Hydro-turbine runner
US6533536B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 3, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 18, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 3, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/4932
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A turbine installation comprising a turbine in combination with an electrical closed-loop control system. The turbine is disposed in a flow of water for producing electrical energy. The turbine includes a hollow hub and a plurality of runner blades pivotally connected to a hollow hub. Each blade comprises a hydrofoil being bounded by an inner surface and a distal outer surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. The blades are adjustable in pitch from a maximum pitch position in which an inner portion of the water directing surface extends substantially in a direction of the water flow, to a minimum pitch position in which an outer portion of the water directing surface is substantially perpendicular to the water flow. The hollow hub has spaced apart inner and outer surfaces and a hub longitudinal axis. Each blade is pivotally connected to the hub about a rotational axis. At least a portion of the outer surface of the hub swept by the inner surfaces of the blades during rotation of the blades from the maximum pitch to the minimum pitch is spherically-shaped. The inner surfaces of the blades substantially conform to the spherical outer surface…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.