Improved Pump and Reversible Pump-Turbine

Abstract

The inventive technology, in particular embodiments thereof, may be described as an apparatus (e.g., a pump) that imparts work to and redirects a fluid, and that features an impeller configured to contact and redirect an impeller inflow along a toroidal flowpath to generate an impeller discharge that has both axial and tangential velocity components, where the axial velocity component is substantially 180 degrees relative to a direction of an impeller inflow, in a meridional plane, the apparatus also featuring a diffuser having a diffuser axis that is aligned with an impeller axis of rotation, the diffuser featuring a diffuser outlet annular radial size that is greater than a diffuser inlet annular radial size; and/or curved diffuser vanes established as part of the diffuser, that redirect the impeller discharge so as to reduce the tangential velocity components.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . An apparatus that imparts work to a fluid and redirects said fluid, said apparatus comprising:
 an impeller inlet through which said fluid flows as an impeller inflow in a first direction in a meridional plane defined by said apparatus;   an impeller that is established downflow of said impeller inlet, that defines an impeller axis of rotation, and that is configured to contact and redirect said impeller inflow along a toroidal flowpath to generate an impeller discharge that has both axial velocity components and tangential velocity components,   wherein said axial velocity component is substantially 180 degrees relative to said first direction of said impeller inflow, in said meridional plane,   said apparatus further comprising a diffuser having a diffuser axis that is aligned with said impeller axis of rotation, said diffuser established around said impeller axis of rotation and having a diffuser inlet with a diffuser inlet annular radial size and a diffuser outlet with a diffuser outlet annular radial size, wherein said diffuser outlet annular radial size is greater than said diffuser inlet annular radial size; and   curved diffuser vanes established as part of said diffuser, that redirect said impeller discharge so as to reduce said tangential velocity components.   
     
     
         43 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  wherein said diffuser has an outer diffuser radius, said impeller has an outer impeller radius, and said outer diffuser radius is no larger than said outer impeller radius. 
     
     
         44 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  wherein said diffuser is established around said impeller inlet. 
     
     
         45 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  wherein said impeller inlet comprises a pump inlet nozzle. 
     
     
         46 . An apparatus as described in  claim 45  wherein said pump inlet nozzle comprises a draft tube. 
     
     
         47 . An apparatus as described in  claim 45  wherein said pump inlet nozzle is coaxially located within said diffuser. 
     
     
         48 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  wherein said apparatus is selected from the group consisting of blower, pump and compressor. 
     
     
         49 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  wherein said apparatus is operable as a turbine. 
     
     
         50 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  wherein said apparatus is a turbine and a pump. 
     
     
         51 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  wherein said impeller comprises a toroidal impeller. 
     
     
         52 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  further comprising a flow inverter that connects the outflow of said diffuser to a pump outlet pipe. 
     
     
         53 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  wherein said diffuser comprises vanes of similar length. 
     
     
         53 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  wherein said diffuser comprises vanes, at least one of which is of length that is different from a length of at least one other vane. 
     
     
         55 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  wherein said diffuser comprises diffuser vanes. 
     
     
         56 . An apparatus as described in  claim 55  wherein said diffuser comprises splitter vanes. 
     
     
         57 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  wherein said apparatus can also be operated as a submersible reversible pump turbine. 
     
     
         58 . An apparatus as described in  claim 57  further comprising a motor generator, a penstock connection, and a tailrace connection. 
     
     
         59 . An apparatus as described in  claim 58  wherein said motor-generator is located above said impeller, above said penstock connection, and above said tailrace connection. 
     
     
         60 . An apparatus as described in  claim 42  further comprising a penstock, at least part of which is removable from a borehole in which said apparatus is established. 
     
     
         61 . The apparatus of  claim 42  further comprising a pitless adaptor sealed to a well casing with pressurized seals. 
     
     
         62 . An apparatus that imparts work to a fluid and redirects said fluid, said apparatus comprising:
 an impeller inlet through which said fluid flows as an impeller inflow in a first direction in a meridional plane through said apparatus;   an impeller that is established downflow of said impeller inlet, that defines an impeller axis of rotation, and that is configured to contact and redirect said impeller inflow along a toroidal flowpath to generate an impeller discharge that has both axial velocity components and tangential velocity components;   wherein said axial velocity component is substantially 180 degrees relative to said first direction of said impeller inflow, in said meridional plane,   said apparatus further comprising a diffuser having a diffuser axis that is aligned with said impeller axis of rotation, said diffuser established around said impeller axis of rotation and having a diffuser inlet with a diffuser inlet annular radial size and a diffuser outlet with a diffuser outlet annular radial size, wherein said diffuser outlet annular radial size is greater than said diffuser inlet annular radial size.   
     
