FLUID-CURRENT MOTORS

A hydro-air storage system for generating electricity in which a subterranean reservoir containing water is pressurized and the water is pumped to a surface reservoir during periods when the demand for electricity is low and in which water from the surface reservoir flowing into the subterranean reservoir...     

A system for deriving useful energy from a windmill in which a liquid pump is driven by the windmill. Useful energy is obtained by either a fluid driven generator or a friction heater. The output of the pump and the speed of the windmill are controlled by a constant volume valve in the fluid circuit.

A hydroelectric generating unit includes a generator shaft about which buckets are pivotally mounted on a common carrier for travel in a common path at equal angular intervals. The bucket carrier is fast on the shaft. Water flow control means, located above the shaft, is driven by the shaft for delivering...     

An electric generator arrangement has at least two wind or water wheels rotatably mounted on a common stationary shaft and coupled such that they rotate in opposite directions with a given ratio or a progressively variable ratio. The wheels carry the two cooperating parts of a first generator and may...     

An electrical generator system including a waterwheel apparatus as a prime mover. The waterwheel apparatus as a plurality of pivoted buckets mounted in circumferentially spaced relation around a central hub and having an outer rim provided with a ring gear driving a pinion gear on the generator shaft...     

A turbine wheel on a horizontal shaft is coaxially mounted within a primary nozzle, for support in a river current below a platform carrying electrical power generation equipment. The turbine shaft and primary nozzle are submerged and oriented to enable flow of a portion of river current through the...     

An apparatus for generating electric current by the force of a fluid in motion. The device comprises a support structure; two substantially parallel axles positoned in an alterable vertically extending plane detachably supported by said housing and capable of rotation within the support means therefor;...     

A power generating apparatus, the construction and size of which may vary from a relatively small domestic version for individual homes to a larger commercial version for power stations, comprises a device to be anchored in and driven by a substantially horizontally flowing water stream and includes...     

A modular hydroelectric power plant which converts energy of water flowing in a stream into electric power. The plant comprises a plurality of modules which are removably mounted on piers embedded in a river or stream bed. Each module comprises a turbine over which water flows to rotate the turbine,...     

A turbine for generating electric power when exposed to a fluid source, such as a liquid or gaseous current. The turbine has two substantially annular rotor housings spaced in parallel, horizontal planes. Each housing is provided with a plurality of radially extending blades which are connected to coaxial...     

This invention relates to an improved vertical swinging-blade water wheel for converting a kinetic energy of a substantially horizontal stream into mechanical energy in which a pair or pairs of blade wheels are disposed symmetrically with respect to an output shaft, thereby forming a composite water...     

A turbine wheel on a horizontal axis is coaxially mounted within a primary nozzle, for support in a fluid current below a platform carrying electrical power generation equipment. The turbine wheel and primary nozzle are submerged and oriented to enable flow of a portion of fluid current through the nozzle...     

A sailboat is provided with an electrical generator that is connected to its on-board battery. A propeller immersed in the water is connected via a flexible shaft to the input of this generator so that as the sailboat moves through the water the propeller is rotated to drive the generator and charge...     

A stream -or river-powered turbine consists of an elongated cylinder with radially-extending vanes, each vane having at its root a plurality of axially-spaced flap valves opening and closing corresponding openings therein. These valves open automatically as the vanes enter the tail wave to relieve the...     

A vehicular battery charging system particularly adapted for railroad cars such as cabooses, in which an axle drive/hydraulic pump unit is coupled to the end of an axle via a flexible coupling and right angle gear drive. The hydraulic pump provides hydraulic pressure to a hydraulic motor/alternator unit....     

A current power plant including a shaft mounted turbine wheel for employment in water current, a housing adjacent said impellar and to which the shaft extends, a ramp positioned on the upstream side of said impellar, a frame on which the turbine wheel is mounted, which frame means is mounted by rollers...     

An understream turbine plant is provided for generating electrical power by means of the flow of an understream effluent, such as the Gulf Stream off the Atlantic seaboard coast. Each turbine plant has a large central opening within which is mounted a large turbine impeller. An electrical generator is...     

A submerged water power machine in which a plurality of vertical blades are connected to two endless chains, one located at the top ends and the other located at the bottom ends of the blades. The blades drive the chains about two endless horizontal tracks, and the chains are drivingly coupled to electric...     

A hydraulic power plant has a reservoir with a dam wall, a water turbine connected to a generator, a penstock extending from the reservoir to the water turbine and passing over the dam wall without passing through the dam wall to supply water from the reservoir to the turbine, and a vacuum pump adapted...     

A hydraulic (water) turbine for the generation of electrical power has a single vertical shaft upon which are mounted the turbine rotor, the flywheel, the generator rotor, the oil pump, and the power-output or turbine-speed controller. The system is free from clutches and transmissions which have hitherto...     

The efficiency of a hydro-electric generator is improved by providing open-ended hollow tubes having influx ends proximate the axis and efflux ends proximate the periphery of a fan-bladed turbine. The jets of water developed by rotation of the fan-bladed turbine are directed against turbine vanes at...     

The present invention provides a new method of obtaining energy without using fuels. Basically the device consists of a conveyor belt that contains a continuous arrangement of cells or pockets that are open in the outward direction perpendicular to it's motion. The conveyor belt is set in motion by the...     

This turbine is pontoon supported on a body of water, and it consists primarily of a pair of angularly disposed and spaced-apart rotors, which when in operation, will cause a minimal amount of injury to the environment, as concerning marine life and land surface flooding. The structure of this device...     

A hydro-electric power plant for use in any location having flowing streams of water including a diversion dam which extends part way into the flowing stream to divert water to a spillway which includes a plurality of water wheels driven by the water flow to operate turbine-generators for the generation...     

A method of and apparatus for increasing the power output of an impeller which is mounted in a stream of free flowing fluid, such as water or air. A portion of the free flowing fluid is received by the impeller and some of the portion leaves the impeller and is caused re-enter the free stream at an angle...     

A fluid driven rotary engine of the water wheel type comprising a spoked water wheel rotatably mounted on a hollow stationary axle and having a set of water collection containers supported on the outer ends of hollow hub-mounted wheel spokes. Water or other liquid is delivered under pressure or an available...     

A devaporizer-windmill system wherein a rotary fan-like separator and motor-generator functions as a vertical, wind-powered, electric generator which also dehumidified the through going air and collects the resulting moisture which merges with a stream of collected rain water for the purpose of powering...     

An undershot current motor is provided wherein a horizontal drive shaft is mounted on a float moored or anchored in moving water, the drive shaft being transverse to the moving water below, the drive shaft having at least two sets of 3-bladed paddle assemblies affixed thereon, wherein the blades are...     

Electric power is generated by power generators submerged to a substantial depth in a body of moving water. The generators are housed in bodies configured to create a large pressure differential across a conduit. This generates a rapid, substantial flow of water through a conduit in which is located...     

A power supply generator system including a fuel cell, an impulse turbine, an electrolyzer and a regulator battery which serve to supply each other and a consumer with energy. The fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity and water. The fuel cell is located at a distance above the...     

An energy conversion system utilizing gravity flow of water from a high elevation to sea level utilizing gravity to provide large pressure gradients in pipe lines as large quantities of water move from a high elevation at low pressure to low elevations at high pressure and then move under controlled...     

An hydroelectric machine is disclosed wherein the rotor of an electric machine is arranged around the rotor of a hydraulic machine, the internal rotor comprising the turbine blades which engage the external rotor to transmit torque therebetween. Each of the internal and external rotors is mounted in...     

