초록 ▼

A fully submersible apparatus for generating electricity from liquid flow as in an ocean or river current. A buoyant structure is fully submersible and has at least one pair of counter-rotating side-by-side motors with a plurality of angularly spaced radial vanes each having a plurality of rotatable

A fully submersible apparatus for generating electricity from liquid flow as in an ocean or river current. A buoyant structure is fully submersible and has at least one pair of counter-rotating side-by-side motors with a plurality of angularly spaced radial vanes each having a plurality of rotatable subvanes such that current impinging upon the motor will impinge on a closed or solid vane to effect rotation of the motor and its shaft during a first phase of the rotational cycle and will impinge on open vanes for free passage therethrough on the return or second phase of rotation of the motor. Motors may also be provided with vanes in overlying and underlying relationship. An associated method is provided.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A fully-submersible apparatus for generating electricity from generally liquid flow, comprising:a buoyant structure having a liquid receiving chamber, a first side portion, a relatively spaced second side portion, a top portion attached to said first and second side portions, and a

[ I claim:] [1.] A fully-submersible apparatus for generating electricity from generally liquid flow, comprising:a buoyant structure having a liquid receiving chamber, a first side portion, a relatively spaced second side portion, a top portion attached to said first and second side portions, and a bottom portion attached to said first and second side portions,at least two pairs of counter-rotatable motors, each of said pairs having two motors being in relative overlying and underlying relationship, said overlying and underlying motors having a common rotatable shaft and a plurality of generally radially oriented vanes each having a plurality of rotatable subvanes, whereby said liquid flow will effect rotation of said vanes and said shaft,vanes of said overlying motor are angularly displaced from said vanes of said underlying motor,said subvanes structured to rotate between a closed position wherein the vane will provide a generally continuous wall which resists liquid flow therethrough and an open position wherein said vane will have openings permitting passage of liquid therethrough, andgenerating means responsive to liquid flow established rotation of said shaft to generate electricity. [26.] A method of generating electricity comprisingproviding a buoyant structure having a liquid inlet and liquid outlet and at least two pairs of counter-rotatable motor elements, each of said pairs having two motors being in relative overlying and underlying relationship, said overlying and underlying motors having a common shaft, and each having a plurality of radially oriented vanes which in turn have a plurality of rotatable subvanes, said vanes of said overlying motor are angularly displaced from said vanes of said underlying motor,submersing said apparatus within a body of moving liquid,introducing said liquid into the entry opening to establish rotation of said motor,maintaining said subvanes in a closed position when said vanes are moving generally in the same direction as said current and maintaining said subvanes in an open position when said vanes are moving generally opposed to the direction of said current, andemploying the output of a shaft fixedly secured to said motor to generate electricity.