Radial impeller with maximized inducer area

Abstract

A rotor assembly is provided and includes a rotor impeller and rotor shaft. The rotor impeller includes a blade section and a forward section. The rotor shaft includes an aft section at which the rotor shaft terminates. The aft section is directly attached to the forward section of the rotor impeller. The blade section includes a converging blade configured to converge to a point with a minimized internal diameter (ID).

1 . A rotor assembly, comprising:
 a rotor impeller comprising a blade section and a forward section; and   a rotor shaft comprising an aft section at which the rotor shaft terminates, the aft section being directly attached to the forward section of the rotor impeller,   the blade section comprising an exit blade, which has an aft edge tapered forwardly with increasing radial height from a rotational axis of the rotor shaft, and a converging blade, which extends aft from the aft edge of the exit blade and which is configured to converge to a single and discontinous end defined along the rotational axis of the rotor shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor impeller is a one-piece rotor impeller. 
     
     
         3 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the blade section extends aft from the forward section. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the converging blade extends aft from the forward section and converges toward the single and discontinuous end with a non-linear profile. 
     
     
         7 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the rotational axis of the rotor shaft extends along an axial dimension and the non-linear profile comprises:
 a steep forward portion, which is steep with a radial height component exceeding an axial length component with respect to the rotational axis of the rotor shaft, where the rotational axis of the rotor shaft is horizontal;   a shallow aft portion, which is shallow with an axial length component exceeding a radial height component with respect to the rotational axis of the rotor shaft, where the rotational axis of the rotor shaft is horizontal; and   a curved portion axially interposed between the steep forward portion and the shallow aft portion,   wherein the shallow aft portion extends to the single and discontinuous end.   
     
     
         8 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the converging blade extends aft from the aft edge of the exit blade by a length which is not more than 1/10 of a diameter of the exit blade. 
     
     
         9 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the aft section of the rotor shaft is connected to the forward section of the rotor impeller by a threaded connection. 
     
     
         10 . A rotor assembly, comprising:
 a rotor impeller comprising a blade section and a forward section; and   a rotor shaft comprising an aft section at which the rotor shaft terminates, the aft section being directly attached to the forward section of the rotor impeller,   the blade section comprising an exit blade, which has an aft edge tapered forwardly with increasing radial height from a rotational axis of the rotor shaft, and a converging blade, which extends aft of the aft edge of the exit blade and which is configured to converge to a single and discontinuous end with zeroed internal diameter (ID).   
     
     
         11 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the rotor impeller is a one-piece rotor impeller. 
     
     
         12 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the blade section extends aft from the forward section. 
     
     
         13 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the single and discontinuous end at which the converging blade of the blade section converges is defined along the rotational axis of the rotor shaft. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the converging blade extends aft from the forward section and converges toward the single and discontinuous end with a non-linear profile. 
     
     
         16 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the rotational axis of the rotor shaft extends along an axial dimension and the non-linear profile comprises:
 a steep forward portion, which is steep with a radial height component exceeding an axial length component with respect to the rotational axis of the rotor shaft, where the rotational axis of the rotor shaft is horizontal;   a shallow aft portion, which is shallow with an axial length component exceeding a radial height component with respect to the rotational axis of the rotor shaft, where the rotational axis of the rotor shaft is horizontal; and   a curved portion axially interposed between the steep forward portion and the shallow aft portion,   wherein the shallow aft portion extends to the single and discontinuous point end.   
     
     
         17 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the converging blade extends aft from the aft edge of the exit blade by a length which is not more than 1/10 of a diameter of the exit blade. 
     
     
         18 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the aft section of the rotor shaft is connected to the forward section of the rotor impeller by a threaded connection. 
     
     
         19 . A rotor assembly, comprising:
 a one-piece rotor impeller comprising an exit blade, a converging blade and a forward section; and   a rotor shaft that is rotatable about a rotational axis thereof and comprises an aft section at which the rotor shaft terminates, the aft section being directly attached to the forward section of the rotor impeller,   the converging blade of the blade section being configured to converge with a non-linear profile to a single and discontinuous end defined along the rotational axis and aft of an aft edge of the exit blade that is tapered forwardly with increasing radial height from the rotational axis of the rotor shaft.   
     
     
         20 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein the converging blade of the blade section extends aft from the aft edge of the exit blade by a length which is not more than 1/10 of a diameter of the exit blade. 
     
     
         21 . The rotor assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein the rotational axis of the rotor shaft extends along an axial dimension and the converging blade extends aft from the forward section and converges toward the single and discontinuous end with a non-linear profile, the non-linear profile comprising:
 a steep forward portion, which is steep with a radial height component exceeding an axial length component with respect to the rotational axis, where the rotational axis is horizontal;   a shallow aft portion, which is shallow with an axial length component exceeding a radial height component with respect to the rotational axis, where the rotational axis of the rotor shaft is horizontal; and   a curved portion axially interposed between the steep forward portion and the shallow aft portion,   wherein the shallow aft portion extends to the single and discontinuous end.