Abstract:
A turbine has a first rotating portion configured to rotate about an axis and a second rotating portion configured to rotate about the same axis. The first rotating portion has a plurality of first fluid outlets, and, the second rotating portion has a plurality of second fluid outlets proximate to the first fluid outlets. The outlets are configured so that when a fluid flows out the first fluid outlets, the first rotating portion rotates in a first sense, and the fluid is forced out the second fluid outlets, thereby causing the second rotating portion to rotate in a sense opposite to the first sense. The invention also provides for an electrical power system and a method of generating electricity incorporating this turbine.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The invention relates to turbine systems in which flowing fluid causes a turbine to rotate. The invention may be applied in electric power generation.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    One way to generate electrical power is to use flowing fluid such as water or steam, or a combination thereof, to drive a turbine. The turbine produces rotational energy which may be used to drive an electrical generator. In some systems, the turbine is connected to an armature, such that, as the fluid causes the turbine to rotate, the armature rotates relative to a field produced by permanent magnets or electromagnets. In other systems, the turbine is connected to the field, and the rotation of the turbine causes the field to rotate relative to the armature. This rotation produces an electromotive force in the armature that is proportional to the speed of relative rotation of the armature and the field, which causes a current to flow in the armature.  
           [0003]    There exists a need to increase the efficiency with which the energy in a flowing fluid can be converted into mechanical (rotational) energy.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0004]    Once a flowing fluid exits a conventional turbine it is generally still moving at a high velocity. There exists a need to harness the kinetic energy of the fluid escaping from the turbine.  
           [0005]    The invention provides a turbine comprising a first rotating portion configured to rotate about an axis, the first rotating portion comprising a plurality of first fluid outlets, and, a second rotating portion configured to rotate about the same axis, the second rotating portion comprising a plurality of second fluid outlets proximate to the first fluid outlets on the first rotating portion. When a high pressure fluid is directed out the first fluid outlets, the first rotating portion rotates in a first sense, and the high pressure fluid is forced out said second fluid outlets, thereby causing said second rotating portion to rotate in a sense opposite to said first sense.  
           [0006]    The second fluid outlets may be positioned outwardly from the first fluid outlets. The first rotating portion may comprise first baffles which define the first fluid outlets. The second rotating portion may comprise second baffles which define the second fluid outlets. The baffles may be curved.  
           [0007]    The invention also provides an electrical power system comprising a generator driven by a turbine according to the invention. The generator may comprise an armature and a field. The first rotating portion may be connected to drive the armature and the second rotating portion may be connected to drive the field, so that when a high pressure fluid is directed out said first fluid outlets, the armature rotates in a first sense, and the high pressure fluid is forced out the second fluid outlets, thereby causing the field to rotate in a sense opposite to the first sense.  
           [0008]    The invention also provides an electrical power system as described above wherein the first rotating portion is connected to drive the field and the second rotating portion is connected to drive the armature.  
           [0009]    The invention further provides a method of generating counter-rotation comprising providing a turbine comprising a first rotating portion and a second rotating portion, both of which are configured to rotate about a single axis, and forcing a high pressure fluid through the turbine. The high pressure fluid causes said first rotating portion to rotate in a first sense, and causes the second rotating portion to rotate in a sense opposite to the first sense.  
           [0010]    The invention still further provides a method of generating electricity comprising generating counter-rotation by the above method, and, providing a generator comprising an armature and a field, the armature connected to be driven by the first rotating portion and the field connected to be driven by the second rotating portion. The counter-rotation causes the armature and field to rotate in opposite senses. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    In drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the invention:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is an elevation view of an electrical power system including a generator and turbine according to one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the generator taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the turbine taken along the line III-III of FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the turbine taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]    Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.  
         [0017]    The invention provides a turbine which may be used in an electrical power system including a generator comprising a field and an armature. The turbine comprises first and second rotating portions connected to drive the field and the armature in counter-rotation relative to each other. The first and second rotating portions may be non-rotationally attached to the armature and field, or they may be connected to the armature and field by a system of gears. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, there are many ways to connect two rigid bodies so that the rotational energy of one is transferred to the other, all of which are to be understood to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.  
         [0018]    It does not matter which of the field and armature are driven by which portion, as long as one portion is driving the field and the other is driving the armature. Fluid from a reservoir is delivered to the turbine by conventional means. The fluid flows out of the first rotating portion through first fluid outlets, causing the first rotating portion to rotate in one direction. The fluid is then directed through and out second fluid outlets on the second rotating portion, causing the second rotating portion to rotate in the opposite direction. The fluid outlets may have a variety of configurations which result in the desired counter-rotation of the first and second rotating portions. To avoid obscuring the invention, only some of the many possible configurations of the fluid outlets within the spirit and scope of the invention have been described below. As one skilled in the art of turbine design will appreciate, the configuration of the fluid outlets will depend on the conditions in which the turbine is to be used, such as fluid pressure and flow rate. The fluid could be either liquid or gaseous, or a combination of the two.  
