The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 26, 2000
Filed:
May. 18, 1999
Joseph M Cybularz, Jacobus, PA (US);
Richard K Donelson, Emigsville, PA (US);
Richard K Fisher, Jr, Jacobus, PA (US);
Robert G Grubb, York, PA (US);
Randy V Seifarth, York, PA (US);
Siegbert Etter, Heidenheim, DE;
Donald E Zehner, Etters, PA (US);
Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation Inc., York, PA (US);
Abstract
A turbine installation having reduced inner and outer gaps comprises a water passageway and a turbine runner disposed in the passageway downstream of a discharge ring. The turbine runner includes a hollow hub having spaced apart inner and outer surfaces and a longitudinal axis and a plurality of runner blades. Each blade comprises a hydrofoil having an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. Each blade is pivotally connected to the hub about a rotational axis extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis so that its inner edge is proximate the hub. Each blade is rotatable between a maximum pitch position and a minimum pitch position. The discharge ring has a spherical configuration cooperable with the outer edge of each of the blades to reduce an outer gap formed between the outer edge of each of the blades and the passageway. The hub may be configured as a sphere downstream of the blade rotational axes to reduce an inner gap formed between the inner edge of each of the blades and the hub. The hub may also include a plurality of pockets or raised areas formed on the outer surface of the hub to reduce the inner gap formed between the inner edge of each of the blades and the hub.