Hydroelectric/hydrokinetic turbine and methods for making and using same
AssigneeHydrokinetic Energy Corp
InventorWalter Schurtenberger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The application relates to unidirectional hydrokinetic turbines having an improved flow acceleration system that uses asymmetrical hydrofoil shapes on some or all of the key components of the turbine. These components that may be hydrofoil shaped include, e.g., the rotor blades (34), the center hub (36), the rotor blade shroud (38), the accelerator shroud (20), annular diffuser(s) (40), the wildlife and debris excluder (10, 18) and the tail rudder (60). The fabrication method designs various components to cooperate in optimizing the extraction of energy, while other components reduce or eliminate turbulence that could negatively affect other component(s).
Claims20
A unidirectional hydrokinetic turbine having a water entrance end and a water exit end defining a direction of water flow through the turbine, the turbine comprising:
- a generally cylindrical accelerator shroud that has a wall cross-section that defines within its cylindrical cross-section a water flow area that contains structure located therein that comprises an integral hydrokinetic force-generating member comprising a center hub member having a hydrofoil profile;
- and
- a plurality of blades mounted on said hub member, wherein said force-generating member is mounted for rotation on an inner surface of said accelerator shroud;
- wherein said hydrokinetic force-generating member comprises a rotor assembly that further comprises a rotor outer ring to which tips of the blades are attached and which has an outer circumference that is configured for rotation within said accelerator shroud;
- wherein said hub member comprises a generally round profile member having an open center and wherein wall members surrounding the open center form an asymmetric hydrofoil profile, with extrados of the hub member being toward the outside of the turbine and intrados of the hub member facing toward a center of the hub;
- and
- wherein said blades have an asymmetrical hydrofoil-shaped cross-sectional configuration;
- wherein said blades have a chord length at their radially outer ends that is greater than the chord length at their radially inner ends;
- and
- wherein said blades have a profile thickness at their radially outer ends that is greater than the profile thickness at their radially inner ends.
A unidirectional hydrokinetic turbine, comprising:
- a generally cylindrical accelerator shroud that is designed for use in a uni-directional hydrokinetic turbine having a water entrance end and a water exit end defining a direction of water flow through the turbine;
- in combination with a rotor assembly that is mounted for rotation within the accelerator shroud around an axis that is generally parallel to the direction of water flow through the turbine, the rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outwardly from the center of the turbine and being mounted for rotation within said accelerator shroud;
- wherein the accelerator shroud is generally cylindrical and has a wall cross-section comprising a generally asymmetrical hydrofoil shape, wherein the hydrofoil shape comprises a generally S-shaped profile in which the outer surface comprises a forward convex portion and a rearward concave portion, and the inner surface comprises a rearward convex portion and a forward portion that has a shape that is either straight or concave;
- wherein a forward portion of said inner surface is concave.
A unidirectional hydrokinetic turbine having a water entrance end and a water exit end defining a direction of water flow through the turbine, the turbine comprising:
- a generally cylindrical accelerator shroud including a wall having an inner surface and with a wall cross-section that defines within its cylindrical cross-section a water flow area that contains structure located therein that comprises an integral hydrokinetic force-generating member comprising a center hub member having a hydrofoil profile;
- wherein a portion of the inner surface at a forward end of the turbine towards the water entrance is concave;
- and
- a plurality of blade members mounted on said hub member, wherein said force-generating member is mounted for rotation on the inner surface of said accelerator shroud;
- wherein said hydrokinetic force-generating member comprises a rotor assembly that further comprises a rotor outer ring to which the blade tips are attached and which has an outer circumference that is configured for rotation within said accelerator shroud;
- wherein said hub member comprises a generally round profile member having an open center and wherein the wall members surrounding the open center form an asymmetric hydrofoil profile, with extrados of the hub member being toward the outside of the turbine and intrados of the hub member facing toward the center of the hub;
- and
- wherein said blades have an asymmetrical hydrofoil-shaped cross-sectional configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.