Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080232957 | WIND TURBINE WITH MIXERS AND EJECTORS - 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, single and multi-stage ejector technology, aircraft and propulsion aerodynamics and noise abatement technologies in a unique manner to fluid-dynamically improve the operational effectiveness and efficiency of wind turbines, so that its operating efficiency routinely exceeds the Betz limit. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an 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. 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. | 09-25-2008 |
20090097964 | WIND TURBINE WITH MIXERS AND EJECTORS - 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. | 04-16-2009 |
20090214338 | Propeller Propulsion Systems Using Mixer Ejectors - A Mixer-Ejector Prop System (MEPS) is presented as a new, unique and improved concept for injecting power and producing force in flowing fluids such as air or water. MEPS incorporates advanced flow mixing technology, single and multi-stage ejector technology, aircraft and propulsion aerodynamics and noise abatement technologies in a unique manner to fluid-dynamically improve the operational effectiveness and efficiency for subsonic flow velocities. | 08-27-2009 |
20090230691 | WIND TURBINE WITH MIXERS AND EJECTORS - A method is disclosed for improving the operational effectiveness and efficiency of wind turbines. Applicants' preferred method comprises: generating a level of power over the Betz limit for an axial flow wind turbine, of the type having a turbine shroud with a flared inlet and an impeller downstream having a ring of impeller blades, by receiving and directing a primary air stream of ambient air into the flared inlet and through the turbine shroud; rotating the impeller inside the shroud by the primary air stream, whereby the primary air stream transfers energy to the impeller; entraining and mixing a secondary flow stream of ambient air exclusively with the primary air stream, which has passed through the impeller, via a mixer and an ejector sequentially downstream of the impeller. Unlike gas turbine mixers and ejectors which also mix with hot core exhaust gases, Applicants' preferred method entrains and mixes ambient air (i.e., wind) exclusively with lower energy air (i.e., partially spent air) which has passed through a turbine shroud and rotor. Applicant's method further comprises harnessing the power of the primary air stream to produce mechanical energy while exceeding the Betz limit for operational efficiency of the axial flow wind turbine over a non-anomalous period. | 09-17-2009 |
20090263244 | Water Turbines With Mixers And Ejectors - Turbine systems for extracting energy from water traveling relative to the turbine system can include a rotor assembly for extracting the energy, a turbine shroud having a turbine shroud inner volume within which at least a portion of the rotor assembly is disposed, and an ejector shroud having a ejector shroud inner volume within which at least a portion of the turbine shroud is disposed. The turbine shroud and the ejector shroud can each have a terminus comprising a plurality of turbine shroud mixer elements or ejector shroud mixer elements, respectively. One or more of the mixer elements and ejector shrouds comprise a mixer/ejector pump which increases the energy extraction potential of the turbine system. One or more of the turbine shroud mixer elements, ejector shroud mixer elements, and ejector shroud and turbine shroud inlets can be asymmetric about a plane passing through the axis of rotation of the rotor assembly. Methods, systems, apparatus and articles of manufacture relating to these features and others are also disclosed. | 10-22-2009 |
20090317231 | WIND TURBINE WITH MIXERS AND EJECTORS - A Mixer/Ejector Wind Turbine (“MEWT”) system is disclosed which routinely exceeds the efficiencies of prior wind turbines. Unique ejector concepts are used to fluid-dynamically improve many operational characteristics of conventional wind turbines for potential power generation improvements of 50% and above. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an 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. 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. | 12-24-2009 |
20100068029 | WIND TURBINE WITH MIXERS AND EJECTORS - A Mixer/Ejector Wind Turbine (“MEWT”) system is disclosed which routinely exceeds the efficiencies of prior wind turbines. Unique ejector concepts are used to fluid-dynamically improve many operational characteristics of conventional wind/water turbines for potential power generation improvements of 50% and above. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an 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. 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. | 03-18-2010 |
