Patent Publication Number: US-2016245087-A1

Title: Rotor stage of axial turbine with improved chord/pitch ratio

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a rotor stage of an axial turbine and to the blades of said rotor stage according to the preamble of the independent claims. 
     KNOWN PREVIOUS ART 
     The bladed rotor stages of a gas or steam turbine are formed by a series of blades arranged around a shaft adapted to rotate around an axis. A plurality of housings, each adapted to receive a blade root that is impeded from moving in a radial direction, are made so as to counter the centrifugal force. The blades comprise a root and an airfoil portion ending with a blade tip at the top of the airfoil portion. The blade in its turn has a normally concave pressure side and a normally convex suction side. Referring to the direction and the way the blade is hit by the fluid, the airfoil portion of a blade has a leading edge and a trailing edge whose distance, identified on a circumferential section, is called chord. With circumferential section, the section is intended obtained by the intersection with a cylindrical surface with circular directrix having the axis coincident with the machine axis. The airfoil portion of the blade arranged on the shaft in an operating position extends mainly in radial direction. The distance between the circumferential sections of two subsequent blades, measured in tangential direction, normal to the radial direction and to the axis, is called pitch. The ratio between the chord and the pitch takes the name of “solidity”. The different rotor stages have airfoil portions progressively longer proceeding downstream, in order to take into account the fluid expansion downwards as the pressure decreases. At the blade tips there can be a strap, intended to limit the fluid flow outside the rotor ducts formed between subsequent blades. The optimal value of the solidity depends on the type of turbine and on the fluid it has to process. 
     In the axial turbines the pitch of the rotor blades increases as the distance from the axis increases, since the blades develop in a mainly radial direction, two circumferential sections of subsequent blades move mutually away. This means that in order to keep the solidity within an optimal value, the chord should be increased as the radial distance from the axis increases. Such an increase of the chord constitutes an increase of the burden from the structural point of view and often becomes unacceptable. 
     In order to reduce the stresses due to the centrifugal field, the trade-off is accepted of having an optimal value of the solidity in the center part of the rotor blade assembly, giving over an optimal value at the base and tip. 
     A problem is that a too high solidity and a too low solidity both result in a reduction of the turbine yield, which instead, by keeping fixed other parameters, should be maximized, in order to increase the power the consumptions being the same or to reduce the consumptions the power being the same. 
     In order to solve this problem in U.S. Pat. No. 1,263,473 A, EP 1201878 A2, U.S. Pat. No. 2,407,223 A and EP 1895142 A2 rotor stages are seen, split up in an inner circular crown with a lower number of airfoil portions and an outer circular crown with a larger number of airfoil is portions. In US 2009028717 A1 a rotor stage is described comprising branching blades. 
     Another problem of axial turbines is the strength of materials, which are highly stressed by the centrifugal force. In fact, the rotational speed is such to bring the strength of materials to the limit, thereby the blade sections are calculated also for resisting against the centrifugal force they have to withstand. 
     A further problem common to axial turbines is that the dynamic stresses can create vibrations that can become dangerous for the turbine integrity. Low frequencies are generally more dangerous than high frequencies. 
     Object of the present invention is therefore to realize a rotor stage of axial turbine and blades of said rotor stage, which allow to overcome the mentioned drawbacks. 
     In particular, an object is to improve the overall solidity of the rotor stage, improving the yield thereof. 
     Another object is to limit centrifugal stresses on the material. 
