METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A TORQUE LOAD ON A SHAFT

摘要

A method and apparatus for creating a work load on a driven shaft such as the shaft of a turbine used to liquefy gas by expansion. The load is created by impinging a jet of a viscous fluid on the inner surface of a receptacle provided on the shaft so that as the shaft rotates the viscous fluid is expelled from the receptacle at an increased level of kinetic energy. Varying the rate of flow of the viscous fluid varies the load on the shaft.