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A turbine includes a stack of substantially parallel disks, the rotation of which causes rotation of a shaft. The disks are separated by peripheral spacers, each peripheral spacer having the shape of an airfoil. Each peripheral spacer defines a chord which is angled radially inward, towards the axis

A turbine includes a stack of substantially parallel disks, the rotation of which causes rotation of a shaft. The disks are separated by peripheral spacers, each peripheral spacer having the shape of an airfoil. Each peripheral spacer defines a chord which is angled radially inward, towards the axis of rotation of the disk. The peripheral spacers are located only in the vicinity of the periphery of the disk. Air, or other fluid, entering the turbine engages the airfoil shaped peripheral spacers, and the flow of air generates lift, and associated drag, causing the energy of the fluid to be more efficiently converted into mechanical, and ultimately, electrical power. The turbine is especially useful in harnessing wind energy for the generation of electric power.

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What is claimed is: 1. In a turbine having a plurality of substantially parallel disks, the disks being held in spaced-apart relation by a plurality of peripheral spacers having an airfoil shape including an enlarged leading edge and a thin trailing edge, each of the peripheral spacers being contin

What is claimed is: 1. In a turbine having a plurality of substantially parallel disks, the disks being held in spaced-apart relation by a plurality of peripheral spacers having an airfoil shape including an enlarged leading edge and a thin trailing edge, each of the peripheral spacers being continuously curved from the leading edge to the trailing edge, the leading edge being generally smooth and continuous, the turbine including an inlet for directing fluid towards the disks and an outlet for directing fluid away from the disks, the disks being connected to means for engaging a shaft, the improvement wherein the peripheral spacers are disposed only in a vicinity of a periphery of the disks, wherein the leading edges of the spacers are located closer to the periphery than the trailing edges, and wherein each disk has a central opening, wherein the central openings of the disks together define a path for fluid to exit the turbine. 2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein each of the disks has a radius denoted by R, and wherein the peripheral spacers are located a distance of at least about 0.95 R from a center of the disk. 3. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the peripheral spacers are spaced apart from each other by approximately one-half the radius of the disk. 4. The improvement of claim 1, wherein there are at least three peripheral spacers. 5. The improvement of claim 1, wherein each disk is connected to a set of spokes, the spokes defining a central spacer located near a hub of the disk. 6. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the peripheral spacers are aligned so as to define a column of peripheral spacers extending through the turbine. 7. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the disks define an axis of rotation, wherein each peripheral spacer has a chord extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and wherein the chord of each peripheral spacer is angled slightly inward, towards the axis of rotation. 8. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the outlet comprises an elongated structure having a generally flat surface. 9. The improvement of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of louvers, disposed in a vicinity of the inlet, for controlling a flow of fluid into the turbine. 10. A turbine for converting energy of a moving fluid into mechanical power, comprising: a) a stack of substantially parallel disks, the disks being held in spaced-apart relation by a plurality of peripheral spacers, the disks being connected to means for engaging a shaft, b) an inlet conduit for conveying fluid towards the stack, and c) an outlet conduit for conveying fluid away from the stack, d) wherein each of the peripheral spacers has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge having a thickness greater than a thickness of the trailing edged, wherein each of the peripheral spacers is continuously curved from the leading edge to the trailing edge, the leading edge being generally smooth and continuous, wherein the leading edges of the spacers are positioned closer to a periphery of the disks than the trailing edges, and wherein each disk has a central opening, wherein the central openings of the disks together define a path for fluid to exit the turbine. 11. The turbine of claim 10, wherein the disks define an axis of rotation, wherein each peripheral spacer defines a chord extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and wherein the chord of each peripheral spacer is angled slightly inward, towards the axis of rotation. 12. The turbine of claim 11, wherein the peripheral spacers are located only in a vicinity of a periphery of the disks. 13. The turbine of claim 12, wherein each of the disks has a radius denoted by R, and wherein the peripheral spacers are located a distance of at least about 0.95 R from a center of the disk. 14. The turbine of claim 10, wherein the outlet conduit comprises an elongated structure having a generally flat surface. 15. The turbine of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of louvers, disposed in a vicinity of the inlet conduit, for controlling a flow of fluid into the turbine. 16. A turbine for converting energy of a moving fluid into mechanical power, comprising: a) a stack of substantially parallel disks, the disks being held in spaced-apart relation by a plurality of peripheral spacers, the disks being connected to means for engaging a shaft, b) an inlet conduit for conveying fluid towards the stack, and c) an outlet conduit for conveying fluid away from the stack, wherein: d) each of the peripheral spacers has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge having a thickness greater than a thickness of the trailing edge, wherein each of the peripheral spacers is continuously curved from the leading edge to the trailing edge, the leading edge being generally smooth and continuous, and wherein the leading edge of each spacer is positioned closer to a periphery of the disk than each trailing edge, e) the disks define an axis of rotation, wherein each peripheral spacer defines a chord extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and wherein the chord of each peripheral spacer is angled inward, towards the axis of rotation, f) wherein the peripheral spacers are located only in a vicinity of a periphery of the disks, and g) wherein each disk has a central opening, wherein the central openings of the disks together define a oath for fluid to exit the turbine. 17. The turbine of claim 16, wherein each of the disks has a radius denoted by R, and wherein the peripheral spacers are located at a distance of at least about 0.95 R from a center of the disk. 18. The turbine of claim 16, wherein the outlet conduit comprises an elongated structure having a generally flat surface. 19. The turbine of claim 16, further comprising means for controlling a flow of fluid into the turbine.