Method and apparatus for energy generation
First Claim
1. A system for the generation of energy from a flow of water having a general direction from upstream to downstream in a body of water having a bed and banks, the system comprising:
- a support assembly extending across at least a portion of the body of water;
a generator assembly mounted in the support assembly, the generator assembly comprising a first rotor assembly and a second rotor assembly, each rotor assembly comprising a hub rotatable about an axis and a plurality of blades extending radially from the hub; and
means to variably limit the speed of rotation of one or more of the first and second rotor assemblies and thereby control the water level upstream of the system.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for the generation of energy from the flow of water in a body of water is provided, the system comprising a support assembly extending across at least a portion of the body of water; a generator assembly mounted in the support assembly, the generator assembly comprising a first rotor assembly and a second rotor assembly, each rotor assembly comprising a vertical hub rotatable about a vertical axis and a plurality of vertical blades extending radially from the hub, the first and second rotor assemblies being arranged such that the volume swept by the blades of the first rotor assembly overlaps the volume swept by the blades of the second rotor assembly. The system may be used to generate energy, for example electricity. In addition, the system may be used to control the level of water on the upstream side of the installation, for example in the cases of flooding.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. A system for the generation of energy from a flow of water having a general direction from upstream to downstream in a body of water having a bed and banks, the system comprising:
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a support assembly extending across at least a portion of the body of water; a generator assembly mounted in the support assembly, the generator assembly comprising a first rotor assembly and a second rotor assembly, each rotor assembly comprising a hub rotatable about an axis and a plurality of blades extending radially from the hub; and means to variably limit the speed of rotation of one or more of the first and second rotor assemblies and thereby control the water level upstream of the system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for the generation of energy from a flow of water having a general direction from upstream to downstream in a body of water having a bed and banks, the system comprising:
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a support assembly extending across at least a portion of the body of water; a generator assembly mounted in the support assembly, the generator assembly comprising a rotor assembly comprising a hub rotatable about an axis and a plurality of blades extending radially from the hub, adjacent blades of the rotor assembly defining between them a blade cavity; wherein the hub comprises a housing formed about the axis with an annular cavity extending between the axis and the housing, wherein the blades are mounted to the housing such that an inner portion of each blade is spaced from the axis, and wherein the hub is configured to allow water to flow from a first blade cavity of the rotor assembly to a second blade cavity of the rotor assembly through the annular cavity of the hub. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A system to control a flow of water having a general direction from upstream to downstream in a body of water having a bed and banks, the system comprising:
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a support assembly having a conduit through which the water may flow; a rotor assembly disposed in the conduit, the rotor assembly comprising a hub rotatable about an axis and a plurality of blades extending radially from the hub; the conduit comprising first and second opposing surfaces contacted by the radially outer edge regions of each blade as the blades of the rotor assembly sweep by the first and second opposing surfaces, whereby there is at least one position of the rotor assembly when a blade is in contact with each of the first and second opposing surfaces; and means to variably limit the speed of rotation of the rotor assembly and thereby control the water level upstream of the system. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A method for controlling a flow of water having a general direction from upstream to downstream in a body of water having a bed and banks, the method comprising:
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providing an obstacle to the flow of water; providing a conduit in the obstacle for the passage of water therethrough; providing a rotor assembly in the conduit, the rotor assembly comprising a hub rotatable about an axis and a plurality of blades extending radially from the hub; the conduit comprising first and second opposing surfaces contacted by the radially outer edge regions of each blade as the blades of the rotor assembly rotates sweep by the first and second opposing surfaces, whereby there is at least one position of the rotor assembly when a blade is in contact with each of the first and second opposing surfaces; and variably limiting the speed of rotation of the rotor assembly through the rotor assembly, thereby controlling the water level upstream of the system. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. A method for generating energy from a flowing body of water, the method comprising:
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providing an obstacle to the flow of water; providing a conduit in the obstacle for the passage of water therethrough; providing a rotor assembly in the conduit, the rotor assembly comprising a hub rotatable about an axis, the hub comprising a housing formed about the axis with an annular cavity extending between the axis and the housing and a plurality of blades mounted to the housing and extending radially from the hub such that an inner portion of each blade is spaced from the axis, adjacent blades of the rotor assembly defining between them a blade cavity such that the hub is configured to allow water to flow from a first blade cavity of the rotor assembly to a second blade cavity of the rotor assembly through the annular cavity of the hub; and retrieving kinetic energy from rotation of the rotor assembly. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59)
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Specification