MINI-TURBINE DRIVEN BY FLUID POWER FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION

• US 20100308587A1
• Filed: 06/06/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seng-Da Tu
• Original Assignee: Seng-Da Tu
• Inventors: TU, Seng-Da, Tu, Uan-Iu
• Application Number:
  US12/479,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20100308587A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/52
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/00 Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus if the apparatus aspects are predominant, see the relevant subclasses for such apparatus, e.g. H02K7/18; Power stations or aggregates incorporating only machines or engines of positive-displacement type F03C; hydraulic engineering aspects E02B; combinations with wind energy converters F03D9/008
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/20 within closed fluid conduits, e.g. pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/145 having an annular armature coil with homopolar co-operation H02K21/20
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines

Abstract

A mini-turbine includes a hollow inner cylinder adapted to connect to a fluid source; a rotor disposed in and rotatably connected to the inner cylinder, the rotor comprising blades and an enclosed permanent magnet for producing a magnetic field; a winding mounted around the inner cylinder and being about flush with the rotor; a hollow outer cylinder mounted around the inner cylinder in a spaced fashion; and a nozzle disposed at a top opening of the inner cylinder and above the rotor. In one embodiment, pressurized water from a faucet may impinge upon the blades to rotate the rotor after passing the nozzle so that the rotor may cut lines of magnetic flux in the magnetic field to generate an induced AC voltage in the winding.

Claims

1. A mini-turbine comprising:

a hollow inner cylinder adapted to connect to a fluid source;

a rotor disposed in and rotatably connected to the inner cylinder, the rotor comprising a plurality of blades and an enclosed permanent magnet for producing a magnetic field;

a winding mounted around an outer surface of the inner cylinder and being about flush with the rotor;

a hollow outer cylinder mounted around the inner cylinder in a spaced fashion; and

a nozzle assembly disposed at a top opening of the inner cylinder and extending to a predetermined position above the rotor,

wherein pressurized fluid from the fluid source may impinge upon the blades to rotate the rotor after passing the nozzle assembly so that the rotor may cut lines of magnetic flux in the magnetic field to generate an induced AC (alternating current) voltage in the winding.

2. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the number of the blades is four, and wherein the permanent magnet is disposed within a first one of the blades and a third one of blades being opposite the first blade by snapping.

3. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the rotor and the permanent magnet are formed integrally.

4. The mini-turbine of claim 1, further comprising a ring-shaped circuit board disposed between lower portions of the inner and outer cylinders, the circuit board being electrically connected to the winding thereabove and comprising a full wave rectifier for converting the AC voltage into a DC (direct current) voltage.

5. The mini-turbine of claim 4, wherein the circuit board further comprises a rechargeable battery adapted to be charged by the full wave rectifier.

6. The mini-turbine of claim 4, wherein the circuit board further comprises a plurality of light sources.

7. The mini-turbine of claim 6, wherein the light sources are a plurality of LEDs (light-emitting diodes).

8. The mini-turbine of claim 6, wherein the circuit board further comprises a switch mounted on the outer cylinder, the switch being adapted to manually press to be either on to electrically connect the full wave rectifier to the light sources or off.

9. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the outer cylinder comprises an upper annular groove, and wherein the inner cylinder comprises an annular flange member around the top opening thereof, the flange member being fitted in the groove by snapping to assemble the inner and outer cylinders together.

10. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the nozzle assembly comprises a ring-shaped cover releasably mounted on the outer cylinder, an oblique spout disposed at the predetermined position above the rotor, and a flexible coupling fastened between the cover and the spout, the coupling being adapted to secure to the fluid source.

11. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the inner cylinder comprises intermediate annular first and second flanges on an outer surface thereof, and wherein the winding is fastened between the first and second flanges.

12. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the inner cylinder comprises two half sections.

13. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the outer cylinder comprises two half sections.

14. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the inner cylinder comprises a bottom outlet having a cross section larger than that of the spout.

15. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the inner cylinder is formed integrally.

16. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the outer cylinder is formed integrally.

17. The mini-turbine of claim 10, wherein the ring, the coupling, and the spout of the nozzle assembly are formed integrally.

18. The mini-turbine of claim 10, wherein the coupling and the spout of the nozzle assembly are formed integrally, and the ring and the coupling are produced separately.

19. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the pressurized fluid is liquid.

20. The mini-turbine of claim 1, wherein the pressurized fluid is gas.