U.S. patent application number 12/463650 was filed with the patent office on 2009-12-10 for horizontal shaft type rotary machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to HITACHI, LTD.. Invention is credited to Keiji Fugane, Kenichi Hattori, Makoto Hemmi, Tadaaki Kakimoto, Akitomi Semba.
Application Number | 20090304316 12/463650 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40791636 |
Filed Date | 2009-12-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090304316 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hattori; Kenichi ; et
al. |
December 10, 2009 |
HORIZONTAL SHAFT TYPE ROTARY MACHINE
Abstract
The invention provides a horizontal shaft type rotary machine
capable of simply feeding oil into thrust bearing devices. Leak oil
introduction means are provided in the circumferential end parts of
thrust bearing devices, for introducing leak oil of lubrication oil
from horizontal type slide bearing devices onto slide surfaces of
the thrust bearing devices. With this configuration, the thrust
baring devices can be lubricated with the use of leak oil of
lubrication oil from the horizontal type slide bearing devices, and
as a result, it is possible to eliminate the necessity of an oil
feed system exclusively used for the thrust bearing devices,
thereby it is possible to simplify the pipe line arrangement of the
oil feed system and the control of oil feed quantity.
Inventors: |
Hattori; Kenichi;
(Hitachiota, JP) ; Kakimoto; Tadaaki; (Hitachi,
JP) ; Semba; Akitomi; (Hitachi, JP) ; Fugane;
Keiji; (Hitachi, JP) ; Hemmi; Makoto;
(Hitachinaka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MATTINGLY & MALUR, P.C.
1800 DIAGONAL ROAD, SUITE 370
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
HITACHI, LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
40791636 |
Appl. No.: |
12/463650 |
Filed: |
May 11, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
384/368 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16C 33/1085 20130101;
F16C 17/04 20130101; F16C 33/1065 20130101; F16C 17/10
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
384/368 |
International
Class: |
F16C 33/10 20060101
F16C033/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 10, 2008 |
JP |
2008-151145 |
Claims
1. A horizontal shaft type rotary machine comprising: horizontal
type slide bearing devices for supporting a horizontal rotary
shaft; thrust bearing devices adjacent to the horizontal type slide
bearing devices, the thrust bearing devices being opposed to each
other below a center axis of thrust bearing portions formed on the
horizontal rotary shaft; and leak oil introduction means provided
in circumferential end parts of the thrust bearing devices for
introducing leak oil of lubrication oil from the horizontal type
slide bearing devices onto slide surfaces of the thrust bearing
devices.
2. A horizontal shaft type rotary machine comprising: horizontal
type slide bearing devices for supporting a horizontal rotary
shaft: thrust bearing devices adjacent to the horizontal type slide
bearing devices, the thrust bearing devices being opposed to each
other below a center axis of thrust bearing portions formed in the
horizontal rotary shaft; oil grooves formed in slide surfaces of
the thrust bearing devices for introducing leak oil of lubrication
oil from the horizontal type slide bearing devices onto the slide
surfaces; and leakage oil introduction means provided in
circumferential end parts of the thrust bearing devices for
introducing leak oil of lubrication oil from the horizontal type
slide bearing device onto the slide surfaces of the thrust bearing
devices.
3. The horizontal shaft type rotary machine according to claim 1,
wherein said leak oil introduction means is leak oil introduction
slope surfaces formed in the circumferential end parts of the
thrust bearing devices.
4. The horizontal shaft type rotary machine according to claim 1,
wherein said leak oil introduction means is leak oil introduction
covers which is formed on a side above the center axis of the
thrust bearing and is extended from the circumferential end parts
of the thrust bearing devices for covering axial end parts of the
horizontal type slide bearing devices.
5. The horizontal shaft type rotary machine according to claim 4,
wherein said leak oil introduction covers are formed in a
semi-circular ring-like shape which is continuously opposed to a
side above the center axis of the thrust bearing parts.
6. The horizontal shaft type rotary machine according to claim 1,
wherein said leak oil introduction means comprises leak oil
introduction slope surfaces formed in the circumferential end parts
of the thrust bearing devices, and the leak oil introduction covers
formed above the center axis of the thrust bearing portions and
extended from the circumferential end parts of the thrust bearing
device for covering axial end parts of the slide bearing
devices.
