Fluid-augmented free-vortex power generating apparatus

• US 5,336,933 A
• Filed: 02/10/1992
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bru-Mel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bru-Mel Corporation
• Inventors: Ernster, Melvin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOOVER, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/834,222
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 290/44, 290/55, 415/2.1, 415/4.1, 415/4.2, 415/4.4, 415/905, 415/907
• US Class Current: 290/55
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 3/005 the axis being vertical
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 3/061 characterised by their aerodynamic shape, e.g. aerofoil profiles
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2210/16 Air or water being indistinctly used as working fluid, i.e. the machine can work equally with air or water without any modification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/74 Wind turbines with rotation axis perpendicular to the wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 415/905 Natural fluid current motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 415/907 Vertical runner axis

Abstract

A fluid-augmented free-vortex power generating apparatus (10) that is driven by either prevailing winds or water and which has a turbine (24) that includes a number of axially extending cup like sails (20) mounted on a freely rotating hub (22). A fluid mover (28) in the form of a fan or blower as would be used when the fluid medium is air or a water pump when the fluid medium is water, tangentially directs a flow of fluid under high velocity onto the turbine sails inducing rotation and creating an unconfined vortex around the apparatus (10). A power generator produces electrical energy from the rotation of the rotor which revolves due to the combined impingement of the fluid mover (28) and intensified regenerated circular fluid movement created by the artificially created unconfined vortex.

Claims

1. A fluid driven power generating apparatus comprising:

(a) a turbine having a plurality of aerodynamic shaped sails,

(b) a vortex excitation fluid mover tangentially directing a flow of fluid under elevated velocity and pressure onto the turbine sails inducing rotation thereof combined with naturally occurring fluid flow creating an unconfined vortex of fluid around the turbine, and

(c) a power generator connected to the turbine producing energy from a rotational force developed by the vortical effect causing a partial vacuum to occur directly above said apparatus thus creating an intensified regenerated spiral fluid motion around said turbine, the kinetic energy of the fluid impinging directly on the sails rotating said turbine and generator.

2. The power generating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said sails are comprised of several aerodynamic surfaces including one surface that projects from a hub in the axial center of said turbine and one at an approximate right angle that forms a scoop like segment.

3. The power generating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said fluid mover is designed to develop and apply sufficient velocity pressure on said sails to allow said turbine to develop a peripheral velocity that is at least two times the velocity of the prevailing fluid speed.

4. The power generating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the vortex excitation fluid mover is positioned on the leeward side at an angle from 181 to 270 degrees from the direction of the fluid as measured from outside the vortex flow field and in the direction of rotation.

5. The power generating apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a means to reposition said fluid mover to allow the alignment of 181 to 270 degrees to be maintained.

6. The power generating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said turbine reacts in combination with both the prevailing fluid flow and the fluid force produced by said fluid mover to create an unbalanced force around and above said apparatus that induces a free or unconfined vortex flow.

7. The power generating apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said unconfined vortex flow causes a partial vacuum to form directly above said apparatus that causes an inward and upward spiral motion of the lower fluid followed by an outward and upward spiral fluid motion.

8. The power generating apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary drive motor configured to rotate said turbine to initially establish the unconfined vortex or to re-establish a new vortex if the critical point of the vortex is lost.

9. A fluid driven power generating apparatus that utilizes wind as the fluid medium, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a turbine having a plurality of aerodynamic shaped sails,

(b) a vortex excitation air mover tangentially directing a flow of air under elevated velocity and pressure onto the turbine sails inducing rotation thereof combined with the naturally occurring prevailing wind creating an unconfined vortex of air around the turbine, and

(c) a power generator connected to the turbine producing energy from a rotational force developed by the vortical effect causing a partial vacuum to occur directly above said apparatus thus creating an intensified regenerated spiraling air motion around said turbine, the kinetic energy of the air impinging directly on the sails rotating said turbine and generator.

10. A fluid driven power generating apparatus that utilizes water as the fluid medium, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a turbine having a plurality of aerodynamic shaped sails,

(b) a vortex excitation water pump tangentially directing a flow of water under elevated velocity and pressure onto the turbine sails inducing rotation thereof combined with the naturally occupying prevailing water currents creating an unconfined vortex of water around the turbine, and

(c) a power generator connected to the turbine producing energy from a rotational force developed by the vortical effect causing a partial vacuum to occur directly above said apparatus thus creating an intensified regenerated spiraling water motion around said turbine, the kinetic energy of the water impinging directly on the sails rotating said generator.