Turbine and compressor employing tubercle leading edge rotor design

• US 8,535,008 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whale-Power Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whale-Power Corporation
• Inventors: Dewar, Stephen W., Watts, Phillip, Fish, Frank Eliot
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Ninh H
• Application Number:
  US11/577,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20090074578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,891 Days
• Field of Search: 416/228, 416/170.R, 416/155, 290/44, 290/55
• US Class Current: 416/170.R
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 3/12 Blades; Blade-carrying rotors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0608 characterised by their aerodynamic shape
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0633 of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/30 Characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to a rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/303 Details of the leading edge
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/31 of changeable form or shape
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/97 on a submerged structure
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/61 corrugated
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/70 Adjusting of angle of incidence or attack of rotating blades
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/74 by turning around an axis perpendicular the rotor centre line
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/183 wherein the turbine is a wind turbine adaptation of a wind turbine to an electric generator F03D9/25
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A turbine/compressor comprises at least one magneto-electric device and a drive train coupled to the magneto-electric device. At least one rotor blade is coupled to the drive train. The rotor blade has a shaped leading edge with a series of spaced tubercles formed therealong.

Claims

1. A rotating machine comprising:

at least one magneto-electric device;

a drive train coupled to said magneto-electric device; and

a plurality of rotor blades coupled to said drive train, each rotor blade having a continuous shaped leading edge extending generally the length of said rotor blade, said leading edge comprising a series of spaced tubercles formed therealong, said tubercles being configured to enhance lift, provide improved stall characteristics, reduce drag and reduce span-wise pumping.

2. A rotating machine according to claim 1 further comprising at least one control system configured to adjust the orientation of said rotor blades so that said rotor blades face incoming fluid flow.

3. A rotating machine according to claim 2 wherein said at least one control system is further configured to alter the pitch of said rotor blades.

4. A rotating machine according to claim 2 wherein said at least one control system is further configured to alter at least one of the spacing and shape of said tubercles.

5. A rotating machine according to claim 1 wherein said drive train is a shaft directly coupling said rotor blades and said magneto-electric device.

6. A rotating machine according to claim 1 wherein said drive train includes a drive shaft and transmission arrangement acting between said rotor blades and magneto-electric device.

7. A rotating machine according to claim 6 further comprising at least one control system configured to adjust the orientation of said rotor blades so that said rotor blades face incoming fluid flow.

8. A rotating machine according to claim 7 wherein said at least one control system is further configured to alter the pitch of said rotor blades.

9. A rotating machine according to claim 7 wherein said at least one control system is further configured to alter at least one of the spacing and shape of said tubercles.

10. A turbine comprising:

at least one generator;

a drive train coupled to said generator; and

a plurality of rotor blades coupled to said drive train, each rotor blade having a continuous shaped leading edge extending generally the length thereof with a series of spaced tubercles formed therealong, said tubercles being configured to enhance lift, provide improved stall characteristics, and reduce at least one of drag and span-wise pumping.

11. A turbine according to claim 10 further comprising at least one control system to adjust the orientation of said rotor blades so that said rotor blades face incoming fluid flow.

12. A turbine according to claim 11 wherein said at least one control system is further configured to alter the pitch of said rotor blades.

13. A turbine according to claim 12 wherein said drive train is a shaft directly coupling said rotor blades and said generator.

14. A turbine according to claim 12 wherein said drive train includes a drive shaft and transmission arrangement acting between said rotor blades and generator.

15. A turbine according to claim 14 further comprising a plurality of linked generators.

16. A turbine according to claim 15 wherein said linked generators are in-line.

17. A turbine according to claim 11 wherein said at least one control system is further configured to alter at least one of the spacing and shape of said tubercles.

18. A rotating machine comprising:

at least one magneto-electric device;

a drive train coupled to said magneto-electric device;

a plurality of rotor blades coupled to said drive train, each rotor blade having a shaped leading edge configured to enhance lift and reduce drag, said leading edge comprising a series of spaced tubercles formed therealong; and

at least one control system configured to alter at least one of the spacing and shape of said tubercles.

19. A rotating machine according to claim 18 wherein said at least one control system is configured to adjust the orientation of said rotor blades so that said rotor blades face incoming fluid flow.

20. A rotating machine according to claim 19 wherein said at least one control system is further configured to alter the pitch of said rotor blades.

21. A rotating machine according to claim 18 wherein said drive train is a shaft directly coupling said rotor blades and said magneto-electric device.

22. A rotating machine according to claim 18 wherein said drive train includes a drive shaft and transmission arrangement acting between said rotor blades and magneto-electric device.

23. A rotating machine comprising:

at least one magneto-electric device;

a drive train coupled to said magneto-electric device; and

a plurality of rotor blades coupled to said drive train, each of said rotor blades comprising a tip and a root, each rotor blade undergoing a twist between said tip and root, each rotor blade having a series of spaced tubercles formed along a continuous leading edge thereof, said tubercles being configured to enhance lift, improve stall characteristics of said rotor blade and reduce at least one of drag and span-wise pumping, the degree of twist being selected to take said enhanced lift and improved stall characteristics into account.

24. A rotating machine according to claim 23 further comprising at least one control system operable to adjust the orientation of said rotor blades so that the leading edges of said rotor blades face incoming fluid flow.

25. A rotating machine according to claim 24 wherein said at least one control system is further operable to alter the pitch of said rotor blades.

26. A rotating machine according to claim 24 wherein said at least one control system is further operable to alter at least one of the spacing and shape of said tubercles.

27. A rotating machine according to claim 24 wherein said at least one control system is further operable to alter both the spacing and shape of said tubercles.

28. A rotating machine according to claim 23 wherein said drive train is a shaft directly coupling said rotor blades and said magneto-electric device.

29. A rotating machine according to claim 23 wherein said drive train comprises a drive shaft and transmission arrangement acting between said rotor blades and magneto-electric device.

30. A rotating machine according to claim 23 wherein said rotating machine is one of a turbine and a compressor.