Fluid turbine
First Claim
1. A fluid turbine for generating power when disposed in a free flowing fluid, comprisinga rotor means includinga housing, anda plurality of rotor blades within said housing adapted to rotate in a reference plane about a longitudinal axis when exposed to said free flowing fluid,said housing being provided with a first fluid entrance passage therein for allowing fluid to enter said turbine in a direction lying within said reference plane to engage at least certain ones of said rotor blades, said housing being further provided with a second fluid entrance passage therein contiguous with said first fluid entrance passage for allowing fluid to enter said turbine in another direction oblique to said reference plane,means operatively connected to said rotor blades for generating power in response to rotation of said rotor blades, andmeans on said housing adjacent said first and second fluid entrance passages for directing fluid from said passages in a direction lying essentially within said reference plane to impinge upon said rotor blades, and in a direction oblique to said reference plane toward said blades to impinge upon all of said rotor blades, said means on said housing includingside wall means spaced from said reference plane and inclined with respect to said longitudinal axis, said side wall means extending at least approximately two quandrants around the rotational path of said rotor blades to provide a space adjacent said rotor blades for producing spiral flow of fluid within said housing and between said wall means adjacent said rotor blades.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid turbine designed for increased power output including an annular housing provided with a semispherical dome for directing incoming fluid flow from a fluid source in an angular and downward direction to impinge simultaneously on a plurality of radial, horizontal, rotor blades within the housing fixed to a vertical output shaft. The simultaneous impingement of the incoming fluid on all of the rotor blades quickly overcomes the initial inertia of the blades to rotation and maintains the rotor operating at peak velocity. The housing rotates independent of and coaxial to the rotor blades so as to position its fluid entrance passage normal to the direction of fluid flow and is provided with a plurality of fluid exit passages in its base so that deenergized fluid can be flushed from the housing by the downwardly directed flow which in conjunction with a low pressure area created behind a downwardly directed frontal scoop connected to the housing, which blocks the path of flow of the ambient fluid, causes additional fluid to be continuously drawn into the housing at high velocity to impinge on the rotor blades. The housing is gyroscopically stable and prevents the rotor from cutting back into the ambient fluid, which would retard rotation, while serving as a safety shield against flying debris entrained in the fluid stream.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A fluid turbine for generating power when disposed in a free flowing fluid, comprising
a rotor means including a housing, and a plurality of rotor blades within said housing adapted to rotate in a reference plane about a longitudinal axis when exposed to said free flowing fluid, said housing being provided with a first fluid entrance passage therein for allowing fluid to enter said turbine in a direction lying within said reference plane to engage at least certain ones of said rotor blades, said housing being further provided with a second fluid entrance passage therein contiguous with said first fluid entrance passage for allowing fluid to enter said turbine in another direction oblique to said reference plane, means operatively connected to said rotor blades for generating power in response to rotation of said rotor blades, and means on said housing adjacent said first and second fluid entrance passages for directing fluid from said passages in a direction lying essentially within said reference plane to impinge upon said rotor blades, and in a direction oblique to said reference plane toward said blades to impinge upon all of said rotor blades, said means on said housing including side wall means spaced from said reference plane and inclined with respect to said longitudinal axis, said side wall means extending at least approximately two quandrants around the rotational path of said rotor blades to provide a space adjacent said rotor blades for producing spiral flow of fluid within said housing and between said wall means adjacent said rotor blades.
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12. A fluid turbine for generating power when immersed in a freely flowing fluid comprising:
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rotor means including a housing, and a plurality of rotor blades within said housing adapted to rotate within a reference plane when exposed to said flowing fluid, said housing being provided with a first fluid entrance passage therein for allowing fluid to enter said turbine in a direction generally lying within said reference plane, and a second fluid entrance passage therein adjacent said first fluid entrance passage and spaced from said reference plane for allowing fluid to enter said turbine in another direction oblique to said reference plane, means on said housing adjacent said first fluid entrance passage for directing fluid from said first fluid entrance passage to impinge on at least certain ones of said rotor blades in a direction essentially lying within said reference plane, said housing including a cavity adjacent said rotor blades defined by side wall means spaced from said reference plane and inclined with respect to an axis normal to said reference plane, said side wall means extending at least approximately two quadrants around the path of rotation of said rotor blades whereby to produce spiral motion of said fluid flowing in said oblique direction.
