Patent ID: 7976269

Claim:
A method of increasing energy extraction from a fluid stream, comprising: providing a horizontal axis wind turbine supported by a vertical support shaft, the wind turbine comprising: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an inlet, an outlet, and a ring of mixer lobes arranged along a trailing edge; a means for extracting energy from a fluid stream, the means for extracting energy being positioned within the turbine shroud; and an elector 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 means for extracting energy and (ii) a secondary fluid stream that bypasses the means for extracting energy and enters the ejector shroud inlet; placing the wind turbine in contact with the primary fluid stream; extracting energy from the primary fluid stream to produce power and 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 volume of the primary fluid stream passing through the fluid turbine and increasing the amount of energy extracted.