Patent ID: 6809430
Filing Date: 2004-10-26
Classification: F03B,F05B,Y02E

Abstract:
A conveyor-type apparatus for harnessing energy from a fluid flow comprising:a support structure; a continuous-loop, flexible driven element mounted to the support structure and extending along a closed-loop path, the path defining an interior region and an exterior region; the driven element having first and second reaches, said first and second reaches being upflow and downflow reaches when fluid flows from the first reach to the second reach; a series of reversible fluid foils; and each fluid foil comprising first and second sides and being connected to the flexible driven element for movement between a first orientation, situated in the interior region when moving along the upflow reach, and a second orientation, situated in the exterior region when moving along the downflow reach, so that: the first sides are generally concave when moving along the upflow reach and generally convex when moving along the downflow reach; and the second sides are generally concave when moving along the downflow reach and generally convex when moving along the upflow reach; whereby the driven element may be coupled to an energy generator so to harness energy from the fluid flow.