Patent ID: 9291146
Filing Date: 2016-03-22
CPC Classification: F03B,F05B,H02K,Y02E,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A turbine for use in generating electricity in an underwater environment, comprising: a vertical-axis turbine configured to rotate about a vertical axis in response to water flowing toward the turbine in a flow direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis; the vertical-axis turbine including: a central upper dome surface at least partially defined by an upwardly convex curve in a vertical cross-sectional plane, and a plurality of upwardly protruding fins that each extend from an outer region proximate to an outer periphery of the vertical-axis turbine toward the central upper dome surface, wherein the vertical-axis turbine has a maximum vertical height parallel to the vertical axis, the maximum vertical height being substantially smaller than a maximum diameter of the outer periphery of the vertical-axis turbine; and wherein each of the fins include a convex face and an oppositely disposed concave face; wherein both the convex face and the concave face of each upwardly protruding fin are upwardly facing surfaces.