Accelerated and/or redirected flow-inducing and/or low pressure field or area-inducing arrangement, their use with turbine-like devices and methods for using same

A method for enhancing the performance of a turbine device having a fluid inlet end and a fluid exit end defining a direction of fluid flow through the turbine device, the turbine device including (1) an accelerator shroud section that has a longitudinal central axis and defines within its cross-section a fluid flow area and includes a rotor assembly that (a) is mounted within the accelerator shroud for rotation around the longitudinal central axis, and (b) includes a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outwardly within the accelerator shroud, said rotor blades being configured to rotate the rotor assembly in a first direction of rotation in response to fluid flowing in the direction of fluid flow through the turbine device, wherein at least one of the rotor blades have a blade thickness that is greater at their radially outer ends than at their radially inner ends, and (2) a forward deflector placed upstream at the fluid inlet end of the turbine device, the method comprising:

• causing a fluid to flow through the forward deflector which is configured to produce a re-directed fluid flow that includes at least some rotational re-direction of the fluid flow in a second direction of rotation that is opposite to said first direction of rotation of the rotor assembly;
• and
• then causing the re-directed fluid that has flowed through the forward deflector and has been rotationally re-directed in the second direction of rotation to flow into the fluid inlet end of the turbine device.

A combination comprising a turbine device in combination with an accelerated and/or redirected flow-enhancing arrangement,

• the turbine device having a fluid inlet end and a fluid outlet end for fluid flowing therethrough, defining a direction of fluid flow through the device, an accelerator shroud section that has a longitudinal central axis and defines within its cross-section a fluid flow area and includes a rotor assembly that is mounted within the accelerator shroud for rotation around the longitudinal central axis, and includes a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outwardly within the accelerator shroud, said rotor blades being configured to rotate the rotor assembly in a first direction of rotation in response to fluid flowing in the direction of fluid flow through the turbine device, wherein at least one of the rotor blades have a blade thickness that is greater at their radially outer ends than at their radially inner ends;
• and
• the flow-inducing arrangement comprising a forward deflector positioned upstream of the fluid inlet end of the turbine device, the forward deflector being configured so as to produce the effect, on the fluid flowing through it, of imparting a re-direction of the fluid as it passes through the forward deflector;
• wherein the forward deflector comprises an array of deflector rods that are configured to provide said re-direction imparting effect in such a manner as to produce a re-directed fluid flow that includes at least some rotational re-direction of the fluid in a second direction of rotation that is opposite to said first direction of rotation of the rotor assembly.