초록 ▼

A turbine that allows for the conversion of the kinetic energy of waterway to mechanical power for use in an energy accepting apparatus is described. The turbine has complimentary components that improve the power efficiency of the turbine. The turbine may include a blade shroud and a plurality of b

A turbine that allows for the conversion of the kinetic energy of waterway to mechanical power for use in an energy accepting apparatus is described. The turbine has complimentary components that improve the power efficiency of the turbine. The turbine may include a blade shroud and a plurality of blades that are connected to the blade shroud. On the external surface of the blade shroud, a drive mechanism and/or a brake mechanism may be disposed. An inlet nozzle and outlet diffuser may be used in combination with the turbine. The turbine may be useful in a number of settings, including, but not limited to, streams, rivers, dams, ocean currents, or tidal areas that have continuous or semi-continuous water flow rates and windy environments.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A flowing water turbine, comprising: a blade shroud having an interior surface and an exterior surface;a shaft coaxial with said blade shroud; anda plurality of blades coupled to said shaft, said plurality of blades extending radially from said shaft so as to engage said interior surface, wherein

1. A flowing water turbine, comprising: a blade shroud having an interior surface and an exterior surface;a shaft coaxial with said blade shroud; anda plurality of blades coupled to said shaft, said plurality of blades extending radially from said shaft so as to engage said interior surface, wherein said plurality of blades are configured and dimensioned in combination with said shroud to provide a lift coefficient greater than about 1.5 when said blade shroud and said plurality of blades are disposed in flowing water. 2. The turbine of claim 1, wherein said plurality of blades are configured and dimensioned in combination with said shroud to provide a lift coefficient of about 2. 3. The turbine of claim 1, wherein said plurality of blades have a radial length, a chord length, and angle of attack such that said plurality of blades create a solidity of greater than about 6% and less than about 20%. 4. The turbine of claim 3, wherein said plurality of blades have a radial length, a chord length, and angle of attack such that said plurality of blades create a solidity of greater than about 10 percent and less than about 15 percent. 5. The turbine of claim 4, wherein said solidity is greater than about 11 percent and less than about 13 percent. 6. The turbine of claim 1, further comprising a drive assembly component disposed on said exterior surface, said component configured to be cooperatively engaged with a power take off mechanism to deliver power from said turbine. 7. The turbine of claim 1, further comprising a brake component disposed on said exterior surface, said brake component configured to be cooperatively engaged with a braking mechanism to control turbine rotation speed. 8. A flowing water turbine assembly, comprising: a support structure;first and second bearings carried by said support structure;a shaft having a front and rear ends rotatably received in said first and second bearings, respectively;an annular blade shroud coaxially disposed around said shaft in a sealing relationship with the support structure, said shroud being rotatable with respect to the support structure and having an interior surface and an exterior surface;a plurality of blades coupled to said shaft, said plurality of blades extending radially from said center shaft so as to engage said annular blade shroud; anda brake mechanism including a first brake component mounted on said exterior surface of said blade shroud and a second brake component mounted to said support structure, said first and second brake components being mechanically engageable to control turbine rotation speed. 9. The turbine assembly of claim 8, wherein said plurality of blades are configured and dimensioned in combination with said shroud to provide a lift coefficient of about 1.5. 10. The turbine assembly of claim 8, wherein said plurality of blades are configured and dimensioned in combination with said shroud to provide a tip speed ratio of in the range of about 1.2 to about 4. 11. The turbine assembly of claim 8, further comprising a power take off mechanism including a drive component disposed on said exterior surface and a complementary driven component mounted on the support structure. 12. The turbine assembly of claim 11, wherein said drive component is disposed around an outer circumference of the annular blade shroud. 13. The turbine assembly of claim 8, wherein the first brake component comprises a member extending radially from said exterior surface and the second component comprises caliper mounted to the support structure for frictional engagement of the first component. 14. The turbine assembly of claim 8, wherein said support structure comprises an inlet nozzle having a plurality of struts, said struts carrying the first bearings centrally within said inlet nozzle. 15. The turbine assembly of claim 14, wherein said support structure further comprises an outlet diffuser having a plurality of struts, said struts carrying the second bearings centrally within said outlet diffuser. 16. The turbine assembly of claim 15, including a plurality of structural members configured and dimensioned to span the blade shroud and secure together said inlet nozzle and said outlet diffuser. 17. The turbine assembly of claim 8, wherein said bearings permit rotation about plural axes. 18. The turbine assembly of claim 8, further comprising a sealing ring mounted around the circumference of said annular blade shroud, said sealing ring interposed between said exterior surface and said support structure and substantially blocking water passage between said support structure and said annular blade shroud during rotation of said shroud. 19. A flowing water turbine assembly configured to power a rotational energy conversion apparatus located above a water surface, comprising: a support structure configured to extend from above the water surface to below the water surface;a turbine rotatably mounted on said structure for positioning entirely below the water surface while said turbine is operating, said turbine comprising: an annular blade shroud having an interior surface and an exterior surface;a shaft coaxial with said blade shroud; anda plurality of blades coupled to said shaft, said plurality of blades extending radially from said center shaft so as to engage said blade shroud at said interior surface;a drive assembly component disposed on said exterior surface of the blade shroud and operatively engageable with said rotational energy conversion apparatus; anda lifting mechanism operable to move said turbine between a position entirely below the water surface and a position at least partially above the water surface. 20. The turbine assembly of claim 19, wherein said plurality of blades have a chord length, a radial length and angle of attack such that said plurality of blades produce a solidity of greater than about 8 percent but less than about 20 percent. 21. The turbine assembly of claim 20, wherein said plurality of blades create a solidity of greater than about 10 percent and less than about 15 percent. 22. The turbine assembly of claim 20 having a tip speed ratio of greater than about 1.2 and less than about 6. 23. The turbine assembly of claim 22 having a tip speed ratio of greater than about 1.2 and less than about 4. 24. The turbine assembly of claim 23 having a tip speed ratio of greater than about 1.2 and less than about 2. 25. The turbine assembly of claim 19, wherein said drive assembly component comprises a sprocket that mates with a chain operatively engageable with the rotational energy conversion apparatus. 26. The turbine assembly of claim 19, wherein said support structure comprises an inlet nozzle mated to and having an interior surface substantially collinear with said annular blade shroud, said inlet nozzle supporting a first bearing assembly with a plurality of struts. 27. The turbine assembly of claim 26, wherein said support structure further comprises an outlet diffuser mated to and having an interior surface substantially collinear with said annular blade shroud, said outlet diffuser supporting a second bearing assembly with a plurality of struts. 28. The turbine assembly of claim 27, wherein said shaft has a first end and second end, said first end and said second end being supported respectively by said first bearing assembly and said second bearing assembly. 29. The turbine assembly of claim 27, said turbine assembly further including a plurality of structural connectors configured and dimensioned to secure said inlet nozzle to said outlet diffuser. 30. The turbine assembly of claim 29, further comprising first and second sealing rings mounted around the circumference of said annular blade shroud, one said sealing ring interposed within a gap between the blade shroud and the nozzle and the other said sealing ring interposed within a gap between the blade shroud and the outlet diffuser, said sealing rings configured and dimensioned to substantially block water passage through said gaps. 31. The turbine assembly of claim 19, further comprising a brake mechanism including a first brake component mounted on the exterior surface of the blade shroud and a second brake component mounted to the support structure, said brake components operatively engageable to control turbine rotation speed. 32. The turbine assembly of claim 19, wherein the rotational energy conversion apparatus is mounted on the support structure above the water surface.