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US 12,163,499 B1Granted
Oscillating water column turbine apparatuses
OwnerStephen G. Claytoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for generating electricity from an oscillating water column may include a turbine having an inlet cap, an outlet cap, and an impeller rotatably disposed between the inlet cap and the outlet cap. The turbine may be deployed in a water cylinder having a water piston that slides between a first position and a second position in response to oscillation of water in the water cylinder, thereby creating a pressure difference to allow pressurized fluid to enter and/or escape through the components of the turbine to rotate the impeller of the turbine to facilitate generation of electricity and/or performance of other work. Other oscillating water column turbine apparatuses are also disclosed.
Claims20
An apparatus for generating electricity from an oscillating water column, the apparatus comprising:
- a water cylinder including:
- a cylinder housing;
- and
- a water piston slidably disposed in the cylinder housing, the water piston configured to slide between a first position and a second position in the cylinder housing in response to oscillation of water in the cylinder housing, thereby creating a pressure difference to allow pressurized fluid to enter and/or escape from the cylinder housing;
- and
- a turbine including:
- an inlet cap supported by the cylinder housing of the water cylinder, the inlet cap having “n” number of inlets;
- an outlet cap disposed in spaced-apart relationship to the inlet cap in the cylinder housing, the outlet cap having “n” number of outlets;
- and
- an impeller rotatably and coaxially disposed between the inlet cap and the outlet cap, the impeller having “2n” number of impeller blades and blade spaces between the impeller blades, further only one of the inlets or one of the outlets is configured to position at each one of the blade spaces for facilitating fluid pressure to enter and/or escape in a direction towards the impeller blades;
- and
- wherein the pressure difference allowing the pressurized fluid to enter and/or escape from the cylinder housing of the water cylinder rotates the impeller of the turbine to facilitate generation of electrical current.
9 more elements
An apparatus for generating electricity from an oscillating water column, the apparatus comprising:
- a water cylinder including:
- a cylinder housing configured to contain an inlet water column;
- a water column tube disposed within the cylinder housing, the water column tube configured to receive water from the inlet water column and form a working water column;
- at least one electrolysis electrode in the water column tube, the at least one electrolysis electrode configured to generate hydrogen gas and oxygen gas by electrolysis of water in the working water column;
- a hydrogen dome on the water column tube, the hydrogen dome configured to receive a hydrogen/oxygen mixture from the hydrogen gas and the oxygen gas;
- and
- a spark generating device in the hydrogen dome, the spark generating device configured to ignite the hydrogen/oxygen mixture in the hydrogen dome and pressurize and displace the working water column in the water column tube;
- and
- a turbine disposed in the water column tube of the water cylinder, the turbine including:
- an inlet cap having “n” number of inlets;
- an outlet cap disposed in spaced-apart relationship to the inlet cap, the outlet cap having “n” number of outlets;
- and
- an impeller assembly including:
- an impeller rotatably and coaxially supported between the inlet cap and the outlet cap, the impeller having “2n” number of impeller blades and blade spaces between the impeller blades, only one of the inlets or one of the outlets is configured to position at each blade space between two adjacent impeller blades for facilitating water pressure to enter and/or escape in a direction towards the impeller blades;
- and
- wherein the water in the working water column pressurizes the impeller blades and rotates the impeller of the turbine to facilitate generation of electrical current and/or perform work as the working water column is pressurized and displaced in the water column tube.
13 more elements
An apparatus for generating electricity from an oscillating water column, the apparatus comprising:
- a turbine including:
- a turbine housing;
- an inlet funnel cone at a first end of the turbine housing;
- an outlet funnel cone at a second end of the turbine housing;
- an inlet cap disposed in the turbine housing at the inlet funnel cone, the inlet cap having “n” number of inlets;
- an outlet cap disposed in spaced-apart relationship to the inlet cap in the turbine housing at the outlet funnel cone, the outlet cap having “n” number of outlets;
- and
- an impeller rotatably and coaxially disposed in the turbine housing between the inlet cap and the outlet cap, the impeller having “2n” number of impeller blades and blade spaces between the impeller blades, wherein the impeller is rotatably sandwiched between the inlet cap and the outlet cap, further only one of the inlets or one of the outlets is configured to position at each blade space between two adjacent impeller blades for facilitating fluid pressure to enter and/or escape in a direction towards the impeller blades;
- and
- wherein the impeller is configured to rotate in the turbine housing as tidal water flows through the inlet funnel cone and the inlets of the inlet cap against the impeller blades of the impeller and from the blade spaces between the impeller blades through the outlets of the outlet cap and the outlet funnel cone, respectively.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.