Patent Publication Number: US-11649797-B2

Title: Waterpower stream amplifier device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/216,198, which was filed on Jun. 29, 2021, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of hydroelectric generators. More specifically, the present invention relates to a waterpower stream amplifier device primarily comprised of a body with an outer surface further comprised of at least one exterior protrusion and an interior surface further comprised of at least one angular flow director. The device can be placed in front of an underwater hydroelectric turbine in order to concentrate and multiply the energy of the water stream entering the turbine. The at least one angular flower director of the interior surface, the at least one exterior protrusion, and at least one longitudinal opening of the outer surface allows water to enter the interior surface of the body from all directions. As a result, a rotating water vortex is created within the interior surface as the water travels from the first end towards the second end. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Sources of renewable energy such as water are important for protecting the environment and further eliminating the use of fossil fuels. One type of renewable energy involves using water (such as but not limited to, ocean water) to power underwater hydroelectric turbines. However, this renewable energy source is impractical, as the power generated by said process is too small in scale, even in an industrial setting. This is due to the fact that underwater hydroelectric turbines are limited by a quadratic increase in the resistance to rotation with a linear increase in the size of the working surface of the rotors of the turbine. In addition, the power output of an underwater hydroelectric turbine also depends on the speed of water flow, which is not constant. 
     In an underwater hydroelectric turbine, the kinetic energy of water creates pressure on the surface area of the blades of the turbine. This pressure creates torque that rotates the turbine motor, which overcomes the resistance of the water and spins the turbine. The rotational speed of the turbine motor is further dependent on the ratio of torque and resistance generated by the force of water, wherein the magnitude of torque is determined by the kinetic energy of the water mass in the volume cut off by the sectional area of the rotating turbine blades and their width. However, since the high viscosity and resistance of water minimizes the area of the working surface of a turbine blade, the volume of the cut-off kinetic energy also decreases. As a result, underwater hydroelectric turbines are far less powerful than other renewable energy generators such as wind turbines. This is even despite the fact that the potential kinetic energy of water is significantly higher than wind. 
     Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a device that allows hydroelectric power to be used to its full power potential. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a waterpower stream amplifier device that can be used to concentrate and multiply water stream energy in underwater hydroelectric turbine applications. Further, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a waterpower stream amplifier device that can be used to concentrate and multiply water stream energy in underwater hydroelectric turbine applications, wherein the device increases the scale and power capacity of underwater hydroelectric turbines. 
     The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a waterpower stream amplifier device. The device is primarily comprised of a body with an outer surface further comprised of at least one exterior protrusion and an interior surface further comprised of at least one angular flow director. The device can be placed in front of an underwater hydroelectric turbine in order to concentrate and multiple the energy of the water stream by creating the large volume of rotated vortex of kinetic energy of water, that contacted to the blades of turbines rotor, and transmit over rotation the huge amount of kinetics energy to generator electricity. The at least one angular flower director of the interior surface, the at least one exterior protrusion, and at least one longitudinal opening of the outer surface allows water to enter the interior surface of the body from all directions. As a result, a rotating water vortex is created within the interior surface as the water travels from the first end towards the second end. 
     In this manner, the waterpower stream amplifier device of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides a device that allows hydroelectric power to be used to its full power potential. The device further concentrates and multiplies water stream energy in underwater hydroelectric turbine applications. Further, the device increases the scale and power capacity of underwater hydroelectric turbines. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
     The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a waterpower stream amplifier device. The device is primarily comprised of a body with an outer surface further comprised of at least one exterior protrusion and an interior surface further comprised of at least one angular flow director. The body is preferably generally conic-shaped, but may be any shape in differing embodiments such as, but not limited to, cylindrical, triangular, square, rectangular, etc. 
     The body is further comprised of at least one central inlet opening that runs from the first end to the second end of the body. The interior surface of the opening is further comprised of at least one angular flow director that may be arranged in a radial and/or spiral fashion around the interior surface. The angular flow director is preferably slightly curved and generally rectangular in shape. The director may further span the entire length of the interior surface. Once water enters the body through the opening, the flow director deflects water from horizontal movement in the direction of given rotation caused by the curvature of each flow director. 
