Improvements relating to fluid-driven and / or fluid-driving apparatuses
Patent Information
- Application Number
- AU2024203689
- Authority / Receiving Office
- AU · AU
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-02-07
- Filing Date
- 2024-05-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-20
AI Technical Summary
Conventional hydropower facilities with insufficient or no natural water inflow require complex and expensive infrastructure powered by renewable energy sources, limiting their operation to specific weather conditions and increasing costs.
A fluid-driven apparatus comprising a turbine or impeller with a rotor that can extract power from or pump fluid, utilizing renewable energy sources and operating independently of weather conditions, integrated with a generator to convert power to electricity and a pump to replenish upper reservoirs.
Enables efficient power extraction and fluid pumping in low-flow and low-head conditions, reducing infrastructure complexity and operational dependence on weather, while providing reliable power generation and water supply.
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Abstract
Description
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to fluid-driven and / or fluid-driving apparatuses, and to systems and methods which employ such apparatuses. The invention has application (inter alia) where there is fluid having limited kinetic and / or gravitational-potential energy that can be harnessed and / or where there is fluid which it is desirable be conveyed from a fluid source to a destination that may be remote from and / or at a higher level than the source. The invention finds particular application in low-flow and / or low-head conditions, such as in water treatment plants, irrigation channels, tidal flows, etc. The invention has application (inter alia) to water supply systems, including systems for ducting water to / from / at / within a given location, such as (for example) an industrial or agricultural site / location (e.g. a farm) and / or community (such as, for example, a remote and / or underdeveloped community), e.g. for any of (inter alia) storage, cleaning, irrigation, drinking, washing and power generation. The invention may be applied for the purposes of providing power to drive, and / or harnessing power from, such ducting. One specific application of the invention is in hydropower. Background Hydropower involves harnessing the kinetic energy of moving (typically flowing and / or falling) water to produce power. A conventional hydropower facility typically comprises two liquid / water reservoirs which are at, or hold liquid / water the levels of which are at, different (higher and lower) elevations, and one or more turbines arranged to lie in a path of water / liquid moving between the higher-elevation reservoir ("upper reservoir") and the lower-elevation reservoir ("lower reservoir") so as to be driven by the water to produce electrical and / or mechanical power. Delivery of the water / liquid to the / each turbine is typically through / via at least one water control gate or penstock (which may also be known as a "stop", "sluice" or "slide gate"). It is common for a hydropower facility, in particular where there is insufficient or no natural water inflow to the upper reservoir thereof, to be of the so-called "pumped-storage" type, i.e. configured to pump water from the lower reservoir for return to the upper reservoir (to replenish it, partially or fully). The facility may to that end include one or more pumps 2024203689 31 May 2024 and at least one pipeline running from the lower reservoir either to the upper reservoir (whereby return water is delivered to the upper reservoir directly) or to a storage or holding reservoir (whereby return water is stored or held) which reservoir is typically at a higher elevation than the upper reservoir, and from which reservoir return water can be supplied to the upper reservoir, via one or more pipelines running between the storage / holding and upper reservoirs, in a controlled manner / independent of the operation of the pump(s). Return water pumps in conventional pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) facilities are typically powered by renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar energy sources, comprising / necessitating relatively complicated and expensive infrastructure, and may be operable only during periods of low grid-power demand and / or subject to favourable weather conditions, particularly windy conditions (where wind energy sources are employed) or sunny conditions (where solar energy sources are employed). Summary of the Invention A first aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for extracting power from or pumping fluid, comprising: a turbine or impeller, comprising a rotor arranged to be driven by or to drive fluid, respectively; and an output or input, arranged to be operatively coupled to the rotor, to supply power from the turbine or to the impeller, respectively. Preferably, the apparatus includes a chamber in which the rotor is rotatable and / or one or more blades thereof are movable or rotatable. A second aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus operable to extract power from fluid and / or to pump fluid, the apparatus comprising first and second apparatuses, wherein: the first apparatus comprises an apparatus for extracting power according to the first aspect, arranged to be operatively engaged with the second apparatus via said output; and / or the second apparatus comprises an apparatus for pumping fluid according to the first aspect, arranged to be operatively engaged with the first apparatus via said input. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, said apparatus for pumping fluid or said second apparatus is operable to pump return water in a hydropower or PSH plant or facility. 2024203689 31 May 2024 In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the first apparatus is arranged to output power to the second apparatus. Preferably, the first apparatus is operable to extract power and to output power thus extracted to the second apparatus. Preferably, the first apparatus is operable to extract power from a renewable energy source. Preferably, the first apparatus is operable to extract power from fluid. Preferably, the first apparatus or a / the turbine rotor thereof is arranged at a position along a fluid line, whereby the first apparatus is operable to extract power from a flow of fluid in the line. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first apparatus or a / the turbine rotor thereof is arranged at a said position along an irrigation and / or safe reuse of treated wastewater (SRTW) line to extract power from a flow of water or liquid in the line. The first apparatus and / or a / the turbine rotor thereof may be arranged to receive or take in and / or to be driven by fluid, preferably in or from a reservoir. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reservoir is at a hydropower plant or facility. Preferably, the reservoir is the lower one of upper and lower reservoirs in the hydropower plant or facility. Alternatively, the reservoir may be the upper reservoir. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second apparatus comprises a generator operable to convert power output thereto by the first apparatus to electricity. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second apparatus is operable to pump fluid by means of power output thereto by the first apparatus. The second apparatus may be arranged to pump fluid to a reservoir. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reservoir is at a / said hydropower plant or facility. The reservoir may be the upper one of upper and lower reservoirs in the hydropower plant or facility, or be a holding or storage reservoir for supplying fluid to the upper one of upper and lower reservoirs in the hydropower plant or facility, such as via one or more lines between the holding / storage and upper reservoirs, preferably independent of the operation of said second apparatus. The hydropower plant or facility may be a pumped-storage hydropower plant or facility. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first apparatus comprises an apparatus for extracting power according to the first aspect and the second apparatus 2024203689 31 May 2024 comprises an apparatus for pumping fluid according to the first aspect. Said input and said output may be coupled or coupleable via a solid or rigid coupling. Preferably, a / said chamber and / or rotor blade(s) of the first apparatus is / are larger than, such as twice as large as, a / said chamber and / or rotor blade(s) of the second apparatus. A said chamber and / or rotor blade(s) of the first apparatus may be an integral number of times as large as a said chamber and / or rotor blade(s) of the second apparatus. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said number is 2. Alternatively, said number may be, say, 3 or 4. Preferably, said chamber and rotor blade(s) of the first apparatus are larger than said chamber and rotor blade(s) of the second apparatus. A ratio between the turbine rotor and impeller may be 1:1. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, said apparatus for extracting power is operable to extract power from renewable energy - which may be (for instance) solar, wind or geothermal energy, though preferably is fluid energy. Preferably, said apparatus for extracting power is an apparatus for extracting power from fluid in accordance with the first aspect of the invention. Preferably, said apparatus for pumping fluid is an apparatus for pumping fluid in accordance with said first aspect of the invention. In particular preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is provided / included an apparatus for extracting power from fluid ("driving fluid") in accordance with the first aspect of the invention ("power-extracting apparatus"). In particular preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is provided / included an apparatus for pumping fluid ("driven fluid") in accordance with the first aspect of the invention ("pumping apparatus"). In a power-extracting apparatus in any of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the rotor is driveable by said driving fluid and the output is or can be operatively coupled to the rotor to supply power thus extracted by the turbine. 2024203689 31 May 2024 In any of plural preferred embodiments of the present invention, the power-extracting apparatus is operable to be driven by and thus extract power from inertia of driving fluid, through relative movement between the driving fluid and turbine rotor, which inertia / movement rotates said rotor. The driving fluid may be liquid or gas. Preferably, the driving fluid comprises liquid. The output may comprise a rotary output. The output may comprise a shaft. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the rotor of the power-extracting apparatus is arranged to lie in a path of the driving fluid to be driveable or rotatable thereby. The output may be operatively coupled or coupleable (e.g. selectably), such as via a clutch, to the rotor such that rotation of the latter imparts outputtable power thereto. The output may, in certain embodiments of the invention, be operatively coupled or coupleable to an electrical generator. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the rotor of the power-extracting apparatus or pumping apparatus, or of each of a said power-extracting and a said pumping apparatus, is housed or encased. