Multi-stage radial flow turbine

Abstract

Various multi-stage radial turbine configurations that provide highly efficient momentum transfer between a fluid and the mechanical interface in both power producing and power consuming undertakings.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A turbine system comprising a collector, a distributor and one or more multi-vane radial turbine stages, said turbine stages either stationary or rotatable about a common axis, at least one of said stages rotatable about said common axis, said collector designed to capture and direct a portion of an open and freely flowing fluid to said distributor, said distributor designed to evenly distribute and turn the collated stream it receives into a radially outward flow that is oriented into the entrance of a first turbine stage, said fluid contact with a plurality of vanes as said fluid flows radially outward from said common axis causing said non-stationary turbine stage to rotate about said common axis. 
     
     
         2 . The turbine system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said collector has a first opening, a second opening and a body passageway therebetween, said first opening having a first cross-sectional area and is designed to receive fluid and direct said received fluid into said body passageway, said second opening having a second cross-sectional area and is designed to allow said fluid to exit said body passageway and said collector, said first cross-sectional area is greater than said second cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         3 . The turbine system as defined in  claim 2 , wherein a central flow path of said collector body may remain in a straight line congruent with the direction of the feed stream; or may have curvature up to 90°. 
     
     
         4 . The turbine system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said distributor includes a first passageway whose perimeter contains the fluid stream from the collector, a second passageway that directs the fluid stream into the first turbine stage, and an interconnected passageway body that contains the fluid stream between said passageways. 
     
     
         5 . The distributor as defined in  claim 4 , further including a diverter valve that diverts away a controllable fractional amount of the bulk stream to limit the flow rate handled by the downstream radial stages. 
     
     
         6 . The turbine system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said stages has an overall cylindrical geometry, said stage having a first opening, a second opening, and a body passageway therebetween, said opening primarily oriented towards said common cylindrical axis, said body passageway of said stage being confined by surfaces that comprises a floor and a ceiling when said common axis is vertical with a horizon, position in said body passageway is a plurality of curved vanes extending from said floor to said ceiling and which are designed to with said fluid stream to thereby cause stream's direction of flow to be altered. 
     
     
         7 . The turbine system as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the vertical vanes that span from said floor to said ceiling incorporate a corner rounding profile, varying vane wall thickness, varying floor to ceiling height, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The turbine system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said non-stationary stages includes a suspension system that allows individual freedom of rotation around said common axis. 
     
     
         9 . The turbine system as defined in  claim 1 , including a diffuser, said diffuser having a first opening, a second opening and a body passageway therebetween, said first opening having a first cross-sectional area and is designed to receive fluid flowing radially outward from said outer most stage and to direct such received fluid into said body passageway, said second opening having a second cross-sectional area and is designed to allow fluid to exit said body passageway and said diffuser, said first cross-sectional area is less than said second cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         10 . The turbine system as defined in  claim 9 , including a shroud, said shroud positioned near said diffuser to reduce interference from fluid that did not enter said collector with fluid that is exiting said diffuser, said shroud optionally includes multiple sections around the periphery of said diffusor to optimize usage of a negative gauge pressure draft that results from said fluid being displaced around an object placed in its flow path. 
     
     
         11 . The turbine system as defined in  claim 1 , further includes a pump, a motor or an electric generator, said rotation of said one or more turbine stages is designed to power said pump, to power said motor, or to drive said electric generator to cause electric power to be generated by said electric generator. 
     
     
         12 . The turbine system as defined in  claim 1 , whereas said fluid is provided via a closed conduit in place of said open collector. 
     
     
         13 . The turbine system defined in  claim 1 , wherein said one or more turbine stages are driven and consume power for the purpose of creating pumps, fans, blowers, or compressors. 
     
     
         14 . The turbine system defined in  claim 1 , wherein increased stage count is achieved by having multiple layers of turbine stages, flow within each layer of stages reverses direction from a preceding layer of stages such as to from radially inward to radially outward or from radially outward to radially inward flow. 
     
     
         15 . The turbine system defined in  claim 12 , including a radial turbine compression of air, a combustion chamber, and radial turbine power extraction to create a radial turbine internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         16 . The turbine system defined in  claim 1 , wherein said collector, said distributor and said one or more multi-vane radial turbine stages are mounted on a moving platform such that a differential velocity between said platform and said surrounding fluid provides a velocity gradient needed for said turbine system to extract power. 
     
     
         17 . The turbine system as defined in  claim 1 , further including a movable frame that is designed to allow said collector, said distributor, said non-rotating turbine stages, and a shroud to be connected to said frame, said frame including wheels that enable said movable frame to travel on a road or rail system.