Patent ID: 11879424
Assignee: HYDROKINETIC ENERGY CORP.
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  Y | IPC F

Claim 15:
16. A unidirectional hydrokinetic turbine having a water entrance end and a water exit end defining a direction of water flow through the turbine, comprising:
a generally cylindrical accelerator shroud that has a wall cross-section that comprises an asymmetrical hydrofoil shape and defines within its cylindrical cross-section a flow area, said hydrofoil shape serving to accelerate the flow of water through the accelerator shroud and to create a negative pressure field behind the accelerator shroud, in the direction of water flow;
a rotor assembly that is mounted for rotation within the accelerator shroud around an axis that is generally parallel to the direction of water flow through the turbine, the rotor assembly comprising:
a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outwardly from an open center of the turbine and terminating at rotor blade tips, which blades have an asymmetrical hydrofoil-shaped cross-sectional configuration, wherein said blades have a profile thickness at their radially outer ends that is greater than the profile thickness at their radially inner ends; and
a rotor outer ring to which the blade tips are directly attached, and the outer ring being configured to support the rotor assembly within the accelerator shroud and having a radially outer circumference which is configured for rotation within said accelerator shroud wall cross-section; and

a first annular diffuser comprising, a generally cylindrical ring member that has a wall cross-section comprising an asymmetrical hydrofoil shape, said annular diffuser having a diameter greater than the diameter of said accelerator shroud, being radially spaced from said accelerator shroud, and being positioned behind the accelerator shroud, in the direction of water flow through the turbine, whereby the hydrofoil shape of the annular diffuser serves to accelerate the flow of water through the annular diffuser and to create a negative pressure field behind the annular diffuser, and in cooperation with the hydrofoil of said accelerator shroud and said blades to augment acceleration of water flow through the accelerator shroud at the rotor assembly.