A modular apparatus which converts the work of water flowing in a waterway into usable power. The apparatus comprises a plurality of modules, and each module comprises water contacting blades which are impacted by the water a plurality of times as the water flows through the module. The blades are connected...     

A fluid turbine designed for increased power output including an annular housing provided with a semispherical dome for directing incoming fluid flow from a fluid source in an angular and downward direction to impinge simultaneously on a plurality of radial, horizontal, rotor blades within the housing...     

A power producing system employs floats that move up or down in tanks that may be located wherever desired, to produce power.

A self-contained electrical generating device for placement in a naturally flowing stream. The generating device converts the kinetic energy generated by fluid flow or gravity contained within the flowing stream whether river or ocean current into useful electric energy using blade configuration and...     

A system for extracting useful energy from sea currents. A pair of drag inducing devices is disposed in the sea current, and connected by cables to a windlass at a location upstream of the drag devices. Each drag device has a selectably variable drag resistance in the sea current, and the drag devices...     

An energy conversion apparatus and method for the transfer and utilization of kinetic energy received by one or more natural kinetic energy receptors from one or more "natural kinetic energy source" such as for example solar energy, wind energy, water currents and tides, geothermal energy and the like,...     

A water turbine generator system for use in a stream or river, said system having a catch basin formed by an end wall, a plurality of water chutes downstream of the catch basin and in communication with the catch basin by gates and closures and a plurality of turbines and associated generators journalled...     

Apparatus for generating hydroelectric power comprising a portable collector tube assembly which can be transported to the site of a water source having a waterfall sufficient in magnitude to provide a pressure head for driving a turbine generator. The tube assembly comprises telescopically arranged...     

A wind power generator includes a flexible sheet or fabric supported under tension within a housing frame which guides an airflow therethrough and across the surfaces of the membrane. As the airflow passes over the surfaces, vortices are created which cause the membrane to vibrate. Energy conversion...     

An apparatus for efficiently converting the power of running water to useful electrical energy; the apparatus including a pair of floating pontoons anchored in a running stream, and between which a plurality of paddle wheels, rotated by the water, drive a gear mechanism connected to an electric generator,...     

An electrical machine which can be run as a synchronous generator or as a pump is disclosed. The machine is a true hybrid of a turbine and synchronous generator in that the turbine blades are designed to carry magnetic flux. To that end the blades are made of ferromagnetic material, have pole tips and...     

A water turbine for open stream use featuring a vertical-axis cross-flow turbine in which cyclically-pitching blades are supported from one end only to permit the supporting structure and power generation gear to be supported out of the water. In preferred embodiments, there is independent pitch control...     

Apparatus and method for generating electrical power by disposing a plurality of power producing modules in a substantially constant velocity ocean current and mechanically coupling the output of the modules to drive a single electrical generator.

A fluid dynamic device is provided which includes a fluid holding and U-shaped conduit having a first leg and a second leg, an electrical generating device positioned between and in flow communication with the first and second legs and being motivated by passage of the fluid therethrough, and injection...     

An apparatus to generate electricity. There is a first cylinder having an open end and containing a first piston. A second cylinder has an open end and contains a second piston. A pipe communicates the two cylinders at the ends remote from their open ends. A closure can be moved to close and open the...     

Gas turbine engine powerplant has an engine 10 including a fuel pump 14 driven by the engine to supply fuel to the combustor 12 thereof. The pump flow rate varies in accordance with the requirements of the engine as determined by an electric control system 17. Power supply for the control system is derived...     

A closed system power generating apparatus which utilizes a moving fluid as the work producing medium. The fluid is contained within a reservoir. A pump is utilized to move the fluid through a conduit assembly. The moved fluid drives a primary turbine which in turn produces electricity which is conducted...     

The plant described resolves the problem of recovering the energy generated by heat engines under test, acceptance trials or experimental tests by the generation of alternating electrical current for which the alternator is always connected to the supply network even in the absence of mechanical energy...     

