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A bi-directional flow impulse type turbine arrangement (120) for use with a bi-directional reversing flow (F, F1, F2), and in particular for use with an oscillating water column power plant (110). The turbine arrangement (120) has a rotor (120), and first and second sets of guide vanes (140, 142) lo

A bi-directional flow impulse type turbine arrangement (120) for use with a bi-directional reversing flow (F, F1, F2), and in particular for use with an oscillating water column power plant (110). The turbine arrangement (120) has a rotor (120), and first and second sets of guide vanes (140, 142) located on an opposite axial sides of the rotor (132) for directing the bi-directional reversing flow (F, F1, F2) to and from the rotor (132). The guide vanes (140, 142) are disposed at a greater radius and radially offset from the rotor blades (136). The turbine arrangement further comprises first and second annular ducts disposed respectively between the first and second sets of guide vanes (140, 142) and the rotor (132) for directing fluid from the guide vanes (140, 142) to the rotor blades (136). In addition, and in other aspects of the invention, the vanes (140,142) and rotor blades (136) have a novel profile, with in particular the vanes (144) having a profile to maintain a constant flow passage between the vanes over a turning section of the vanes, and the rotor blades of the rotor (132) having a higher turning angle (2alpha), and producing a non-axial outlet downstream flow. The turbine (120) may also in another aspect incorporate vanes with a slot and a boundary layer blowing arrangement to re-energise and improve the reverse flow over the vanes.

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1. A bi-directional flow impulse type turbine arrangement for use with a bi-directional reversing flow through the turbine arrangement, the turbine arrangement having an axis and comprising: a rotor rotatably mounted to rotate about the axis and having a plurality of rotor blades disposed circumfere

