Variable Breaker for Steam Turbine Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Steam turbines experience vibration and output decrease due to swirl components in leakage steam, which existing guiding blade technologies attempt to mitigate but often result in reduced rotational energy and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A rotary machine with a variable breaker mechanism that can pivot or retract to block or allow swirl components, adjusting its position based on detected vibration to minimize vibration while maintaining turbine output, using a control device to determine the number of breakers to deploy and their positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a guiding blade is provided to decrease swirl components, then vibration of the rotor is restricted, but the frictional force decreases and the output of the turbine decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The breaker is made movable between a protrusion position (to decrease swirl components and restrict vibration) and an accommodation position (to allow swirl components to contribute to rotational energy). This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize between vibration restriction and power output based on operational conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The position of the breaker is changed as a controllable parameter. By adjusting the breaker's position between protrusion and accommodation states, the system can modify the degree of swirl component blocking, thereby controlling both vibration levels and power output.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the variable breaker protrudes into the cavity, then swirl components are decreased, but rotational energy recovery is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The breaker's position is dynamically adjusted between protrusion (for swirl control) and accommodation (for energy recovery). This allows the system to temporarily block swirl components when vibration occurs, then restore energy recovery when vibration is controlled.
Solution Approach 2:
The breaker operates in periodic cycles: protruding when vibration detection triggers swirl component blocking, then retracting when vibration is controlled to allow energy recovery. This periodic action balances vibration restriction with energy efficiency.
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
Effectively reduces vibration and minimizes output decrease by selectively blocking swirl components, allowing for efficient operation similar to turbines without swirl breakers when not needed, while maintaining rotational energy recovery.
Implementation Method 1
The pressure distribution in the clearance becomes non-uniform due to such swirl components, and as a result, vibration may occur in the rotor
Implementation Method 2
leakage steam containing swirl components promotes (assists) the rotation of the rotor by virtue of frictional force occurring between the rotor and the leakage steam
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a rotary machine including a rotary shaft configured to rotate around an axis; rotor blades; a casing surrounding the rotor blades radially outside the rotor blades, and in which a recessed portion accommodates tips of the rotor blades; a sealing portion extending from one of a bottom portion of the recessed portion and the tip of the rotor blade, and having a clearance with the other; and a variable breaker installed in the casing and is capable of being displaced between a protrusion position where the variable breaker protrudes into the recessed portion and an accommodation position where the variable breaker is accommodated in the casing.