Annular multi-rotor double-walled turbine

Abstract

An annular single or multi-rotor double-walled turbine. The turbine includes an outer shroud, an inner shroud, and a plurality of driveshafts. The turbine also includes a plurality of rotors coaxially attached to the plurality of driveshafts at spaced intervals. Each of the plurality of rotors comprises a plurality of turbine blades extending between the inner and outer shrouds. Each of the plurality of turbine blades comprises a face. The inner shroud and the outer shroud form a continuous channel for directing a fluid entering the turbine towards the faces of the turbine blades and for directing fluid discharged from a first of the plurality of rotors to the remaining rotors. The channel greatly improves efficiency of power extraction from all augmented and non-augmented fluid streams.

1 . An annular multi-rotor double-walled turbine comprising:
 an outer shroud;   an inner shroud;   a plurality of driveshafts; and   a plurality of rotors coaxially attached to said plurality of driveshafts at spaced intervals, each of said plurality of rotors comprising a plurality of turbine blades extending between said inner and outer shrouds, each of said plurality of turbine blades comprising a face,   
       wherein the inner shroud and the outer shroud form a continuous channel for directing a fluid entering the turbine towards the faces of the turbine blades and for directing fluid discharged from a first of the plurality of rotors to the remaining rotors. 
     
     
         2 . The turbine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the turbine further comprises an adjustable inner shroud liner with an actuating system for displacement of adjustable inner shroud liner overlapping segments with respect to a face of the inner shroud. 
     
     
         3 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  or  2 , further comprising:
 an inlet; and 
 a converging nozzle for directing and accelerating fluid towards the inlet of the turbine. 
 
     
     
         4 . The turbine as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 an outlet; and   a diverging nozzle for directing and decelerating fluid discharged from the outlet of the turbine.   
     
     
         5 . The turbine as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising a support structure fixed over the outer shroud and connected to the converging nozzle and the diverging nozzle, said support structure partly supporting a weight of the converging nozzle and the diverging nozzle. 
     
     
         6 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  5 , further comprising:
 a turbine base structure; and 
 a turbine rotation system for rotating the turbine base structure to align the driveshaft with an incoming direction of the fluid entering the turbine. 
 
     
     
         7 . The turbine as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a fluid velocity measurement system located upstream of the turbine and producing a signal indicative of fluid velocity entering the turbine, and wherein the actuating system displaces the adjustable inner shroud liner with respect to the face of the inner shroud based on the signal indicative of fluid velocity entering the turbine. 
     
     
         8 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  7 , further comprising a directing system mounted upstream of the inner shroud and over the inner shroud for directing fluid entering the turbine towards the plurality of turbine blades of the first of the plurality of rotors. 
     
     
         9 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  8 , further comprising a compressor fan positioned upstream of the turbine and increasing velocity of the fluid entering the turbine. 
     
     
         10 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the fluid is air. 
     
     
         11 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  10 , wherein the fluid is water. 
     
     
         12 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  11 , wherein the turbine blades are hollow, perforated and connected to a vacuum system for controlling boundary layers in proximity of said turbine blades. 
     
     
         13 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  11 , wherein the turbine blades are hollow, perforated and connected to a pressurized fluid supply system for controlling boundary layers in proximity of said turbine blades. 
     
     
         14 . An adjustable flow channel area, double-walled, cross-flow turbine comprising:
 a vertical axis cross-flow rotor comprising a plurality of turbine blades, each of said turbine blades comprising a cylindrical face;   an outer shroud enclosing side portions, a top portion and a bottom portion of a swept area of the rotor;   upstream fluid deflectors for adjustably reducing a width of the swept area of the rotor;   upstream fluid deflector actuators for adjusting a projection of the fluid deflectors into a fluid stream entering the turbine;   adjustable inner walls located within a circumference of the cylindrical faces of the turbine blades; and   inner wall actuators for positioning the inner walls relative to a width of a fluid channel created by the fluid deflectors,   
       wherein the inner walls and upstream fluid deflectors form a channel for directing the fluid entering the turbine towards the cylindrical faces of the turbine blades and for directing fluid discharged from upstream blades to the cylindrical faces of downstream blades. 
     
     
         15 . An adjustable flow channel area, double-walled, cross-flow turbine comprising:
 a horizontal axis cross-flow rotor comprising a plurality of turbine blades, each of said turbine blades comprising a cylindrical face;   an outer shroud enclosing side portions, a top portion and a bottom portion of a swept area of the rotor;   upstream fluid deflectors for adjustably reducing a height of the swept area of the rotor;   upstream fluid deflector actuators for adjusting a projection of the fluid deflectors into a fluid stream entering the turbine;   adjustable inner walls located within a circumference of the cylindrical faces of the turbine blades; and   inner wall actuators for positioning the inner walls relative to a height of a fluid channel created by the fluid deflectors,   
       wherein the inner walls and upstream fluid deflectors form a channel for directing the fluid entering the turbine towards the cylindrical faces of the turbine blades and for directing fluid discharged from upstream blades to the cylindrical faces of downstream blades. 
     
     
         16 . The turbine as claimed in either one of  claims 14  or  15 , further comprising downstream fluid deflectors and downstream fluid deflector actuators positioned downstream of the rotor. 
     
     
         17 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 14  to  16 , further comprising:
 an inlet; and 
 a converging nozzle for directing and accelerating the fluid towards the inlet of the turbine. 
 
     
     
         18 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 14  to  17 , further comprising:
 an outlet; and 
 a diverging nozzle for directing and decelerating fluid discharged from the outlet of the turbine. 
 
     
     
         19 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 14  to  18 , further comprising:
 a turbine base structure; and 
 a turbine rotation system for rotating the turbine base structure to align the turbine with an incoming direction of the fluid entering the turbine. 
 
     
     
         20 . The turbine as claimed in either one of  claim 14  or  15 , further comprising a fluid velocity measurement system located upstream of the turbine and producing a signal indicative of fluid velocity entering the turbine, and wherein the inner wall actuators displace the inner walls with respect to the outer shroud based on the signal indicative of fluid velocity entering the turbine. 
     
     
         21 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 14  to  20 , further comprising a compressor fan positioned upstream of the turbine and increasing velocity of the fluid entering the turbine. 
     
     
         22 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 14  to  21 , wherein the fluid is air. 
     
     
         23 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 14  to  22 , wherein the fluid is water. 
     
     
         24 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 14  to  23 , wherein the turbine blades are hollow, perforated and connected to a vacuum system for controlling boundary layers in proximity of said turbine blades. 
     
     
         25 . The turbine as claimed in any one of  claims 14  to  24 , wherein the turbine blades are hollow, perforated and connected to a pressurized fluid supply system for controlling boundary layers in proximity of said turbine blades. 
     
     
         26 . An annular double-walled turbine comprising:
 an outer shroud;   an inner shroud;   a driveshaft; and   a rotor coaxially attached to said driveshaft, the rotor comprising a plurality of turbine blades extending between said inner and outer shrouds, each of said plurality of turbine blades comprising a face,   
       wherein the inner shroud and the outer shroud form a continuous channel for directing a fluid entering the turbine towards the faces of the turbine blades.