     
         63 . An apparatus as described in  claim 62  further comprising curved diffuser vanes established as part of said diffuser, that redirect said impeller discharge so as to reduce said tangential velocity components. 
     
     
         64 . An apparatus as described in  claim 62  wherein said diffuser has an outer diffuser radius, said impeller has an outer impeller radius, and said outer diffuser radius is no larger than said outer impeller radius. 
     
     
         65 . An apparatus that imparts work to a fluid and redirects said fluid, said apparatus comprising:
 an impeller inlet through which said fluid flows as an impeller inflow in a first direction in a meridional plane defined by said apparatus;   an impeller that is established downflow of said impeller inlet, that defines an impeller axis of rotation, and that is configured to contact and redirect said impeller inflow along a toroidal flowpath to generate an impeller discharge that has both axial velocity components and tangential velocity components;   wherein said axial velocity component is substantially 180 degrees relative to said first direction of said impeller inflow, in said meridional plane,   a diffuser having a diffuser axis that is aligned with said impeller axis of rotation, said diffuser established around said impeller axis of rotation; and   curved diffuser vanes established as part of said diffuser, that redirect said impeller discharge so as to reduce said tangential velocity components.   
     
     
         66 . An apparatus as described in  claim 65  wherein said diffuser has diffuser inlet with a diffuser inlet annular radial size and a diffuser outlet with a diffuser outlet annular radial size, wherein said diffuser outlet annular radial size is greater than said diffuser inlet annular radial size. 
     
     
         67 . An apparatus as described in  claim 65  wherein said diffuser has an outer diffuser radius, said impeller has an outer impeller radius, and said outer diffuser radius is no larger than said outer impeller radius. 
     
     
         68 . A pump-turbine comprising:
 a runner defining a runner axis of rotation and having runner blades configured to contact and redirect fluid along a toroidal flowpath, said runner having a first runner opening through which said fluid enters said runner when said pump-turbine is in pump mode, and from which said fluid exits said runner when said pump-turbine is in turbine mode, and said runner having a second runner opening through which said fluid enters said runner when said pump-turbine is in turbine mode, and from which said fluid exits said runner when said pump-turbine is in pump mode, wherein said toroidal flowpath reverses flow between said two runner openings substantially 180 degrees;   a diffuser vane-guide vane component that defines an axis that is aligned with said runner axis, and that is established substantially around said runner axis of rotation, wherein said diffuser vane-guide vane component has a first annular opening that is established substantially at said second runner opening, through which fluid enters said diffuser vane-guide vane component when said pump turbine is in pump mode and from which fluid exits said diffuser vane-guide vane component when said pump turbine is in turbine mode, and a second annular opening established further from said runner than is said first annular diffuser vane-guide vane component opening, through which fluid enters said diffuser vane-guide vane component when said pump turbine is in turbine mode and from which fluid exits said diffuser vane-guide vane component when said pump turbine is in pump mode,   wherein said first annular opening has a first annular opening annular radial size, said second annular opening has a second annular opening annular radial size, and said second annular opening annular radial size is greater than said first annular opening annular radial size, and   wherein terminal portions of vanes of said diffuser vane-guide vane component that are substantially at said first annular opening are canted in a tangential direction and terminal portions of said vanes that are substantially at said second annular opening are substantially along radial extensions from said diffuser vane-guide vane component axis.   
     
     
         69 . A pump-turbine as described in  claim 68  further comprising a motor-generator connected by a pump turbine shaft with said runner. 
     
     
         70 . A pump-turbine as described in  claim 68  further comprising a draft tube established substantially within an inner side of said diffuser vane-guide vane component. 
     
     
         71 . A pump-turbine as described in  claim 68  wherein said pump turbine is a reversible pump turbine. 
     
     
         72 . A pump-turbine as described in  claim 68  wherein said pump turbine is a submersible reversible pump turbine. 
     
     
         73 . A pump-turbine as described in  claim 68  further comprising a flow inverter established above said pump turbine. 
     
     
         74 . A pump-turbine as described in  claim 68  wherein said diffuser vane-guide vane component has an outer diffuser vane-guide vane component radius, said runner has an outer runner radius, and said outer diffuser vane-guide vane component radius is no larger than said outer runner radius.