Hydro-power generation system
First Claim
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1. A hydro-power generation system comprising:
- a housing having an inner wall that defines a passageway, the passageway having an inlet and an outlet and configured to accommodate a flow of liquid through the housing;
a turbine nozzle positioned concentrically in the passageway, wherein the turbine nozzle includes a tip positioned near the inlet that is configured to divert the flow of liquid outwardly toward the inner wall and a plurality of struts operable in conjunction with the inner wall to form a plurality of inlet channels to channel the diverted flow of liquid, the struts formed to progressively narrow the inlet channels toward the outlet of the passageway to reduce a cross-sectional area of the inlet channels by a predetermined amount;
a rotor comprising a plurality of turbine blades and a permanent magnet positioned concentrically in the passageway downstream of the turbine nozzle so that the flow of liquid through the inlet channels is directed to the turbine blades;
a generator stator concentrically positioned in the passageway, the generator stator disposed within the permanent magnet;
a centering rod fixedly coupled with the generator stator and non-rotatably positioned in the housing; and
a plurality of exit guide vanes that are operable in conjunction with the inner wall to form a plurality of exit channels, wherein the inlet channels are aligned with the exit channels to form a flow path for the flow of liquid through the passageway past the turbine blades.
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Abstract
A hydro-generation system includes housing having a passageway, a turbine nozzle, a rotor and a stator. The rotor includes a plurality of turbine blades and a permanent magnet. A flow of liquid may enter the passageway and be directed by the turbine nozzle to the turbine blades to induce rotation. The stator is position within the permanent magnet such that rotation of the permanent magnet induces the production of the electrical energy in the stator. The flow of liquid may flow through the housing and out of the hydro-generation system.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A hydro-power generation system comprising:
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a housing having an inner wall that defines a passageway, the passageway having an inlet and an outlet and configured to accommodate a flow of liquid through the housing; a turbine nozzle positioned concentrically in the passageway, wherein the turbine nozzle includes a tip positioned near the inlet that is configured to divert the flow of liquid outwardly toward the inner wall and a plurality of struts operable in conjunction with the inner wall to form a plurality of inlet channels to channel the diverted flow of liquid, the struts formed to progressively narrow the inlet channels toward the outlet of the passageway to reduce a cross-sectional area of the inlet channels by a predetermined amount; a rotor comprising a plurality of turbine blades and a permanent magnet positioned concentrically in the passageway downstream of the turbine nozzle so that the flow of liquid through the inlet channels is directed to the turbine blades; a generator stator concentrically positioned in the passageway, the generator stator disposed within the permanent magnet; a centering rod fixedly coupled with the generator stator and non-rotatably positioned in the housing; and a plurality of exit guide vanes that are operable in conjunction with the inner wall to form a plurality of exit channels, wherein the inlet channels are aligned with the exit channels to form a flow path for the flow of liquid through the passageway past the turbine blades. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A hydro-power generation system, comprising:
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a housing that includes an inner wall defining a passageway, the passageway comprising an inlet configured to receive a flow of liquid and an outlet configured to discharge the flow of liquid; a turbine rotor concentrically positioned within the passageway such that the turbine rotor is rotated by the flow of liquid through the passageway, the turbine rotor comprising a plurality of turbine blades and a body, the turbine blades extending away from the body towards the inner wall; a single turbine nozzle fixedly coupled with the housing and concentrically positioned proximate the inlet of the passageway, wherein the turbine nozzle comprises a tip and a channel formed with the turbine nozzle and the inner wall; wherein the tip decreases the volume of liquid capacity in the passageway to increase the velocity of the flow of liquid, and the channel is configured to further increase the velocity of the flow of liquid and direct the flow of liquid to the turbine blades through the channel formed with the turbine nozzle and the inner wall; a shaft coupled with the body of the turbine rotor; a generator coupled with the shaft, the generator comprising a stator and a rotor configured such that rotation of the rotor proximate the stator induces the production of electricity; an energy storage device coupled with the electrical generator, the energy storage device configured to receive and store electricity produced by the generator; and a timer electrically coupled with the energy storage device, and configured to receive power from at least one of the generator and the energy storage device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of producing electricity using a flow of liquid, the method comprising:
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providing a housing that includes a passageway, the passageway comprising an inlet and an outlet; supplying the flow of liquid to the inlet of the passageway, wherein the liquid flows through the passageway to the outlet; rotating a rotor that is positioned in the passageway such that the rotor rotates concentric with a central axis of the passageway as a result of the liquid flowing through the passageway, the rotor comprising a plurality of turbine blades coupled with a body, the turbine blades formed to extend away from a surface of the body toward the housing; directing the flow of liquid to a turbine nozzle having a tip; decreasing a volume of liquid capacity of the passageway with the tip of the turbine nozzle to increase velocity of the flow of liquid; directing the flow of liquid at increased velocity to the rotor through at least one channel formed with the turbine nozzle to further increase the velocity of the flow of liquid; the flow of liquid exiting the channel and impacting the turbine blades at a predetermined angle of incidence to induce rotation; rotating the rotor and a permanent magnet coupled with the rotor via a shaft in response to the impact; inducing an electric current in a stator non-rotatably positioned proximate the rotor; storing electric power produced by the stator in an energy storage device; and energizing a timer with the electric power received from at least one of the energy storage device and the stator. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A hydro-power generation system comprising:
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a housing that includes an inner wall defining a passageway, the housing comprising an inlet and an outlet; a rotor positioned within the passageway such that the rotor is rotated by a flow of liquid through the passageway, the rotor comprising a plurality of turbine blades and a body; a turbine nozzle fixedly coupled with the housing and concentrically positioned near the inlet of the passageway, the turbine nozzle formed and positioned to increase velocity of the flow of liquid; a strut coupled with the inner wall, the strut configured to receive the flow of liquid and further increase velocity of the flow of liquid, the strut further configured to channel the flow of liquid toward the turbine blades and away from the body; a stator fixedly positioned proximate the rotor such that rotation of the rotor induces the production of electricity; an energy storage device coupled with the stator, the energy storage device configured to receive and store the electricity produced by the stator; and a timer electrically coupled with the stator and the energy storage device, and configured to receive the electricity from at least one of the stator and the energy storage device. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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21. A hydro-power generation system comprising:
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a housing having an inner wall defining a passageway, the passageway comprising an inlet and an outlet and configured to accommodate a flow of liquid through the housing; a turbine nozzle positioned in the passageway near the inlet and configured to increase velocity of the flow of liquid; a rotor comprising a turbine rotor coupled with a generator rotor by a shaft, the turbine rotor comprising a body and a plurality of turbine blades that are positioned in the passageway downstream of the turbine nozzle, the generator rotor comprising a permanent magnet; a strut coupled with the inner wall between the turbine nozzle and the turbine rotor, the strut configured to channel the flow of liquid away from the body and toward the inner wall of the housing and the turbine blades; and a generator stator concentrically positioned to surround the generator rotor, the generator stator positioned external to the housing to remain substantially dry and operable to generate electrical power as the generator rotor rotates; an energy storage device coupled with the generator stator, the energy storage device configured to receive and store electrical power generated by the generator stator; and a timer electrically coupled with at least one of the generator stator and the enemy storage device, and configured to receive electrical power from at least one of the generator stator and the energy storage device. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification