U.S. patent application number 14/756450 was filed with the patent office on 2017-03-09 for centrifuge turbine.
The applicant listed for this patent is Steven L. Maugh. Invention is credited to Steven L. Maugh.
Application Number | 20170067343 14/756450 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58191041 |
Filed Date | 2017-03-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170067343 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Maugh; Steven L. |
March 9, 2017 |
Centrifuge turbine
Abstract
A centrifuge type turbine. The turbine has a circular hollow
rotor having a centrally located air and fuel inlet and an outer
periphery. A stationary exhaust shroud surrounds the outer
periphery of the rotor. The rotor has at least two spiral shaped
swirl channels located therein extending from the air and fuel
inlet to an outlet located at its outer periphery. The swirl
channels are formed by stationary spiral walls. The air and fuel
inlet has a plurality of stationary curved blades located therein
and adapted to rotate with the rotor and to swirl and admix fuel
and air introduced thereinto. An ignition source located in the
exhaust shroud ignites the air/fuel mixture. A plurality of
stationary push point members are located within the exhaust
shroud.
Inventors: |
Maugh; Steven L.; (Eugene,
OR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Maugh; Steven L. |
Eugene |
OR |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
58191041 |
Appl. No.: |
14/756450 |
Filed: |
September 4, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02C 3/165 20130101;
F01D 1/32 20130101; F01D 5/048 20130101; F01D 5/043 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F01D 1/32 20060101
F01D001/32; F01D 5/04 20060101 F01D005/04 |
Claims
1. A centrifuge type turbine comprising: a circular hollow rotor,
said rotor having a centrally located air and fuel inlet and an
outer periphery; a stationary exhaust shroud surrounding said outer
periphery of said rotor; said rotor having at least two swirl
channels located therein, each said swirl channel extending from
said inlet to an outlet located in said outer periphery, said swirl
channels being formed of stationary spiral walls; said air and fuel
inlet having a plurality of stationary curved blades located
therein and adapted to rotate with said rotor and to swirl and
admix fuel and air introduced thereinto; a shroud inlet located in
said stationary exhaust shroud and configured to receive the air
and fuel mixture from each of said swirl channels as their
respective outlets come into alignment therewith; an ignition
source located in said exhaust shroud for igniting said air and
fuel mixture; and a plurality of stationary push point members
located within said exhaust shroud.
2. The centrifuge type turbine of claim 1 wherein said curved
blades of said air and fuel inlet effect a change of direction of
substantially 180 degrees.
3. The centrifuge type turbine of claim 1 wherein each of said
swirl channels forms a substantially 385 degree path.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 62/070,777, filed Sep. 5, 2014, the entire contents
of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a centrifuge type natural
gas powered turbine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The centrifuge turbine of the present invention is a low
torque, medium velocity turbine primarily designed to operate a
small generator that can be used in a residential setting to
generate about 1 kW of electricity on a daily basis.
[0004] The centrifuge turbine of the present includes a hollow
rotor mounted on a drive shaft and located within a housing. Within
the hollow rotor are spiral shaped fixed blades that are curved
through 385 degrees between a centrally located fuel inlet and a
peripheral exhaust shroud to form a "swirl chamber."
[0005] The turbine receives a fuel, such as a mixture of natural
gas and ambient air, through the inlet. The inlet has semi-circular
blades having a high drag coefficient located therein which rotate
with the rotor and swirls the air fuel mixture to form a
homogeneous mixture and channels its flow from vertical to
horizontal, i.e., through 180 degrees. The air fuel mixture passes
from the inlet into the swirl chamber where it travels along the
385 degree channels formed by the spiral shaped fixed blades before
reaching the outlet of the channels located at the periphery of the
swirl chamber.
[0006] The air fuel mixture exits the swirl chamber and enters into
the interior of an exhaust shroud surrounding the swirl chamber.
Upon exiting the swirl chamber and entering the shroud the air fuel
mixture is ignited by an ignition source located within the exhaust
shroud, and the expanding combustion gas pushes against a plurality
of evenly spaced apart push point members (impellers) located
around the interior of the shroud.
[0007] The exhaust exits the exhaust shroud through an exhaust
pipe. The drive shaft connected to the rotor can be connected to
any device that can convert its torque to useful work, such as an
electric generator. A flywheel, starter motor, and clutch are
attached to the drive shaft.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a side view of the centrifuge turbine of the
present invention shown with its drive shaft connected to a
flywheel and starter motor;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a side view of the turbine with its housing
attached;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the turbine with its housing
removed;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a side view of the turbine rotor with its rotor
cover removed;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the turbine rotor with its
rotor housing cover removed; and
[0013] FIG. 6 is an interior perspective view of the turbine
rotor.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] The centrifuge turbine 10 of the present includes a circular
hollow rotor 20 mounted on a drive shaft 30 and located within a
housing 40. Within the hollow rotor 20 are spiral shaped fixed
blades 22 held spaced apart by struts 23 that are curved through
substantially 385 degrees between a centrally located fuel inlet 50
and a peripheral stationary exhaust shroud 60 to form first and
second swirl chambers 24 and 24', respectively.
[0015] Rotor 20 of turbine 10 receives a fuel, such as a mixture of
natural gas and air, through inlet 50 which is attached to rotor 20
and rotates therewith. Air is introduced through inlet
semi-circular blades 52 and 54. Fuel, such as natural gas, is
introduced into inlet 50 via supply line 56. Semi-circular blades
52 and 54 have a high drag coefficient. Since blades 52, 54 rotate
with inlet 50 and rotor 20 they swirl the air fuel mixture together
to form a homogeneous mixture and channel its flow from vertical to
horizontal, which effects a change in directions of substantially
180 degrees.
[0016] The air fuel mixture passes from the inlet 50 into first and
second swirl chambers 24 and 24' as the entrances to the swirl
chambers are presented to the outlet of inlet 50 where the mixture
travels clockwise (as shown by he arrows in FIG. 6) along the
substantially 385 degree channel 25 formed by the fixed blades 22
before reaching outlets 124, 124', respectively, located on the
periphery of swirl chambers 24, 24'. Therefore, the air fuel
mixture undergoes a total change of direction of substantially 565
degrees between entry into inlet 50 and exit from outlets 124,
124'.
[0017] An ignition source (not shown) is located within ignition
inlet 26. Ignition inlet 26 is located in the stationary exhaust
shroud 28. The ignition source ignites the air fuel mixture and the
expanding combustion gas pushes against a plurality (preferably
twelve) of evenly spaced apart push point members (impellers) 29
located around stationary exhaust shroud 28. The resultant thrust
causes rotor 20 to rotate.
[0018] The exhaust exits the exhaust shroud 28 through an exhaust
pipe (not shown).
[0019] The drive shaft 30 connected to the rotor 20 can be
connected to any device that can convert its torque to useful work,
such as an electric generator.
[0020] A flywheel 60, starter motor 70, and clutch 80 are attached
to the drive shaft 30 as shown in FIG. 1. Starter motor 70 induces
the flow of air and fuel during startup. Drive shaft 30 is
supported by a base member 90 having suitable support bearings.
[0021] It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that
many changes may be made to the details of the above-described
embodiments of this invention without departing from the underlying
principles thereof. The scope of the present invention should,
therefore, be determined only by the following claims.
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