OSCILLATING HYDROFOIL, TURBINE, PROPULSIVE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING ENERGY

摘要

System and method for converting kinetic energy from a fluid flow into mechanical energy, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a turbine including first and second hydrofoils, each of the hydrofoils being able to move linearly in a heaving motion, and being able to oscillate about a spanwise axis in a pitching motion, said heaving and pitching motions being quasi-sinusoidal, b) coupling the heaving motions of the first and second hydrofoils to the pitching motions of the second and first hydrofoils respectively, with the pitch-heave motion phase being substantially equal to the inter-hydrofoil phase, the heaving motion of one of the hydrofoils thereby driving the pitching motion of the other hydrofoil; and c) transforming the heaving motions of the hydrofoils into a rotational movement of a rotatable shaft, with linear-to-rotary transmission means.