Water turbine, and connecting structure of two male screw shafts and connecting structure of two shafts respectively used for water turbine

• US 10,662,917 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2017
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Lebentritt, Michael
• Application Number:
  US16/086,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20190101094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 11/00 Parts or details not provided for in, or of interest apart from, the preceding groups controlling F03B15/00, e.g. wear-protection couplings, between turbine and generator
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 11/06 Bearing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 17/06 using liquid flow with predominantly kinetic energy conversion, e.g. of swinging-flap type , "run-of-river", "ultra-low head" F03B13/264 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 17/061 with rotation axis substantially in flow direction
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 3/04 with substantially axial flow throughout rotors, e.g. propeller turbines rotors per se F03B3/126
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/20 within closed fluid conduits, e.g. pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2230/60 Assembly methods
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2230/604 using positioning or alignment devices for aligning or centering, e.g. pins
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/40 Use of a multiplicity of similar components
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/50 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/60 Shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/311 the axes being in line
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/02 for connecting two abutting shafts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/027 non-disconnectable, e.g. involving gluing, welding or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/033 by clamping together two faces perpendicular to the axis of rotation, e.g. with bolted flanges
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy

Abstract

The present invention relates to a water turbine in which a unit pipe can be joined by an optional number and a rotating shaft integrated with a rotor can be joined by an optional number according to intended use or condition of use, and by which each rotor can be supported stably. A water turbine in which a rotor provided in a water conduit pipe is rotated by a water flow in the water conduit pipe and the rotation of the rotor is utilized as a motive power, wherein pluralities of the unit pipes constituting a part of the water conduit pipe are connected in order by interposing an end plate having a bearing and a water passing part between respective them, wherein pluralities of rotating shafts respectively integrated with the rotor are linearly connected by providing a connecting means between respective them while end portions opposing to each other of a pair of adjacent rotating shafts are brought into contact, wherein each of the rotating shafts is rotatably supported by respective pair of bearings arranged to neighbor each other such that at least one of the rotors is arranged between the respective pair of bearings, and thereby forming a water turbine unit.

Claims

1. A water turbine in which a rotor provided in a water conduit pipe is rotated by a water flow in the water conduit pipe and the rotation of the rotor is utilized as a motive power, comprising a water turbine unit in which an end plate having a bearing and a water passing part is fixed to each of both ends of a unit pipe constituting a part of the water conduit pipe, and both end portions of a rotating shaft integrated with the rotor provided in the unit pipe are rotatably supported by respective both bearings, wherein the water turbine unit is possible to be connected to a part of the water conduit pipe in series.

2. The water turbine according to claim 1, wherein pluralities of the unit pipes constituting a part of the water conduit pipe are connected in series by interposing the end plate having the bearing and the water passing part between respective them, wherein pluralities of the rotating shafts respectively integrated with the rotor are connected in series by providing a connecting means between respective them, wherein each of the rotating shafts is rotatably supported by respective pair of bearings arranged to neighbor each other such that at least one of the rotors is arranged between the respective pair of bearings, and wherein the water turbine unit is formed such that a continuous connection of its unit pipe and another continuous connection of its rotating shaft provided with the rotor are respectively possible.

3. The water turbine according to claim 2, wherein each of the unit pipes is provided with an outward flange at its both ends, and a peripheral portion of the respective end plates between each pair of the unit pipes is interposed between the outward flanges which are arranged at both sides of the peripheral portion.

4. The water turbine according to claim 1, wherein a fitting part which is possible to be fitted to an inner hole of respective end portions of the unit pipe is formed on both side surfaces or one side surface of the end plate.

5. The water turbine according to claim 2, wherein the connecting means of the rotating shafts has a formation

that male screw shafts having a common outer diameter and a common screw pitch are respectively formed on end portions opposing to each other of two rotating shafts linearly arranged;

that a projected portion and a recessed portion respectively having complementary shapes each other and having abutting surfaces coming into contact in a rotation direction around a central axis are formed on respective end surfaces opposing each other of the male screw shafts;

that the end surfaces opposing each other of the male screw shafts are brought into contact such that screw threads formed on respective outer peripheral surfaces of the male screw shafts continue;

that the projected portion and the recessed portion are fitted to each other;

and that while the end surfaces opposing each other of the male screw shafts are made abut, a female screw tube is screwed on an abutted part between the male screw shafts to cover the abutted part.