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13. A fluid turbine for generating power comprising:
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a single rotor provided with a housing, a set of radially extending rotor blades within said housing adapted to rotate in a single reference plane when exposed to a source of fluid, a first fluid entrance passage in said housing extending in a direction lying essentially within said reference plane, and a second fluid entrance passage spaced from said first fluid entrance passage and extending in a direction oblique to said reference plane, means connected to said rotor housing for independently rotating said housing coaxial to said rotor blades in response to omni-directional fluid flow to position said fluid entrance passage in said rotor housing normal to the direction of fluid flow, and means operatively connected to said rotor blades for generating power in response to the rotation of said rotor blades, said housing including side wall means spaced from said reference plane and inclined with respect to an axis normal to said reference plane, said side wall means extending at least 180 degrees around the path of rotation of said rotor blades whereby to produce spiral motion of fluid entering said housing through said second fluid entrance passage.
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14. A fluid turbine for generating power comprising:
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a single rotor, said rotor including a housing having means defining a fluid entrance passage, a set of radially extending rotor blades within said housing adapted to rotate in a reference plane about a longitudinal axis when exposed to a source of fluid, and a fluid exit passage adjacent said rotor blades and coextensive with the latter, said means defining said entrance passage extending angularly away from said reference plane and generally toward said longitudinal axis, whereby to expose said rotor blades to a portion of said fluid flowing into said housing in a direction substantially aligned with said reference plane, and to expose all of said rotor blades to another portion of said fluid flowing into said housing in a direction toward said reference plane and oblique to the latter, means connected to said rotor housing for independently rotating said housing coaxial to said rotor blades in response to omni-directional fluid flow to position said fluid entrance passage in said rotor housing normal to the direction of fluid flow, and means operatively connected to said rotor blades for generating power in response to the rotation of said rotor blades said housing including side wall means spaced from said reference plane and inclined with respect to said longitudinal axis, said side wall means extending around at least approximately two quadrants of the rotational path of said rotor blades whereby to produce spiral motion of said another portion of fluid flowing into said housing. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. In combination:
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a fluid turbine having a plurality of rotor blades adapted to rotate in a reference plane for generating power when exposed to a source of flowing fluid, said turbine including a housing provided with a first fluid entrance passage therein for allowing fluid to enter said turbine in one direction lying in said reference plane and engage at least certain ones of said rotor blades, said housing being further provided with a second fluid entrance passage for allowing fluid to enter said turbine in another direction oblique to said reference plane whereby to initially engage all of said rotor blades, said housing including side wall means spaced from said rotor blades and inclined with respect to an axis normal to said reference plane, said side wall means extending around at least approximately three quadrants of the rotational path of said rotor blades whereby to produce spiral motion of said fluid entering said second fluid entrance passage, and a pump type load driven by said turbine rotor blades at peak turbine efficiency at all input fluid velocities from said source to said turbine, said turbine having a power coefficient above the ideal efficiency for unshrouded propeller type turbines based upon projected blade frontal areas. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A fluid turbine for generating power when immersed in a freely flowing fluid, comprising:
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rotor means including a housing having a first and second fluid entrance passage, a fluid exhaust and a plurality of rotor blades within said housing adapted to rotate in a reference plane about a longitudinal axis when exposed to said fluid flow, said first fluid entrance passage lying essentially within said reference plane, said second fluid entrance passage being spaced from said first fluid entrance passage in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis; means operatively connected to said rotor blades for generating power in response to rotation of said rotor blades; means on said housing for creating a low pressure zone adjacent said fluid exhaust; and means on said housing adjacent said first and second fluid entrance passage for directing fluid from said entrance passage toward said low pressure zone and is a direction lying essentially within a reference plane to impinge upon said rotor blades, and in a substantially helical direction oblique to said reference plane toward said blades to impinge upon all of said rotor blades, said housing including side wall means spaced from said reference plane and inclined with respect to said longitudinal axis, said side wall means extending annularly at least approximately two quadrants of the rotational path of said rotor blades whereby to produce spiral motion of fluid in said housing directed toward said blades and oblique to said reference plane. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification