Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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"TESLA-PELTON DEVICE AND USE OF THE SAME"
INVENTION FIELD
The invention disclosed here belongs to the field of parallel discs
equipments which its functioning is dependent of the flow of a fluid as for
example, the Tesla devices.
BACKGROUND
The Tesla turbine and compressor were patented in 1910 in
England under number 24001 by Nikola Tesla and consist of parallel smooth
discs assembled very closed to one another in a shaft. In the case of the
Tesla
1o turbine, the flow of the working fluid through the discs surfaces causes
the
rotation of the same. This occurs due to the phenomenon of fluid adherence to
the disc surface, known as "non-slipping" condition. The fluid adherence makes
the disk reach the speed of the fluid and to turn the shaft. The shaft turns
causing the production of mechanic power that can be used for any purpose.
Due to the working principle of the Tesla turbine mentioned above, the working
fluid must have a pressure over the atmospheric pressure and should have a
tangential incident angle in the outward disc surface. It is possible to use
any
pressured fluid, such as example, compressed air, steam, combustion gas, a
mix of them and others. The Tesla turbine must present an exhaustion port for
the fluid flow exit to the environment.
In the case of the Tesla pump or compressor, the machine is
similar, but works in inverse mode. In these machines, the fluid to be pumped
or
compressed enters into the machine in a temperature and pressure of the
environmental conditions and during its compression or pumping its physical
properties are changed. During these processes, the fluid increases its
temperature and changes its viscosity.
In Tesla pump or compressor, the working fluid enters into the
machine near the centre of the discs and is exhausted at the edge of the disk.
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The pumping (or compression) is obtained by turning the shaft and
consequently, by the discs rotation by the machine. Differently of the Tesla
turbine, the working fluid does not generate the disc rotation but it is
compressed or pumping due to the discs rotation provided by the machine. The
shaft can be turned by any motor or even a Tesla turbine. Thus, differently
from
the Tesla turbine, the Tesla pump or the Tesla compressor does not generate
mechanical energy but depends on the supply of external energy to generate
the mechanical energy that compress or pump the working fluid. The working
fluid compression or pumping occurs due to the same fluid adhesive effect to
1o the discs surfaces, as described previously for Tesla turbine
The properties of the Tesla turbine that distinguishes it from the
other types of turbines and motors are: its simplicity of construction, low
cost,
high efficiency and ability to operate with water steam generated by any type
of
fuel, or any source of heat.
The Pelton wheel was developed in the mid 1880's by L. Pelton
and it has been used in water falls to produce mechanical energy and after
that
is converted in electrical energy. It is a wheel mounted in a shaft which has
blades in its edge. These blades are hit by the water falling against them,
thus
producing the wheel rotation and consequently, shaft rotation. Its principle
of
work consists in transferring the kinetic energy from the fluid to the blades
by
impulsion. The rotating shaft is used to run, for example, electric
generators,
saws, etc.
In spite of the good qualities of the Tesla turbine mentioned, there
are no viable and massive commercial applications. The disadvantage of the
use of Tesla turbine compared to other similar machines is the low torque.
This
happens because the fluid adhesion in the disc surface is limited just of a
small
part of the total fluid mass. The energy of parts of the fluid mass that does
not
adhere to the disk surface is lost and flows directly to the exhaustion port
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without generate disk movement. Thus, the use of a Tesla turbine as a source
of power to electric generators, vehicles, etc is not used, mainly because it
is
not efficient.
Thus it is desired developing a Tesla turbine able to generate
more torque when in contact of the major part of the fluid mass flow.
The document US 2003/0053909 describes a turbine which discs
comprise tridimensional blades with variable area as airfoil structures. The
discs
comprises airfoils with different size, wherein small airfoils are
intercalated
between the gap of two long airfoils. All the long airfoils extend from the
edge to
the centre of the disc and conduct the fluid flow to an unique opening in the
centre of the disc. The presence of these airfoils turbine cause the
appearance
of three effects that are the shock effect of high velocity particles striking
the
leading surface of the airfoils, the fluid motive force of the high velocity
mass
flow contacting the inner walls of the disks and the lift force vector
produced by
the fluid flow over the airfoils. However it is questioned if this is a
technically
viable turbine since the lift effect makes difficult the disc rotation and the
shaft opening seems to be the same of fluid exhaustion difficulting fluid
exhaustion.
The document US 3,487,784 describes a heart pump that
comprises means of rotation as parallels discs that comprises curved blades.
The blood flows from the centre to the edge of the disc through an opening in
the center of the discs. These machines are used to pump blood for circulation
through the body of an animal or a human and cannot operate with high
pressure levels since the blood is a very delicate fluid that cannot be
compressed or suffer any kind of injury during the pumping since it would
become improper to be used. The fluid direction can also be from the edge to
the centre of the disc but these machines works only at low pressure. Due to
this, it could not be used as a turbine or as a high pressure pump.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Considering 'the ;problem indicated above, it has been disclosed a.
way to increase the torque.. supplied by the original Tesla turbine. - The
Tesla
turbine disclosed here constitutes an invention ;that is based on the
principle of
working of the Pelton wheels. The discs of the Tesla turbine disclosed here
present both side smooth but one of them presents veins (11). These veins (11)
are three-dimensional projections in the disc surface that have elliptical
shape
and have constant height and thickness. These veins provide a particular
surface to the impact of the part of the fluid mass that does not commonly
adhere to the disk surface. Besides of this, the elliptical shape of these
veins
(11) conducts the fluid mass direct to the exhaustion port (9) near the centre
of
the disc since the exhaustion port is placed in one of the focus of this
ellipse (9).
