Turbine wheel containment device

Claim 2

A rotary turbine comprising; a turbine wheel having a hub and a plurality of blades extending therefrom, housing means surrounding said wheel, inlet nozzle means associated with the blades, exhaust passage means associated with the blades, and means to assist in containment of the turbine wheel upon exceeding the burst speed therEof including an annular recess on said housing means that increases in diameter axially away from the turbine wheel, said turbine wheel being formed with a shoulder extending toward said recess, said recess being generally conical and diverging away from said turbine wheel, said shoulder being generally conical and complementary to said recess.

Claim 3

A radial flow turbine assembly, comprising: a rotary turbine wheel having a hub with blades extending from the hub, housing means surrounding said turbine wheel and defining generally radially disposed turbine inlet means and generally axially disposed turbine outlet means, containment means for minimizing turbine wheel burst damage including annual recess means within said housing having a first portion of predetermined diameter and a second portion of greater diameter spaced axially further from said turbine wheel than said first diameter portion, and projection means on said turbine wheel extending into said recess means.

Claim 4

A radial flow turbine assembly, comprising: a rotary turbine wheel having a hub with blades extending from the hub, housing means surrounding said turbine wheel and defining generally radially disposed turbine inlet means and generally axially disposed turbine outlet means, containment means for minimizing turbine wheel burst damage including annual recess means within said housing having a first portion of predetermined diameter and a second portion of greater diameter spaced axially further from said turbine wheel than said first diameter portion, and projection means on said turbine wheel extending into said recess means.

Claim 5

A radial flow turbine assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said projection means on said turbine wheel is a continuous annular projection on the turbine hub, said projection being spaced a substantial radial distance from the tips of the turbine blades, said recess means being closely adjacent said annular projection and being located in the housing means on the side of the turbine wheel opposite said outlet means.

Claim 6

A radial flow turbine assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said recess means is generally conical and diverges away from said first diameter portion and is located in the housing means on the side of the turbine wheel opposite said outlet means.

Claim 7

A radial flow turbine assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said projection means is conical and diverges into said recess means, and the conical surfaces on the projection and in the recess define braking means for dissipating energy of the turbine wheel on rupture.

Claim 8

A radial flow turbine as defined in claim 2, including means surrounding the inlet portion of the turbine blades for assisting in containment of the turbine wheel.

Claim 9

A radial flow turbine as defined in claim 6, wherein said means surrounding the inlet portion of the turbine blades includes a plurality of stationary stator blades extending completely toward said turbine wheel blades.

Claim 10

A radial flow turbine assembly, comprising: a rotary turbine wheel having a hub with blades extending from the hub, housing means surrounding said turbine wheel and defining generally radially disposed turbine inlet means and generally axially disposed turbine outlet means, containment means for minimizing turbine wheel burst damage including annular recess means within said housing means having a first portion of predetermined diameter and a second portion of greater diameter spaced axially further from said turbine wheel than said first diameter portion, projection means on said turbine wheel extending into said recess means, said projection means on said turbine wheel being a continuous annular projection on the turbine hub, said projection being spaced normally a substantial distance from the tips of the turbine blades, said recess means being closely adjacent said annular projection and being located in the housing means on the side of the turbine wheel opposite said outlet means, said recess means being generally conical and diverging away from said first diameter portion, said projection means being conical and diverging into said recess means, and means surrounding the inlet portion of the turbine blades for assisting in containment of the turbine wheel.

Claim 11

A radial flow turbine assembly, comprising: a rotary turbine wheel having a hub with blades extending from the hub, housing means surrounding said turbine wheel and defining generally radially disposed turbine inlet means and generally axially disposed turbine outlet means, containment means for minimizing turbine wheel burst damage including annular recess means within said housing means having a first portion of predetermined diameter and a second portion of greater diameter spaced axially further from said turbine wheel than said first diameter portion, projection means on said turbine wheel extending into said recess means, said projection means on said turbine wheel being a continuous annular projection on the turbine hub, said projection being spaced normally a substantial distance from the tips of the turbine blades, said recess means being closely adjacent said annular projection and being located in the housing means on the side of the turbine wheel opposite said outlet means, said recess means being generally conical and diverging away from said first diameter portion, said projection means being conical and diverging into said recess means, and means surrounding the inlet portion of the turbine blades for assisting in containment of the turbine wheel.