20100068052 | INFLATABLE WIND TURBINE - A wind turbine has an impeller surrounded by a turbine shroud and/or an ejector shroud, wherein the turbine shroud and/or the ejector shroud include inflatable portions and/or flexible inflatable portions. In some embodiments, the turbine shroud and/or the ejector shroud include internal rib members whose shape or length can be changed to alter the characteristics of the wind turbine. | 03-18-2010 |
20100080683 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROTECTING A WIND TURBINE IN HIGH WIND CONDITIONS - Systems for protecting a wind turbine in high wind conditions are disclosed. A shrouded turbine may have an ejector shroud disposed adjacent and downstream of a turbine shroud. In one version, the ejector shroud can move to surround the turbine shroud. In another version, the turbine can be pivoted on a support tower to cover the intake end of the turbine and rotate the turbine about an axis at a right angle to the tower axis. In another version, the turbine is supported by a telescoping tower which may be retracted to lower the turbine in high winds. In another version, the tower sections may be connected by a pivotable connection and supported by guy wire(s) which may be lengthened to lower the upper tower section pivotally. | 04-01-2010 |
20100086393 | TURBINE WITH MIXERS AND EJECTORS - A Mixer/Ejector Wind/Water Turbine (“MEWT”) system is disclosed which routinely exceeds the efficiencies of prior wind/water turbines. Unique ejector concepts are used to fluid-dynamically improve many operational characteristics of conventional wind/water turbines for potential power generation improvements of 50% and above. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an 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 fluid flow. 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. | 04-08-2010 |
20100119361 | TURBINE WITH MIXERS AND EJECTORS - A Mixer/Ejector Wind/Water Turbine (“MEWT”) system is disclosed which routinely exceeds the efficiencies of prior wind turbines. Unique ejector concepts are used to fluid-dynamically improve many operational characteristics of conventional wind/water turbines for potential power generation improvements of 50% and above. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an 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 fluid flow. 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. | 05-13-2010 |
20100163336 | CONTROLLED-UNAIDED SURGE AND PURGE SUPPRESSORS FOR FIREARM MUZZLES - A Controlled Unaided Surge and Purge Suppressor for firearms uses the blast and plume characteristics inherent to the ballistic discharge process to develop a new two-step controlled surge and purge system centered around advanced mixer-ejector concepts. The blast surge noise is reduced by controlling the flow expansion, and the flash effects are reduced by controlling inflow and outflow gas purges. This is a C-I-P application. In the preferred C-I-P embodiment, the blast surge is mitigated via a slotted mixer nozzle; a first expansion chamber; a generally “wagon-wheel” shaped blast baffle with a vent hole; a series of alternating baffles, with vent holes, strategically located along the suppressor's inner wall surface; a second expansion chamber; and an exit opening. This preferred C-I-P embodiment contains no “outside” vent holes (i.e., throughbores) which extend through the suppressor's outer or longitudinal wall. Instead of ingesting ambient air through such throughbores and mixing that air with the muzzle gases, as shown in the parent application, the preferred C-I-P embodiment ingests and mixes chamber gases and contaminants with the muzzle gases while allowing fluid flow through and out the suppressor. It too though can control or eliminate the Mach disk. | 07-01-2010 |
20100247289 | SEGMENTED WIND TURBINE - Disclosed are wind turbines comprising a turbine shroud and optionally an ejector shroud. The shrouds are segmented, or in other words have longitudinal spaces between segments. Such wind turbines have reduced drag load, particularly those loads due to off-axis wind forces. | 09-30-2010 |
20100270802 | WIND TURBINE - A wind turbine comprises an impeller and a turbine shroud disposed about the impeller. The impeller surrounds a center body having a central passageway through which air can flow through the center body to bypass the impeller. The impeller comprises a central ring and a plurality of impeller blades extending therefrom. When air passes through the impeller blades, some of its energy is used to turn the blades. The reduced-energy air is then mixed with the air flowing through the central passageway. This mixing allows the operating efficiency of the turbines to routinely exceed the Betz limit. | 10-28-2010 |
20100284802 | INFLATABLE WIND TURBINE - A wind turbine has an impeller surrounded by a shroud. The shroud is formed from inflatable components extending between two rigid structural members. When inflated, the shroud acts to increase the energy generated by the impeller. Under adverse wind conditions, the inflatable components can be deflated to reduce surface area and wind load on the turbine. | 11-11-2010 |