         [0019]    The novel system of the invention converts the flow of the fluid into counter-rotational motion of the first and second rotating portions of the turbine. The configuration of the first and second rotating portions is such that the kinetic energy of the fluid escaping from the first rotating portion is used to rotate the second rotating portion.  
         [0020]    As one skilled in the art will appreciate, in a system constructed according to the invention, a higher speed of relative rotation between the armature and field can be achieved than in a system wherein only either the field or the armature rotates, if the maximum speed of rotation relative to the ground is the same in both systems.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 shows an electrical power system  10  comprising a generator  12  driven by a turbine  14 . In a typical installation, as shown in FIG. 1, system  10  may be mounted on a base  16 , and may extend through a floor  18 , with generator  12  above floor  18  and turbine  14  below floor  18 . Other configurations of system  12  are equally possible, and are understood to be within the scope and spirit of the invention.  
         [0022]    As shown in FIG. 2, generator  12  comprises an inner portion  20  and an outer portion  24 . In the embodiment shown, inner portion  20  comprises an armature coil and outer portion  24  comprises a field, which may be produced by permanent magnets or electromagnets. Alternatively, inner portion  20  could comprise the field and outer portion  24  could comprise the armature. Conductors  23  are electrically connected to the armature to carry electricity produced by generator  12  to another location. Inner portion  20  is driven in rotation by inner shaft  22 , and outer portion  24  is driven in rotation by outer shaft  26 . Bearings  21  support inner portion  20  and shaft  22  and permit inner portion  20  and shaft  22  relative to outer portion  24  and shaft  26 . Outer portion  24  and shaft  26  are supported, and permitted to rotate relative to floor  18 , by bearings  25 . An aperture  19  in floor  18  allows shafts  22  and  26  to pass therethrough.  
         [0023]    As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, turbine  14  comprises a first rotating portion  30  and a second rotating portion  32  within a housing  15 . First rotating portion  30  comprises a plurality of first fluid outlets  34 , and second rotating portion  32  comprises a plurality of second fluid outlets  36 . A preferred configuration of first fluid outlets  34  and second fluid outlets  36  is described below with reference to FIG. 4.  
         [0024]    In the embodiment shown, first rotating portion  30  is coupled to drive outer shaft  26 , and second rotating portion  32  is coupled to drive inner shaft  22 . First rotating portion  30  comprises a disc  38 . First baffles  40  are mounted on disc  38 , and define first fluid outlets  34 , as described below. Second rotating portion  32  comprises a disc  42 . Second baffles  44  are mounted on disc  42 , and define second fluid outlets  36 , as described below.  
         [0025]    Disc  42  is mounted on base  16  by bearings  41  to allow second rotating portion  32  to rotate. Likewise, disc  38  is mounted on disc  42  by bearings  37 , allowing first rotating portion  30  to rotate.  
         [0026]    Turbine  14  further comprises a housing  15 , which is filled with fluid  13 . Housing  15  comprises a cylinder with a flange  17  formed near a lower end thereof. In operation, fluid  13  from a reservoir (not shown) is delivered to turbine  14  by conventional means (not shown). The fluid  13  flows through housing  15  toward disc  38  and out through first fluid outlets  34  formed by first baffles  40 .  
         [0027]    There are gaps  39  between first baffles  40  and housing  15  to allow first rotating portion  30  to rotate freely within housing  15 . Likewise, there are gaps  43  between second baffles  44  and flange  17  to allow second rotating portion  32  to rotate freely within housing  15 .  
         [0028]    As shown in FIG. 4, first baffles  40  in this embodiment have a first curvature which causes first rotating portion  30  to rotate in a first sense indicated by arrow  41  as fluid  13  exits first fluid outlets  34 . Once fluid  13  exits first fluid outlets  34  it is forced out through second fluid outlets  36  defined by second baffles  44 . As shown in FIG. 4, second baffles  44  in this embodiment have a second curvature opposite to the first curvature which causes second rotating portion  32  to rotate in a second sense, which is opposite to the first sense, as indicated by arrow  45  as fluid  13  exits second fluid outlets  36 .  
         [0029]    First and second fluid outlets  34 ,  36  could be defined by elements other than baffles  40 ,  44 . For example, first fluid outlets  34  could comprise tangentially oriented nozzles which direct the fluid so that first rotating portion  30  rotates in a first sense, and second fluid outlets  36  could be defined by a cylindrical shell with flanges on the inside thereof, so that as the fluid exits the nozzles it strikes the flanges and causes second rotating portion to rotate in a second sense. Other variations of first and second fluid outlets  34 ,  36  are equally possible without departing form the scope and spirit of the invention.  
         [0030]    As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. For example:  
         [0031]    the number and shape of the baffles could be altered;  
         [0032]    the fluid outlets could be defined by elements other than baffles, such as nozzles and flanges, propellor blades, or the like;  
         [0033]    the armature could be in the outer portion of the generator and the field could be in the inner portion.  
         [0034]    Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.