7. The horizontal shaft type rotary machine according to claim 2,
wherein said leak oil introduction means is leak oil introduction
slope surfaces formed in the circumferential end parts of the
thrust bearing devices.
8. The horizontal shaft type rotary machine according to claim 2,
wherein said leak oil introduction means is leak oil introduction
covers which is formed on a side above the center axis of the
thrust bearing and is extended from the circumferential end parts
of the thrust bearing devices for covering axial end parts of the
horizontal type slide bearing devices.
9. The horizontal shaft type rotary machine according to claim 2,
wherein said leak oil introduction means comprises leak oil
introduction slope surfaces formed in the circumferential end parts
of the thrust bearing devices, and the leak oil introduction covers
formed above the center axis of the thrust bearing portions and
extended from the circumferential end parts of the thrust bearing
device for covering axial end parts of the slide bearing devices.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a horizontal shaft type
rotary machine such as a rotary electric machine or a pump, and in
particular, relates to a rotary machine incorporating horizontal
type slide bearing devices for supporting a horizontal rotary shaft
and thrust bearing devices for bearing a thrust force acting upon
the horizontal rotary shaft.
[0002] There has been already proposed, as disclosed in, for
example, JP-A-2008-95703 (FIGS. 4 and 5), a horizontal shaft type
rotary machine incorporating horizontal type slide bearing devices
for supporting a horizontal rotary shaft and thrust bearings device
for bearing a thrust force acting upon the horizontal rotary
shaft.
[0003] In the horizontal shaft type rotary machine of this kind,
the thrust bearing devices are arranged adjacent to the horizontal
type slide bearing devices. These thrust bearing devices are
opposed to each other only below the center axis of thrust bearing
parts formed on the horizontal rotary shaft, in order to bear the
thrust exerted by the horizontal shaft with a pressure receiving
area with necessity minimum.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The rotary machine disclosed in JP-A-2008-95703 is
advantageous in view of the fact that the thrust force can be born
by a pressure receiving area with a necessity minimum.
[0005] However, differently from the provision of an entire
peripheral type thrust bearing device, a semi-peripheral type
thrust bearing device requires an exclusive oil supply system for
feeding a lubrication oil onto its slide surface, in addition to
the oil feed system for the horizontal type slide bearing
device.
[0006] Thus, there are required two kinds of oil feed systems and
two kinds of control processes, resulting in the problems of the
provision of complicated pipe lines in the oil feed systems, and
the complication in control of the feed quantity of lubrication
oil.
[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a
horizontal shaft type rotary machine which can facilitate the
supply of oil into thrust bearing devices.
[0008] To the end according to the invention, a thrust bearing
device is provided in its circumferential end parts with leak oil
introduction means for introducing leak oil of lubrication oil from
a horizontal type slide bearing device onto a slide surfaces of the
thrust bearing device.
[0009] With the configuration as stated above, the lubrication for
the thrust bearing device can be made by using the leak oil of the
lubrication oil from the horizontal type slide bearing device, and
as a result, no oil feed system exclusive for the thrust bearing
device is required, thereby it is possible to simplify the
arrangement of the pipe line of the oil feed system and the control
for the feed quantity of lubrication oil.
[0010] Thus, it is possible to provide a horizontal shaft type
rotary machine which is capable of feeding lubrication oil to the
thrust bearing device in a simple manner.
[0011] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will
become apparent from the following description of the embodiments
of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating a turbine
generator in a first embodiment of a horizontal shaft type rotary
machine according to the invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating a portion P in FIG.
1.
[0014] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a thrust
bearing device shown in FIG. 2, in detail.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating the thrust bearing shown
in FIG. 3.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a second embodiment of the
invention, corresponding to FIG. 2.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a portion around a thrust
bearing device shown in FIG. 5.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a third embodiment of the
invention, corresponding to FIG. 2.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a front view illustrating a portion around a
thrust bearing device shown in FIG. 7.
[0020] In the above figures, reference numeral 1 denotes TURBINE
GENERATOR, 2 HOUSING, 3A, 3B HORIZONTAL TYPE SLIDE BEARING, 4
BEARING METAL, 4S SLIDE SURFACE, 4F SPLIT SURFACE, 5 BEARING
MEMBER, 6 HORIZONTAL ROTARY SHAFT, 6S THRUST BEARING PART, 7 ROTOR,
8 STATOR, 9 THRUST BEARING DEVICE, 9S SLIDE SURFACE, 9G OIL GROOVE,
10, 10A LEAK OIL INTRODUCTION SLOP SURFACE, 11 LEAK OIL
INTRODUCTION COVER, and 11A CONVENIENT COVER.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Explanation will be made on the first embodiment of a
horizontal shaft type rotary machine according to the present
invention, based upon a turbine generator shown in FIGS. 1 to
4.
