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US 4,418,880 AGranted
Fluid flow augmentor
OwnerJ. F. de Waalinventor
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OwnerJ. F. de Waalinventor
Estimating the term…
There is described a fluid flow concentrating device suitable, for example, for concentrating the flow of tidal waters or of wind, which comprises a hollow body closed at one end and open at the other. The body has a fixed circumferential wall composed of a plurality of fixed spaced vanes and a nozzle located at the open end of the wall. Fluid moving from outside the device through the vanes to the inside of the body creates a vortex within the body and a fluid flow axially of the body through the nozzle. In certain preferred embodiments a turbine is located for rotation in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the vortex about a vertical axis, centrally within the nozzle downstream of the fluid flow. The turbine can be used to drive a generator or a motor to, for example, propel a marine craft, or, the augmentor can be used on a aircraft to assist the lift of a wing, or, in another application, can be used with a jet turbine engine to improve both the intake to and the thrust from the engine.
A fluid flow concentrating device comprising a substantially hollow body substantially closed at one end and open at the other, an axially extending vortex stabilizing column arranged substantially centrally of the hollow body, the body having a fixed circumferential wall means composed of a plurality of fixed spaced vanes and a nozzle located at the open end of said wall means, whereby fluid moving from outside the device substantially radially through said vanes to the inside of said body, creates a vortex within said hollow body and a fluid flow axially of said body through said nozzle.
A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 5 in which said column is provided with a plurality of brace members extending radially outwardly of the column within the substantially hollow body.
A fluid flow concentrating device comprising a substantially hollow body of conical configuration mounted externally at the intake of a jet engine, said body being closed at one end at a point and open at the other, the body having a fixed circumferential wall means extending forwardly of the engine intake, point forward, and being composed of a plurality of fixed space vanes and a nozzle located at the open end of the wall means, whereby fluid moving from outside the device through said vanes to the inside of said body creates a vortex within said hollow body and a fluid flow axially of said body through said nozzle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.