6. The water turbine according to claim 5, wherein a rotation locking means for locking the female screw tube against the rotation on any of the male screw shafts is formed.

7. The water turbine according to claim 6, wherein the rotation locking means is a set screw screwed into a female screw hole which is formed on the female screw tube so as to be directed in a radial direction, and wherein a tip of the set screw is pressure-welded to the outer peripheral surface of any of the male screw shafts, or is fitted to an engaging hole formed on the outer peripheral surface of any of the male screw shafts.

8. The water turbine according to claim 5, wherein the end portions opposing each other of the two male screw shafts are provided with a pin hole which is perpendicular to central axes of the male screw shafts and perforates through the projected portion and the recessed portion which are fitted to each other, and wherein a pin is fitted to the pin hole.

9. The water turbine according to claim 5, wherein a protruding shaft which is formed in a pointed shape is provided on a center of any of the end surfaces opposing each other of the two male screw shafts, wherein a projection amount from a base end to a tip of the protruding shaft is larger than a projection amount from a base end to a tip of the projected portion, and wherein a fitting hole to which the protruding shaft can be fitted is formed on a center of the end surface opposing to the protruding shaft.

10. A connecting structure of two male screw shafts which are used for connecting pluralities of rotating shafts of a water turbine in series and are respectively provided at end portions opposing to each other of a pair of the rotating shafts,

the water turbine has a rotor provided in a water conduit pipe and rotated by a water flow in the water conduit pipe so that the rotation of the rotor is utilized as a motive power, and comprises a water turbine unit having a formation that an end plate having a bearing and a water passing part is fixed to each of both ends of a unit pipe constituting a part of the water conduit pipe, and that both end portions of the rotating shaft integrated with the rotor provided in the unit pipe are rotatably supported by respective both bearings, wherein the water turbine unit is possible to be connected to a part of the water conduit pipe in series, and

the connecting structure of two male screw shafts having a formation that a projected portion and a recessed portion respectively having complementary shapes each other and having abutting surfaces coming into contact in a rotation direction around a central axis are formed on respective end surfaces opposing each other of two male screw shafts having a common outer diameter and a common screw pitch and being linearly arranged;

that the end surfaces opposing each other of the male screw shafts are brought into contact such that screw threads formed on the respective outer peripheral surfaces of the male screw shafts continue, and that the projected portion and the recessed portion are fitted;

and that a female screw tube is screwed on an abutted part between the male screw shafts to cover the abutted part.

11. The connecting structure of two male screw shafts according to claim 10, wherein a rotation locking means for locking the female screw tube against the rotation on any of the male screw shafts is formed.

12. The connecting structure of two male screw shafts according to claim 11, wherein the rotation locking means is a set screw screwed into a female screw hole which is formed on the female screw tube so as to be directed in a radial direction, and wherein a tip of the set screw is pressure-welded to the outer peripheral surface of any of the male screw shafts, or is fitted to an engaging hole formed on the outer peripheral surface of any of the male screw shafts.

13. The connecting structure of two male screw shafts according to claim 10, wherein the end portions opposing each other of the two male screw shafts are provided with a pin hole which is perpendicular to central axes of the male screw shafts and perforates through the projected portion and the recessed portion which are fitted to each other, and wherein a pin is fitted to the pin hole.

14. The connecting structure of two male screw shafts according to claim 10, wherein a protruding shaft which is formed in a pointed shape is provided on a center of any of the end surfaces opposing each other of the two male screw shafts, wherein a projection amount from a base end to a tip of the protruding shaft is larger than a projection amount from a base end to a tip of the projected portion, and wherein a fitting hole to which the protruding shaft can be fitted is formed on a center of the end surface opposing to the protruding shaft.

15. A connecting structure of two shafts, wherein end portions of the two shafts are respectively provided with male screw shafts having a common outer diameter and a common screw pitch, wherein the two shafts are brought into contact so as to be linearly arranged each other, and wherein the two male screw shafts made abut are connected by the connecting structure of the two male screw shafts according to claim 10.