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A power generation flume for use with fluid or water flow channels that includes an acceleration zone where a power generation system can be used in an accelerated flow to generate power in a cost efficient manner. The flume can have a variety of dimensions and can be used at one or at multiple loc

A power generation flume for use with fluid or water flow channels that includes an acceleration zone where a power generation system can be used in an accelerated flow to generate power in a cost efficient manner. The flume can have a variety of dimensions and can be used at one or at multiple locations along or across the flow channel without effecting upstream flow conditions.

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I claim: 1. A kinetic hydropower generation system comprising an open fluid flow canal through which gravity driven fluid flows, a fluid flow directing flume positioned within the open canal so that an entrance is fitted to the width of the open canal, the flume having a bottom and opposing sidewal

I claim: 1. A kinetic hydropower generation system comprising an open fluid flow canal through which gravity driven fluid flows, a fluid flow directing flume positioned within the open canal so that an entrance is fitted to the width of the open canal, the flume having a bottom and opposing sidewalls forming a fluid flow acceleration zone, a converging entrance and a diverging exit, the acceleration zone being located down stream from the converging entrance, and a power generation assembly positioned within said acceleration zone, the bottom of the flume being raised above the level of a bottom surface of the canal so that fluid flow through the converging entrance is formed into a dynamic hydraulic head upstream from the acceleration zone and causing a downstream flow depth in the acceleration zone to decrease as it flow across the acceleration zone due to velocity increases in the acceleration zone thereby creating super-critical velocities in the acceleration zone to operate the power generation assembly. 2. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the acceleration zone comprises a substantially horizontal platform bounded by side walls. 3. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 1 where the power generation assembly includes a rotor positioned within the flowing fluid moving across the acceleration zone. 4. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 1 wherein the open canal has a rectangular cross-sectional shape. 5. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 1 wherein the open canal has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape. 6. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 1 wherein the acceleration zone is comprised of a downwardly sloped entrance, a substantially flat horizontal section and an upwardly sloped exit with the sloped entrance having a slope that is 10% greater than the sloped exit. 7. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 1 further including at least a second fluid flow directing flume positioned at a predetermined location along the open fluid flow canal. 8. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 1 wherein the open fluid flow canal includes a plurality of fluid flow directing flumes at spaced apart locations there along. 9. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 8 wherein the plurality of fluid flow directing flumes are located in series along the open fluid flow canal. 10. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 8 wherein the open fluid flow canal is divided into separate fluid flow channels and the plurality of fluid flow directing flume are provided in parallel locations along each of the separate fluid flow channels. 11. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 8 wherein the plurality of flumes are positioned adjacent one another across the width of the open fluid flow canal. 12. A mechanism for kinetic hydropower generation for slow-moving water flowing through an open canal comprising an open flume structure mountable within the open canal and having an inlet, an outlet and being comprised of a bottom and opposing sidewalls, the bottom having a bottom surface for being mounted on a bottom of the open canal, the flume having an interior surface comprised of a plurality of levels, a shaped entrance wall and side walls providing a converging entrance and a diverging outlet so that a dynamic head is created within the water flowing through the flume, a flow acceleration section, located down stream from the converging entrance, in which flow velocities are increased above ambient upstream flow velocities and into super-critical flow velocities, and a power generator assembly positioned within the acceleration section and operated by the flowing water. 13. The mechanism in claim 12 wherein the power generator assembly includes a rotor member positioned to interact with and be driven by the flowing fluid in the acceleration section, said rotor being connected to and driving a power generator supported operatively above the acceleration section. 14. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 1 wherein the acceleration zone is comprised of a first acceleration zone defined by a first downwardly sloped floor member and a first horizontal floor member, and a second acceleration zone, positioned downstream of the first acceleration zone, comprised of a second sloped floor member and a second horizontal floor member and a second power generation assembly positioned within the second acceleration zone. 15. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 14 wherein the second acceleration zone is connected downstream of the first acceleration zone. 16. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 1 wherein the increased flow velocity in the acceleration zone is maintained in a supercritical range. 17. The kinetic hydropower generation system as in claim 1, wherein substantially the entire flow of fluid in the open fluid flow canal is directed through the flume. 18. A kinetic hydropower generator system comprising an open water flow canal, a flume device provided within the open water flow canal through which substantially all water flowing through the open water flow canal will be directed, the flume device having a bottom and opposing side walls forming an independent structure having an entrance, an exit and an acceleration zone, the flume entrance and sidewalls being dimensioned and shaped to form a dynamic hydraulic head in the flowing water adjacent the entrance to produce a downstream transition in water flow velocities from sub-critical velocities toward super-critical velocities adjacent the acceleration zone, and a power generation assembly operatively positioned in the acceleration zone and driven by water flowing there through. 19. The kinetic hydropower generator system as in claim 18 wherein all of the water flowing within the canal is directed through the flume. 20. The kinetic hydropower generator system as in claim 18 wherein the water flowing in the open canal is directed to a plurality of spaced apart flumes located within the open canal. 21. The kinetic hydropower generator system as in claim 18 wherein the water flow through the flume achieves within it boundaries a Froude number of the flow that is at least equal to 1. 22. The kinetic hydropower generator system as in claim 18 wherein the water flow through the flume achieves within it boundaries a Froude number of the flow that is greater than 1. 23. The kinetic hydropower generator system. as in claim 18 wherein the velocity within the acceleration zone is increased 3 to 10 times the velocity of the ambient upstream flow velocity. 24. A kinetic hydropower generation system comprising a flume having a base and two opposing side walls that extend from an inlet to an outlet, said two opposing side walls having a section where the opposing side walls are converging following the inlet, said base including a downwardly angled floor section located down stream from the converging side walls and leading to an acceleration zone at least a portion of which is defined by a substantially flat bottom and two substantially parallel side walls, and a power generating assembly operatively positioned within the acceleration zone, the inlet including a raised portion that together with the converging sidewalls create a dynamic upstream head in the water flow, and wherein a downstream flow depth decreases as the flow velocity increases across the acceleration zone to create super-critical flow velocities within the acceleration zone to operate the power generating assembly. 25. A power generating and water flow accelerating flume comprising: an upwardly open flume device for receiving flowing water comprised of a bottom having a shaped upper surface and upwardly extending sidewalls connected to the bottom that collectively define a length and a width of the flume device, the flume device having an entrance including a raised entrance floor and an exit, a converging throat, a flow acceleration zone positioned downstream from the converging throat and having at least a portion thereof at a level lower than the entrance, the flume device creating a dynamic hydraulic head in water flow upstream of the acceleration zone to thereby establish super-critical flow velocities in the fluid flow across the acceleration zone with a Froude number of the fluid flow there through being greater than one, and a power generating assembly located within and operated by the fluid flow across the acceleration zone.