The water turbine of the present invention includes a housing defining a generally cylindrical chamber therein defining a laterally extending opening. Rotatably positioned within the chamber is a rotor including a plurality of folding wings or vanes extending outwardly therefrom. Each vane includes a...     

A hydro electric generating system to produce power by changing the potential energy of water to kinetic energy to drive a turbine that is coaxially connected to a generator. Water from the ambient enters the reservoir and is directed by a valve to a conduit to the turbine which turns a generator to...     

In a turbo-machine having a rotor member movable relative to a stationary housing member there is provided a substantially ring-shaped or annular seal between both of these members and serves to seal pressurized water from an external space or region. One of both of these members possesses a sealing...     

A water engine has a barrage with a differential head of water on an upstream and downstream side. The engine has a working chamber and a double acting piston member in the chamber. Valves admit water into the working chamber from the upstream side of the barrage to the two working faces of the piston...     

An improved hydro-turbine having a casing with an inlet port and an outlet port. A driveshaft is journaled in the casing and a rotor is secured to the driveshaft. The rotor has a cylindrical member whose radius is at least greater than 50 percent of the radius of the peripheral wall casing. A plurality...     

A current-driven power generating apparatus including a water wheel having a transversely extending axle on which are fixedly mounted a plurality of paddles. Also mounted on the axially outer ends of this axle are gears. The water wheel is anchored against downstream movement by guide wires attached...     

The invention relates to a power generation system comprising a Brayton cycle turbine for directly driving a first air compressor. A motor/generator is adapted to drive said turbine in the power generating condition and be driven by said turbine in the start condition. A second air compressor is also...     

The invention pertains to a hydroelectric generating system for use with low-head dam and spillway installations. A vessel in the form of a barge contains ballast tanks, pumps and associated structure permitting the vessel to selectively float or to be submerged at a spillway. The vessel contains a plurality...     

Apparatus for converting fluid energy into mechanical energy may include a sail and a mast carried by a pivotally mounted support. The sail is mounted both directly to the mast and indirectly to the mast through a boom, which is pivotally mounted at its center or along its length about the mast, and...     

An offshore water electrolysis plant which produces pressurized gas by electrolysis of fresh water and wave power includes the combination of a wave-powered electric generator at the ocean surface, an electrolyzer and storage vessels located on the ocean bottom for providing gas under pressure, and a...     

Airfoils (32) are secured to the frame (26) of a vertical axis windmill (20) to provide vertical lift to a rotatable vertical shaft (22) and to armatures (54) of electrical generators (50), thereby eliminating friction between each armature (54) and its end bearing (58) as well as between the vertical...     

Flow control of diluted polymer solutions is effected by utilizing positive-displacement flow devices such as gear pumps to withdraw flow energy in the form of shaft work. Control is obtained by varying the nature and amount of shaft work withdrawn, such as by operation of an electrical generating system,...     

What is proposed is an electrical energy generator that uses air pressure from a pressurized source for breathing purposes in an underwater or smoke environment wherein a conduit passes the air pressure to a turbine generator that operates at high speed in response to the flow rate of the pressure drop...     

A control system for a stand-alone electrical generator driven by a prime mover such as a wind turbine in which switches are operable in response to changes in the frequency of the generator output to change the load imposed on the generator by resistor means. The resistor means includes domestic resistive...     

The rotor generator includes an elongated generally cylindrically shaped mework. An elongated rotor is longitudinally aligned within the framework and is rotatably mounted therein. The rotor has a plurality of curved blades which are capable of causing rotation of the rotor when there is fluid flow,...     

Described herein is a device for converting such forms of mechanical energy that comprise even slow and random movements, such as the waves of the sea, the flow of a river, the blowing of the wind, and the thermal expansion caused by the radiation of the sun, to a more useful form of high-speed rotation....     

