Turbomachinery Having Self-Articulating Blades, Shutter Valve, Partial-Admission Shutters, and/or Variable-Pitch Inlet Nozzles

摘要

An axial-flow turbine assembly that includes one or more features for enhancing the efficiency of the turbine's operation. In one embodiment, the turbine assembly includes a turbine rotor having blades that adjust their pitch angle in direct response to working fluid pressure on the blades themselves or other part(s) of the rotor. In other embodiments, the turbine assembly is deployable in an application, such as an oscillating water column system, in which the flow of working fluid varies over time, for example, as pressure driving the flow changes. In a first of these embodiments, the turbine assembly includes a valve that allows the pressure to build so that the flow is optimized for the turbine's operating parameters. In a second of these embodiments, one or more variable-admission nozzle and shutter assemblies are provided to control the flow through the turbine to optimize the flow relative to the turbine's operating parameters.

主权项

1. An oscillating water column (OWC) system, comprising:
a structure containing an air-water chamber designed and configured to receive water waves in a manner that changes the volume of air within said air-water chamber during operation, wherein said structure includes an opening between said air-water chamber and an air environment outside said chamber when said structure is deployed; an air-turbine mounted in said opening and designed and configured to be driven by air flowing through said opening during operation of the OWC system; a valve located in said opening and designed and configured to modulate the flow of air through said air-turbine during operation of the OWC system; and a control system designed and configured to modulate said valve in a manner that allows pressure within said air-water chamber to build to a predetermined magnitude before opening said valve.