[0022] The turbine generator 1 comprises a housing 2 horizontally
laid, horizontal type slide bearing devices 3A, 3B arranged at
longitudinally opposite ends of the housing 2, a horizontal rotary
shaft 6 slidably supported by the slide bearing devices 3A, 3B, a
rotor 7 fixed to the horizontal rotary shaft 6, a stator 8
supported in the housing and opposed to the outer peripheral side
of the rotor 7 with a gap therebetween.
[0023] Each of the slide bearing devices 3A, 3B has a bearing metal
4 which is formed at its inner periphery with a slide surface 4S
and which has a vertically bi-split configuration, and a bearing
member 5 slidably supporting the bearing metal 4 at the outer
periphery of the latter. It is noted that the bearing metal 4
having a vertically bi-split configuration has upper and lower
split surfaces 4F which are horizontally laid and which abut
against each other with the center of the horizontal rotary shaft 6
as a boundary.
[0024] Further, semicircular ring-like thrust bearing devices 9 are
arranged adjacent to the end parts of the slide bearing devices 3A,
3B and concentric with the horizontal rotary shaft 6 at positions
where they are opposed to the lower halves of the slide bearing
devices 3A, 3B. Further, the horizontal rotary shaft 4 is formed
thereon with thrust bearing parts 6S opposed to the thrust bearing
devices 9.
[0025] With this configuration, during normal operation of the
turbine generator 1, the slide bearing devices 3A, 3B mainly
support the rotor 7 including the horizontal rotary shaft 6, and
the thrust bearing devices 3A, 3B bear the rotor 7 which is
therefore prevented from being axially shifted. Further, upon
occurrence of a force for displacing the horizontal rotary shaft 6
due to variation in load or the like, the thrust bearing parts 6S
of the horizontal rotary shaft 7 are made into slidable contact
with the thrust bearing devices 9 so as to resist against the
force.
[0026] In the turbine generator 1 having the above-mentioned
configuration, lubrication oil is fed onto the slide surfaces of
the slide bearing devices 3A, 3B from an oil feed system which is
not shown, and forms oil films between the slide surfaces and the
horizontal rotary shaft 6 in order to allow the rotor 7 to rotate
with low friction. The supply of the lubrication oil as stated
above is continued so as to prevent the oil films from being
broken, and the lubrication oil which flows subsequent to the
formation of the oil films or the lubrication oil which has not
contributed to the formation of the oil films, leaks outside from
the opposite sides of the bearing metals 4. Thus, heretofore, the
leak oil has to be collected for reusing or wasting.
[0027] However, in the configuration of this embodiment, there are
provided oil grooves 9G which are formed in the slide surface 9S of
each thrust bearing device 9 adjacent to the bearing metal 4 and
which are substantially radially extended, at several positions in
the circumferential direction, and also there are provided leak oil
introduction slope surfaces 10 in the circumferential end parts of
the slide surface 9S so as to constitute leak oil introduction
means. Further, the leak oil introduction slope surfaces 10 are
configured being inclined downward away from the horizontal type
slide bearing devices 3A, 3B, in the circumferential end parts
which are opposed to each other in the rotating direction of the
horizontal rotary shaft 6. As a result, the leak oil from the slide
bearing devices 3A, 3B which are opposed to the semicircular
ring-like thrust bearing devices 9 is fed onto the slide surfaces
9S through the intermediary of the oil grooves 9G. Meanwhile, the
leak oil from the upper halves of the slide bearing devices 3A, 3B
leaks and flows downward from the end parts of the slide bearing
devices 3A, 3B, and is then introduced onto the slide surfaces 9S
by mans of the leak oil introduction slope surfaces 10 in the
circumferential end parts of the thrust bearing devices 9.
[0028] With the configuration as stated above, the leak oil from
the slide bearing devices 3A, 3B can efficiently contribute to the
lubrication for the thrust bearing devices 9 with no provision of
an exclusive oil feed system for the thrust bearing devices.
