Horizontal-inflow, vertical-outflow cross-flow turbine

In a cross-flow turbine comprising a casing;

• a runner rotatably mounted in the casing and having a flow pattern such that water flows therethrough substantially radially from the outside to the inside of the runner, past the axis of the runner in spaced relation thereto, and then substantially radially from the inside to the outside of the runner, the flow entering the runner in an impact free manner;
• a flow passage in the casing comprising an inlet area and an outlet area, with the runner being rotatably disposed in the flow passage;
• a guide vane pivotally mounted in the inlet area to close the inlet area by engaging opposite casing walls when the guide vane is in a closing position and dividing the inlet area into a pair of inlet passages when the guide vane is in other positions, the guide vane having a leading nose portion and a trailing tail portion extending obliquely to the nose portion;
• a horizontally extending admission tube connected to said inlet area;
• and a discharge tube connected to said outlet area and extending vertically and being formed as a draft tube;
• the improvement wherein the casing flow passage and the guide vane are arranged such that the resultant of the flow entering the runner is inclined downwardly under an angle (a) of substantially 30.degree. to 50.degree. with respect to the horizontal, and such that the resultant of the flow leaving the runner is directed substantially vertically;
• wherein said guide vane, in its fully open position, has the upper side of its trailing tail, and an associated casing wall confining one of said pair of passages, both inclined downwardly at an angle (b) of about 12.degree. to 20.degree. with respect to the horizontal;
• and wherein said guide vane, in its fully open position, has the lower side of the nose portion and an associated casing wall confining the other of said pair of inlet passages are both inclined upwardly at an angle c) of about 40.degree. to 50.degree. with respect to the horizontal.