The fluid adhesive effect to the disc surface also occurs in this
new disc system, such as it occurs in the smooth disc used in the original
Tesla
turbine (adhesive effect of the boundary layer).
Thus, in the Tesla turbine disclosed here, the increased torque is
the result of the sum of the principle of fluid adhesion to the disc surface
with
the principle of Pelton effect of the incidence of the part of the fluid mass
that
does not adhere to the disc surface. Thus, it can be concluded that in such
Tesla turbine, called as Tesla-Pelton turbine, the disc movement occurs due to
the existence of higher torque than in the original Tesla turbine.
As the original Tesla turbine can be used as Tesla pump or Tesla
compressor, the Tesla-Pelton turbine disclosed here can also works as a pump
and as a compressor.
When the Tesla-Pelton device works as a pump or as a
compressor, the compressing or pumping efficiency is increased due to the
presence of veins in the disc surface. The operation occurs in the reverse way
of the turbine, that means, the fluid to be pumped or compressed goes into the
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admission inlet near the centre of the disc (used as an exhaustion port in
Tesla-
Pelton turbine) and exits at the edge of the disc. The pumping (or
compression)
effect is obtained by turning the shaft and consequently, turning the discs,
and
occurs due to the sum of the two effects, that means, the adherence effect of
the fluid to the discs surfaces (together with centrifugal forces, like in the
Tesla
pump or compressor) and the transfer of kinetic energy from the disc to the
working fluid, since the concavities pushes the fluid. The spin of the shaft
can
be obtained by using any motor or even a Tesla turbine.
Since the Tesla-Pelton device disclosed here has higher torque
than the original Tesla device, it can be used in equipments that demand high
torque as electric generators, high speed drill machines, automotive vehicles,
planes, centrifuges, other kinds of machine and combinations thereof.
These and other objects of the present invention will be best
exemplified and described in the Figures Description sections and Invention
Disclosure Sections.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Figure 1 shows the side view of the original Tesla turbine.
Figure 2 shows the frontal view of the original Tesla turbine.
Figure 3 presents the side of the discs of the Tesla-Pelton turbine
that present veins (11) such as the characteristics of the Pelton wheel.
Figure 4 presents the smooth side of the disc with the
characteristics of the Pelton wheel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Figure 1 presents the side view of the original Tesla turbine, which
consists of smooth parallel discs (1) assembled in reduced spaces (3) in a
shaft
(2). The stator (4) which is a closed stationary cylinder that houses the
discs, by
ball bearings (5), shaft seal (6) and by the disc exhaustion ports (7) for the
working fluid, located in the centre of the discs (1). The fluid flow through
the
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turbine is showed by the arrows and starts with the fluid entrance between the
discs, follows the direction to the openings near the center (9), near the
shaft (2)
and leaves the machine by the exhaustion port (7).
Figure 2 shows the frontal view of the original Tesla turbine and
the spiral path (8) that the working fluid goes along on the face of the
smooth
disc (1) used in the original Tesla turbine. The working fluid is injected in
the
tangent edge of the disc (10) and due to the difference of pressure between
the
edge and the centre (where there is an exhaustion port (9)) it takes a free
and
spiral moving toward the centre. The disc (1), used in the Tesla turbine, has
two
lo smooth faces and is fixed in a shaft (2).
Figure 3. presents three Tesla-Pelton type discs assembled in the
same way that they would be in the turbine shaft. On a smooth surface (1')
each disc present veins (11). It should be noted that each vein (11) comprises
one exhaustion port (9). However, the number of veins/exhaustion port is
variable according to the project and the disc aspects. The shaft is placed by
the opening in the center of the disc (12).
Figure 4 shows the smooth side (1') of three Tesla-Pelton discs
assembled together. As shown in figure 4, joining the side of the Tesla-Pelton
disc, which have veins (11), and the smooth side of the other Tesla-Pelton
disc,
the cavities of the veins become some ducts (3) through which the working
fluid
enters and goes through, from the edge of the disc to the exhaustion ports
(9),
near the centre of the disc. The fluid flow which goes into the discs surfaces
pushes the veins (11) before going out by the exhaustion port (9). It is the
same
situation that occurs when a water flow hits on the blades of a Pelton wheel.
INVENTION DISCLOSURE
The descriptions made above constitute just some possible
embodiments of the present invention that does not constitute in a limitation
of
the construction, but just some examples.
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The Tesla-Pelton device disclosed here constitutes an
improvement in Tesla turbine since it comprises the Tesla effect with the
Pelton
wheel effect. The Tesla-Pelton device can works as a turbine, as a pumping or
as a compressor, in the same way that Tesla device. However, independently of
the way or working, the Tesla-Pelton device presents higher efficiency than in
original Tesla device since it has higher torque. This is obtained by the
presence of some elliptical veins (11) in the surface of smooth Tesla discs
causing a similar effect that happens in the Pelton wheel.
To the effect of this invention, it would be considered as vein any
three-dimensional projection in the disc surface, which is made of the same
disc
material or other material, has constant height and thickness and has an
elliptical shape.
An example of vein (11) that can be used is shown in Figure 3 (11
and 14) and in Figure 4 (11 and 13). The vein height (13) and the vein
thickness
(14) are determined according to the project specification but each vein must
have a constant height, a constant thickness and have elliptical shape. The
vein
height (13) defines the distance between two parallel discs. The elliptical
form of
the vein (11) conducts the fluid direct to the exhaustion opening (9) since it
is
placed in one of the focus of this ellipse. Each vein (11) conducts the fluid
flow
to one exhaustion opening (9). Different veins, with different thickness and
ellipse geometry can be present in the same smooth disc surface however;
each vein must have a constant height (13), thickness (14) and present an
elliptical geometry as shown in Figure 3.
In one embodiment, the veins (11) are present in one side of the
disc.
In one embodiment, the veins (11) are present in both sides of the
disc.
In one embodiment, all the veins (11) in a smooth disc surface are
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equals.
In one embodiment, the veins (11) in a smooth disc surface are
different.
The number of veins in a disc surface is determined by a project
specification.
In one embodiment, the disc comprises one vein.
In one embodiment, the disc comprises more than one vein.
The elliptical curve shape of a vein (11) conducts the working fluid
mass to the exhaustion port (9) as showed by the arrows (8) in Figure 3. In
Figure 3, it is shown by the arrows (8) the fluid flow in a Tesla-Pelton
turbine
where the fluid is admitted in the edge of the disc and is directed by the
effect of
the vein elliptical curvature (11) to the exhaustion port (9).
A person skilled in the art must note that in the walls of the vein,
by which flows the fluid, occurs also the fluid adherence effect in such a way
that there are simultaneously the phenomena (or principles of working) of the
Tesla turbine and the Pelton wheel.
The smooth side of the Tesla-Pelton disc, if not used to cover the
vein space of another Tesla-Pelton disc, also presents the adherence effect
like
the smooth discs used in the originally Tesla turbine.
The area of the exhaustion port is defined according to the fluid
mass to be drained off. The shape of the exhaustion port can be rounded (9) as
showed in the Figure 3, has an elongated form (9) as showed in Figure 2 or
presents another kind of shape since that is sufficient to drain off all the
incident
fluid mass.
The position of the exhaustion port relative to the center of the disc
can vary according to the project specification. In a general way, as far as
the
exhaustion port is from the center, less torque can be generated since fewer
surfaces of the veins would be available to the fluid mass.
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In a turbine device, once passed by the exhaustion port (4), the
fluid mass is conducted by a pressure difference inside the turbine, to one of
the
two sides where it reaches the environment.
The opening showed in the centre of the disc (12) in Figure 3 is
filled by the device shaft which is a solid bar. This kind of shaft, enables
the use
of higher pressure condition of the fluid than in some similar systems that
have
a non-solid bar as shaft.
The number of discs used in a parallel disc turbine as in Tesla
turbine is variable according to the project specifications. It is possible,
for
example, use just Tesla-Pelton discs, smooth original Tesla discs intercalated
with Tesla-Pelton discs or any other kind of disc combination intercalated
with
Tesla-Pelton discs. The combination of Tesla-Pelton discs with the smooth
discs used in the original Tesla turbine allows to change the proportion
between
speed and torque, that means, more Tesla-Pelton discs increase torque and
reduce speed and vice versa. This property allows the designer to adapt the
turbine to the applications.
The kind and discs dimensions to be used in the device vary
depending on the power that one wishes to obtain from the turbine. It means
that increasing the number of discs and/or their dimensions increases the
power
supplied by the turbine. Working as a pump or as a compressor, the same
device would be able to pump or compress greater fluid mass than the original
Tesla.
These construction parameters and others that should be
considered in the construction of Tesla-Pelton device as disclosed here are
the
same used in the construction of a Tesla device.
In one embodiment, the Tesla-Pelton device comprises Tesla-
Pelton discs.
In one embodiment, the Tesla-Pelton device comprises Tesla-
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Pelton and other kinds of discs.
A person skilled in the art would be able to construct any other
variant of the present invention eventually not described here but still
included
in the spirit of the present invention.
EXAMPLE: TESLA-PELTON TURBINE WHICH DISCS PRESENTS EIGHT VEINS
The Tesla-Pelton turbine disclosed here presents all the smooth
discs with eight equal veins in one surface (Figures 3 and 4) and eight equal
exhaustion ports (9). All the veins (11) have elliptical shape and have
circular
exhaustion ports.
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