Turbo-compressor impeller for coolant

• US 5,464,325 A
• Filed: 06/27/1994
• Issued: 11/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Institut für Luft- und Kältetechnik Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft GmbH
• Original Assignee: Institut für Luft- und Kältetechnik Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft GmbH
• Inventors: Muller, Norbert, Heinrich, Gunter, Lindner, Ernst, Pauer, Reinhard, Albring, Peter, Doge, Klaus, Rudischer, Rainer, Pilling, Eberhard, Apley, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERDIER, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US08/266,940
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 416/185, 416/204 R, 416/204 A, 416/214 R, 416/214 A, 416/219 R, 416/219 A, 416/220 R, 416/220 A, 416/230, 416/241 A, 415/198.1, 415/199.1, 415/200, 415/217.1
• US Class Current: 416/185
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/023 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/284 for compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/43 Synthetic polymers, e.g. plastics; Rubber
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/603 Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced

Abstract

A refrigerant or coolant compressor of the radial type with an impeller hng a plurality of vane elements can be used for compressing water vapor as a refrigerant or coolant under vacuum conditions. The impeller of the compressor is constructed to produce a high volume flow rate at the required compression ratio, in view of the low density of water vapor as the preferred flow medium. The impeller has sufficient strength to operate at the required high circumferential velocities. The impeller includes vane elements, disk elements, vane support elements and a hub. The vane elements are individually connected to the hub by the support elements. The support elements may be either ring-shaped elements connecting a rear surface of the disk elements to the hub, or may be pin-shaped insert members connecting the root of each vane element to the hub. The components of the impeller are made of a polymer composite material reinforced preferably with carbon fibers.

Claims

1. An impeller for a radial flow coolant turbo-compressor for compressing water vapor under vacuum conditions, comprising a plurality of vane elements, a disk element forming an impeller seal disk, a plurality of vane support elements and a hub, wherein said vane elements are arranged circumferentially next to one another and are supported and connected to said hub by said vane support elements, wherein said vane support elements comprise at least one support ring encircling said hub and a respective insert member connecting a root of each of said vane elements to said support ring, and wherein at least one member selected from the group consisting of said vane elements, said disk element, said support elements and said hub is made of a fiber-reinforced composite material.

2. The impeller of claim 1, wherein all components of said impeller are made of said fiber-reinforced composite material.

3. The impeller of claim 1, wherein said fiber-reinforced composite material is a polymer-based composite material having carbon fibers embedded therein.

4. The impeller of claim 1, comprising two of said support rings arranged at respective axial end surfaces of said root of each of said vane elements, wherein said insert members comprise pin-shaped members extending axially through and protruding axially from said root of each of said vane elements, and wherein each of said support rings has a plurality of holes that receive respective ones of said pin-shaped members to connect said vane elements to said hub.

5. The impeller of claim 4, wherein said root of each of said vane elements is made of fiber-reinforced composite material, wherein said pin-shaped members are embedded in the fiber-reinforced composite material of said root of each of said vane elements, and wherein reinforcing fibers of said composite material extend around said pin-shaped members.

6. The impeller of claim 4, wherein said hub has a plurality of axially extending grooves that receive said roots and said pin-shaped members.