IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0944990
(2010-11-12)
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등록번호 |
US-8487468
(2013-07-16)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
37 |
초록
▼
Some embodiments of a turbine system described herein provide a turbine that rotates in response to off-axis fluid flow, such as water flowing in a generally horizontal direction that is generally perpendicular to a vertical axis of rotation. The rotation of the turbine can drive a generator to outp
Some embodiments of a turbine system described herein provide a turbine that rotates in response to off-axis fluid flow, such as water flowing in a generally horizontal direction that is generally perpendicular to a vertical axis of rotation. The rotation of the turbine can drive a generator to output electrical energy.
대표청구항
▼
1. A turbine for use in an electrical generation system, comprising: a vertical-axis turbine that rotates about a vertical axis in response to fluid flowing toward the turbine in a flow direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis;the vertical-axis turbine including: a central uppe
1. A turbine for use in an electrical generation system, comprising: a vertical-axis turbine that rotates about a vertical axis in response to fluid flowing toward the turbine in a flow direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis;the vertical-axis turbine including: a central upper dome surface at least partially defined by a bell-shaped curve in a vertical cross-sectional plane, and a plurality of upwardly protruding fins that each extend from an outer region proximate to an outer periphery of the vertical axis turbine toward the central upper dome surface,wherein each of the fins terminates at a vertical height below an uppermost region of the central upper dome surface, wherein the vertical-axis turbine is a single-piece structure comprising a molded polymer material such that all of the upwardly protruding fins and the upper dome surface are molded as unitary structure, and wherein the plurality of upwardly protruding fins are arranged such that the vertical-axis turbine rotates in a first direction about the vertical axis both in response to fluid flowing over the turbine in a first flow direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis and in response to fluid flowing over the turbine in a second opposite flow direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis. 2. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the vertical-axis turbine includes a continuously solid upward facing surface having a generally circular border at the outer periphery of the vertical axis turbine. 3. The turbine of claim 2, wherein the continuously solid upward surface is free of openings. 4. The turbine of claim 3, wherein all of the upwardly protruding fins are positioned inwardly of the circular border and extend to a vertical height above the circular border. 5. The turbine of claim 2, wherein the outer periphery of the vertical-axis turbine is defined by a diameter centered about vertical axis of about 5 feet or greater. 6. The turbine of claim 2, wherein the central upper dome surface is symmetric about the vertical axis. 7. The turbine of claim 6, wherein the plurality of fins are non-symmetric about the vertical axis. 8. The turbine of claim 1, wherein an uppermost region of the central upper dome surface has a greater vertical height than all of the upwardly protruding fins. 9. The turbine of claim 1, wherein all of the upwardly protruding fins have substantially the same shape and size. 10. The turbine of claim 9, wherein each of the upwardly protruding fins terminates at a vertical height below a vertical height of an uppermost region of the central upper dome surface. 11. The turbine of claim 9, wherein each of the upwardly protruding fins is curved along the length extending from an outer region that is proximate to the outer periphery of the vertical-axis turbine toward the central upper dome surface. 12. The turbine of claim 9, wherein each of the upwardly protruding fins has a convexly curved face and an oppositely disposed concave face that intersect at a curved ridge. 13. The turbine of claim 12, wherein the concave face of each of the upwardly protruding fins terminates in a non-radial direction that extends toward an adjacent fin and away from the vertical axis. 14. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of upwardly protruding fins each include a convex face and an oppositely disposed concave face, wherein both the convex face and the concave face of each upwardly protruding fin are upwardly facing surfaces. 15. The turbine of claim 1, wherein, while each fin rotates to different positions about the vertical axis, each fin is configured to capture fluid flowing over the vertical-axis turbine, redirect the fluid along a path different from the ambient fluid flow, and contribute to the creation of a high pressure region on downstream portion of the vertical-axis turbine. 16. A turbine system for generating electrical power, comprising: a vertical-axis turbine including a plurality of fins formed as a unitary structure with a centrally located, convexly curved upward facing surface, wherein an uppermost region of the centrally located, convexly curved upward facing surface has a greater vertical height than each of the fins, wherein the vertical-axis turbine rotates about a vertical axis in a first direction about a vertical axis both in response to fluid flowing over the turbine in a first flow direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis and in response to fluid flowing over the turbine in a second opposite flow direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis. 17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a base structure positioned below the vertical-axis turbine to remain generally stationary during rotation of the vertical-axis turbine. 18. The system of claim 17, further comprising an electrical generator positioned between the vertical-axis turbine and the base structure so as to generate electrical power in response to the rotation of the vertical-axis turbine relative to the base structure. 19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a pump mechanism positioned between the vertical-axis turbine and the base structure so as to force hydraulic fluid to an onshore generator systems in response to the rotation of the vertical-axis turbine relative to the base structure. 