Patent ID: 8152441
Filing Date: 2012-04-10
Classification: F03B,F05B,Y02E,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A waterwheel apparatus, comprising: a rotor assembly, comprising an inboard rotor shaft, a pair of circular partitions separated by the inboard rotor shaft, a pair of outboard rotor shafts, and a plurality of hinged rotor blades radially oriented between the pair of circular partitions and coupled to the pair of partitions with hinge pins engaged with water-lubricated bearings in the hinged rotor blades, wherein the perimeter of each rotor blade comprises a groove configured to hold a spring-loaded water seal assembly and a plurality of through slots, the spring-loaded water seal assembly comprising: a water seal disposed within the groove, the water seal having a plurality of through holes essentially perpendicular to the radial orientation of the rotor blade; a plurality of compressed springs arrayed between an inner surface of the water seal and a bottom surface of the groove; and a plurality of keepers installed through the plurality of slots and the plurality of through holes, wherein the water seal is captured in the groove and forced outward from the groove.