Patent ID: 7976270

Claim:
A method of increasing energy extraction from a fluid stream, comprising: providing an axial flow fluid turbine comprising: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an inlet, an outlet, and a ring of mixer lobes arranged along a trailing edge; a turbine stage comprising a single stator ring and a single ring of rotor blades downstream of the single stator ring, the turbine stage being positioned within the turbine shroud; and an ejector shroud having an inlet and an outlet, the ejector shroud being located downstream of the turbine shroud; wherein the turbine shroud defines a (i) primary fluid stream that passes though the turbine stage and (ii) a secondary fluid stream that bypasses the turbine stage and enters the ejector shroud inlet, and (iii) the mixer lobes are downstream of the turbine stage; placing the turbine in contact with a fluid stream; extracting energy from the primary fluid stream to form a reduced-energy fluid stream; and mixing the reduced-energy fluid stream with the secondary fluid stream to transfer energy from the secondary fluid stream to the reduced-energy fluid stream, thereby enhancing the flow of the primary fluid stream through the turbine and increasing the amount of energy extraction.