Radial counterflow steam stripper
Turbine exhaust steam, axially fed between counter-rotating radial flow disk turbines, separates into: (1) a radially inward flow of low enthalpy dry steam, and (2) a radially outward flow of high enthalpy steam, noncondensibles, and condensate. The radially inward flow goes to a conventional condenser. The radially outward flow loses enthalpy turning the disk turbines as it passes in the boundary layers against the disks, thus becoming low enthalpy dry steam, and the counter-rotation of the disks by impinging mass flow of condensate, high enthalpy steam, and noncondensibles sustains a cascade of dynamic vortex tubes in the shear layer between the boundary layers. The low enthalpy dry steam resulting from work being done flows into the condenser through the vortex cores of fractal turbulence. Condensate exits the periphery of the workspace, ready to be pumped back into the Rankine cycle.
1. An apparatus for generating electricity from wet exhaust steam, comprising:
opposed coaxial disks counter-rotatable about a common axis of rotation and spaced apart so as to define a radial workspace between them,
the disks comprising radial runners configured such that the runners are impinged by the expanding wet exhaust steam and thereby cause the disks to counter-rotate;
an axial feed port at the center of one of the opposed coaxial disks, the axial feed port structured to communicate with the radial workspace to introduce wet steam into the radial workspace;
an axial exhaust port at the center of the opposite one of the opposed coaxial disks, the axial exhaust port structured to communicate with means for condensing steam axially extracted out of the radial workspace;
a baffle disposed between the axial feed port and the axial exhaust port; and
a dynamo connected to a drive wheel, the drive wheel disposed at the periphery of the opposed coaxial disks and in contact with at least one of the opposed coaxial disks during counter-rotation of the opposed coaxial disks.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the radial runners curve oppositely as they extend radially outward from the common axis of rotation.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the axial exhaust port communicates with a mechanically forced low pressure sink.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a shrouding wall disposed about the periphery of the disks.
5. A method of generating electricity by turbine exhaust steam, comprising the simultaneous steps of
axially feeding turbine exhaust steam into a radial workspace defined by opposed coaxial radial turbines, thereby causing the radial turbines to counter-rotate about a common axis of rotation;
contacting the counter-rotating coaxial radial turbines at their periphery with a drive wheel connected to a generator; and
axially extracting steam from the workspace to a condenser.
6. The method of claim 5 , including recycling condensate emitted out of the periphery into a Rankine cycle.