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.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a centrifuge type natural gas powered turbine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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

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;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the turbine with its housing attached;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the turbine with its housing removed;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the turbine rotor with its rotor cover removed;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the turbine rotor with its rotor housing cover removed; and

FIG. 6 is an interior perspective view of the turbine rotor.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

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.

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.

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′.

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.

The exhaust exits the exhaust shroud 28 through an exhaust pipe (not shown).

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.

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.

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.

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; anda 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.