achieves a moderate-sized, cost-effective turbine assembly that is easy to maintain and generates power efficiently, suitable for middle and small power generation applications.
Implementation Method 1
A steam turbine converts the kinetic energy of the steam into the kinetic energy of rotating a turbine
Implementation Method 2
a steam entering the inlet symmetrically pushes the concave forward structure, and flows out of the outlet through the concave outward notch
Data Source
AI summary
A self-stabilizing turbine includes a housing, a rotating shaft and an impeller. The housing has an inlet and an outlet. The rotating shaft is rotatably mounted to the housing. The impeller is disposed in the housing and has a hub and multiple blades disposed on the hub, and the hub is mounted to the rotating shaft. In a front view of each of the blades, each of the blades has a concave forward structure having a free end having a concave outward notch, and each of the concave forward structure and the concave outward notch is symmetrical with respect to a central radial plane of the impeller. A steam entering the inlet symmetrically pushes the concave forward structure, and flows out of the outlet through the concave outward notch, so that the impeller stably rotates with respect to the central radial plane. A steam-driven turbine assembly using the self-stabilizing turbine is also disclosed.