Stepped Hub Mounting for Hydro Turbine Blades
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water turbines face challenges in shipping and installation due to their large size, and existing mounting systems for runner blades to hubs are inefficient, limiting water flow and power generation capacity.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a runner blade mounting system with stepped mounting surfaces that conform to the tapered hub, allowing for a smaller hub diameter and increased water passage area without altering the throat diameter, enabling more efficient water flow and power generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional mounting surfaces are used, then the hub diameter must be large to accommodate the mounting structure, but this reduces the water passage cross-sectional area and limits water flow
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting surfaces are arranged in a stepped configuration along the axial direction rather than using a single large radial surface. This transforms the mounting approach from a two-dimensional radial plane to a three-dimensional stepped structure, allowing the mounting surfaces to be distributed along the axial length of the hub. This dimensional change enables the water passage to maintain a larger cross-sectional area while still providing sufficient mounting surface area for securing the runner blades.
2Productivity
If the hub diameter is reduced to increase water passage area, then shipping and installation become more difficult, but the mounting system must still provide sufficient attachment strength
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is divided into multiple discrete mounting surfaces arranged in steps along the axial direction, rather than using a single large mounting surface. This segmentation allows the hub to be designed with a smaller diameter while distributing the mounting function across multiple smaller surfaces. The segmented approach maintains sufficient total mounting area and attachment strength while reducing the overall hub diameter, thereby increasing the water passage cross-sectional area and power generation capacity.
3Quantity of substance
If a smaller hub diameter is used, then the water passage area increases for better flow, but the mounting surfaces must be reconfigured to maintain attachment reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting surfaces are arranged in a stepped configuration along the axial direction, transforming the mounting approach from a single radial plane to a three-dimensional stepped structure. This dimensional change distributes the attachment function across multiple surfaces along the axial length, maintaining sufficient total contact area and attachment reliability even when the hub diameter is reduced to increase water passage area and improve water flow rate.
Data Source
AI summary
A hydro turbine assembly includes a hub configured to rotate about a center axis and configured to be mounted in a water passage. The hub includes an upstream end, a downstream end and an outer surface between the upstream and downstream ends. The hub includes at least three mounting recesses arranged in the outer surface wherein each mounting recess includes a first hub mounting surface and a second hub mounting surface, and the second hub mounting surface is downstream and radially inward of the first hub mounting surface. The assembly includes at least three runner blades each including a base configured to seat in a respective one of the mounting recesses, wherein the base includes a first blade mounting surface arranged to abut the first hub mounting surface and a second blade mounting surface arranged to abut the second hub mounting surface.