Centrifugal compressor

Abstract

A centrifugal compressor comprising an impeller having an input drive, the impeller having an impulse turbine positioned around the periphery of the impeller to be driven by the gas exiting the impeller, the output of the turbine being coupled to the drive of the impeller.

1 . A centrifugal compressor comprising a casing including an impeller having a gas intake and an outlet, s the impeller having an input drive, and an impulse turbine rotor positioned around the periphery of the impeller adjacent the outlet, the impulse turbine rotor driving an output shaft, the impulse turbine rotor to be driven by high velocity gas exiting the impeller whereby the impeller has a plurality of radial impeller blades at a gas exit of the impeller configured to maintain the high velocity of the gas exiting the impeller blades, wherein the pressure of the gas entering the impulse turbine rotor is maintained at an exit of the impulse turbine rotor. 
     
     
         2 . The centrifugal compressor according to  claim 1  wherein a gearbox is interposed between the output shaft of the impulse turbine rotor and the input drive of the impeller. 
     
     
         3 . The centrifugal compressor according to  claim 2  wherein the output shaft is coupled to a double planetary gear box that drives the impeller. 
     
     
         4 . The centrifugal compressor according to  claim 1  wherein a stator is positioned between the exit of the impeller and the impulse turbine rotor to means for redirecting exiting gases form the impeller to the impulse turbine rotor. 
     
     
         5 . The centrifugal compressor according to  claim 4  wherein the means for redirecting exiting gases is positioned between the exit of the impeller and the impulse turbine rotor. 
     
     
         6 . An electricity generating power plant having a closed s cycle drive unit comprising a steam turbine having an output shaft, an externally heated heat exchanger, and the centrifugal compressor of  claim 1 , wherein an exhaust of the steam turbine is fed into the gas intake of the centrifugal compressor, and wherein the exhaust of the impulse turbine rotor passes through the heat exchanger to drive the steam turbine, the output shaft of the steam turbine and an output shaft of the impulse turbine rotor being coupled to a gearbox to drive the centrifugal compressor and an alternator to generate electricity. 
     
     
         7 . The centrifugal compressor according to  claim 1  wherein the output shaft driven by the impulse turbine rotor assists the input drive of the impeller. 
     
     
         8 . A closed cycle drive unit comprising the centrifugal compressor of  claim 1 , a heat exchanger and a drive turbine having an output shaft coupled to the input drive of the impeller of the centrifugal compressor, wherein the exiting gases of the impulse turbine rotor pass through a heat exchanger and are fed into the drive turbine to drive the drive turbine, and an exhaust of the drive turbine is fed to the gas intake of the centrifugal compressor. 
     
     
         9 . A closed cycle drive unit comprising: a drive turbine, a centrifugal compressor comprising an impeller located within a casing inlet having a gas intake and an outlet, the impeller having an input drive, and an impulse turbine rotor positioned around the periphery of the impeller adjacent the outlet, the impulse turbine rotor having an output shaft coupled to the input drive of the impeller, the impulse turbine rotor being driven by high velocity gas exiting the impeller whereby the impeller has a plurality of radial impeller blades at a gas exit of the impeller thereby maintaining the high velocity gas exiting the impeller blades wherein the pressure of the gas entering the impulse turbine rotor is maintained at an exit of the impulse turbine rotor, and means for redirecting exiting gases from the impeller to the impulse turbine rotor, the drive turbine having a gas inlet and a gas outlet and a drive turbine output shaft wherein the exhaust gas of the impulse turbine rotor passes through a heat exchanger to be fed to the gas inlet of the drive turbine, the gas outlet of the drive turbine being coupled to the gas intake of the centrifugal compressor and the drive turbine output shaft coupled to the input drive of the impeller of the centrifugal compressor. 
     
     
         10 . The closed cycle drive unit according to  claim 9  wherein the means for redirecting exiting gases is positioned between the exit of the impeller and the impulse turbine rotor. 
     
     
         11 . A gas liquefaction plant comprising the closed cycle drive unit of  claim 9 , a working gas of the closed cycle drive unit and a gas to be liquefied by the heat exchanger by cooling into liquid form; wherein the working gas has a liquefaction temperature that is lower than a liquefaction temperature of the gas to be liquefied. 
     
     
         12 . The gas liquefaction plant according to  claim 11  wherein the working gas is neon and the gas to be liquefied is methane. 
     
     
         13 . An electricity generating power plant comprising the closed cycle drive unit of  claim 9  and an alternator or a generator, wherein the output shaft of the drive turbine drives an alternator or generator. 
     
     
         14 . The electricity generating power plant of  claim 13 , further comprising a gearbox, wherein the drive turbine output shaft, the output shaft of the impulse turbine rotor and the input drive of the impeller are all coupled to one of the alternator or generator through the gearbox. 
     
     
         15 . A method of recovering energy in a centrifugal compressor, including:
 drawing a gas into an impeller of the centrifugal compressor and compressing the gas centrifugally as the impeller rotates at high speed;   reducing deceleration of the gas by using radial blades of the impeller that are configured to maintain a high velocity of the gas at a gas exit;   driving an impulse turbine rotor mounted around the periphery of the impeller by directing the high velocity compressed gas exiting the impeller into the impulse turbine rotor and thereby driving an output shaft coupled to the impulse turbine rotor to recover energy from the high velocity compressed gas while maintaining the gas pressure at an exit of the impulse turbine rotor; and   exhausting gas exiting the impulse turbine rotor through an outlet volute.   
     
     
         16 . The method claimed in  claim 15 , including driving an input shaft of the impeller through a geared interconnection of the output shaft of the impulse turbine rotor. 
     
     
         17 . The method claimed in  claim 16  wherein a stator positioned between the exit of the impeller and the impulse turbine rotor redirects the high velocity compressed gas exiting the impeller into the impulse turbine rotor. 
     
     
         18 . A centrifugal compressor comprising a casing including an impeller having a gas intake and an outlet, the impeller having an input drive, and an impulse turbine rotor positioned around the periphery of the impeller adjacent the outlet, the impulse turbine rotor driving an output shaft, the impulse turbine rotor to be driven by high velocity gas exiting the impeller whereby the impeller has a plurality of radial impeller blades at a gas exit of the impeller configured to maintain the high velocity of the gas exiting the impeller blades, wherein the pressure of the gas entering the impulse turbine rotor is maintained at an exit of the impulse turbine rotor and a wall portion is positioned between the exit of the impeller and the impulse turbine rotor that redirects exiting gases to the impulse turbine rotor.