     Water outside the body is further agitated as it passes over the outer surface of the body by at least one, but preferably a plurality of exterior protrusions which are preferably generally triangular in shape. The protrusions may be disposed radially or spirally along the entire outer surface, or may only be located on the top surface and bottom surface of the body. Any portion of the outer surface, but preferably the area of the outer surface near the base of each protrusion, is further comprised of at least one longitudinal opening that allows water to enter the interior surface of the body from all directions, thereby allowing water that is traveling outside of the body tangentially due to the protrusions to enter the body and transfer the momentum of flow into the interior surface. As a result, the direction of movement of the water is changed via the directors from longitudinal horizontal movement to transverse rotational movement, which forms a rotating water vortex within the interior surface as the water travels from the first end towards the second end. 
     Accordingly, the waterpower stream amplifier device of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it allows hydroelectric power to be used to its full power potential by concentrating and multiplying water stream energy in underwater hydroelectric turbine applications. In doing so, the device increases the scale and power capacity of underwater hydroelectric turbines. In this manner, the waterpower stream amplifier device overcomes the limitations of existing hydroelectric power generator methods known in the art. 
     To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which: 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a side view of one potential embodiment of a waterpower stream amplifier device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture; 
         FIG.  2    illustrates a front view of one potential embodiment of a waterpower stream amplifier device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture; 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a waterpower stream amplifier device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture; and 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a side view of one potential embodiment of a waterpower stream amplifier device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined. 
     As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for a device that allows hydroelectric power to be used to its full power potential. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a waterpower stream amplifier device that can be used to concentrate and multiply water stream energy in underwater hydroelectric turbine applications. Further, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a waterpower stream amplifier device that can be used to concentrate and multiply water stream energy in underwater hydroelectric turbine applications, wherein the device increases the scale and power capacity of underwater hydroelectric turbines. 
     The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of a waterpower stream amplifier device primarily comprised of a body with an outer surface further comprised of at least one exterior protrusion and an interior surface further comprised of at least one angular flow director. The body is preferably generally conic-shaped, but may be any shape in differing embodiments such as, but not limited to, cylindrical, triangular, square, rectangular, etc. The body is further comprised of at least one central inlet opening that runs from the first end to the second end of the body, wherein the interior surface of the opening is further comprised of at least one angular flow director that may be arranged in a radial and/or spiral fashion around the interior surface. The angular flow director is preferably slightly curved and generally rectangular in shape and may further span the entire length of the interior surface. Once water enters the body through the opening, the flow directors deflect water from horizontal movement in the direction of given rotation caused by the curvature of each flow director. 
     Water outside the body is further agitated as it passes over the outer surface of the body by at least one, but preferably a plurality of exterior protrusions which are preferably generally triangular in shape. The protrusions may be disposed radially or spirally along the entire outer surface or may only be located on the top surface and bottom surface of the body. Any portion of the outer surface, but preferably the area of the outer surface near the base of each protrusion is further comprised of at least one longitudinal opening that allows water to enter the interior surface of the body from all directions. Therefore, water that is traveling outside of the body tangentially due to the protrusions to enter the body and transfer the momentum of flow into the interior surface. As a result, the direction of movement of the water is changed via the directors from longitudinal horizontal movement to transverse rotational movement, which forms a rotating water vortex within the interior surface as the water travels from the first end towards the second end. 
     Accordingly, the waterpower stream amplifier device of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it allows hydroelectric power to be used to its full potential by concentrating and multiplying water stream energy in underwater hydroelectric turbine applications. In doing so, the device increases the scale and capacity of underwater hydroelectric turbines. In this manner, the waterpower stream amplifier device overcomes the limitations of existing hydroelectric power generator methods known in the art. 
