Patent ID: 8356971
Filing Date: 2013-01-22
Classification: F01D

Abstract:
1. A disc type turbine comprising: a stack of identical circular discs, each configured with a generally circular central opening that is concentric about a common central axis, adjacent discs being spaced apart by a predetermined separation dimension; a generally cylindrical hub, closely fitted in the central opening of the discs and driven rotationally from said stack of discs, said hub being configured to form a plurality of identical vanes located in a symmetric polar array about the central axis, each vane being generally tapered to have a cross-sectional shape that, starting from a large vane area in an upper-end region of the hub where the vanes occupy a predominance of cross-sectional hub area, evolves smoothly and progressively to a small vane area in a lower-end region of the hub where a predominance of cross-sectional hub area thus remains as open space available for gas flow; disc-to-hub driving means, made and arranged to drive said hub rotationally in a predetermined direction from said stack of discs without direct attachment between said hub and said stack of discs; a generally annular enclosure having a main portion closely surrounding said stack of discs, having a bearing support portion extending upwardly from the main portion and having a tubular exhaust passageway portion extending downwardly from the main portion, in fluid communication with said hub; a nozzle, receiving pressurized fluid as input, mounted in said enclosure in a manner to direct the input fluid in a predetermined generally radial direction onto a peripheral region of said stack and into the inter-disc separations; a driveshaft attached to said hub and extending upwardly therefrom and through a concentric shaft opening in the bearing support portion of said enclosure; and a bearing system of at least two sets of bearings supporting at least said shaft rotationally from said enclosure.