Extracting energy from flowing fluids
OwnerAaron Davidson, Craig Colin Hillinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus (10) for extracting energy from flowing fluids using a diffuser (11) which has side walls (14) formed from a series of aerofoil section members (15) with gaps (29) provided between the leading and trailing ends of the members (15) to allow introduction of fluid from outside of the diffuser (11) into the diffuser flow passage (16) such that increased energy can be extracted from the flowing fluid by a prime mover (20) located in the flow passage (16).
Claims22
A diffuser for use in apparatus for extracting energy from a flow of liquid, said diffuser comprising a flow passage having an inlet and an outlet and a side wall or walls between said inlet and said outlet, said flow passage having a decreasing cross sectional area inwardly from the inlet to a constricted region between the inlet and the outlet and having an increasing cross sectional area rearwardly and away from the constricted region towards the outlet, said side wall or walls being defined by a plurality of members of an aerofoil cross-section arranged in series between said inlet and said outlet such that other than at the inlet and outlet, the trailing portion of one aerofoil member is adjacent the leading portion of the immediately adjacent trailing aerofoil member and defines a gap or slot therewith whereby a plurality of gaps or slots are provided serially from said inlet to said outlet through which fluid from outside of said diffuser can pass into said flow passage.
A method of generating energy, the method comprising the steps of providing a diffuser in a naturally occurring fluid flow, said diffuser comprising a flow passage having an inlet and an outlet and a side wall or walls between said inlet and said outlet, said side wall or walls being defined by a plurality of members of an aerofoil cross-section arranged in series between said inlet and said outlet and there being a gap or slot between adjacent said members whereby a plurality of gaps or slots are provided serially from said inlet to said outlet through which fluid may pass from outside of said diffuser into said flow passage, and said flow passage having a constricted region between said inlet and said outlet, and driving an energy take-off means with a prime mover positioned in the constricted region, the prime mover being configured to move in response to the flow of fluid through the constricted region.
An apparatus for generating energy comprising a diffuser defining a flow passage having an inlet and an outlet and a side wall or walls between said inlet and said outlet, said side wall or walls being defined by a plurality of members of an aerofoil cross-section arranged in series between said inlet and said outlet such that other than at the inlet and outlet, the trailing portion of one aerofoil member being adjacent the leading portion of the immediately adjacent trailing aerofoil member to define a gap or slot therewith whereby a plurality of gaps or slots are provided serially from said inlet to said outlet through which fluid may pass from outside of said diffuser into said flow passage, said flow passage having a constricted region between said inlet and outlet, and a prime mover positioned in the constricted region to drive an energy take-off means, the prime mover being configured to move in response to the flow of fluid through the constricted region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.