20100314885 | SHROUDED WIND TURBINE WITH RIM GENERATOR AND HALBACH ARRAY - A wind turbine comprises a turbine shroud and optionally an ejector shroud. The wind turbine encloses a permanent magnet ring generator. A static ring of phase windings is located in the turbine shroud, and wind airflow causes a rotor having permanent magnets thereon to rotate, creating an electric current in the static ring. The permanent magnets are arranged to form a Halbach cylinder with the magnetic field being exterior to the rotor. | 12-16-2010 |
20100316493 | TURBINE WITH MIXERS AND EJECTORS - A Mixer/Ejector Wind Turbine (“MEWT”) system is disclosed which routinely exceeds the efficiencies of prior wind turbines. Unique ejector concepts are used to fluid-dynamically improve many operational characteristics of conventional wind turbines for potential power generation improvements of 50% and above. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an 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 fluid flow. 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. | 12-16-2010 |
20100329879 | WIND TURBINE BLADES WITH MIXER LOBES - A horizontal axis wind turbine blade comprises a leading edge surface, a trailing edge surface, an upper camber surface extending between the leading edge surface and the trailing edge surface, and a lower camber surface extending between the leading edge surface and the trailing edge surface. Notably, the trailing edge surface includes a plurality of air flow mixing lobes. An ejector blade may be located above the upper camber surface and behind the trailing edge surface. The ejector blade may include an ejector blade trailing edge surface that includes a plurality of ejector blade mixing lobes. The ejector blade mixing lobes may include a plurality of ejector blade high energy mixing lobes and ejector blade low energy mixing lobes. Advantageously, the mixing lobes allow for a reduced wakes behind the HAWT and thus decrease the requisite separation distance between HAWTs in a wind farm. | 12-30-2010 |
20110002781 | WIND TURBINE WITH PRESSURE PROFILE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME - A wind turbine produces a unique pressure profile downstream of the wind turbine. This pressure profile reflects the structure of the wind turbine, which includes a shroud that has mixing lobes on a trailing edge thereof. The pressure profile includes high pressure and low pressure regions corresponding to the number and location of the mixing lobes on the shroud. | 01-06-2011 |
20110014038 | WIND TURBINE WITH SKELETON-AND-SKIN STRUCTURE - A wind turbine comprises a turbine shroud and optionally an ejector shroud. The turbine shroud and/or the ejector shroud include a skeleton support structure, with a skin covering at least a portion of the turbine shroud and/or ejector shroud skeleton. In other embodiments, leading and trailing edges of the turbine shroud and/or ejector shroud are made of a rigid material and are not covered by the skin of the shroud. | 01-20-2011 |
20110020107 | MOLDED WIND TURBINE SHROUD SEGMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS FOR SHROUDS - 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. | 01-27-2011 |
20110027067 | COATED SHROUDED WIND TURBINE - 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. | 02-03-2011 |
20110058937 | NACELLE CONFIGURATIONS FOR A SHROUDED WIND TURBINE - A shrouded wind turbine comprises a shroud disposed about an impeller. The impeller surrounds a nacelle body which is shaped to enhance smooth flow of wind through the impeller. Some embodiments include an inlet and an outlet in the nacelle body, allowing airflow through an interior cavity. Other nacelle bodies may be tapered, flared, include mixing lobes around a trailing edge, or may have other shapes that enhance fluid flow. Some nacelle bodies include an annular groove that promotes flow attachment. Maintaining airflow attachment to the nacelle body within the turbine increases the energy generation capacity of the wind turbine. | 03-10-2011 |
20110085901 | SHROUDED WIND TURBINE WITH SCALLOPED LOBES - A shrouded wind turbine comprises an impeller and a turbine shroud surrounding the impeller. The shroud includes alternating inward and outward curving elements that form mixing elements on a trailing edge of the turbine shroud. The inward and outward curving elements have exposed lateral surfaces, or in other words do not have sidewalls joining the inward and outward curving elements. This allows for both transverse mixing and radial mixing of air flow through the turbine shroud with air flow passing along the exterior of the turbine shroud. | 04-14-2011 |
