Patent ID: 8317480

Claim:
A turbine assembly for transferring energy from a fluid current, the turbine assembly comprising: a central shaft, the central shaft being rotatable about an axis of rotation; and a series of vanes, the vanes each being attached to the central shaft with substantially equal spacing therebetween, the vanes each having an inverted tear drop shape, and thus comprising a C-shaped cross section through a first plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation and an inverted J-shaped cross section through a second plane parallel to the axis of rotation, said C-shaped and J-shaped cross sections each having a convex outer surface, a concave inner surface, a radially inner edge, and a radially outer edge, the convex outer surfaces each opposing and abutting the central shaft at superior vane portions and the inner radial edges opposing and abutting the central shaft at inferior vane portions, the concave inner surfaces for capturing a directed fluid current and the convex outer surfaces for deflecting said current, the concave inner surfaces and convex outer surfaces respectively being associated with first and second current pressures, the first current pressure being greater than the second current pressure for imparting a torque through the axis of rotation and rotating the central shaft.