Hydro-power generation for a water treatment system and method of supplying electricity using a flow of liquid

A method of supplying electricity using a flow of liquid, the method comprising:

• providing a housing that includes a passageway having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the passageway has a substantially uniform cross sectional area between the inlet and the outlet;
• supplying the flow of liquid to the inlet of the passageway, wherein the liquid flows through the passageway to the outlet;
• rotating a rotor that is positioned in the passageway such that the rotor is surrounded by a stator, wherein the rotor rotates as a result of the liquid flowing through the passageway;
• directing the flow of liquid outward towards an inner wall of the passageway with a tip of a turbine nozzle to increase the velocity of the flow of liquid;
• directing the flow of liquid to the rotor through a plurality of channels formed with a plurality of struts included with the turbine nozzle to further increase the velocity of the flow of liquid;
• and
• generating electricity with the rotor and the stator, wherein rotation of the rotor induces the generation of electricity.

A hydro-power generation system comprising:

• a housing having an inner wall that defines a passageway, the passageway having an inlet and an outlet and configured to accommodate a flow of liquid through the housing;
• a turbine nozzle positioned concentrically in the passageway, wherein the turbine nozzle includes a tip positioned near the inlet that is configured to divert the flow of liquid outwardly toward the inner wall and a plurality of struts operable in conjunction with the inner wall to form a plurality of inlet channels to channel the diverted flow of liquid;
• a rotor comprising a turbine rotor coupled with a generator rotor by a shaft, the rotor positioned concentrically in the passageway downstream of the turbine nozzle so that the flow of liquid through the inlet channels is directed to the turbine rotor;
• and
• a generator stator concentrically positioned to surround the generator rotor, the generator stator coupled with the inner wall by a plurality of exit guide vanes that are operable in conjunction with the inner wall to form a plurality of exit channels, wherein the inlet channels are aligned with the exit channels to form a substantially straight flow path for the flow of liquid through the passageway.

A hydro-power generation system, comprising:

• a housing that includes an inner wall that defines a passageway having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the cross-sectional area of the passageway is substantially uniform between the inlet and the outlet;
• a rotor concentrically positioned within the passageway such that the rotor is rotated by a flow of liquid through the passageway;
• a turbine nozzle fixedly coupled with the housing and concentrically positioned in the inlet of the passageway, wherein the turbine nozzle comprises a tip and a plurality of struts, the tip configured to increase the velocity of the flow of liquid by diversion of the liquid outwardly toward the inner wall, and the struts configured to direct the flow of liquid through a plurality of channels to the rotor;
• a stator fixedly positioned to surround the rotor such that rotation of the rotor induces the production of electricity, wherein at least one of the stator and the rotor comprises a plurality of coils;
• and
• an ultraviolet light source coupled with one of the stator and the rotor, wherein the coils are dynamically switchable to provide a first voltage for initial energization and a second voltage for continued energization of the ultraviolet light source.