     A further object is to limit the effects of dynamic stresses. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Said objects are reached by a rotor stage and blades that compose said rotor stage, whose inventive characteristics are pointed out by the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, provided by way of example only, and therefore not limiting, of three preferred embodiments illustrated in the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a rotor stage of axial turbine according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a portion of the rotor stage according to a first embodiment of the blades; 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross sectional view, with a plane normal to the axial direction of the portion of rotor stage according to the embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a second embodiment of a blade; 
         FIG. 5  shows a third embodiment of a blade; 
         FIG. 6  shows the comparison between two circumferential sections of the blades in case of design according to the invention and in case of conventional design. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     In  FIG. 1 , the axis A, the radial direction R and the tangential direction T are shown. The axis A corresponds to the rotation axis of the rotor stage, the radial direction R lies on a plane normal to the axis A and outgoes from the same axis A. The tangential direction T is the direction of movement of a blade which rotates around the axis A and, given a point of the rotor stage, it is therefore normal to the plane comprising the axis A and the radial direction R passing through that point. This reference frame will be used hereinafter and in the claims assuming that the blades, in the various embodiments, are arranged in operating position on the shaft of the rotor stage. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , it can be seen that the rotor stage of an axial turbine comprises a shaft  1 , adapted to rotate around an axis, and a plurality of blades, having at least one airfoil portion, which extends in a substantially radial direction R normal to the axis A. At a first radial distance R 1  from the axis A, a number of airfoil portions is arranged lower than the number of airfoil portions that are arranged at a second radial distance R 2  from the axis A, the first radial distance R 1  being smaller than the second radial distance R 2 . The airfoil portions arranged at the second radial distance R 2  extend from those arranged at the first radial distance R 1 , as being extensions or branches of the latter, made in a single piece or else separable. 
     At least some blades of the rotor stage are branched off from the center to the periphery, increasing the number of vanes present at a radial distance R 2  greater than R 1 . 
     In case the branches are all at the same radial distance from the axis A, on the rotor in a plane perpendicular to the axis A, an inner circular crown C 1  and an outer circular crown C 2  centered on the axis A and spaced apart by a circumferential element  23 , can be distinguished. Said inner circular crown C 1  comprises a number of airfoil portions lower than the number of airfoil portions comprised in the outer circular crown C 2 . 
     By increasing the number of airfoil portions arranged in a most outer circular crown, the ratio chord/pitch is increased bringing it back to values closer to optimal values. Referring to the first embodiment represented in  FIGS. 2 to 3 , the rotor stage of an axial turbine comprises a plurality of bearing blades  2 ,  20 , each of which comprises a root  3 ,  30  adapted to be inserted in a housing made on the shaft  1  and to constrain the bearing blade to the shaft  1 , a tip  4 ,  40  and an airfoil portion  5 ,  50 , which extends from the top  13 ,  130  of the root  3 ,  30  to the tip  4 ,  40  in a substantially radial direction R. 
     Between each couple of bearing blades an additional blade  6  is inserted, which comprises a tip  8 , a base  7 , an airfoil portion  9 , extending from the base  7  to the tip  8  in a substantially radial direction R. Usually the additional blade is not adapted to directly connect to the shaft  1 , on the contrary is adapted to connect to the bearing blades which are at its sides. It has therefore a foot  10 , extending from the base  7  in a substantially tangential direction T normal to the axis A and the radial direction R. Each bearing blades  2 ,  20  further comprises a first and a second rest element  11 ,  12  departing respectively from the suction side and the pressure side of the blade in a substantially tangential direction (T), or from the tip in a substantially tangential direction T. 
     The foot  10  is adapted to constrain to the rest elements  11 ,  120  of two subsequent blades to connect the additional blade  6  to the two bearing blades  2 ,  20  between which it is interposed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the additional blades  6  has a height H of the blade  9  smaller than the height K of the airfoil portion  5 ,  50  of the bearing blades  2 ,  20 . 
     It is also possible that the additional blade comprises two or more airfoil portions and that the airfoil portion of the bearing blade does not extend beyond the first and second rest element. In this case, the airfoil portion of the additional blade could be longer than the airfoil portion of the bearing blade. 
     Advantageously, the foot  10  of the additional blade  6  has a cross section, obtained with a plane normal to the axis A, which tapers as departing from the axis A, at least for a length. 
