Abstract:
A fluid machine includes a non-streamline casing capable of forming a stable vortex street on a downstream side by internal and external flows, and an impeller disposed inside the casing. The casing has a vortex generator configured to form the vortex street on the downstream side. The vortex generator is provided with a phase control structure which regulates a phase of a vortex formation that fluctuates along a circumferential direction in a plane including a rear face of the casing and which clarifies a cell structure to be formed along the circumferential direction of the casing to fix, on a surface of the casing, respective positions of cells into a plurality of segmented regions arranged in the circumferential direction. The velocity of the internal flow is increased by the phase control structure.
Abstract:
A wind turbine has an impeller surrounded by a shroud. The shroud includes an interior surface and an exterior surface. The surface is coated with a silicone polyurethane polymer. The resulting surface has reduced surface energy, and can shed rain, snow, and ice more easily.
Abstract:
A wind turbine shroud that comprises a plurality of wind turbine shroud segments engaged to each other in a radial pattern about a central axis. Each wind turbine shroud segment may be created through a rotational molding and/or blow molding process and can be engaged with other wind turbine shroud segments to create a variety of wind turbine shrouds.
Abstract:
The invention provides an ecologically clean method and apparatus for water harvesting from air. The method is based on changing of thermodynamic state properties of air wind getting a rotation and passing through convergent-divergent nozzles. The apparatus is a water condensation engine exposed to humid wind. The constructive solution has no moving solid parts, and the incoming wind is an inherent moving component of the engine. It comprises a cascade of sequentially arranged horn-tubes and a set of stationary wing-like details. Those horn-tubes transform the wind into a fast and cooled out-flowing air flux coming-and-hitting upon the set of wing-like details, where the air portions are accelerated and eddying. The inner static pressure and temperature decrease in the air portions. The decrease in static pressure and temperature triggers off condensation of water-vapors into water-aerosols.
Abstract:
A hydroelectric power generation apparatus includes a buoy having a buoyancy for floating on a water surface, an electric generator including a rotating shaft installed at a top surface of the buoy, a hollow case tapered from both ends towards the center of the case, and a side of the case being coupled to the bottom of the buoy and a vane wheel installed at the bottom of the buoy and including a wheel shaft and a plurality of vanes installed in the case, and a transmission belt installed around both wheel shaft and rotating shaft for providing a transmission between the wheel shaft and the rotating shaft, such that when the water current flows through the vanes to drive the wheel shaft to rotate, the transmission of the transmission belt drives the rotating shaft of the electric generator to rotate, so as to generate electric energy.
Abstract:
A method and system for harvesting wind energy. The system may include a wind turbine disposed subjacent to a roof assembly of building. A plurality of conduits are adjacent to and extending below the wind turbine, wherein each of the plurality of conduits defines a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion defines a larger cross-sectional area than the second portion.
Abstract:
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for the efficiency with which fluid energy is converted into another form of energy, such as electrical energy, where an array of fluid energy conversion modules is contained in a scalable modular networked superstructure. In certain preferred embodiments, a plurality of turbines, such as for instance wind turbines, may be disposed in an array, where the plurality of arrays may be disposed in a suitable arrangement in proximity to each other and provided with geometry suitable for tight packing in an array with other parameters optimized to extract energy from the fluid flow. In addition, the turbines may be a more effective adaptation of a turbine, or an array of turbines, to varying conditions, including fluid conditions that may differ among different turbines in an array, or among different turbines in a set of arrays.
Abstract:
A miniature hydro-power generation system includes an outer housing and an inner housing. The outer housing may receive a flow of liquid flowing in a first direction at a predetermined range of pressure. The flow of liquid may be decreased by a predetermined amount of pressure and increased by a predetermined amount of velocity and channeled to a hydro-generator included in the inner housing with an inlet nozzle. The flow of liquid may be channeled with the inlet nozzle to flow in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Upon transfer of kinetic energy in the flow of liquid to the hydro-generator, the inner housing may rotate in the second direction. The flow of liquid may then be channeled back to the first direction and out of the housing with an outlet nozzle. The outlet nozzle configured to increase the pressure and decrease the velocity of the flow of liquid to minimized non-laminar flow characteristics.
Abstract:
A wave energy conversion device that employs a submerged horizontally-aligned structure provided with a central opening formed in a horizontally extending surface, focuses wave induced water-particle motion, resulting in a flow into and away from the central opening, and a turbine is mounted in the central opening to be driven by this flow of water. Preferably the operation of this device occurs in a structural submerged depth of less than one-half wavelength of waves in the region. In a preferred embodiment, the flow through the central opening is bidirectional, and a self-rectifying turbine is used for unidirectional rotation. In an alternative embodiment, unidirectional check valves are used to direct water flow to a unidirectional turbine. Guide vanes are used to direct the flow inward towards the opening and can also be used to induce swirl in the flow field. When constructed axisymmetrically, the device can generate power from waves coming from any direction. The device may have multiple turbines arranged within it, or multiple units can be built into an array for power generation. The device may be mounted on supports fixed to the sea floor for shallow-water applications, or may be a floating submerged structure moored to the ocean floor for deep-water applications.
Abstract:
A Mixer/Ejector Wind Turbine (“MEWT”) system is disclosed which routinely exceeds the efficiencies of prior wind turbines. In the preferred embodiment, Applicants' MEWT incorporates advanced flow mixing technology, ejector technology, aircraft and propulsion aerodynamics and noise abatement technologies in a unique manner to fluid-dynamically improve the operational effectiveness and efficiency of prior wind turbines, so that its operating efficiency routinely exceeds the Betz limit. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: a turbine shroud with a flared inlet; a ring of stator vanes; a ring of rotating blades (i.e., an impeller) in line with the stator vanes; and a mixer/ejector pump to increase the flow volume through the turbine while rapidly mixing the low energy turbine exit flow with high energy bypass wind flow. Unlike gas turbine mixers and ejectors which also mix with hot core exhaust gases, Applicants' preferred apparatus mixes only two air streams (i.e., wind): a primary air stream which rotates, and transfers energy to, the impeller while passing through the turbine; and a high energy bypass flow or “secondary” air stream which is entrained into the ejector, where the secondary air stream mixes with, and transfers energy to, the primary air stream. The MEWT can produce three or more time the power of its un-shrouded counterparts for the same frontal area, and can increase the productivity of wind farms by a factor of two or more. The same MEWT is safer and quieter providing improved wind turbine options for populated areas.