Fluid energy converter
AssigneeViryd Technologies Inc.
InventorDonald Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments include apparatus and methods of fluid energy conversion. One embodiment relates to a tube for a fluid energy converter. The tube may include a generally cylindrical and hollow body having an interior surface, an exterior surface, and a longitudinal axis. Another embodiment includes a fluid energy converter having a longitudinal axis and a rotatable tube coaxial about the longitudinal axis. In some embodiments, the rotatable tube converts kinetic energy in a fluid into rotating mechanical energy, or converts rotating mechanical energy into kinetic energy in a fluid.
Claims35
1-23. (canceled)
A tube for a fluid energy converter, the tube comprising:
- a generally cylindrical and hollow body having an interior surface, an exterior surface, and a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a plurality of helical grooves formed into the exterior surface and the interior surface;
- and
- wherein the helical grooves are adapted to capture fluid on a first side of a helical groove on the exterior surface, and wherein the helical grooves are adapted to capture fluid on a second side of the helical groove on the interior surface.
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43-54. (canceled)
A fluid energy converter, comprising:
- a longitudinal axis;
- a rotatable tube coaxial about the longitudinal axis, wherein the rotatable tube has a plurality of helical grooves formed into a exterior surface and an interior surface of the rotatable tube;
- a set of front blades distributed radially around the longitudinal axis, the set of front blades coupled to the rotatable tube;
- a set of back blades distributed radially around the longitudinal axis, the set of back blades coupled to the rotatable tube;
- a shaft coincident with the longitudinal axis and operationally coupled to the rotatable tube;
- and
- wherein the rotatable tube is configured to convert kinetic energy in a fluid into rotating mechanical energy, or to convert rotating mechanical energy into kinetic energy in a fluid.
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61-72. (canceled)
A rotor for a windmill, the rotor comprising:
- a generally cylindrical and hollow tube having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
- and
- a plurality of walls along a perimeter of the tube, the walls forming a plurality of helical vanes configured to receive kinetic energy from a wind.
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79-87. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.