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Turbine housing and floatation assemblyRelated Patent Categories: Rotary Kinetic Fluid Motors Or Pumps, Working Fluid Passage Or Distributing Means Associated With Runner (e.g., Casing, Etc.), Casing With Mounting MeansTurbine housing and floatation assembly description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070020097, Turbine housing and floatation assembly. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to turbine housings and to power enhancement of prime movers, and in particular to prime movers which harness energy from free flowing fluid. The invention also extends to a method of increasing generated energy of prime movers. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION [0002] Renewable and non-polluting sources of energy are currently in high demand. Traditional sources of generating power such as the combustion of fossil fuels, including coal, natural gas and oil, are becoming less and less favored due to their environmental disadvantages. The combustion of coal, oil or gas generates large quantities of carbon dioxide, oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, and other pollutant gases, which may contribute to global warming, acid rain, air pollution and a number of other environment and health damaging effects. World reserve of coal, oil and natural gas are also thought to be relatively low, and may run out in the foreseeable future. [0003] Other sources of energy include nuclear fission, whereby atoms of radioactive elements are bombarded with a neutron source, which splits the radioactive element into an element or elements of smaller atomic mass, generating massive quantities of energy in the process. Unfortunately, the use of radioactive materials means that environmentally safe methods of disposal of waste are difficult to achieve. The radioactive waste generated is commonly stored in sealed containers and then buried in restricted access landfill sites or dumped at sea. There have been many occurrences of radioactive waste leaking from these containers and damaging the local environment. The damage caused by radioactive waste may be irreversible and the radiation generated by the waste may last decades. Thus, there is strong desire to produce or increase power production of non-polluting and renewable energy sources. Known non-polluting and renewable energy sources include tidal-powered electricity generators, and wind powered electricity generators. These types of generators generally employ turbines that are designed to translate the linear motion of wind or tidal water current into rotational motion of a turbine through a central hub, which is connected to a suitable energy generator. [0004] For a particular or specific turbine subjected to a free flowing fluid for power extraction purposes, power generated by the turbine will entirely be dependent on the speed of the fluid when the mass is constant. The higher the site speed of the flow of fluid, the higher is the power generated by a specific or particular turbine subjected to that fluid flow. [0005] Therefore, the maximum power produced by turbines used for wind, river, or tidal flow power extraction are dictated by the existing fluid speed; determined by the conditions set by the environment. [0006] One of the aims of preferred embodiments of the present invention is to overcome or mitigate at least some of the disadvantages or limitations imposed by the existing environmental conditions, in particular the actual site speed available from the fluid or medium from which power is extracted. The addition of a turbine casing or a turbine housing designed to increase fluid speed and which at the same time, directs the fluid to hit the turbine blades/buckets at the correct angle, maximizes power output that could not readily be available if the turbine were submerged, without the use of a casing. Amplifying the actual existing site fluid speed, power extracted by the turbine blades/buckets will have a dramatic increase of turbine power output as the speed or fluid velocity is squared in the kinetic energy equation. [0007] In a vertical access turbine like an annenometer, viewed from the top, power is produced from one half the operating area. From the other half section, the blades/buckets advance through the incoming fluid producing counter-rotative forces that has to be subtracted from the power generated. Thus, eliminating the counter-rotative forces produces dramatic increase in power output. [0008] A second aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention is to over come or mitigate at least some of the disadvantages imposed by this counter-rotative forces that greatly influence turbine efficiency. [0009] A third aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention is to overcome or mitigate at least some of the problems of fluid speed control encountered in harnessing power from free flowing fluids. [0010] Machines operating in the open seas are subjected to extreme environmental weather conditions. High waves, winds, typhoons, as well as tidal waves are major considerations in the design of the machine that can withstand these forces. Thus, because of these considerations, widespread use of the open sea for power extraction becomes prohibitive. [0011] A fourth aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention is to overcome or mitigate at least some of the disadvantages or limitations imposed by those extreme environmental conditions. [0012] Another aim of preferred embodiments of the invention is to overcome or mitigate at least one problem of the prior art, whether expressly disclosed herein or not. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a turbine housing comprising a housing body having a first end, a second end and a central region, wherein the housing body comprises a bore running therethrough, and wherein the bore tapers from a first, larger cross-section at and/or in the region of the first and second ends, to a second, smaller cross-section towards the central portion. [0014] Preferably the cross-section of the bore in the central portion is rectangular, cylindrical, oval, square, or any other suitable cross-sectional shape. In preferred embodiments, the cross-section of the central portion of the bore is rectangular or circular. [0015] Preferably the shape of the first and second end is frusto-conical or trumpet shaped. Alternatively, if the cross-sectional shape of the central portion is rectangular or square, preferably the shape of the first and second end comprises a flared extension of the rectangular cross-sectional shape. [0016] Preferably the first and second end comprise a fluid inlet and fluid outlet respectively. [0017] Suitably the central portion comprises means to mount a turbine, or a rotatable shaft of a turbine. Preferably the central portion comprises a bore of uniform cross-section, and suitably the means to house a turbine or rotatable shaft is located subtantially centrally within the central portion. [0018] Length-wise, along the centerline of the central portion of the housing, at the middle of the housing, for a vertical axis turbine, is where the shaft of a turbine is preferably to be installed or mounted. For a horizontal axis turbine, lengthwise, along the centerline of the housing, also in middle of the central portion housing, is where the turbine mountings are preferably to be located. Hereunto, it will be the casing of a vertical axis turbine that will be discussed, as design configurations are the same on both. [0019] In actual manufacture, the turbine housing may be divided into five sections. Two identical inlet/outlet units are cut at the first and second ends. Next, are two identical conducting duct portions cut from both the resulting ends, the remaining middle portion becomes the turbine-housing portion. Together, the duct portions and turbine-housing portion comprise the central portion of the turbine housing. Both sides of the turbine housing portion are preferably double walled, with the inner walls, tapering sidewise towards both openings forming a venturi. Center of the housing of this turbine housing portion is where the vertical shaft of the turbine is preferably to be located and held by bearing assemblies. [0020] Between the turbine housing portion and the inlet and outlet portions, is where the conducting duct portions are installed. The conducting duct portion is preferably a rectangular tubular section, open at both ends each with flanges for bolted connections to the flange end of one of the inlet or outlet portions at one end, with other end bolted to the flange of the turbine housing portion. This type of connection also applies to the other side of the turbine housing portion similar in arrangement outward to form a symmetrical assembly. [0021] The bore of the second, smaller cross-sectional portion of the inlet and outlet portions preferably has a flange that joins the flange of conducting duct portion at one end. The other large cross-sectional size end is preferably a flaring opening that serves as the fluid intake/exhaust depending upon which way the fluid is coming from. In use, when free flowing fluid is allowed to enter at one end, it progresses inside and come out from the other end. The process is reversed when the exit side becomes the entrance. Continue reading about Turbine housing and floatation assembly... Full patent description for Turbine housing and floatation assembly Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Turbine housing and floatation assembly patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Turbine housing and floatation assembly or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Hydraulic turbine and stay ring Next Patent Application: Cooling fan and shroud with modified profiles Industry Class: Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Turbine housing and floatation assembly patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.10949 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf 174 |
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