Hydraulic turbine
AssigneeNatel Energy Holdings, Inc.
InventorsAbraham D. Schneider, Sterling Marina Watson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A runner for a hydraulic turbine configured to reduce fish mortality. The runner includes a hub and a plurality of blades extending from the hub. Each blade includes a root connected to the hub and a tip opposite the root. Each blade further includes a leading edge opposite a trailing edge, and a ratio of a thickness of the leading edge to a diameter of the runner can range from about 0.06 to about 0.35. Further, each blade has a leading edge that is curved relative to a radial axis of the runner.
Claims20
A runner for a hydraulic turbine, comprising:
- a hub;
- and
- a plurality of blades extending from the hub,
- wherein each blade of the plurality of blades comprises a root located at the hub, a tip opposite the root, a leading edge, and a trailing edge opposite the leading edge;
- wherein for at least one of the plurality of blades, the leading edge at the root is positioned along a radial axis of the runner, the leading edge extends rearward of the radial axis of the runner, and the tip of the leading edge extends forward of the radial axis.
A runner for a hydraulic turbine, comprising:
- a hub;
- and
- a plurality of blades extending from the hub,
- wherein each blade of the plurality of blades comprises a root located at the hub, a tip opposite the root, an intermediate location between the root and tip, a leading edge, and a trailing edge opposite the leading edge,
- wherein the leading edge extends rearward between the root and the intermediate location, and extends forward between the intermediate location and the tip, and
- wherein the leading edge is curved.
A hydraulic turbine comprising:
- a housing, and
- a runner comprising a hub and a plurality of blades extending from the hub;
- wherein each blade of the plurality of blades comprises a root located at the hub, a tip opposite the root, a leading edge, and a trailing edge opposite the leading edge, and
- wherein for at least one of the plurality of blades, the leading edge at the root is positioned along a radial axis of the runner, the leading edge extends rearward of the radial axis of the runner, and the tip of the leading edge extends forward of the radial axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.