20110107900 | CONTROLLED-UNAIDED SURGE AND PURGE SUPPRESSORS FOR FIREARM MUZZLES - A Controlled Unaided Surge and Purge (CUSPS) suppressor for firearms uses the blast and plume characteristics inherent to the ballistic discharge process to develop a new two-step controlled surge and purge system centered around advanced mixer-ejector concepts. The blast surge noise is reduced by controlling the flow expansion, and the flash effects are reduced by controlling inflow and outflow gas purges. In the preferred embodiment, suppressor vent holes are convergently contoured to better reduce the blast surge. Preferably a two-stage supersonic mixer/ejector system, in combination with adjacent vent holes in the suppressor housing and a divergent entrance nozzle, is used to control or eliminate the external Mach disk, while rapidly mixing and diluting the propellant with purged gases. A diffuser downstream of the mixer/ejector system further increases ejector performance and pumping. The pumped gases are used to self-clean and cool the CUSPS suppressor. | 05-12-2011 |
20110135458 | FLUID TURBINE WITH SHROUD HAVING SEGMENTED LOBES - A shrouded fluid turbine comprises an impeller and a turbine shroud surrounding the impeller. The shroud includes alternating inward and outward curving elements that form mixing elements on a trailing edge of the turbine shroud. The inward and outward curving elements have exposed lateral surfaces, or in other words do not have sidewalls joining the inward and outward curving elements. This allows for both transverse mixing and radial mixing of fluid flow through the turbine shroud with fluid flow passing along the exterior of the turbine shroud. | 06-09-2011 |
20110135460 | FLUID TURBINE WITH EJECTOR SHROUD - A fluid turbine comprises a turbine shroud and an ejector shroud. The turbine shroud has an axial length L | 06-09-2011 |
20110187110 | FLUID TURBINE - A fluid turbine comprises a turbine shroud, an ejector shroud, and a means for extracting energy from a fluid stream. The means for extracting energy is located in the annulus between the turbine shroud and the ejector shroud. High-energy fluid can flow through the turbine shroud to bypass the means for extracting energy. Energy is extracted from the fluid passing through the means to form a low-energy fluid stream. The high-energy fluid and the low-energy fluid can then be mixed. The turbine shroud and/or the ejector shroud has mixing lobes to increase the mixing of the two fluid streams. | 08-04-2011 |
20110189007 | FLUID TURBINE - A shrouded fluid turbine comprises an impeller and a turbine shroud surrounding the impeller. The inlet of the turbine shroud is flared. The shroud includes alternating inward and outward curving lobe segments along a trailing edge of the turbine shroud. The inward and outward curving lobe segments have exposed lateral surfaces, or in other words do not have sidewalls joining the inward and outward curving lobe segments. This allows for both transverse mixing and radial mixing of air flow through the turbine shroud with air flow passing along the exterior of the turbine shroud. | 08-04-2011 |
20110229302 | WIND TURBINE WITH MIXERS AND EJECTORS - A Mixer/Ejector Wind Turbine (“MEWT”) system is disclosed which routinely exceeds the efficiencies of prior wind turbines. Unique ejector concepts are used to fluid-dynamically improve many operational characteristics of conventional wind/water turbines for potential power generation improvements of 50% and above. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an 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. 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. | 09-22-2011 |
20110229315 | HIGH EFFICIENCY ROTOR BLADES FOR A FLUID TURBINE - A shrouded fluid turbine includes an impeller surrounded by a turbine shroud. The turbine shroud has a plurality of mixing lobes on a trailing edge, resulting in the trailing edge having a circular crenellated shape. An ejector shroud is located downstream of the turbine shroud, an inlet end of the ejector shroud surrounding the mixing lobes of the turbine shroud. The impeller is a rotor/stator assembly. In particular, the rotor comprises a rotor hub formed from a cylindrical sidewall and has seven rotor blades extending radially from the hub. It has been found that seven rotor blades optimizes the total-to-total efficiency of the shrouded fluid turbine. | 09-22-2011 |
20110250053 | FLUID TURBINES - Shrouded fluid turbines of various configurations are disclosed. The shrouded fluid turbines include an impeller, a turbine shroud surrounding the impeller, and an ejector shroud around the turbine shroud. The ejector shroud may completely surround the turbine shroud. The turbine shroud may have a plurality of mixing lobes that form a crenellated trailing edge. Alternatively, the turbine shroud may have a plurality of open slots. Means for directing fluid flow into the plurality of open slots may include an ejector shroud that seals with the turbine shroud downstream of the open slots. A plurality of fluid ducts may also connect individually to each open slot. An external stator may be connected to an exterior surface of the ejector shroud. | 10-13-2011 |