1. A bi-directional flow impulse type turbine arrangement for use with a bi-directional reversing flow through the turbine arrangement, the turbine arrangement having an axis and comprising: a rotor rotatably mounted to rotate about the axis and having a plurality of rotor blades disposed circumferentially around the rotor,a first set of guide vanes circumferentially disposed about the axis and located on one axial side of the rotor for directing the bi-directional reversing flow to and from the plurality of rotor blades;a second set of guide vanes circumferentially disposed about the axis and located on an opposite axial side of the rotor for directing the bi-directional reversing flow to and from the plurality of rotor blades; andfirst and second annular ducts defining annular flow passages disposed respectively between the first and second sets of guide vanes and the rotor for directing fluid from the first and second sets of guide vanes to the plurality of rotor blades, wherein the first and second sets of guide vanes are disposed at a greater radius than the plurality of rotor blades such that the first and second sets of guide vanes are radially offset from the plurality of rotor blades. 2. The turbine arrangement of claim 1, wherein a radial offset distance of the first and second sets of guide vanes from the plurality of rotor blades is 6 times the radial height of the plurality of rotor blades. 3. The turbine arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first and second annular ducts have an axial length of between 4 to 12 times a rotor blade radial height. 4. The turbine arrangement of claim 1, wherein a height of the annular flow passages of the first and second annular ducts is constant along a length of the first and second annular ducts. 5. The turbine arrangement of claim 1, wherein a height of the annular flow passages of the first and second annular ducts is less at an end of the first and second annular ducts adjacent the first and second sets of guide vanes than at an end of the first and second annular ducts adjacent the plurality of rotor blades. 6. The turbine arrangement of claim 1, wherein a height of the annular flow passages of the first and second annular ducts at an end of the first and second annular ducts adjacent the first and second sets of guide vanes is greater than half a height of the annular flow passages of the first and second annular ducts at an end of the first and second annular ducts adjacent the plurality of rotor blades. 7. The turbine arrangement of claim 1, wherein a flow passage area of the first and second annular ducts at an end of the first and second annular ducts adjacent the first and second sets of guide vanes is greater than a flow passage area of the first and second annular ducts at an end of the first and second annular ducts adjacent the rotor. 8. The turbine arrangement of claim 1, wherein a flow passage area of the first and second annular ducts at an end of the first and second annular ducts adjacent the first and second sets of guide vanes is up to 4 times greater than a flow passage area of the first and second annular ducts at an end of the first and second annular ducts adjacent the rotor. 9. The turbine arrangement of claim 1, wherein at least one boundary layer flow control outlet is defined in a guide vane surface of the guide vanes of at least one of the first and second sets of guide vanes, the boundary layer flow control outlet being connected to a fluid source to, in use, direct a fluid from the fluid source to the at least one boundary layer flow control outlet and over the guide vane surface. 10. The turbine arrangement of claim 9, wherein the at least one boundary layer flow control outlet comprises at least one slot in the guide vane surface of the guide vanes of at least one of the first and second sets of guide vanes. 11. The turbine arrangement of claim 9, wherein the at least one boundary layer flow control outlet comprises a plurality of apertures defined in the guide vane surface of the guide vanes of at least one of the first and second sets of guide vanes. 12. The turbine arrangement of claim 9, wherein the fluid source comprises at least one intake and at least one fluid duct to divert a portion of the fluid flowing through the turbine arrangement to the at least one boundary layer flow control outlet. 13. The turbine arrangement of claim 12, further comprising a first intake and a first fluid duct to divert a portion of the fluid to the at least one boundary layer flow control outlet of the first set of guide vanes, and a second intake and a second fluid duct to divert a portion of the fluid to the at least one boundary layer flow control outlet of the second set of guide vanes. 14. The turbine arrangement of claim 12, wherein the at least one intake comprises a Pitot intake located in a flow passage through the turbine arrangement. 15. The turbine arrangement of claim 12, wherein the at least one intake is coupled to the atmosphere. 16. The turbine arrangement of claim 9, wherein the fluid source comprises a pump or a compressor. 17. The turbine arrangement of claim 9, wherein the fluid source comprises at least one valve to control the flow of fluid from the fluid source to the at least one boundary layer flow control outlet and over the guide vane surface. 18. The turbine arrangement of claim 1, wherein a flow passage is defined between adjacent guide vanes of the first and second sets of guide vanes, and the guide vanes of the first and second sets of guide vanes have a cross section profile comprising a first portion oriented generally parallel to the axis and an axial flow through the turbine arrangement, and a second portion oriented at an angle to the axis and axial flow through the turbine arrangement, and a turning portion disposed between the first and second portions, and wherein the cross sectional area of the flow passage defined between the turning portions of adjacent guide vanes of the first and second sets of guide vanes is substantially constant. 19. The turbine arrangement of claim 18, wherein the guide vanes of the first and second sets of guide vanes are defined by a wall, and a width of the flow passage between the walls of adjacent guide vanes of the first and second sets of guide vanes over the turning section is substantially constant. 20. The turbine arrangement of claim 18, wherein the turning portion of the guide vanes of the first and second sets of guide vanes has a camber line which is defined by a circular arc that extends over a predetermined turning angle of the guide vane. 21. The turbine arrangement of claim 18, wherein the turning portion of the guide vane comprises a predetermined turning angle that is between 35 and 70 degrees to the axial direction. 22. The turbine arrangement of claim 18, wherein the second portion length comprises up to 30% of the axial chord of the guide vane, and the second portion further has a semi-circular edge end having a radius of between 2 and 10% of the axial chord of the guide vane. 23. The turbine arrangement of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rotor blades are symmetrical about a plane perpendicular to the axis and passing through an axial midpoint of the plurality of rotor blades. 24. The turbine arrangement of claim 23, wherein a turning angle of the plurality of rotor blades is between 70 and 140 degrees. 25. An oscillating water column power generator comprising: a housing defining a chamber for a fluid which is periodically compressed and expanded by the oscillating water column, the housing having an outlet for directing a bi-directional reversing flow of the fluid periodically compressed and expanded by the oscillating water column from the housing;the turbine arrangement of claim 1 connected to the outlet and driven by the bi-directional reversing flow of the fluid from the outlet; anda generator connected to and driven by the rotor of the turbine arrangement.