GB168772A - Improvements in and relating to centrifugal compressors and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

168,772. British Thomson - Houston Co., Ltd., (General Electric Co.). Aug. 19, 1920. Multi-stage centrifugal pumps; casings. - A centrifugal compressor or like machine has a casing made chiefly of concrete but having a continuous metal structure which defines the clearances of the machines and carries the bearings. The casing is made in upper and lower parts and is shown as constructed for a two stage pump. The halves are faced by plates 10, 11 provided with openings for the impellers and for the passage of air. The meeting surfaces are grooved and provided with packing to make tight joints. The plates have bolting flanges 18, 18<a> and end flanges 19, 20. Semi-circular walls 16, 16<a> define the annular air passages 21, 22, 23, 24 and the impeller spaces 25, 26, the latter spaces having annular plates 27, 28 which carry the discharge vanes 29, 30. A rigid frame 31 is carried by the righthand end of plates 10, 11 and by the casing of the driving turbine, and supports the bearing 32 for the compressor shaft 33. The other end of the shaft is carried in a bearing comprising a pillow block 34 resting on supports 36 which form an integral part of the plate 11; the shaft rests on a lining 37 in a recess in the block 34 and is held by a cap 38 with a lining 39. The shaft carries doublesided impellers 44, 45 with vanes 46 and entrance buckets 47. The two stages are separated by a diaphragm packing. The casing structure so far described forms a rigid metallic structure carrying the bearings, side plates, discharge vanes and shaft packings. The remainder of the casing and the radially outer parts of the diaphragms are formed of reinforced concrete. The inlet 51 and the outlet 52 are defined by metal rings 54 with perforated wings 55 and anchors 56 embedded in the concrete. The lower half of the concrete casing is connected to the plate 11 by grouting 59 and the metal reinforcements 60 are fastened to the plate and embedded in the grouting. Bolts also are used to secure the plate and concrete. The upper part is secured to the plate 10 in a similar manner. The outer portions of the diaphragms are secured to the walls 16, 16<a> by grouting 70 and the side edges are grouted to flanges on the lates. Arcuate strips of metal 78, 80 with ears embedded in the concrete form a connection between the walls of the pump passages and the outer casing.