US 11,808,245 B2
Hydroturbine manufacture
Antoine Vaichere, Saint Egreve (FR); Erwan Gwenaël Pein, Grenoble (FR); and Sylvain Gaudion, Grenoble (FR)
Assigned to GE Renewable Technologies, Grenoble (FR)
Appl. No. 16/964,488
Filed by GE Renewable Technologies, Grenoble (FR)
PCT Filed Jan. 25, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/051836
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 23, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/145468, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 1, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 18305055 (EP), filed on Jan. 25, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0033060 A1, Feb. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. F03B 3/02 (2006.01); F03B 3/12 (2006.01)
CPC F03B 3/02 (2013.01) [F03B 3/121 (2013.01); F05B 2230/21 (2013.01); F05B 2260/02 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A runner for a hydraulic machine, comprising:
a band;
a crown;
a plurality of blades extending between the crown and the band,
a plurality of runner segments, wherein each runner segment comprises a band portion, a crown portion, and a blade of the plurality of blades;
wherein the band portion, the crown portion, and the blade of each runner segment are integrally formed with one another;
each runner segment attachable to another runner segment at a band joining edge and a crown joining edge;
wherein the band joining edge and the crown joining edge are each spaced apart along a length thereof from the blade of the respective runner segment;
each of the runner segments comprising an integral extension at the band joining edge and the crown joining edge;
the extensions meeting and defining a closed-end of a gap between the band or crown joining edges of adjacent runner segments, the gaps comprising an open-end facing outward from the runner and chamfered sides that angle towards the closed-end of the gap, the gap comprising a width to accommodate a narrow gap torch for subsequent welding together of the adjacent runner segments with a weld joint within the gap; and
wherein both of the band joining edges and the crown joining edges are continuously curved along a complete length thereof, wherein the continuous curve corresponds to an intersection of a constant radius cylinder with the band or the crown.