A hydro-dynamic device for capturing the energy of a natural stream of flowing water, and converting such current or flow of water energy into electric power for user consumption. The device has a primary tubular housing, a sealed, conical, secondary housing mounted within the tubular housing, the secondary...     

Apparatus and process for use in converting the energy of ocean waves to useful power form wherein two floats supporting a rigid structure are spaced apart to maximize the end movement of said rigid structure, and an energy extraction device preferably of the cylinder and piston type is operated by the...     

A hydroelectric illumination source powered by a small alternator designed to provide underwater illumination or in-stream illumination such as for a shower head, fountain, or swimming pool. The water pressure from a direct line or recirculation pump is used to drive a small armature that produces an...     

The water fall from a higher to a lower elevation is through an annular passageway having one or more turbines driven by the water as it flows through the column. The water flow is preferably a siphon action entry to the annular column being by way of an inverted U-tube with the inlet thereto immersed...     

A water power apparatus, composed of independent design features, which provides for: (1) utilization of a central boat with two paddle wheels and respective side stabilizers, with one wheel being located on each respective side of the boat, connected by a central axle or a flexible coupling; (2) two...     

A hull floating on a body of water is tethered by an anchored mooring cable so that it is disposed to trail from the anchor in a current. The hull supports a rotary load such as an electric generator, air compressor or water pump having a transversely extending rotary input shaft extending beyond the...     

An adjustable draft tube is disclosed for a hydraulic turbine installation. The draft tube includes a pair of fabricated box piers which are positioned in a tailwater with the turbine outlet disposed between the piers. The piers are anchored to a tailwater floor and a powerhouse foundation wall. A roof...     

An electric power generating system utilizing water from an artesian well for continuously supplying electricity. Excess electric power not required during periods of low power requirements is fed into the outside source of electric power which is relied upon during peak periods of power usage. During...     

An energy efficient apparatus suitable for use in hot, arid climates wherein a source of water is available includes in combination; a rotating wheel member which utilizes the buoyancy of outwardly extending members and a pair of temperature sensitive devices responsive to the change in ambient temperature...     

A kinetic hydro energy conversion system having a turbine for mounting in a hydro energy source, wherein the turbine comprises a rotor having conformal blades and a screen for horizontally deflecting debris from the blades.

A water-powered light for decorative or utilitarian purposes has a stator assembly mounted on the forward end of a fixed shaft within the housing. The shaft is cantilever supported at one end of the housing and projects forwardly therefrom. A rotor assembly is journaled on an intermediate portion of...     

Flow control of a diluted polymer solution stream is effected by utilizing positive-displacement flow devices such as hydraulic pumps and motors to withdraw energy from the stream and to use it to control the rate of flow of the stream in a manner to prevent, or minimize, degradation of the polymer comprising...     

An off-shore platform is provided with a power grid comprised of a plurality of depending float members which are buoyant and weighted sufficiently to rise vertically in response to the buoyant energy of the wave action and to fall in response to gravity. A reciprocating piston member disposed in a cylinder...     

An oceano-thermosteric power plant is provided with plural evaporators and plural condensers, alternate parts of which are not operated at night and in winter on light load and hence a high efficiency heat exchange can be maintained. During the period that selected condensers and evaporators are not...     

A hydroelectric device wherein a water wheel having radial paddle boards is partially submerged in a moving stream of water, and driven by the water current to operate an electric generator. The water wheel has end discs at its respective sides to block escape of water from between the paddle boards....     

A flowline power generator especially adapted for use on a conduit or flowline carrying petroleum or hydrocarbon products is disclosed. A valve body incorporated in the flowline redirects at least a portion of the fluid flowing through the flowline into engagement with a turbine used to drive an electrical...     

An energy machine generating hydraulic energy by the use of a plurality of wheels driven around a table surface, each wheel operating in turn a lever for operating a double acting hydraulic piston for producing output hydraulic energy.