20. The system of claim 16, wherein the vertical-axis turbine includes a continuously solid upward facing surface having a generally circular border at the outer periphery of the vertical axis turbine, continuously solid upward facing surface including the plurality of fins and the convexly curved upward facing surface. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the continuously solid upward surface is free of openings. 22. The system of claim 20, wherein the outer periphery of the vertical-axis turbine is defined by a diameter centered about vertical axis of about 5 feet or greater. 23. The system of claim 16, wherein the centrally located, convexly curved upward facing surface is symmetric about the vertical axis. 24. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of fins are non-symmetric about the vertical axis. 25. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of fins have substantially the same shape and size. 26. The system of claim 25, wherein each of the fins terminates at a vertical height below a vertical height of an uppermost region of the centrally located, convexly curved upward facing surface. 27. A turbine system for generating electrical power, comprising: a vertical-axis turbine that rotates about a vertical axis in response to fluid flowing toward the turbine in a flow direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis, the vertical-axis turbine comprising an uppermost surface region defined by an upwardly facing convex curvature centered about the vertical axis, wherein the vertical-axis turbine includes a continuously solid upward facing surface having a generally circular border at the outer periphery of the vertical-axis turbine, continuously solid upward facing surface including a plurality of fins and the upwardly facing convex curvature;a base structure positioned below the vertical-axis turbine to remain generally stationary during rotation of the vertical-axis turbine; andan electrical generator positioned between the vertical-axis turbine and the base structure so as to generate electrical power in response to the rotation of the vertical-axis turbine relative to the base structure. 28. The system of claim 27, wherein the electrical generator is electrically connected to an onshore electronics system that conditions the electrical power for output to an external power grid. 29. The system of claim 27, wherein the electrical generator is sealed in a pressure vessel shell structure that is positioned between the vertical-axis turbine and the base structure. 30. The system of claim 27, wherein a drive shaft that is fixedly mounted to the vertical-axis turbine to extend downwardly from an underside of the uppermost surface region, the shaft extending to at least a portion of the electrical generator. 31. The system of claim 27, wherein the continuously solid upward surface is free of openings. 32. The system of claim 27, wherein the outer periphery of the vertical-axis turbine is defined by a diameter centered about vertical axis of about 5 feet or greater. 33. The system of claim 27, wherein the centrally located, convexly curved upward facing surface is symmetric about the vertical axis. 34. The system of claim 33, wherein the plurality of fins are non-symmetric about the vertical axis. 35. A method of using a turbine system for generating electrical power from underwater current flow, comprising: positioning a vertical-axis turbine underwater such that a vertical axis of rotation of the vertical-axis turbine is arranged generally perpendicularly to water flow, wherein the vertical-axis turbine includes a continuously solid upward facing surface that includes a central upper dome surface and a plurality of upwardly protruding fins that each extend from an outer region proximate to an outer periphery of the vertical axis turbine toward the central upper dome surface;generating electrical power in response to rotation of the vertical-axis turbine caused by water flowing over the central upper dome surface and interacting with the plurality of upwardly protruding fins. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein central upper dome surface is symmetric about the vertical axis. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the plurality of upwardly protruding fins are non-symmetric about the vertical axis. 38. The method of claim 35, further comprising anchoring a base structure to a floor of a body of water, the base structure being positioned below the vertical-axis turbine to remain generally stationary during rotation of the vertical-axis turbine in the body of water. 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the generating step comprises generating electrical power from an electrical generator positioned between the vertical-axis turbine and the base structure so as to generate electrical power in response to the rotation of the vertical-axis turbine relative to the base structure. 40. The method of claim 38, wherein the generating step comprises generating electrical power from a pump mechanism positioned between the vertical-axis turbine and the base structure so as to force hydraulic fluid to an onshore generator systems in response to the rotation of the vertical-axis turbine relative to the base structure. 41. A method of manufacturing a turbine system for use in generating electrical power, the method comprising: molding a vertical-axis turbine such that a plurality of fins of the turbine are formed as a unitary structure with a centrally located, convexly curved uppermost surface of the turbine, wherein each of the fins terminates at a vertical height below the convexly curved uppermost surface; andmounting the vertical-axis turbine to base structure such that the vertical-axis turbine is configured to rotate about a vertical axis relative to the base structure in response to fluid flowing toward the turbine in a flow direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis. 42. The method of claim 41, further comprising mounting an electrical generator between the vertical-axis turbine and the base structure so as to generate electrical power in response to the rotation of the vertical-axis turbine relative to the base structure. 43. The method of claim 41, further comprising mounting a pump mechanism positioned between the vertical-axis turbine and the base structure so as to force hydraulic fluid to an onshore generator systems in response to the rotation of the vertical-axis turbine relative to the base structure.
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