US2008273977A1PendingUtilityA1

Methods and Devices for Utilizing Flowing Power

33
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jan 21, 2004Filed: Jan 21, 2005Published: Nov 6, 2008
Est. expiryJan 21, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jeffrey Beard
Y02E10/74F05B 2240/122F03D 3/061F05B 2250/25F03D 3/062F05B 2240/213Y02B10/30F03D 3/06F03D 3/00F05B 2240/3062
33
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Claims

Abstract

A method and apparatus related to the utilization of flowing medium is provided including a turbine blade comprising at least one protrusion along at least a portion of a surface of said blade and a twisted portion.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An turbine blade comprising:
 at least one protrusion along at least a portion of a surface of said blade; and   a twisted portion.   
   
   
       2 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein the at least one protrusion comprises at least one outward protrusion. 
   
   
       3 . The turbine blade of  claim 2  wherein the at least one outward protrusion comprises at least one ridge. 
   
   
       4 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said ridges are at least partially recessed on a surface of the blade. 
   
   
       5 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said at least one protrusion and said twisted portion at least partially overlap. 
   
   
       6 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said at least one protrusion is on an inside surface of the blade. 
   
   
       7 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said ridges are on an outside surface of the blade. 
   
   
       8 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said twisted portion is evenly distributed along the entire length of said blade. 
   
   
       9 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said twisted portion is evenly distributed along a portion of said blade that is less than the entire length of the blade. 
   
   
       10 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said twisted portion is unevenly distributed along the entire length of said blade. 
   
   
       11 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said twisted portion is unevenly distributed along a portion of said blade that is less than the entire length of the blade. 
   
   
       12 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said blade is substantially flat. 
   
   
       13 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said blade is curved. 
   
   
       14 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said blade is concaved on an inside surface of said blade. 
   
   
       15 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said blade is made from a simple piece of material. 
   
   
       16 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein said blade is assembled from a plurality of pieces. 
   
   
       17 . The turbine blade of  claim 1  wherein the at least one protrusion comprises at least one inward protrusion. 
   
   
       18 . The turbine blade of  claim 17  wherein the at least one outward protrusion comprises at least one dimple. 
   
   
       19 . The turbine blade of  claim 18  wherein said at least one dimple is shaped to improve wind flow over the outside surface of said blade. 
   
   
       20 . The turbine blade of  claim 18  wherein said blade comprises a plurality of approximately uniform size dimples. 
   
   
       21 . The turbine blade of  claim 18  wherein said blade comprises asymmetrically shaped dimples. 
   
   
       22 . The turbine blade of  claim 18  wherein said blade comprises dimples having a plurality of sizes. 
   
   
       23 . The turbine blade of  claim 18  wherein said dimples are at least partially recessed on a surface of the blade. 
   
   
       24 . The turbine blade of  claim 18 , wherein said dimples have a plurality of shapes. 
   
   
       25 . A turbine comprising:
 at least one blade including:   at least one protrusion along at least a portion of said at least one blade, and   a twisted portion; and   at least one rotor,   wherein said rotor is in communication with said at least one blade.   
   
   
       26 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said at least one protrusion and said twisted portion of said blade at least partially overlap. 
   
   
       27 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said at least one blade is attached on at least one end to at least one end piece. 
   
   
       28 . The turbine of  claim 27  wherein said at least one end piece is in communication with said at least one rotor. 
   
   
       29 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said turbine further comprises a shaft in communication with at the at least one blade. 
   
   
       30 . The turbine of  claim 29 , wherein said shaft is in communication with a magnetic or flexible coupler between said blade and said rotor. 
   
   
       31 . The turbine of  claim 29 , wherein said shaft is in communication with at least one rotor. 
   
   
       32 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said at least one blade is made of materials selected from a group consisting of carbon fiber, fiber reinforced thermoplast, fiberglass, plastic, metal and epoxy. 
   
   
       33 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said at least one blade comprises a plurality of blades and wherein said blades are symmetrically opposed. 
   
   
       34 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said at least one blade comprises a plurality of blades and said blades are arranged in said turbine directing energy transfer from one blade to another blade. 
   
   
       35 . The turbine of  claim 34  wherein said energy is wind energy. 
   
   
       36 . The turbine of  claim 34  wherein said energy is hydrodynamic energy. 
   
