| 摘要 |
<p>Method and apparatus for converting the kinetic energy of a moving fluid stream into useful work by means of a cascade of thin airfoils (181 - 1810) positioned therein. In one embodiment, the airfoils are provided with at least two degrees of freedom and adjacent airfoils are movable out of phase. The airfoils are subjected to the aerodynamically induced oscillations caused by the aeroelastic phenomenon known as flutter and the oscillatory movement is then harnessed to do useful work. In an alternate embodiment, a cascade of airfoils (106) is mechanically oscillated (110, 112) within a moving fluid stream (108) to increase the propulsion of the fluid. Where the fluid is a liquid, the cascade includes a plurality of hydrofoils. </p> |
