Centrifugal radial turbine

Abstract

A centrifugal radial turbine includes at least one support disc having a first face bearing at least one radial rotor stage formed by an array of blades arranged in succession along a respective circular path. The disc has through induction channels situated in a position radially external with respect to a respective shaft and radially internal with respect to the radial rotor stage. At the respective through induction channels, the disc includes a plurality of induction rotor blades of at least one respective axial rotor stage.

1 . Centrifugal radial turbine, comprising:
 a fixed containment case ( 2 );   at least one support disc ( 3 ,  4 ) having a first face ( 9 ,  15 ) bearing at least one radial rotor stage ( 10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ) formed by an array of blades ( 14 ,  20 ) arranged in succession along a respective circular path; and   at least one rotation shaft ( 5 ,  7 ) integral with the respective disc ( 3 ,  4 );   wherein said at least one radial rotor stage ( 10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ) is situated in an expansion volume ( 31 ) for a work fluid,   wherein said at least one disc ( 3 ,  4 ) has through induction channels ( 25 ,  28 ) situated in radially external position with respect to the respective shaft ( 5 ,  7 ) and radially internal position with respect to said at least one radial rotor stage ( 10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ),   wherein said at least one disc ( 3 ,  4 ) is free to rotate together with the respective shaft ( 5 ,  7 ) around a rotation axis (X-X) under the action of the work fluid entering through the through induction channels ( 25 ,  28 ), and   wherein, at the respective through induction channels ( 25 ,  28 ), said at least one disc ( 3 ,  4 ) comprises a plurality of induction rotor blades ( 26 ,  29 ) of at least one respective axial rotor stage ( 27 ,  30 ).   
     
     
         2 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , wherein the induction channels ( 25 ,  28 ) are at least partially delimited by said induction rotor blades ( 26 ,  29 ). 
     
     
         3 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , wherein the induction rotor blades ( 26 ,  29 ) are integrally obtained in said at least one support disc ( 3 ,  4 ). 
     
     
         4 . The turbine according to  1 , wherein the ratio between the radial height of each induction rotor blade ( 26 ,  29 ) and the diameter of said at least one support disc ( 3 ,  4 ) is comprised between about 0.007 and about 0.05. 
     
     
         5 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , wherein an axial traversing speed of the work fluid through the induction channels ( 25 ,  28 ) is comprised between about 35 m/s and about 100 m/s, preferably between about 40 m/s and about 45 m/s. 
     
     
         6 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of induction stator blades ( 34 ,  38 ) of the respective axial stage ( 27 ,  35 ,  30 ,  39 ) side-by-side the induction rotor blades ( 26 ,  29 ) of said at least one support disc ( 3 ,  4 ) and placed to the side of a second face ( 21 ,  23 ) of the respective support disc ( 3 ,  4 ) opposite the first face ( 9 ,  15 ). 
     
     
         7 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one radial stator stage ( 63 ,  66 ) fixed with respect to the containment case ( 2 ) and formed by an array of blades ( 66 ) arranged in succession along a respective circular path and in radially external and/or radially internal position with respect to said at least one radial rotor stage ( 10 ,  11 ,  12 ), wherein the expansion volume ( 31 ) is delimited between the support disc ( 3 ) and the containment case ( 2 ). 
     
     
         8 . The turbine according to  claim 7 , further comprising a nose ( 67 ) integral with the containment case ( 2 ), placed on the side of a second face ( 21 ) of the support disc ( 3 ) opposite the first face ( 9 ) and situated in an inlet duct ( 68 ). 
     
     
         9 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of induction stator blades ( 34 ,  38 ) of the respective axial stage ( 27 ,  35 ,  30 ,  39 ) side-by-side the induction rotor blades ( 26 ,  29 ) of said at least one support disc ( 3 ,  4 ) and placed to the side of a second face ( 21 ,  23 ) of the respective support disc ( 3 ,  4 ) opposite the first face ( 9 ,  15 );   at least one radial stator stage ( 63 ,  66 ) fixed with respect to the containment case ( 2 ) and formed by an array of blades ( 66 ) arranged in succession along a respective circular path and in radially external and/or radially internal position with respect to said at least one radial rotor stage ( 10 ,  11 ,  12 ), wherein the expansion volume ( 31 ) is delimited between the support disc ( 3 ) and the containment case ( 2 ); and   a nose ( 67 ) integral with the containment case ( 2 ), placed on the side of a second face ( 21 ) of the support disc ( 3 ) opposite the first face ( 9 ) and situated in an inlet duct ( 68 ),   wherein the induction stator blades ( 34 ) are situated circumferentially around the nose ( 67 ).   
     
     
         10 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , wherein said turbine is of counter-rotating type and comprises a first support disc ( 3 ) and a second support disc ( 4 ), wherein the first disc ( 3 ) faces the second disc ( 4 ) in order to delimit the expansion volume ( 31 ) and the blades ( 14 ) of the first disc ( 3 ) are radially alternated with the blades ( 20 ) of the second disc ( 4 ). 
     
     
         11 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , wherein the axial rotor stage ( 27 ,  30 ) is of action type. 
     
     
         12 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , wherein the axial rotor stage ( 27 ,  30 ) is of reaction type. 
     
     
         13 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , wherein the support disc or discs ( 3 ,  4 ) have compensation through openings ( 52 ) obtained in radially internal positions with respect to the through induction channels ( 25 ,  28 ), in order to balance the axial thrust on the discs ( 3 ,  4 ). 
     
     
         14 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , further comprising an annular chamber ( 44 ,  48 ) that is concentric and facing the second face of the support disc or of each support disc ( 3 ,  4 ); wherein the fixed containment case ( 2 ) which houses the support disc or discs ( 3 ,  4 ) comprises annular walls ( 41 ,  47 ) coaxial with the rotation axis (X-X) and delimiting said annular chamber(s) ( 44 ,  48 ). 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus for generating mechanical and/or electrical energy comprising a turbine according to  claim 1 .