Turbine rotor assembly

Abstract

A turbine rotor assembly for extracting energy from an oscillating working fluid. The turbine rotor assembly includes a hub rotatable about a central axis. A plurality of blades is mounted to the hub about the central axis. Each blade has a leading edge and a trailing edge which are configured to be complementary in profile to each other such that the blades can be mounted in close fitting edge-to-edge proximity to each other.

1 . A turbine rotor assembly for extracting energy from an oscillating working fluid, the turbine rotor assembly including:
 a hub rotatable about a central axis;   a plurality of blades mountable to the hub about the central axis, each blade having a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the leading edge and trailing edge are configured to be complementary in profile to each other such that the blades can be mounted in close fitting edge-to-edge proximity to each other.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the blades are arranged in a non-overlapping sequential formation. 
     
     
         4 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each blade is mounted to the hub via a mounting means, wherein the mounting means includes a plurality of receiving formations in the hub and a shaft extending from a root of each blade, the shafts being receivable in the receiving formations. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the blade is movable relative to the hub such that the blade can change its pitch relative to the direction of flow of the working fluid. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the mounting means is configured such that all blades change their pitch at the same time and by the same degree. 
     
     
         9 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein each blade rotates about its associated shaft to change its pitch angle relative to the direction of flow of the working fluid so that the hub and blades rotate in one direction only about the central axis, regardless of the direction of fluid flow. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the rotatable blades can be retained in a neutral position or closed position so that each blade is aligned around the circumference of the hub to substantially close the fluid passageway through the blades. 
     
     
         12 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the rotation of the blades is controlled by an actuator, the actuator being responsive to changes in the properties of the prevailing working fluid within the flow passage. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein, the actuator is mechanically, electromechanically, hydraulically or pneumatically operated. 
     
     
         15 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the actuator is configured to open the blades in a first direction based on upon a first set of criteria and in a second direction based on a second set of criteria, wherein the first set of criteria is determined from properties associated with a rising wave and the second set of criteria is determined from properties associated with a falling wave. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein a control means is in communication with the actuator for controlling movement of the blades. 
     
     
         18 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the control means includes a damper for providing a smooth and/or constant change in pitch. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the leading edge and trailing edge of each blade is curved or arcuate in shape. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the leading and trailing edges of each blade are substantially straight. 
     
     
         24 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the mounting means and shape of the blade is such that the centre-of-pressure of the blade is operatively behind the axis of rotation of the shaft of each blade. 
     
     
         25 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein each blade has a generally symmetrical cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the trailing edge of a first blade and the leading edge of a second blade immediately following the first blade together define a nozzle. 
     
     
         30 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 29 , including a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure in an air chamber of an oscillating water column duct in which the hub and blades are arranged, the pressure sensor being operatively associated with the actuator and/or control means such that when a predetermined pressure is sensed the blades rotate to open the nozzles. 
     
     
         31 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the turbine rotor assembly is rotatably arranged within a flow passage of a housing, wherein the housing is configured to direct the flowing working fluid towards the blades of the hub and blade assembly. 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A turbine rotor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a drive shaft is coupled to the hub at its proximal end and to an electric generator at its distal end. 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . (canceled)