[0029] FIGS. 5 and 6 show the configuration of a second embodiment
of the invention, which corresponds to the configuration of the
first embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Thus, like reference
numerals are used to denote like parts to those shown in FIGS. 2
and 4 in order to abbreviate the duplicated explanation
thereto.
[0030] In the configuration of the second embodiment, as the leak
oil introduction means for the slide surface 9S of the thrust
bearing device 9, semicircular ring-like leak oil introduction
covers 11 are provided so as to cover the axial end parts of the
slide bearing devices 3A, 3B, and are extended from the
circumferential end parts of the thrust bearing device 9 on the
side above the center axis of the thrust bearing parts 6S with no
provision of the leak oil introduction slope surfaces 10 in the
circumferential end parts of the slide surface 9S.
[0031] With this configuration, leak oil from the upper halves of
the slide bearing devices 3A, 3B is led downward from and trapped
below the end parts of the slide bearings 3A, 3B by the leak oil
introduction covers 11, and the thus trapped leak oil is then led
onto the slide surfaces 9S from the circumferential end parts of
the thrust bearing devices 9 since the trapped leak oil cannot flow
in any other way.
[0032] Accordingly, even the configuration of this embodiment can
exhibit technical effects and advantages similar to those obtained
by the configuration of the first embodiment.
[0033] Next, explanation will be made of the configuration of a
third embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 7
and 8. The configuration of the third embodiment is a variant of
the configurations of the first and second embodiments of the
present invention, and accordingly, like reference numerals are
used to denote like parts to those shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 in order
to abbreviate duplicated explanation thereto.
[0034] The configuration of the third embodiment is different from
the first embodiment in that leak oil introduction slope surfaces
10A are formed in the circumferential end parts of the slide
surface 9S on the inner diameter side, which is opposed to the
thrust bearing parts 6S of the horizontal rotary shaft 7, with no
provision of the leak oil introduction slope surfaces 10 which
extends over the entire width of the slide surface 9S at the
circumferential end parts of the slide surface 9S, and is different
from the second embodiment in that semicircular disc convenient
covers 11A are provided, instead of the semicircular disc-like leak
oil introduction covers 11.
[0035] With this configuration, the leak oil from the upper halves
of the slide bearing devices 3A, 3B is led downward along the inner
periphery of the convenient covers 11A, and is then led into the
gaps between the slide surfaces 9S of the thrust bearing devices 9
and the thrust bearing parts 6S by way of the leak oil introduction
slope surfaces 10A opposed to the thrust bearing parts 6S in an
efficient manner.
[0036] Thus, even the configuration of this embodiment can exhibit
technical effects and advantages similar to those obtained by the
configuration of the first embodiment. It is noted in this
embodiment that the lubrication oil can be introduced by a larger
quantity onto the slide surface 9S since the leak oil introduction
slope surfaces 10A are formed on the side opposed to the thrust
bearing parts 6S of the horizontal rotary shaft 7, and accordingly,
this embodiment is advantageously used for horizontal shaft type
rotary machines of the kind that the lubrication oil is required by
a large quantity.
[0037] By the way, although explanation has been made of such that
the leak oil introduction slope surfaces 10 and the leak oil
introduction covers 11 are solely use respectively in the first and
second embodiments, there may be used them in combination. Further,
it goes without saying that they may be used in combination with
the leak oil introduction slope surfaces 10A and the convenient
covers 11A in the configuration of the third embodiment selectively
in dependence upon a feed oil quantity.
[0038] Further, in the first and third embodiments, although there
have been explained the configurations that the leak oil
introduction slope surfaces 10 or the leak oil introduction slope
surfaces 10A are formed on both circumferential end parts of the
thrust bearing devices 9, the leak oil introduction slope surface
10 or the leak oil introduction surface 10A may be formed only on
the side opposed to the direction of the rotation of the horizontal
rotary shaft in the case that the direction of rotation of the
horizontal shaft type rotary machine is fixed.
[0039] It is noted that explanation has been made of the turbine
generator as an example of the horizontal shaft type rotary
machine. However, it goes without saying that the present invention
can be applied to any kind of horizontal shaft type rotary machines
in which thrust bearings are arranged adjacent to the horizontal
type slide bearing devices, irrespective of a kind of the
horizontal shaft type machine.
[0040] It should be further understood by those skilled in the art
that although the foregoing description has been made on
embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto
and various changes and modifications may be made without departing
from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *