Submerged hydraulic turbine-generator

摘要

A sealless turbine generator mounted on a single shaft comprising a radial turbine having a unique thrust equalizing mechanism mounted thereto and operative with a portion of the applied hydraulic fluid to the turbine radial runner and a thrust bearing for equalizing the generated thrust forces by providing a small axial, bidirectional movement of the thrust bearing and the elements mounted on the single shaft and an induction generator driven by the turbine. The shaft along with the induction generator and the turbine components except the turbine runner are isolated in a common housing and the entire assembly included in a submersible containment vessel having a fluid inlet and outlet for receiving the input hydraulic fluid flow at a preselected fluid pressure and velocity for controlling the speed of the turbine. The induction generator includes a variable frequency, exciting current source for the generator stator windings that permits changing the synchronous speed of the generator as required by the hydraulic fluid flow and hydraulic fluid head to permit the overall efficiency of the turbine generator to be optimized. The turbine generator is operative with liquified gases that may be utilized to lubricate and cool the thrust bearing and the induction generator by the small portion of the operative fluid utilized for operating the thrust equalizing mechanism.