Patent GB-1084356-A (GB)
IPC: F01D25/22
Abstract: 1,084,356. Lubricating. PRIME MINISTERS OFFICE STATE OF ISRAEL, L. BRONICKI and H. Z. TABOR. Sept. 21, 1965, No. 40115/65. Heading F2A. Bearings of a turbine and any other rotary member coupled therewith are lubricated by motive liquid of a self-starting power generating unit, which comprises a boiler for the evaporation of the motive liquid, means for heating the boiler, a turbine having nozzles fed with vapour from the boiler, a condenser for condensing the exhaust vapour arising from the turbine, and means for returning the condensed motive liquid from the condenser to the boiler. The bearings are located in a return path of the motive liquid from the condenser and means are provided for continuously supplying vapour from the boiler to at least one turbine nozzle during the start-up and slow-down when the pressure in the boiler is below the design value. In an embodiment, bearings 54 and 55, Fig. 1, are mounted in an extension 53 of a condenser 50 and support a shaft 56 which carries a turbinewheel 57 at its upper end and a rotor 58 of a centrifugal-pump 59 at its lower end. The centrifugal pump 59 is connected by means of a duct 60 to a boiler 42 which is heated by a burner 43 and connected by a neck 44 to a manifold 45 of a turbine-generator 46. An exhaust flue 47 leads from the exhaust side of the turbine-generator 46 into a water-cooled condenser 50. The vapour exhausted from the turbine-generator 46 drives the turbine-wheel 57 and, consequently, the pump 59. The condenser 50 is provided with a tray 51 to collect the condensed motive liquid. The latter is passed to bearings of the turbine generator 46, via ducts 63 and 64, and into the extension 53 of the condenser 50 through a drain 52, so as to lubricate the bearings 54, 55. The motiveliquid is returned to the boiler 42 from the bearings of the turbine-generator 46, via a pipe 61 the extension 53, the pump 59 and a pipe 60; and is returned from the bearings 54, 55 in the extension 53 also via the pump 59 and the pipe 60; the bearings 54, 55 being fluted to allow the passage of surplus motive-liquid therethrough. A pipe 62 is provided to drain motive-liquid from the exhaust flue 47, to the extension 53. In use, the boiler 42 is heated by the heater 43 and vapour passes through the stationary turbinegenerator 46 and into the condenser 50 where it is liquefied and collected in the tray 51 from where it flows to the bearings and returns to the boiler 42. The vapour drives the pump 59, via the turbine-wheel 57, and, when sufficient pressure has been attained, the turbine generator 46 begins to rotate. When the heater 43 is turned off, the motive liquid still continues to lubricate the bearings during the running-down period. Modifications include a centrifugal pump driven by a fan rotated by the vapour passing from the boiler to the turbine; the condenser is cooled by a fan driven through a magnetic coupling, the vapour is condensed and gravity fed to the bearings, a heat storage element is provided in the boiler; a thermostat is provided in the boiler, and a resistor is provided to decelerate the generator. The Specification describes the lubrication of various types of bearings by motive liquid.