Turbine energy generating system

Abstract

A turbine energy generating system includes a combustion chamber for converting fuel into energy by igniting an air and fuel mixture, a turbine for converting energy produced by the combustion chamber into mechanical energy, and a generator for converting mechanical energy produced by the turbine into electrical energy in the range of 1 to 15 kilowatts.

1 . A turbine comprising:
 a housing, said housing having a chamber, an inlet passageway, and an outlet passageway, said inlet passageway forming an inlet at one end and intersecting with said chamber to form an inlet interface with said chamber wherein said inlet passageway is in fluid communication with said chamber at said inlet interface, and said outlet passageway having an outlet at one end and intersecting with said chamber to form an outlet interface with said chamber wherein said outlet passageway is in fluid communication with said chamber at said outlet interface;   a shaft rotatably supported in said housing; and   a wheel with a plurality of turbine blades supported in said chamber by said shaft for rotation with said shaft, said turbine blades defining an outer perimeter and defining gaps therebetween, each turbine blade having an impingement surface generally aligned along a radial axis extending outwardly from said shaft, each of said gaps being dimensioned for spanning said inlet interface wherein a respective pair of said turbine blades is spaced substantially equally to the length of said inlet interface such that said respective pair of turbine blades straddle said inlet interface when said respective pair of turbine blades are aligned at said inlet interface, wherein when a fluid is directed into said housing through said inlet the fluid will impinge on one of said blades of said respective pair of turbine blades and induce rotation of said wheel about said shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The turbine according to  claim 1 , wherein said wheel has an outer flange, said turbine blades formed at said outer flange. 
     
     
         3 . The turbine according to  claim 2 , wherein said wheel is closed in said chamber by a cover. 
     
     
         4 . The turbine according to  claim 3 , wherein said chamber has an inner diameter and a depth, said flange having a width approximately equal to said depth, and said wheel having an outermost diameter at said blades approximately equal to said inner diameter of said chamber wherein the gaps formed between said flange and said blades and said inner diameter of said chamber can be filled with the fluid, and when said wheel is rotated with said shaft in said housing at least a portion of the fluid may be expelled through said outlet. 
     
     
         5 . A turbine comprising:
 a housing, said housing having a chamber, an inlet passageway, and an outlet passageway, said inlet passageway having an outer periphery and an inlet at one end of said passageway, said inlet passageway intersecting with said chamber and forming an inlet interface at said chamber, said outer periphery of said inlet passageway forming a tangent with said chamber at said inlet interface, said outlet passageway having an outer periphery and an outlet at one end of said outlet passageway, said outlet passageway intersecting with said chamber and forming an outlet interface at said chamber, said outer periphery of said outlet passageway forming a tangent with said chamber at said outlet interface; and   a wheel having plurality of turbine blades supported in said chamber by a shaft for rotation in a direction about an axis of rotation, each of said turbine blades having a blade surface generally aligned along a radial axis extending from said shaft, and said inlet interface directing fluid from said inlet to said chamber in a direction generally parallel to said tangent at said inlet interface wherein when the fluid is directed into said housing through said inlet the fluid will impinge and impart a generally orthogonal force on said blade surface and induce rotation of said wheel about said axis of rotation.   
     
     
         6 . The turbine according to  claim 5 , wherein said inlet passageway is formed by a transverse passageway extending through said housing, one end of said transverse passageway being closed and the other end of said transverse passageway forming said inlet, and an intermediate portion of said transverse passageway forming said inlet interface. 
     
     
         7 . The turbine according to  claim 5 , wherein said outlet passageway is formed by a transverse passageway extending through said housing, said transverse passageway intersecting said chamber, one end of said transverse passageway being closed and the other end of said transverse passageway forming said outlet, and an intermediate portion of said transverse passageway forming said outlet interface. 
     
     
         8 . The turbine according to  claim 5 , wherein said wheel is closed in said chamber by a cover. 
     
     
         9 . The turbine according to  claim 8 , wherein said wheel has a flange at its perimeter, and said blades being formed at said flange. 
     
     
         10 . The turbine according to  claim 9 , wherein said blades are formed in said flange. 
     
     
         11 . The turbine according to  claim 10 , wherein said chamber has an inner diameter and a depth, said flange having a width approximately equal to said depth, and said wheel having an outermost diameter at said blades at least approximately equal to said inner diameter of said chamber wherein the gaps formed between said flange and said blades and said inner diameter of said chamber can be filled with said fluid, and when said wheel is rotated with said shaft in said housing the fluid may be expelled through said outlet. 
     
