In-pipe hydro-electric power system and turbine

• US 7,959,411 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucid Energy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lucid Energy Technologies, LLC, Northwest PIPE Company
• Inventors: Smith, Greg, Kurth, Edward, Palley, Igor, Schlabach, Roderic A., Cosby, Mark Rydell
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Ninh H
• Application Number:
  US12/384,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20100253081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 415/4.2, 415/4.4, 415/229, 415/907, 416/76, 416/178, 416/198.A, 416/227.R, 416/227.A, 416/243, 416/DIG.9, 290/43, 290/44, 290/54, 290/55
• US Class Current: 416/227.00A
• 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 2220/602 with energy recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/231 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/241 spherical
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/25 helical
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/50 Hydropower in dwellings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 415/907 Vertical runner axis

Abstract

A generally spherical turbine configured to rotate transversely within a cylindrical pipe under the power of fluid flowing either direction therethrough is operatively coupled with a rotating machine or generator to produce electricity. In one embodiment, the blades of the spherical turbine curve in an approximately 180 degree arc in a plane that is at an inclined angle relative to the rotational axis of a central shaft. In another embodiment, a deflector is provided upstream of the spherical turbine and within the cylindrical pipe to control flow through the spherical turbine by shielding a part thereof. The blades of the spherical turbine are airfoil in cross section to optimize hydrodynamic flow, to minimize cavitation, and to maximize conversion from axial to rotating energy.

Claims

1. A generally spherical turbine comprising:

a central longitudinal shaft configured to mount and to rotate on a central axis perpendicular to a direction of fluid flow, and

a plurality of generally circularly arcing blades coupled with the shaft and extending radially outwardly from the shaft, the blades being substantially evenly spaced apart around the shaft, each of the blades extending such that a plane defined by them is not parallel to the central axis, and including along a substantial length of the blades an airfoil cross-section, the sweep of the blades defining a generally spherical shape when rotated with the shaft.

2. The turbine of claim 1, which further comprises:

opposing hub assemblies, each including a hub plate and a plurality of mounting brackets for securely affixing opposite ends of the corresponding plurality of blades to the shaft.

3. The turbine of claim 1, wherein each hub plate has a circular sawblade-like peripheral edge featuring a combination of curvilinear and rectilinear edge segments.

4. The turbine of claim 1, which further comprises:

opposing shaft couplers for securely affixing the corresponding hub assemblies to the shaft.

5. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blades define a nominal solidity of between approximately 15% and approximately 30%.

6. The turbine of claim 1, an angle between the plane defined by each of the blades and the central axis of the shaft is between about 10 degrees and about 45 degrees.

7. A power generating system that generates power from the movement of fluids, the system comprising:

a turbine comprising;

a central longitudinal shaft configured to rotate within diametrically opposed mounts, the shaft configured to extend substantially perpendicularly to the fluid flow, with one end of the shaft configured to operatively couple with a piece of rotating machinery;

a plurality of bearings, the first one configured to mount the end of the shaft furthest from a generator to a support for rotation in a circular direction, and a second bearing configured to mount an intermediate part of the shaft to a support for rotation, with the shaft extending through the second of the bearings; and

a plurality of blades coupled with the shaft between the pair of bearings, the blades extending radially outwardly from the shaft, the blades being substantially evenly spaced apart around the shaft and each of the blades extending such that a plane defined by them is not parallel to the central axis.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of blades of the turbine is curved in an approximate 180 degree arc.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of blades of the turbine includes an airfoil cross-section along substantially the entire length of each blade.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the overall shape of the turbine is generally spherical.

11. The system of claim 7, which further comprises:

a pair of opposing generally circular hubs attached to the shaft of the generally spherical turbine, each hub having plural mounting brackets affixed thereto at radially spaced intervals around their circumference, the plural brackets mounting opposing ends of the plurality of blades.

12. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

an electric generator operatively coupled with the proximal end of the shaft for rotation with the shaft to produce electric power in response to fluid flow.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the turbine is configured to rotate in the same direction, regardless of the direction of fluid flow.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the mounts securing the turbine shaft include bearings.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein an angle between the plane defined by each of the blades and the central axis of the shaft is between about 10 degrees and about 45 degrees.

16. An electric power generating system that generates power from the movement of fluids through a pipe, the system comprising:

a turbine comprising;

a central longitudinal shaft configured to rotate within diametrically opposed mounts within a generally cylindrical pipe, the shaft configured to extend substantially perpendicularly to the long axis of the generally cylindrical pipe, with one end of the shaft configured to operatively couple with an electric generator;

a plurality of bearings, the first one configured to mount the end of the shaft furthest from the generator to the sidewall of a generally cylindrical pipe for rotation in a circular direction, and a second bearing configured to mount an intermediate part of the shaft for rotation within the generally cylindrical water pipe, with the shaft extending through the second of the bearings; and

a plurality of blades coupled with the shaft between the bearings, the blades extending radially outwardly from the shaft, and each of the blades extending such that a plane defined by them is not parallel to the central axis.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of blades of the turbine is curved in an approximate 180 degree arc.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of blades of the turbine includes an airfoil cross-section along substantially the entire length of each blade.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the overall shape of the turbine is generally spherical.

20. The system of claim 16, which further comprises:

a pair of opposing generally circular hubs attached to the shaft of the generally spherical turbine, each hub having plural mounting brackets affixed thereto at radially spaced intervals around their circumference, the plural brackets mounting opposing ends of the plural blades.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a generally cylindrical pipe configured with a diameter slightly greater than the distance between the pair of hubs on the turbine shaft, the generally cylindrical pipe mounting the turbine for rotation therein in response to fluid flow through the generally cylindrical pipe.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a generally cylindrical pipe configured with a diameter slightly greater than the distance between the pair of hubs on the turbine shaft, the generally cylindrical pipe mounting the turbine for rotation therein in response to fluid flow through the generally cylindrical pipe, the pipe including one or more deflector plates attached to the sidewall thereof immediately upstream from the generally spherical turbine, the one or more deflectors inclined towards the turbine in the direction of turbine rotation at an angle of less than 90 degrees to a plane perpendicular to the long axis of the pipe, each of the one or more deflectors having an inward curved edge approximating the shape of the turbine on a side of each deflector farthest from where the corresponding deflector attaches to the sidewall of the pipe, with the one or more deflectors covering a portion of a cross-sectional area of the pipe.

23. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

an electric generator operatively coupled with a proximal end of the shaft for rotation therewith to produce electric power in response to fluid flow through the generally cylindrical pipe.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the turbine is configured to rotate in the same direction, regardless of the direction of fluid flow through the pipe.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the mounts securing the turbine shaft include bearings.

26. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a generally cylindrical tee section configured to mount to an outer sidewall of the generally cylindrical pipe, the tee section housing an electric generator that is operatively coupled for rotation with the shaft of the turbine to produce electric power when the turbine is rotating.

27. The system of claim 26, which further comprises:

a cylindrically arched plate configured to cover an access hole in the generally cylindrical pipe to substantially prevent water flow into the generally cylindrical tee section.

28. The system of claim 26, which further comprises:

a circular flat or concave plate that covers the access hole into the generally cylindrical tee section.

29. The system of claim 28, which further comprises:

a generator that sits on top of the circular flat or concave plate.

30. The system of claim 16, wherein an angle between the plane defined by each of the blades and the central axis of the shaft is between about 10 degrees and about 45 degrees.