Energy-recovery turbine with pressure-release valve

Abstract

An energy-recovery system has an energy-recovery turbine to receive a flow of water from a water line to which the turbine is connected and to generate electric power from the flow of water while also regulating water pressure in the water line. The system also includes a pressure-regulating valve (PRV) connected in parallel with the turbine to regulate the water pressure in the water line only when the turbine is inoperative. The system includes a spiral water-flow adapter having a water inlet for connecting to an upstream portion of the water line and a water outlet for connecting to a downstream portion of the water line, the spiral water-flow adapter directing the flow of water from the water inlet into the turbine and then to the water outlet.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.