     
         12 . A turbine comprising:
 a housing, said housing having a chamber, an inlet passageway, and first and second outlet passageways, wherein said inlet passageway is substantially coaxial with said first outlet passageway, said inlet passageway having an end forming an inlet at said chamber, each of said first and second outlet passageways having a respective end forming first and second outlets at said chamber, wherein at least one of said first and second outlets is selectively closeable;   said chamber intersecting said inlet passageway to form an inlet interface with said inlet passageway, and said chamber intersecting said first and second outlet passageways to form respective first and second outlet interfaces with said first and second outlet passageways; and   a wheel having plurality of turbine blades supported in said chamber by a shaft for rotation in a direction about an axis of rotation, each of said turbine blades having a blade surface generally aligned along a radial axis extending from said shaft, and said inlet interface directing fluid from said inlet to said chamber in a direction generally parallel to said tangent at said inlet interface wherein when the fluid is directed into said housing through said inlet the fluid will impinge and impart a generally orthogonal force on said blade surface and induce rotation of said wheel about said axis of rotation, and when said wheel is rotated with said shaft in said housing the fluid may be expelled through one or both of said first and second outlets.   
     
     
         13 . The turbine of  claim 12 , further comprising a second inlet passageway having an end and forming a second inlet at said end of said second inlet passageway at said chamber, said chamber intersecting said second inlet passageway to form a second inlet interface with said second inlet passageway. 
     
     
         14 . The turbine of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said inlet and said second inlet is selectively closeable, 
     
     
         15 . The turbine of  claim 13 , wherein said second inlet passageway is substantially coaxial with said second outlet passageway. 
     
     
         16 . A turbine comprising:
 a housing, said housing having a chamber, a single inlet passageway defining an inlet passageway axis, and a single outlet passageway defining an outlet passageway axis, wherein said outlet passageway axis is substantially parallel to said inlet passageway axis, said inlet passageway having an end forming an inlet at said chamber, and said outlet passageway having an end forming an outlet at said chamber;   said chamber intersecting said inlet passageway to form an inlet interface with said inlet passageway, and said chamber intersecting said outlet passageway to form an outlet interface with said outlet passageway; and   a wheel having plurality of turbine blades supported in said chamber by a shaft for rotation in a direction about an axis of rotation, each of said turbine blades having a blade surface generally aligned along a radial axis extending from said shaft, and said inlet interface directing fluid from said inlet to said chamber wherein when the fluid is directed into said housing through said inlet the fluid will impinge and impart a generally orthogonal force on said blade surface and induce rotation of said wheel about said axis of rotation.   
     
     
         17 . The turbine of  claim 16 , wherein said inlet passageway is substantially coaxial with said outlet passageway. 
     
     
         18 . The turbine of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of said inlet passageway and said outlet passageway is formed by a transverse passageway extending through said housing, said transverse passageway intersecting said chamber, one end of said transverse passageway being closed and the other end of said transverse passageway forming said inlet passageway or said outlet passageway, and an intermediate portion of said transverse passageway forming said inlet interface or said outlet interface. 
     
     
         19 . The turbine of  claim 16 , wherein said inlet passageway has an outer periphery, said outer periphery of said inlet passageway forming a tangent with said chamber at said inlet interface, said outlet passageway having an outer periphery, said outer periphery forming a tangent with said chamber at said outlet interface. 
     
     
         20 . A turbine comprising:
 a housing, said housing having a recess on one side thereof forming a housing wall and a cover over said recess for forming a chamber with said housing wall in said recess, and said housing further having an inlet passageway forming an inlet at one end of said inlet passageway and an outlet passageway forming an outlet at one end of said outlet passageway, each of said inlet passageway and said outlet passageway intersecting said chamber wherein said passageways are in fluid communication with said chamber;   a shaft rotatably supported in said housing about an axis of rotation, said inlet passageway and said outlet passageway each being positioned along respective tangent lines to said chamber at their respective intersections with said chamber, said inlet passageway being formed by a transverse passageway extending through said housing, one end of said transverse passageway being closed and the other end of said transverse passageway forming said inlet, and an intermediate portion of said transverse passageway forming said intersection of said inlet passageway with said chamber;   a central circular plate mounted to said shaft in said chamber;   a flange at an outer perimeter of said central circular plate; and   a plurality of turbine blades at said flange, each said turbine blades sandwiched between said housing wall and said cover and having a blade surface extending along a radial axis from said shaft, and when fluid is directed into said chamber through said inlet the fluid will impinge and impart a force on said blade surface and induce rotation of said shaft.   
     
     
         21 . The turbine according to  claim 20 , wherein said blades are formed in said flange. 
     
     
         22 . The turbine according to  claim 20 , wherein said outlet passageway is formed by a second transverse passageway extending through said housing, said second transverse passageway intersecting said chamber to thereby form said intersection of said outlet passageway, one end of said second transverse passageway being closed, and the other end of said second transverse passageway forming said outlet. 
     
     
         23 . The turbine according to  claim 20 , wherein said central circular plate includes an annular bearing surface radially inward of said flange, and said cover includes a central annular seat, said bearing surface of said circular plate aligning with said central annular seat. 
     
     
         24 . The turbine according to  claim 20 , wherein said chamber has an inner diameter, and said wheel having an outer diameter approximately equal to said inner diameter of said chamber.