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the input of the pumping apparatus is or can be operatively coupled to the impeller rotor in order to supply power to the rotor to drive the impeller whereby it drives said driven fluid. In any of plural preferred embodiments of the present invention, a pumping apparatus is operable to pump fluid through relative movement between the impeller rotor and driven fluid. The driven fluid may be liquid or gas. Preferably, the driven fluid comprises liquid. The input may comprise a rotary input. The input may comprise a shaft. The rotor may be operatively coupled or coupleable (e.g. selectably), such as via a clutch, to the input such that rotation of the latter imparts driving power to the rotor. Preferably, said power-extracting apparatus is arranged or arrangeable to receive or take in driving fluid from a fluid source ("driving fluid source"). 2024203689 31 May 2024 Said driving fluid source may comprise a body of fluid ("driving fluid body"). The driving fluid source or body may comprise, be defined in or by, or be contained in or by, a fluid reservoir ("driving fluid reservoir"). The driving fluid source, body or reservoir may be natural or artificial. The driving fluid source, body or reservoir may comprise, be defined in or by, be contained in or by, be channelled in or by, or be supported in, by or over, an arrangement having one or more natural and / or artificial parts and / or structures. Fluid at or in the driving fluid source, body or reservoir may be static. Fluid at, in or from the driving fluid source, body or reservoir may be moving - for instance flowing (e.g. intermittently or periodically, such as tidally, or continuously) and / or falling and / or spilling and / or tumbling and / or gushing and / or jetting and / or spurting and / or cascading - such as along a travel path. Movement, such as along a said travel path, of fluid at, in or from the driving fluid source, body or reservoir - e.g. comprising flowing and / or streaming and / or falling and / or cascading and / or spilling and / or tumbling and / or gushing and / or spurting and / or jetting thereof - may be natural and / or induced. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the power-extracting apparatus is arranged or arrangeable to receive driving fluid from the driving fluid source, body or reservoir at or via at least one inlet ("driving fluid inlet"), which may be positioned at, in, or downstream of (and preferably in proximity to), the driving fluid source, body or reservoir. The driving fluid source, body or reservoir may comprise, be defined in or by, be contained in or by, be channelled in or by, or be supported in, by or over, any of (inter alia) a watercourse, a channel, a ravine, a canal, a river, a creek, a brook, a gully, a stream, an estuary, a tributary, a tideway, an ocean or sea, a bay, a dam (e.g. an oversize farm dam), a lake, a pool, a lagoon, a waterhole, a basin, a catchment, a lakebed or seabed (e.g. over which the fluid / water may be shallow and / or flow tidally), a waterfall, a rapid, a spillway, a conduit, an aqueduct, an irrigation channel, a pipe or pipeline, a drain and a culvert. 2024203689 31 May 2024 In any of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the power-extracting apparatus is arranged or arrangeable, preferably connectedly, at a position along a closed or recirculatory fluid line, such as a pipeline, to exploit for extraction the kinetic energy in a flow of fluid in the line. The power-extracting apparatus may be installed or installable at a position along a pre-existing line, for instance a said closed / recirculatory line or another fluid line (e.g. an irrigation line), such as a pipeline, used to convey fluid, which fluid may be exploited or exploitable as driving fluid. Said position may be at an end of said line (e.g. comprising an inlet / intake / upstream end or outlet / discharge / downstream end), or may be between upstream and downstream ends or sections of said line. Preferably, said pumping apparatus is arranged or arrangeable to take in driven fluid from a fluid source ("driven fluid source"). Said driven fluid source may comprise a body of fluid ("driven fluid body"). The driven fluid source or body may comprise, be defined in or by, or be contained in or by, a fluid reservoir ("driven fluid reservoir"). The driven fluid source, body or reservoir may be natural or artificial. The driven fluid source, body or reservoir may comprise, be defined in or by, be contained in or by, be channelled in or by, or be supported in, by or over, an arrangement having one or more natural and / or artificial parts and / or structures. Fluid at or in the driven fluid source, body or reservoir may be static. Fluid at or in the driven fluid source may be moving - for instance flowing (preferably smoothly). Movement of fluid at or in the driven fluid source, reservoir or body - e.g. comprising flowing and / or streaming - may be natural and / or induced. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the pumping apparatus is arranged or arrangeable to receive driven fluid from the driven fluid source or body via at least one inlet ("driven fluid inlet"), preferably positioned at or in the driven fluid source, body or reservoir. 2024203689 31 May 2024 The driven fluid source, body or reservoir may comprise, be defined in or by, be contained in or by, be channelled in or by, or be supported in, by or over, any of (inter alia) a watercourse, a channel, a ravine, a canal, a river, a creek, a brook, a gully, a stream, an estuary, a tributary, a tideway, an ocean or sea, a bay, a dam (e.g. an oversize farm dam), a lake, a pool, a lagoon, a waterhole, a basin, a catchment, a lakebed or seabed (e.g. over which the fluid / water may be shallow and / or flow tidally), a waterfall, a rapid, a spillway, a conduit, an aqueduct, an irrigation channel, a pipe or pipeline, a drain and a culvert. The driving fluid source and driven fluid source may be the same or different. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the pumping apparatus is arranged or arrangeable, preferably connectedly, at a position along a closed or recirculatory fluid line, such as a pipeline, to pump the fluid in / around the line. The pumping apparatus may be installed or installable at a position along a pre-existing line, for instance a said closed / recirculatory line or another fluid line (e.g. an irrigation line), such as a pipeline, for conveying fluid. Said position may be at an end of said line (e.g. comprising an inlet / intake / upstream end or outlet / discharge / downstream end), or may be between upstream and downstream ends or sections of said line. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, includes at least one inlet, or (respectively) said driving fluid inlet(s) or driven fluid inlet(s), arranged to be upstream of the rotor such that fluid can enter the apparatus through the inlet(s). In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, is configured or arranged such that fluid passes (and in particular flows or is otherwise conveyed) to the rotor under a pressure head. In particular, the rotor may be arranged to be lower than at least one said inlet such that said fluid can pass (and in particular flow or be otherwise conveyed) to the rotor under a / said pressure head. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, is configured or arranged such that fluid passes (and in particular flows or is 2024203689 31 May 2024 otherwise conveyed) to the rotor under pre-existing momentum thereof. At least one said inlet may be arranged to lie in a travel path of said fluid - e.g. comprising any of (inter alia) a flow path and / or a stream path and / or a current path and / or fall path and / or a cascade path and / or a spill path and / or a tumble path and / or a gush path and / or a spurt path and / or a jet path, of the fluid - whereby said fluid is incident to and enters through the inlet(s) to pass to the rotor therefrom under momentum conferred by passage of the fluid along said travel path. The fluid may have a ramming effect, imparting driving force to / against the / each blade. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, includes at least one conduit upstream of the rotor and / or is configured to be inline-arranged with at least one conduit upstream of the rotor (i.e. arranged such that the / each conduit and the power-extracting / pumping apparatus are positioned along a direction of fluid passage therethrough), the / each conduit in either / each case ("upstream conduit") preferably comprising one or more pipes or piping, and being arranged to duct or otherwise convey said fluid, such as from at least one said inlet (at or via which fluid may enter the apparatus), towards the rotor whereby the fluid is incident to the rotor. Preferably, the upstream conduit(s) or a downstream end, section or portion thereof have / has a bore of circular cross-section. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, includes at least one outlet arranged to be downstream of the rotor such that said fluid can exit or be discharged from the apparatus through the outlet(s). In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, includes at least one conduit downstream of the rotor and / or is configured to be inline-arranged with at least one conduit downstream of the rotor (i.e. arranged such that the power-extracting / pumping apparatus and the / each conduit are positioned along a direction of fluid passage therethrough), the / each conduit in either / each case ("downstream conduit") preferably comprising one or more pipes or piping, and being arranged to duct or otherwise convey said fluid, such as from at least one said inlet (at or via which fluid may enter the apparatus), towards the rotor whereby the fluid is incident to the rotor. 2024203689 31 May 2024 Preferably, the downstream conduit(s) or an upstream end, section or portion thereof have / has a bore of circular cross-section. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, includes a housing or casing in which the rotor thereof is arranged. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, includes at least one entrance, e.g. defined by a said housing or casing, arranged to be upstream of the rotor, such that said fluid can pass (e.g. flow or otherwise be conveyed) through the entrance(s) and to the rotor, and / or at least one exit, e.g. defined by a said housing or casing, arranged to be downstream of the rotor, such that said fluid can pass (e.g. flow or otherwise be conveyed) from the rotor and through the exit(s). In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the power-extracting apparatus is operable such that passage of fluid to the rotor, and thus rotation of the rotor, can be (both) precluded and permitted or effected - e.g. selectably (such as manually) and / or on a time / periodic basis (e.g. by means of a timer which the apparatus may include or to which the apparatus may be operatively coupled or coupleable). The apparatus may comprise one or more diverters and / or valves (which may be electronic) whereby it is so operable. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the power-extracting apparatus includes at least one said valve, such as (for example) a ball, butterfly, gate / sluice, slide gate or knife gate valve, operable to assume a first or open condition, permitting passage (such as flow / conveyance) of said fluid between said entrance(s) and said exit(s), such that said rotor is rotatable or driveable by the fluid, and a second or closed condition, precluding passage (such as flow / conveyance) of said fluid from said entrance(s) to said exit(s), such that said rotor is not rotatable by the fluid. Said valve(s) may be mounted to a said housing or casing of the power-extracting apparatus via at least one structure, which may define one or more said entrances or exits, such as a structure defined by a body or casing of the valve with respect to which at least one stopper (e.g. gate, ball or disc) of the valve is movably mounted whereby the first / open condition (permitting said passage through the body / casing of the valve) or second / closed condition (precluding such passage) can be assumed. Said valve(s) may (each) be operable as described above, and in particular may be operable selectably and / or manually and / or automatically and / or on a periodic or time basis, such that the first / open and second / closed positions assumable. 2024203689 31 May 2024 In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the at least one inlet of the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or of either or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, is defined by said entrance(s). In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the at least one outlet of the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or of either or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, is defined by said exit(s). In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, said at least one entrance of the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or of each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, is connected or connectable to one or more said upstream conduits, such that the upstream conduit(s) is / are arranged to duct or to otherwise convey said fluid to said entrance(s). The upstream conduit(s) may comprise one or more upstream ends or inlets. Preferably, said at least one entrance is so connected / connectable such that the rotor is arranged to be lower than the upstream end(s) or inlet(s), and / or than a level of fluid in a / said reservoir, source or body of fluid from which the apparatus can receive or take in fluid, whereby said fluid can pass to the rotor under a pressure head. The at least one upstream end or inlet may lie in a travel path of fluid whereby said fluid is incident thereto so as to enter therethrough to pass to the rotor therefrom under momentum conferred by passage of the fluid along said travel path. In a pumping apparatus in any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the rotor is arranged to be lower than the, each, or at least one said, outlet, and / or than a level of fluid in a reservoir or body of fluid to which fluid is pumpable by the apparatus, such that the fluid is pumped against a pressure head. In a power-extracting or pumping apparatus of any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, said at least one exit is connected or connectable to one or more said downstream conduits, such that the downstream conduit(s) is / are arranged to duct or convey said fluid from said exit(s). In a pumping apparatus in any of certain embodiments of the invention, said at least one exit is so connected / connectable such that said rotor is arranged to be lower than one or more downstream ends of said conduit(s), and / or than a level of fluid in a / said reservoir 2024203689 31 May 2024 or body of fluid to which fluid is pumpable by the apparatus, whereby said fluid can be pumped against a pressure head. A power-extracting apparatus in any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention comprises a (preferably self-contained) unit, comprising the output and turbine or rotor, and preferably including a said housing or casing. The unit may include, or be connected or connectable to, said valve(s). A pumping apparatus according to any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention comprises a (preferably self-contained) unit, comprising the input and impeller or rotor, and preferably including a said housing or casing. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for extracting power from fluid comprises or is defined by a said apparatus for pumping fluid - preferably, a said unit comprising the input and impeller rotor - whereby the turbine rotor and output are operable as said impeller rotor and said input respectively. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for pumping fluid comprises or is defined by a said apparatus for extracting power from fluid - preferably, a said unit comprising the output and turbine rotor - whereby the impeller rotor and input are operable as said turbine rotor and said output respectively. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or a said unit which the apparatus comprises, is reversible or operable in reverse. Preferably, the apparatus or unit includes a said entrance and a said exit, so as to be reversible or operable in reverse such that the entrance defines a said exit and the exit defines a said entrance. The rotor may thus be arranged to drive or be driven in either of opposite directions. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, includes at least one entrance, e.g. defined by a said housing or casing, arranged to be upstream of the rotor, such that said fluid can pass (e.g. flow or otherwise be conveyed) through the entrance(s) and to the rotor, and / or at least one exit, e.g. defined by a said housing or casing, arranged to be downstream of the rotor, such that said fluid can pass (e.g. flow or otherwise be conveyed) from the rotor and through the exit(s). Where said upstream and / or downstream conduit(s) is / are provided, the unit may be one 2024203689 31 May 2024 that is connectable or connected to said conduit(s) whereby the former and latter are inline-arranged (i.e. arranged such that the / each upstream conduit and the unit, and / or the unit and the / each downstream conduit, are positioned along a direction of fluid passage therethrough). The apparatus may include the conduit(s), or may consist of said unit connected / connectable thereto. