Radial turbine

• US 8,845,278 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Higashimori, Hirotaka, Kawami, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lambert, Wayne A
• Application Number:
  US13/814,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20130136590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 415/182.1, 415/183, 415/185, 415/186, 415/203, 415/204, 415/205, 415/156, 415/158, 415/184, 415/206, 415/224.5, 416/181, 416/185, 416/186.R, 416/231.R
• US Class Current: 415/157
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 1/06 traversed by the working-fluid substantially radially
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 1/08 having inward flow
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/04 for radial-flow machines or engines
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/043 of the axial inlet- radial outlet, or vice versa, type
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/026 Scrolls for radial machines or engines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2210/43 Radial inlet and axial outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/51 Inlet

Abstract

A radial turbine includes a radial turbine wheel provided with a main pathway in which blade height progressively increases while curving toward an axial direction from a radial direction. A sub-let is formed on a shroud side of the radial turbine wheel at a position separated from the main inlet in the radial direction and the axial direction. Also, a blade shape that forms the sub-inlet is such that, in a plane orthogonal to the axial line of the radial turbine wheel, a center line of the blade is inclined at a predetermined angle toward the rotation direction with respect to the radial direction.

Claims

1. A radial turbine comprising:

a turbine wheel that is provided with a main pathway in which a blade height progressively increases while curving toward an axial direction from a radial direction, that converts swirling flow energy from a swirling fluid that flows into the main pathway from a main inlet positioned on an outer circumferential side and having a flow in the radial direction as the main component thereof into rotational motive power, and that expels the flow, whose energy has been released, in the axial direction,

wherein a sub-inlet into which flows a fluid whose pressure differs from pressure of the fluid supplied from the main inlet is formed on a shroud side of the turbine wheel at a position separated from the main inlet in the radial direction and the axial direction; and

a blade shape that forms the sub-inlet is such that, in a plane orthogonal to the axial line of the turbine wheel, a center line of the blade is inclined at a predetermined angle toward the rotation direction with respect to the radial direction.

2. A radial turbine according to claim 1, wherein, in a cylindrical surface centered on the axial center of the turbine wheel, a line tangent to a leading edge of the blade that forms the sub-inlet is inclined so as to be opened from the axial center on the tip side of the blade.

3. A radial turbine according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined angle is 10°

or greater.

4. A radial turbine according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined angle is 10°

or greater.

5. A radial turbine comprising:

a turbine wheel that is provided with a main pathway in which a blade height progressively increases while curving toward an axial direction from a radial direction, that converts swirling flow energy from a swirling fluid that flows into the main pathway from a main inlet positioned on an outer circumferential side and having a flow in the radial direction as the main component thereof into rotational motive power and, that expels the flow, whose energy has been released, in the axial direction,

wherein the turbine wheel is provided with a sub-pathway at a position radially inward of the main inlet, which branches from a hub surface of the main pathway and extends toward a back-face side of the main pathway;

a sub-inlet into which a fluid whose pressure differs from the pressure of the fluid supplied from the main inlet is supplied is formed at an outer circumferential end of the sub-pathway at a radial position different from that of the main inlet; and

a blade shape that forms the sub-inlet is such that, in a plane orthogonal to the axial line of the turbine wheel, a center line of the blade is inclined at a predetermined angle toward the rotation direction with respect to the radial direction.

6. A radial turbine according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined angle is 10°

or greater.