   
       37 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said at least one blade comprises a plurality of blades and said blades are arranged in said turbine directing energy transfer from one blade to another blade having unobstructed air flow through at least a portion of an approximately central axis of rotation of said turbine. 
   
   
       38 . The turbine of  claim 37 , wherein said portion of an approximately central axis of rotation of the turbine is approximately as long as the twisted portion of the blades. 
   
   
       39 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said turbine is mounted on a surface to provide an angle within a range of approximately horizontal to approximately vertical with respect to the surface upon which the turbine is mounted and an approximately central axis of rotation of said turbine. 
   
   
       40 . The turbine of  claim 25  further comprising a wind augmentation device. 
   
   
       41 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said protrusion is an outward protrusion. 
   
   
       42 . The turbine of  claim 41  wherein said outward protrusion includes a ridge. 
   
   
       43 . The turbine of  claim 26  wherein said ridge is shaped to resist wind flow in one direction. 
   
   
       44 . The turbine of  claim 26  wherein said blade comprises a plurality of said ridges. 
   
   
       45 . The turbine of  claim 26  wherein said ridges are at least partially recessed on a surface of the blade. 
   
   
       46 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said protrusion is an inward protrusion. 
   
   
       47 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said inward protrusion includes a dimple. 
   
   
       48 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said twisted portion is evenly distributed along a portion of said blade that is less than the entire length of the blade. 
   
   
       49 . The turbine of  claim 25  wherein said at least one blade is curved. 
   
   
       50 . The turbine of  claim 49 , wherein said curve is concave on an inside surface of said blade. 
   
   
       51 . A turbine blade, wherein said blade comprises:
 at least one flared portion; and   a twisted portion.   
   
   
       52 . The turbine blade of  claim 51 , wherein said flared portion and said twisted portion at least partially overlap. 
   
   
       53 . The turbine blade of  claim 51  wherein said flared portion is widest at approximately the middle of the blade's length. 
   
   
       54 . The turbine blade of  claim 51  wherein said blade comprises two or more flared portions. 
   
   
       55 . The turbine blade of  claim 51  wherein said twisted portion is evenly distributed along the entire length of said blade. 
   
   
       56 . The turbine blade of  claim 51  wherein said twisted portion is unevenly distributed along a portion of said blade that is less than the entire length of the blade. 
   
   
       57 . The turbine blade of  claim 51  wherein said blade is curved. 
   
   
       58 . The turbine blade of  claim 51  wherein said blade is concave on an inside surface of said blade. 
   
   
       59 . The turbine blade of  claim 51  wherein said blade is made from a plurality of pieces. 
   
   
       60 . A turbine comprising:
 one or more blades wherein at least one of said blades comprises a flared portion and a twisted portion; and   at least one rotor,   wherein said rotor is in communication with at least one of said blades.   
   
   
       61 . The turbine of  claim 60  wherein said flared portion and said twisted portion of said blade at least partially overlap. 
   
   
       62 . The turbine of  claim 60  wherein at least one of said blades is attached on at least one end to at least one end piece. 
   
   
       63 . The turbine of  claim 62  wherein said end piece is in communication with at least one rotor. 
   
   
       64 . The turbine of  claim 60  wherein said rotor is in communication with at least one actuator. 
   
   
       65 . The turbine of  claim 60  wherein said turbine further comprises a shaft in communication with at least one of said one or more blades. 
   
   
       66 . The turbine of  claim 65  wherein said shaft is in communication with a magnetic or flexible coupler between at least one of said one or more blades and said rotor. 
   
   
       67 . The turbine of  claim 65  wherein said one or more blades comprises a plurality of blades which are symmetrically opposed. 
   
   
       68 . The turbine of  claim 65  wherein said one or more blades comprises a plurality of blades and said plurality of blades are arranged in said turbine directing energy transfer from a first blade to a second blade. 
   
   
       69 . The turbine of  claim 68  wherein said energy is wind energy. 
   
   
       70 . The turbine of  claim 68  wherein said energy is hydrodynamic energy. 
   
   
       71 . The turbine of  claim 68  wherein said one or more blades comprises a plurality of blades and said plurality of blades are arranged in said turbine directing energy transfer from a first blade to a second blade having unobstructed flow through at least a portion of an approximately central axis of rotation of said turbine. 
   