     Since the two rest elements of two subsequent blades extend in a direction tangential one to another, a tapered or wedged shape of the foot of the additional blade allows the centrifugal force to urge the foot to wedge forcedly between the rest elements of two subsequent blades, producing a stiffening of the whole blade assembly along the circumferential element  23 , composed by the succession of feet of the additional blades and the rest elements of the bearing blades. This allows to increase the natural frequencies of the blades and make them less sensitive to dynamic stresses. 
     The increase of the number of airfoil portions in a peripheral circular crown, obtained by the interposition of additional blades  6  between the bearing blades  2 ,  20 , allows to increase the peripheral solidity bringing it back to values close to the desired ones. 
     Despite a peripheral increase of the number of airfoil portions with respect to the number of airfoil portions closer to the axis, the airfoil portions of the additional blades and the airfoil portions of the bearing blades extending outwards beyond the rest elements  11 ,  12 , can have a circumferential section, which on the whole represents an area smaller than the fewer airfoil portions arranged closer to the axis. In fact, in the bearing blade the section of the airfoil portion that is at distance from the axis greater than the rest elements, is relieved of some of the mass of the airfoil portion itself, translating during the operation in a centrifugal force. 
     A further weight reduction can be obtained realizing the additional blades  6  in a material with lower density than that of the material the bearing blades  2 ,  20  are made of. For example, the additional blade  6  can be made of aluminium alloy or composite material, whereas the bearing blades  2 ,  20  can be made of steel or titanium alloys. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  in a second embodiment of the invention, the rotor stage comprises multiple blades  106 , with a primary airfoil portion  114  directly connected to the top of the root  103  and two or more secondary airfoil portions  115 A and  115 B departing from the primary airfoil portion  114  towards the periphery of the rotor stage. The two secondary airfoil portions  115 A and  115 B are joined by a base  107  extending from the primary airfoil portion  114  in a substantially tangential direction T and in the two ways. 
     Of course, the primary airfoil portion  114  can extend beyond the base  107  realizing a blade shape with three secondary airfoil portions (not represented for the sake of simplicity). 
     At least one or both the ends of the base  107  extend in a tangential direction beyond the secondary airfoil portions and are shaped so that to be coupled at the ends of other bases or at the rest elements of bearing blades with single airfoil portion, which alternate in the rotor stage to this second embodiment, so that to form a continuous circumferential element  23  in the rotor. The circumferential element being formed of many parts mutually rested or constrained, small movements allow to damp the vibrations induced by the dynamic stresses. 
     In  FIG. 5  of a third embodiment of the invention, the rotor stage comprises multiple blades  206 , wherein two of the secondary airfoil portions  215 A,  215 B are connected, using a denomination referring to the radial direction R outgoing from the axis A, from a bottom base  207 A and from a top base  207 B or from a strap, which extends in a substantially tangential direction T, forming a closed quadrilateral with the secondary airfoil portions  215 A,  215 B. The presence of the top base  207 B and the closed quadrilateral shape counter the bending deformation of the bottom base  207 A, assuring a greater stiffness to the structure which has to withstand a high centrifugal force during the operation. 
     In a rotor stage, multiple bearing blades and bearing blades with single airfoil portion can be present simultaneously, better if in an alternate arrangement, or multiple blades and additional blades, the multiple blades provided with root being a particular case of bearing blade. It is better if the blades with single airfoil portion comprise rest elements for supporting the ends of the bases of the multiple blades against the action of the centrifugal force. 
     It is then possible that the additional blades have multiple airfoil portion. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the profiles  306  are seen of the circumferential section of airfoil portions of an axial rotor stage designed conventionally without using the solution of the present invention, and the profiles  406  of a circumferential section of the airfoil portions according to the present invention. The two sections are taken at the same distance from the axis A of the rotor stage and in a quite peripheral region in which the airfoil portions according to the invention have been already branched off. On the drawing a leading edge  421 , a trailing edge  422 , a pitch L and a chord M can be distinguished. In  FIG. 6  pitch and chord of the blades according to the conventional design are indicated by L′ and M′. 
