Patent ID: 7723860

Claim:
A pipeline deployed electric generator comprising: (a) a rotor having rotor blades extending outwardly from a central axle, said rotor being deployed within the pipeline so as to be in a fluid flow path of the pipeline such that a flow of fluid through the pipeline effects rotation of said rotor, and at least a portion of said rotor being magnetized; and (b) at least one induction coil deployed on an exterior surface of the pipeline in proximity to said rotor such that a change in magnetic field caused by rotation of said rotor within the pipeline generates a flow of electric current in said induction coil; wherein said rotor has an axis of rotation that is substantially parallel to a central axis of the pipeline at a region of the pipeline in which said rotor is deployed and said rotor is configured with a substantially cylindrical wall that is spaced apart from and circumscribes said central axle of said rotor and is spaced apart form an inside wall of said pipeline and at least a portion of said rotor blades extend outwardly from said cylindrical wall and the generator further includes: (c) a flow impedance regulator developed in an interior region defined by said cylindrical wall so as to block fluid flow through said interior region defined by said cylindrical wall at low flow rates and allow the passage of fluid through said interior region defined by said cylindrical wall at high flow rates.