Patent · US Active

Water turbines with mixers and ejectors

US8376686B2 · kind B2 · utility

10Cited by
62References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 16, 2009
Grant dateFeb 19, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 10, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P70/50
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

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 disposed adjacent to the turbine shroud. 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 along a plane passing through the axis of rotation of the rotor assembly.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.