A tool driven by air or some other non-conductive pressurized fluid, which tool incorporates a generator for powering a lamp and providing a good source of light in the work area. Batteries and a charging circuit may also be supplied for storing excess electricity from the generator so that the lamp...     

An improved turbine and generating system for generating electrical power from the energy of flowing water, such as a tide, in a water course are disclosed. The turbine features peripheral inward flow and axial outward flow. A flow divider means is provided to ensure that the outward flow is substantially...     

A hydro-electric power plant specifically structured to operate in connection with a water reservoir supplied from a natural body of water such as an ocean, lake, etc. and which is structured to be at least partially self-sufficient while at the same time providing excess electrical energy in the operation...     

An ocean and river water power generator has a plurality of water wheel power generators. Said water wheel power generator includes a common concrete base, a water wheel having a main shaft thereof and a plurality of water wheel impellers fixedly and radially attached to said main shaft for transforming...     

An improved hydroelectric system provides automatic adjustment for both tidal (reversing) and river (one way) type flow. A plurality of parallel, axial flow auger-type impellors are mounted in a horizontal plane on a floating, inverted-dry-dock type vessel that has an upper deck mounting hydroelectric...     

A fluid powered electrical generator having an impellor-rotor rotatively mounted on a central support structure. A toroidal outer support structure surrounds the impellor-rotor, with the impellor-rotor including a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart fluid dynamic blades. The outward ends of the...     

A sail-driven wind motor (SDWM) is described, in which a reciprocating load amenable to intermittent, bidirectional drive (such as a water pump or air compressor) is driven by one or two arms, with each arm driven by at least one conventional fore-and-aft rigged sail. Masts for the sails are mounted...     

A variable inertia energy storage system for storing large amounts of mechanical energy for an extended period of time on land or on a mobile vehicle. The energy storage system can also be used for generating electrical power for use on demand by a subsystem or the like.

A portable, self-contained power conversion unit is disclosed that is attached to an outlet for a pressurized fluid system, such as the nozzle for a garden hose. An impeller mounted in the body of the unit and is rotated by the discharge of pressurized fluid through the unit. The rotational energy of...     

In a stationary weir erected in a surface water at least one inner shaft (1) is provided which by closure members (2, 3) communicates with the upstream and downstream water levels. In the shaft (1) a sufficiently heavy float (4) is mounted for movement which by its up and down movement actuates an operating...     

The generator unit is driven by a small Pelton turbine (10) having a plurality of injectors (11) each comprised of a single tubular part connected to a ring-shaped distribution chamber. The turbine wheel drives a multiphase synchronous generator (20) having permanent magnets. The alternating voltages...     

A fluid powered motor-generator apparatus includes a generator having a power output and a mechanically driven input. A generally streamlined motor body is rotatably mounted to drive the generator input and includes a plurality of radially extending generally V-shaped fins mounted on an outside surface...     

A hydroelectric generator is provided with a retractable runner and, optionally, with a retractable distributor. This is accomplished by mounting the runner on a runner shaft which is axially movable in order to permit selective retraction and extension of the runner exteriorly of the generator housing....     

A fluid dynamic device is provided which includes a fluid holding and U-shaped conduit having a first leg and a second leg, an electrical generating device positioned between and in flow communication with the first and second legs and being motivated by passage of the fluid therethrough, and injection...     

Electrical power is generated by means of an hydraulic air compressor that produces compressed air from a water stream. The compressed air is delivered directly to burners of a turbine without significant additional compression and after preheating using waste heat from the turbine exhaust. The turbine...     

An electrical generator in a water impermeable housing is driven by a water driven motor. The combination can be submersed with power delivered from the generator to a hydro-subsystem. The system is intrinsically safe in that all electronics are submerged during operation, thus any sparks emitted will...     

The present apparatus is a hydroelectric power device for generating energy from currents of water. It includes a blade spiraling about a spindle or shaft which is connected to a generator. The rotation of the blade and shaft is converted by the generator into energy.