A hydroelectric machine and system is disclosed comprising an electric generator and water turbine configured for direct immersion into a naturally flowing body of water such as the ocean, stream, or a tidal basin. In one embodiment, the water turbine includes a rotor having plurality of pivotably m
A hydroelectric machine and system is disclosed comprising an electric generator and water turbine configured for direct immersion into a naturally flowing body of water such as the ocean, stream, or a tidal basin. In one embodiment, the water turbine includes a rotor having plurality of pivotably moveable blades which sequentially open and close to capture fluid or kinetic energy when exposed to the water current from any direction. In one embodiment, the blades are arranged in overlapping relationship to maximize the number of blades and active blade surface area for capturing fluid energy and reducing flow turbulence around the water turbine. Various embodiments include arcuately curved blades and reverse curved trailing edges for early capture of fluid and initiation of the blade extension outwards from the rotor.
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1. A water turbine configured for immersion in a flowing body of water, the water turbine comprising: a rotatable cylindrical rotor including a drive shaft defining an axis of rotation and a solid circumferentially extending circular sidewall having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the s
1. A water turbine configured for immersion in a flowing body of water, the water turbine comprising: a rotatable cylindrical rotor including a drive shaft defining an axis of rotation and a solid circumferentially extending circular sidewall having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the sidewall extending from a top end to a bottom end of the rotor;a plurality of vertically elongated through slots formed in the sidewall of the rotor that extend between the top and bottom ends of the rotor for a majority of a height of the rotor, the through slots spaced circumferentially around the rotor and extending through the interior and exterior surfaces of the sidewall;a plurality of arcuately curved blades each pivotably mounted to the rotor about a pivot point positioned inside the rotor adjacent a through slot, each blade extending radially through one of the through slots formed in the sidewall of the rotor, the blades each being moveable between a retracted closed position and an extended open position operable for capturing flowing water;the blades each including an operating portion disposed outside the rotor configured to capture flow and a stop portion disposed inside the rotor configured to limit the radial extension of the blades;the blades being configured and arranged so that each blade at least partially overlaps and contacts the operating portion of an adjacent blade when in the closed position;wherein the blades sequentially move between the closed and open positions as the rotor rotates when exposed to flowing water. 2. The water turbine of claim 1, wherein the blades include a reverse curvature section operable to capture flowing water for initiating pivotabie movement of the blades outwards from the rotor to the open position. 3. The water turbine of claim 1, wherein the rotor includes an open central interior space bounded by the circumferentially extending circular sidewall. 4. The water turbine of claim 3, wherein the pivot point of each blade is disposed inside the interior space inside the rotor. 5. The water turbine of claim 1, wherein: the rotor has an open cylindrical configuration with the top and bottom ends being openthe blades each include a stop portion disposed inside the rotor that is engageable with an interior surface of the sidewall of the rotor. 6. The water turbine of claim 5, wherein when the blades are in a fully open position, the stop portion engages the interior surface of the sidewall of the rotor. 7. The water turbine of claim 5, wherein the stop portion of the blades are adjoined to the operating portion of the blades through the slots. 8. The water turbine of claim 1, wherein each slot has an associated mounting flange, the blades each being freely and pivotably coupled to the mounting flanges by a pivot pin. 9. The water turbine of claim 1, wherein the mounting portions are circumferentially spaced at equal intervals around the rotor. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein each blade overlaps at least two adjacent blades when in the closed position disposed proximate to the rotor. 11. A hydroelectric machine comprising: an electric generator;a rotatable tubular rotor including a drive shaft coupled directly or indirectly to the generator, the rotor being configured for immersion in flowing water;the rotor including a solid circumferentially extending circular cylindrical sidewall having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the sidewall extending from a top end to a bottom end of the rotor;a plurality of elongated through slots formed in the sidewall of the rotor that extend between the top and bottom ends of the rotor for a majority of a height of the rotor, the through slots spaced circumferentially around the rotor and extending through the interior and exterior surfaces of the sidewall;a plurality of arcuately curved blades each pivotably mounted to the rotor about a pivot point positioned inside the rotor adjacent a through slot, each blade extending radially through one of the through slots formed in the sidewall of the rotor, the blades each being moveable between a retracted closed position and an extended open position for capturing the flowing water;the blades each including an operation portion disposed outside the rotor configured to capture flow and a stop portion disposed inside the rotor configured to limit the radial extension of the blades;the blades being configured and arranged so that each blade at least partially overlaps and contacts an operating portion of an adjacent blade when in the closed position;wherein the blades sequentially move between the closed and open positions as the rotor rotates when exposed to flowing water. 12. The hydroelectric machine of claim 11, wherein the blades include a reverse curvature section operable to capture flowing water for initiating pivotable movement of the blades outwards from the rotor to the open position. 13. The hydroelectric machine of claim 11, wherein the rotor includes an open central interior space bounded by the circumferentially extending circular sidewall. 14. The hydroelectric machine of claim 13, wherein the the pivot points being disposed inside the interior space inside the rotor. 15. The hydroelectric machine of claim 11, wherein: the rotor has an open cylindrical configuration; andthe blades each include a stop portion disposed inside the rotor that is engageable with an interior surface of the sidewall of the rotor. 16. The hydroelectric machine of claim 15, wherein when the blades are in a fully open position, the stop portion engages the interior surface of the sidewall of the rotor. 17. The hydroelectric machine of claim 15, wherein the stop portion of the blades are adjoined to the operating portion of the blades through the slot. 18. The hydroelectric machine of claim 11, wherein each slot has an associated mounting flange, the blades each being pivotably coupled to the mounting flanges by a pivot pin. 19. The hydroelectric machine of claim 11, wherein the mounting portions being circumferentially spaced at equal intervals around the rotor. 20. A method for capturing fluid energy from flowing water comprising: providing a water turbine including a substantially hollow cylindrical rotor having a plurality of arcuately curved blades pivotably coupled to the rotor, the blades each being moveable between closed and open positions;the rotor including a drive shaft defining an axis of rotation and a solid circumferentially extending circular sidewall having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the sidewall extending from a to end to a bottom end of the rotor;a plurality of vertically elongated through slots formed in the sidewall of the rotor that extend between the top and bottom ends of the rotor for a majority of a height of the rotor, the through slots spaced circumferentially around the rotor and extending through the interior and exterior surfaces of the sidewall;the blades each pivotably mounted to the rotor about a pivot point positioned inside the rotor adjacent a through slot, each blade extending radially through one of the through slots formed in the sidewall of the rotor, the blades each being moveable between a retracted closed position and an extended open position operable for capturing flowing water;the blades each including an operating portion disposed outside the rotor configured to capture flow and a stop portion disposed inside the rotor configured to limit the radial extension of the blades;immersing the water turbine into a body of flowing water;pivoting at least one blade outwards from the rotor by exposing the blade to the flowing water;engaging an interior surface of the rotor with a stop portion of the blade; androtating the rotor about a rotational axis;wherein each blade at least partially overlaps and contacts an operating portion of an adjacent blade when in the closed position disposed proximate to the rotor.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (12)
Rademacher T. Peter (5385 River Styx Rd. Medina OH 44256), Fluid powered electric generator having hinged vane rotor.
Lin, Cheng S., Hinged blade device to convert the natural flow or ocean or river current or ocean waves to rotational mechanical motion for power generation.
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