   
       72 . The turbine of  claim 71  wherein said portion of an approximately central axis of rotation of the turbine is approximately as long as the twisted portion of the blades. 
   
   
       73 . The turbine of  claim 72  wherein said portion of an approximately central axis of rotation of the turbine is approximately as long as said blades. 
   
   
       74 . The turbine of  claim 60  wherein said turbine is mounted on a surface to provide an angle within a range of approximately horizontal to approximately vertical with respect to the surface upon which the turbine is mounted and an approximately central axis of rotation of said turbine. 
   
   
       75 . The turbine of  claim 60  further comprising a wind augmentation device. 
   
   
       76 . The turbine of  claim 60  wherein said flared portion is widest at approximately the middle of the blade's length. 
   
   
       77 . The turbine of  claim 60  wherein at least one of said one or more blades comprises two or more flared portions. 
   
   
       78 . The turbine of  claim 60  wherein said twisted portion is evenly distributed along a portion of said blade that is less than the entire length of the blade. 
   
   
       79 . The turbine of  claim 60  wherein said twisted portion is unevenly distributed along the entire length of said blade. 
   
   
       80 . The turbine of  claim 60  wherein said blade is curved. 
   
   
       81 . The turbine of  claim 80  wherein said curve is concaved on an inside surface of said blade. 
   
   
       82 . The turbine of  claim 60  wherein said at least one or more blades includes a plurality of blades wherein said blades comprise a flared portion and a twisted portion and further comprising at least one end piece attached to each end of at least two of said plurality of blades wherein said blades overlap each other at an approximately central axis of rotation having a space between said blades where the blades overlap. 
   
   
       83 . The turbine of  claim 82  wherein said flared portion and said twisted portion of said blade are at least partially coincidental. 
   
   
       84 . The turbine of  claim 82  wherein end pieces comprise at least one channel to accept an end edge of at least one of said blades. 
   
   
       85 . A method for capturing energy comprising:
 providing a plurality of blades wherein at least one of said blades comprise at least one protrusion along at least a portion of the blade surface and wherein a portion of at least one of said blades is twisted; and   exposing said blades to a flow stream.   
   
   
       86 . The method of  claim 85  wherein said at least one protrusion is an outward protrusion. 
   
   
       87 . The method of  claim 85  wherein said at least one protrusion is an inward protrusion. 
   
   
       88 . The method of  claim 86  wherein said outward protrusion is a ridge. 
   
   
       89 . The method of  claim 86  wherein said outward protrusion is a raised dimple. 
   
   
       90 . The method of  claim 87  wherein said inward protrusion is a dimple. 
   
   
       91 . The method of  claim 85  wherein a portion of at least one of said blades is flared. 
   
   
       92 . The method of  claim 85  further comprising providing at least one rotor in communication with at least one of said blades. 
   
   
       93 . The method of  claim 92  further comprising providing at least one actuator. 
   
   
       94 . The method of  claim 85  wherein said providing step further comprises providing a plurality of dimples along at least a portion of said plurality of blades. 
   
   
       95 . The method of  claim 85  wherein each blade includes a flared portion. 
   
   
       96 . The method of  claim 85  wherein said flow stream is selected from the group consisting of airflow and water flow. 
   
   
       97 . The method of  claim 85  wherein said blades are in connection with a central shaft. 
   
   
       98 . A method of translating energy comprising:
 providing a plurality of blades in connection with a rotor;   placing said rotor and blades in connection with an end plate;   placing said rotor in communication with an actuator; and   exposing said blades to a flow stream.   
   
   
       99 . The method of  claim 98  wherein said flow stream is selected from the group consisting of airflow and water flow. 
   
   
       100 . The method of  claim 98  wherein said providing step further comprises providing s plurality of blades wherein said blades comprise at least one ridge along at least a portion of the blade surface and wherein a portion of said blades are twisted. 
   
   
       101 . The method of  claim 98  wherein said providing step further comprises providing s plurality of blades wherein a portion of said blades are flared. 
   
   
       102 . The method of  claim 98  wherein said actuator is selected from a group consisting or a generator, a mill, a pump, a speed control device, and a brake. 
   
   
       103 . The method of  claim 98  wherein said providing step further comprises providing a plurality of dimples along at least a portion of said plurality of blades. 
   
   
       104 . The method of  claim 98  wherein said blades are in connection with a central shaft.

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