20110250062 | FLUID TURBINE - A fluid turbine comprises a turbine shroud and an optional ejector shroud. The turbine shroud and/or the ejector shroud are formed from a hard shell and a membrane. The hard shell forms a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an interior surface of the shroud. The membrane forms an exterior surface of the shroud. The resulting construction is lighter than previous turbine shrouds. | 10-13-2011 |
20110274533 | FLUID TURBINE WITH MOVEABLE FLUID CONTROL MEMBER - A shrouded fluid turbine includes an impeller for generating power from a fluid stream and a shroud surrounding the impeller. The impeller and/or the shroud have a moveable member for controlling power generation in the fluid turbine. The shroud has a plurality of mixing lobes on a trailing edge thereof, the trailing edge having a circular crenellated shape. The power generation is controlled by reducing loads and/or controlling impeller speed. Various moveable components are described for the stator vanes and the rotor blades. | 11-10-2011 |
20120070275 | AIRFOIL FOR ENERGY EXTRACTING SHROUDED FLUID TURBINES - Example embodiments described herein relate an integral and/or multi-piece airfoil and a shrouded fluid turbine having the same. The airfoil can have a generally circumferential body extending circumferentially about a central axis, and can be referred to herein as a “ringed airfoil.” The airfoil can have a front portion defining a leading edge of the airfoil and a rear portion defining a trailing edge of the air foil. A cross-sectional thickness of the front portion can be non-uniform and vary along a mean camber line of the airfoil from the leading edge to a transition area. A cross-sectional thickness of the rear portion can be uniform and constant along the mean camber line of the airfoil from the transition area to the trailing edge of the airfoil. | 03-22-2012 |
20120301283 | TURBINE WITH UNEVENLY LOADED ROTOR BLADES - An unevenly loaded turbine rotor blade is disclosed herein, the blade including a power-extracting region adapted for radially-varied (relative to the axis of rotation) power extraction per mass flow rate. The pitch and/or shape of the airfoil at a first radial position may be configured, so that power extraction per mass flow rate at the first radial position is different than power extraction per mass flow rate at a second radial position. Thus, the power-extracting region may be advantageously configured to take advantage of a non-uniform flow profile across a rotor plane such as may be induced using a shrouded turbine. | 11-29-2012 |
20120315125 | TURBINE BLADES WITH MIXED BLADE LOADING - An unevenly loaded turbine blade is disclosed including a first region configured for extracting power from a fluid flow and a second region configured for adding power to the fluid flow. The power extracted from the fluid flow is typically greater than the power added to the fluid flow resulting in a net power extracted for the blades. The addition of power to the fluid flow advantageously results in localized injections of high velocity fluid flow which provide distributed mixing of wake and tip vortices along the length of the blade. | 12-13-2012 |
20130101403 | AERODYNAMIC MODIFICATION OF A RING FOIL FOR A FLUID TURBINE - A ring fluid foil including a modified trailing portion for a shrouded fluid turbine and shrouded fluid turbine including such ring fluid foils are described herein. The modification of the trailing portion increases flow turning by the fluid foil without, or with reduced, boundary layer separation on a suction side of the fluid foil. | 04-25-2013 |
20130266438 | RING AIRFOIL WITH PARALLEL INNER AND OUTER SURFACES - A ring airfoil with a voluminous leading edge region, an intermediate region, a trailing edge region including a flap. The ringed structural leading edge region combined with a rigid trailing edge region having intermediate discrete support portions extending therebetween provides sufficient rigidity to support the flap on the trailing edge region while using a membrane intermediate surface to form a portion of the intermediate region of the airfoil. | 10-10-2013 |
20140030059 | FLUID TURBINE WITH VARIABLE PITCH SHROUD SEGMENTS - One or more variable pitch airfoils in fluid communication with a rotor of a fluid turbine can control the amount of energy directed to the rotor, and further control the amount of energy generated by the turbine. Varying the pitch of the airfoils may provide a means of controlling the power output of a fluid turbine without the need to control the pitch of the rotor blades, and may further provide a means of mitigating the effects of wind shear on the rotor. Variable pitch airfoils may also include a means of controlling the active power, reactive power and SCADA, of a group of fluid turbines. | 01-30-2014 |