     Once the blade has been designed, the chord/pitch ratio, named solidity, can be calculated as a function of the radial distance from the axis A. 
     If we assume to introduce a blade according to the invention keeping the same “solidity” of the conventional blade, it is evident that the chord has to be halved by having doubled the number of airfoil portions, i.e. the profile has to be scaled in its plane of a 0.5 factor. Scaling a profile by 0.5 by doubling the number of blades allows to hold the same speed triangles at the inlet and outlet of the conventionally designed array, meaning to be in a fluid-dynamic equivalence (i.e. the two arrays work in the same way). 
     It is easy to observe that by scaling the profile by 0.5 and doubling the number of profiles, the area of the single section being proportional to the square of the scaling dimension, becomes ¼ with respect to the not-scaled profile. Considering that the blades are doubled, it results that the area of the two profiles replacing a single profile is half the profile according to the conventional solution. 
     Preserving the solidity and doubling the number of profiles, a 50% mass reduction is obtained of the area wherein the airfoil portions are doubled. In fact, the total mass of the two profiles carrying out the same work of the single profile is the half. This results in a significant structural advantage reducing the centrifugal forces acting on the bearing blades, which can therefore have a smaller section also in proximity of the root. 
     It can be observed that, in order to have the same mass of the conventional array, a scaling ratio of 0.707 can be used. In fact 0.707 squared is 0.5, which doubled is 1 (doubled number of profiles). 
     However using a scaling by 0.707 a significant increase of solidity is obtained. 
     By varying the scaling ratio between 0.5 and 0.707 a fair trade-off between fluid-dynamic and structural efficiency can be found. 
     Thus, a scaling ratio of 0.5 results in the maximum structural advantage concerning stresses and the minimum fluid-dynamic advantage. A scaling ratio of 0.707 results in the maximum fluid-dynamic advantage and minimum structural advantage concerning stresses. 
     A further advantage can be introduced by using a lighter material for the additional blade of the first embodiment. 
     In order to further clarify the concept, the following numerical example referred to  FIG. 6  can be done:
         profiles  306 =array with standard blade, N vanes in the same rotor stage;   profiles  406 =array with blade after the branch according to the invention, 2N blades with profile scaled by 0.5.       

     Assuming for the standard or conventional profiles  306  a pitch L′ of 118.35 mm and a chord M′ of 161.87 mm, the conventional profiles  306  have a solidity of 161.87/118.35=1.37 and a standard section area=1305.8 mm 2 . 
     For the profiles  406  according to the invention, scaled by 0.5 after the branch, a pitch L of 59.1 mm and a chord M of 81.07 mm are obtained, for the profiles  406  the solidity is 81.07/59.1=1.37 and a section area of a airfoil portion=236.5 mm 2 . 
     By scaling the profiles by 0.5 the same solidity is kept, whereas the overall section of the airfoil portions after the branch is much smaller, as well as the mass and the stresses due to the centrifugal force. 
     By choosing a scaling that reduces the overall mass of the blades and consequently the centrifugal stresses, with respect to a conventional design, the section of an airfoil portion can be reduced too before the branch. 
     The present invention wants to protect as well the only additional blade of a rotor stage according to the first embodiment. 
     Such an additional blade of an axial turbine comprises at its ends a base  7  and a tip  8 . The additional blade also comprises an airfoil portion  9 , which extends from the base  7  to the tip  8  in a substantially radial direction R. The additional blade according to the invention is not usually suitable to be constrained to the shaft directly, but is suitable to be constrained, both by releasable constraining means and welding, to other rotor blades by a foot  10 , which extends at the base  7  in a substantially tangential direction T normal to the axis A and to the radial direction R. Said foot is adapted to constrain the additional blade at least to a first or a second rest element  11 ,  12  of two subsequent bearing blades arranged in a rotor stage. 