     Referring initially to the drawings,  FIG.  1    illustrates a side view of one potential embodiment of a waterpower stream amplifier device  100  of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. The device  100  is primarily comprised of a body  110  with an outer surface  140  further comprised of at least one exterior protrusion  142  and an interior surface  150  further comprised of at least one angular flow director  154 . In the preferred embodiment of the device  100 , the device  100  is manufactured from a durable metal material such as, but not limited to: steel, stainless steel, aluminum, iron, cast-iron, etc., that may further be corrosion resistant. The body  110  is preferably generally conic-shaped, but may be any shape in differing embodiments such as, but not limited to, cylindrical, triangular, square, rectangular, etc. 
     The body  110  is further comprised of at least one central inlet opening  152  that runs from the first end  120  to the second end  130  of the body  110 . The opening  152  is preferably round in shape but may be any other shape known in the art such as, but not limited to: square, triangular, oblong, etc. in differing embodiments. The interior surface  150  of the opening  152  is further comprised of at least one angular flow director  154 . As best seen in  FIG.  2    and  FIG.  3   , the interior surface  150  preferably has a plurality of angular flow directors  154  that are arranged in a radial and/or spiral fashion around the interior surface  150 . Each angular flow director  154  is preferably slightly curved and generally rectangular in shape. However, each flow director  154  may be any shape known in the art such as, but not limited to, square, triangular, circular, etc. Further, the device  100  may have a plurality of flow directors  154 , wherein each flow director is of a different or same size, shape, and length. It is further contemplated that each flow director  154  can span the entire length of the interior surface  150  (i.e., along the interior surface  150  from the first end  120  to the second end  130 ) or only a portion of the interior surface  150 . Once water enters the body  110  through the opening  152 , the flow directors  154  deflect water from horizontal movement in the direction of given rotation caused by the curvature of each flow director  154 . 
     Water outside the body  110  is further agitated as it passes over the outer surface  140  of the body  110  by at least one, but preferably a plurality of exterior protrusions  142  as seen in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  4   . The protrusions  142  are preferably generally triangular but may be any shape known in the art in differing embodiments such as, but not limited to, square, rectangular, oblong, etc. The protrusions  142  may further be straight, curved, angled, etc., in differing embodiments. The protrusions  142  may be disposed radially or spirally along the entire outer surface  140  or may only be located on the top surface  112  and bottom surface  114  of the body  110 . The protrusions  142  further create a plurality of channels  144  between each protrusion  142 . Any portion of the outer surface  140 , but preferably the area of the outer surface  140  near the base  143  of each protrusion  142  (or within each channel  144 ) is further comprised of at least one longitudinal opening  146 . The opening  146  allows water to enter the interior surface  150  of the body  110  from all directions, thereby allowing water that is traveling outside of the body  110  tangentially due to the protrusions  142  to enter the body  110  and transfer the momentum of flow into the interior surface  150 . When this occurs, the direction of movement of the water is changed via the directors  154  from longitudinal horizontal movement to transverse rotational movement. In this manner, a rotating water vortex is formed within the interior surface  150  as the water travels from the first end  120  towards the second end  130 . 
     During use, the device  100  is placed in front of an underwater hydroelectric turbine. The turbine may have vertical or horizontal rotors, wherein the device  100  increases the kinetic energy of the water entering the rotors by creating a rotational vortex with cross rotation within the interior surface  150 . As a result, the power on the rotors of the turbine is increased. Unlike existing forms of hydroelectric power generation that are inefficient, the device  100  converts linear kinetic energy from the flow of water into vortex volumetric rotational motion while preventing negative wall border resistance. 
     Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “waterpower stream amplifier device” and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the waterpower stream amplifier device  100  of the present invention. 
     Notwithstanding the forgoing, the waterpower stream amplifier device  100  of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the waterpower stream amplifier device  100  as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the waterpower stream amplifier device  100  are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the waterpower stream amplifier device  100  are important design parameters for user convenience, the waterpower stream amplifier device  100  may be of any size, shape and/or configuration that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user&#39;s needs and/or preferences. 
     Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof. 
     What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.