Bidirectional axial flow turbine with self-pivoting blades for use in wave energy converter
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F03B-013/00
출원번호
US-0330917
(2011-12-20)
등록번호
US-8698331
(2014-04-15)
발명자
/ 주소
Carter, Richard W.
출원인 / 주소
Carter, Richard W.
대리인 / 주소
Chong, Leighton K.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
2인용 특허 :
11
초록▼
A bidirectional axial flow turbine with self-pivoting blades is provided for use in a central opening of submerged horizontally-aligned structure forming a wave energy conversion device. Entry and exit inner guide vanes are positioned on opposite sides of the vertically-aligned central opening, for
A bidirectional axial flow turbine with self-pivoting blades is provided for use in a central opening of submerged horizontally-aligned structure forming a wave energy conversion device. Entry and exit inner guide vanes are positioned on opposite sides of the vertically-aligned central opening, for directing the bidirectional fluid flow into and out of the central opening and inducing a vortex swirl in both directions of fluid flow that has the same direction of rotation. Within the opening, a turbine hub is mounted with a plurality of uniformly spaced self-pivoting blades that have a symmetrical blade profile to the bidirectional flow. The self-pivoting blades automatically change their blade angle in response to the force of water flow on the blades, so that they turn the turbine shaft in the same rotational direction in both flow directions.
대표청구항▼
1. In a wave energy conversion device having a submerged horizontally-aligned structure provided with a central opening for inducing a bidirectional fluid flow into and from the central opening in the submerged structure, the improvement of a bidirectional axial flow turbine with self-pivoting blade
1. In a wave energy conversion device having a submerged horizontally-aligned structure provided with a central opening for inducing a bidirectional fluid flow into and from the central opening in the submerged structure, the improvement of a bidirectional axial flow turbine with self-pivoting blades positioned in the central opening of the submerged structure comprising: entry and exit sets of inner guide vanes positioned on opposite ends of the vertically-aligned sides of the central opening, for directing the bidirectional fluid flow through the central opening and inducing a vortex swirl in the bidirectional fluid flow such that rotation of the fluid within the central opening rotates in the same direction;a turbine hub on a turbine shaft mounting a plurality of blades that are uniformly spaced around a circumference of the hub, said blades having a foil profile that is the same for both fluid flow directions;wherein the plurality of blades are coupled to a rotating shaft of a pivot mechanism to have self-pivoting movement in response to axial flow forces of the water acting on the blades so as to adjust their blade angle so that the turbine shaft turns in the same rotational direction in both directions of axial water flow. 2. The improvement turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 1, wherein said turbine has a rotational axis that is vertical and the plurality of blades are arranged symmetrically that when in still water are in a balanced configuration in a horizontal plane that lies orthogonal to the vertical turbine axis. 3. The improvement turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 1, wherein the pivot mechanism for the plurality of blades is located in the turbine hub. 4. The improvement turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blades are driven in self-pivoting movement only by the bidirectional axial flow of water. 5. The improvement turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 1, wherein the self-pivoting blades are designed to twist along a length of the blade in one direction of fluid flow and then twist into a different configuration for reverse fluid flow. 6. In a wave energy conversion device having a submerged horizontally-aligned structure provided with a central opening for inducing a bidirectional fluid flow into and from the central opening in the submerged structure, the improvement of a bidirectional axial flow turbine with self-pivoting blades positioned in the central opening of the submerged structure comprising: entry and exit sets of inner guide vanes positioned on opposite ends of the vertically-aligned sides of the central opening, for directing the bidirectional fluid flow through the central opening and inducing a vortex swirl in the bidirectional fluid flow such that rotation of the fluid within the central opening rotates in the same direction;a turbine hub on a turbine shaft mounting a plurality of blades that are uniformly spaced around a circumference of the hub, said blades having a blade profile that is the same for both fluid flow directions;wherein the plurality of blades are coupled to a pivot mechanism to have self-pivoting movement in response to axial flow forces of the water acting on the blades so as to adjust their blade angle so that the turbine shaft turns in the same rotational direction in both directions of axial water flow,wherein the self-pivoting movement of the blades is converted by the pivot mechanism into end-stop travel movement of an end-stop inner shaft between opposite end-stop positions defined by an end-stop mechanism. 