     The present invention wants to protect as well the only bearing blade of a rotor stage according to the first embodiment. 
     Such a bearing blade of a rotor stage of an axial turbine according to the invention comprises a root  3 , a tip  4  and an airfoil portion  5 , which extends from the top  13  of the root  3  to the tip  4  in a substantially radial direction R. The blade has a usually convex suction side  16  and a usually concave pressure side  17 . Said root  3  is adapted to constrain the blade to the shaft  1 . The bearing blade according to the invention comprises a first and a second rest element  11 ,  12 , which extend respectively from the suction side  16  and from the pressure side  17  of the airfoil portion  5 , in a substantially tangential direction T. Said first and second rest element  11 ,  12  are both adapted to be constrained to an end of a foot of an additional blade. 
     The present invention wants to protect as well the only multiple bearing blade of a rotor stage according to the second and third embodiment. 
     Said multiple blade  106  of rotor stage according to the second embodiment of the invention, represented in  FIG. 4 , comprises a primary airfoil portion  114 , extending in a substantially radial direction R and at least two secondary airfoil portions  115 A,  115 B departing from the primary airfoil portion  114 . 
     The multiple blade  206  according to the third embodiment, represented in  FIG. 5 , comprises two secondary airfoil portions  215 A,  215 B which depart from the primary airfoil portion  214  and are connected, referring to the radial direction R outgoing from the axis A, by a bottom base  207 A and a top base  207 B, which extend in a substantially tangential direction T, forming a closed quadrilateral with the secondary airfoil portions  215 A,  215 B. This closed quadrilateral configuration, wherein the top base can comprise a strap, provides the structure with stiffness, avoiding an excessive bending of the bottom base  207 A, due to centrifugal forces. 
     It is of course possible that the multiple blade according to the second embodiment comprises three or more secondary airfoil portions and that the multiple blade according to the third embodiment comprises three or more, secondary airfoil portions forming two or more closed quadrilaterals. 
     It is of course possible that the rotor stage according to the invention has several branches of the blades towards the periphery. 
     For example in a center circular crown, in an intermediate circular crown and in a third more peripheral circular, crown, N blade, 2N blades and 3N blades could be present, respectively. 
     This can be obtained by using multiple blades with several branches, in which the primary airfoil portion splits in two or more secondary airfoil portions, which in their turn split in two or more tertiary airfoil portions, or else with additional blades having multi-airfoil portions. 
     Due to the fact that at least some blades of the rotor stage are branched off from the center to the periphery, by increasing the number of blades at a radial distance R 2  greater than R 1 , the chord/pitch ratio called “solidity” can be kept around optimal values of the radial distance R variation. This allows to improve the output of the rotor stage and to decrease the overall mass of the blades. 
     Due to the fact that bearing blades connected to the shaft, and additional blades connected to the bearing blades and separable therefrom can be present, a great easiness can be obtained during assembly. 
     By realizing the additional blades in materials with lower density with respect to the bearing blades, a smaller centrifugal stress of the bearing blades can be obtained. 
     The foot of the additional blade, which is wedged between the rest elements protruding between subsequent bearing blades, allows to increase the stiffness of the rotor stage, thereby reducing the sensitivity to vibrations caused by dynamic stresses and allowing a better vibration damping. 
     Blades with multiple airfoil portions allow an easier and faster assembly. 
     Furthermore, multiple blades with a quadrilateral structure allow a particular stiffness and thus an effective countering against deformations due to centrifugal forces. 
     Particularly important is the possibility, by increasing the number of peripheral airfoil portions, of reducing the overall section of the blades with respect to conventional rotor stages and thus saving on material, obtaining both economical and structural advantages. Another advantage of fluid-dynamic type can be added to this advantage, at the same time optimizing the array solidity. Alternatively, according to the designer choice, the overall section of the blades and thus the centrifugal stress can be preserved, significantly improving the solidity.