7. The improvement turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 6, wherein said end-stop mechanism is located within the turbine hub. 8. The improvement turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 6, wherein said end-stop mechanism is located outside the turbine hub and the pivot mechanism for the blades has an inner shaft extension extending through a hollow core of the turbine shaft with an end coupled to the external end-stop mechanism. 9. The improvement turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 6, wherein said end-stop mechanism has end-stop members for defining the end-stop positions for the pivoting of the blades which can be variably positioned to define optimal blade angles for the blades relative to the bidirectional axial flow of water. 10. The improvement turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 9, wherein said end-stop members are coupled to motor drives for positively moving the end-stop members to variable end-stop positions corresponding to optimal blade angles for the blades. 11. A turbine with self-pivoting blades for converting bidirectional axial flow of water into rotation of a turbine shaft comprising: a turbine hub on a turbine shaft mounting a plurality of blades that are uniformly spaced around a circumference of the hub, said blades having a foil profile that is the same for both fluid flow directions;wherein the plurality of blades are coupled to a rotating shaft of a pivot mechanism for self-pivoting movement in response to axial flow forces of the water acting on the blades so as to adjust their blade angle so that the turbine shaft turns in the same rotational direction in both directions of axial water flow. 12. The turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 11, wherein said turbine has a rotational axis that is vertical and the plurality of blades are arranged symmetrically that when in still water are in a balanced configuration in a horizontal plane that lies orthogonal to the vertical turbine axis. 13. The turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 11, wherein the pivot mechanism for the plurality of blades is located in the turbine hub. 14. The turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 11, wherein the plurality of blades are driven in self-pivoting movement only by the bidirectional axial flow of water. 15. A turbine with self-pivoting blades for converting bidirectional axial flow of water into rotation of a turbine shaft comprising: a turbine hub on a turbine shaft mounting a plurality of blades that are uniformly spaced around a circumference of the hub, said blades having a blade profile that is the same for both fluid flow directions; a pivot mechanism coupled to the plurality of blades for self-pivoting movement in response to axial flow forces of the water acting on the blades so as to adjust their blade angle so that the turbine shaft turns in the same rotational direction in both directions of axial water flow,wherein the self-pivoting movement of the blades is converted by the pivot mechanism into end-stop travel movement of an end-stop inner shaft between opposite end-stop positions defined by an end-stop mechanism. 16. The turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 15, wherein said end-stop mechanism is located within the turbine hub. 17. The turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 15, wherein said end-stop mechanism is located outside the turbine hub and the pivot mechanism for the blades has an inner shaft extension extending through a hollow core of the turbine shaft with an end coupled to the external end-stop mechanism. 18. The turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 15, wherein the self-pivoting blades are designed to twist along a length of the blade in either of two respective twist configurations corresponding with changes in flow direction. 19. The turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 15, wherein the self-pivoting movement of the blades is converted by the pivot mechanism into bidirectional up and down linear movement of the end-stop inner shaft to move a stop member between opposite end-stop positions. 20. The turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 15, wherein the self-pivoting movement of the blades is converted by the pivot mechanism into bidirectional rotational movement of the end-stop inner shaft to move a stop member between opposite end-stop positions. 21. The turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 15, wherein said end-stop mechanism has end-stop members for defining the end-stop positions for the pivoting of the blades which can be variably positioned to define optimal blade angles for the blades relative to the bidirectional axial flow of water. 22. The turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 21, wherein said end-stop members are coupled to motor drives for positively moving the end-stop members to variable end-stop positions corresponding to optimal blade angles for the blades relative to the bidirectional axial flow of water. 23. The turbine with self-pivoting blades of claim 22, wherein said motor drives have sufficient power for moving the end-stop members when in contact with a stop member fixed on the end-stop inner shaft to positively move the stop member and end-stop inner shaft to desired end-stop positions corresponding to optimal blade angles for the blades relative to the bidirectional axial flow of water.
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