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the turbine or impeller of the power-extracting or pumping apparatus (respectively), or the turbine, impeller or rotor of either or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, comprises a cross-flow turbine, impeller or rotor. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the rotor of the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or of either or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, comprises one or more blades, preferably arranged radially outward of an axis of rotation of the rotor. Preferably, the / each blade is square or rectangular. Preferably, the / each blade has a width and depth which are equal or substantially so. Preferably, the / each blade has an area not exceeding one square metre or thereabout. Preferably, the each blade has an area not less than one sixteenth of a square metre or thereabout. Preferably, the rotor has a plurality of said blades. Preferably, said blades are disposed at positions which are equiangularly arranged around the rotor or axis of rotation of the rotor. Said blades may be, for instance, two, three or four in number. Preferably, central axes of the blades are equidistant from the axis of rotation of the rotor. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, is configured such that, as the rotor rotates, an orientation of the / each blade about a rotational axis thereof which is parallel to the axis of rotation of 2024203689 31 May 2024 the rotor varies whereby the blade: presents a large surface area, or is face-on, to said fluid while moving therewith, so that driving force exerted by the fluid on the blade, or by the blade on the fluid, is large; and presents a small surface area, or is edge-on, to the fluid while moving thereagainst (or oppositely thereto), so that retarding force exerted by the blade on the fluid, or by the fluid on the blade, is small. In any of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of a said power-extracting apparatus and a said pumping apparatus, is configured such that the / each blade rotates about an axis or a said axis thereof which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor, at a frequency which is half that at which the rotor rotates, so as: to present a large surface area, or to be face-on, to said fluid while moving therewith, so that driving force exerted by the fluid on the blade, or by the blade on the fluid, is large; and to present a small surface area, or to be edge-on, to the fluid while moving thereagainst (or oppositely thereto), so that retarding force exerted by the blade on the fluid, or by the fluid on the blade, is small. The / each blade may be configured to function as a paddle Preferably, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either of each of said power-extracting and pumping apparatuses, is configured such that the / each blade rotates in a rotational direction opposite to that in which the rotor rotates. The power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of said power-extracting and pumping apparatuses, in any of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention is configured such that, per revolution of the rotor, the / each blade moves through driving and return regions (either or each of which may be defined by the apparatus) which are diametrically opposed about an / the axis of rotation of the rotor and through which extends a cross-sectional plane on which an / said axis of rotation of the rotor lies, whereby the blade: during movement thereof in the driving region, is aligned to the cross-sectional plane when its axis lies therein; and during movement thereof in the return region, is perpendicular to the cross-sectional plane when its axis lies therein. 2024203689 31 May 2024 Preferably: said driving region extends from or away from said entrance(s) and / or to or towards said exit(s); and / or said return region extends from or away from said entrance(s) and / or to or towards said exit(s). The power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of said power extracting and pumping apparatuses, in any of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, includes at least one blade angle control system or mechanism operable, preferably by rotation of the rotor, to rotate the / each blade about the axis thereof such that the blade presents a said large surface area, or is face-on, to the fluid when moving therewith and presents a said small surface area, or is edge-on, to the fluid when moving thereagainst. Preferably, the power-extracting / pumping apparatus or at least one blade angle control system / mechanism comprises a gear system operable, preferably by rotation of the rotor, to rotate the / each blade about the axis thereof such that the blade presents a said large surface area, or is face-on, to the fluid when moving therewith and presents a said small surface area, or is edge-on, to the fluid when moving thereagainst. Preferably, the gear system comprises a planetary gear system comprising one or more planet gears, the / each planet gear being connected to a respective blade to be rotatable therewith about said axis thereof, and a sun gear arranged to mesh with the planet gear(s) to be driven rotationally by the sun gear or to drive rotationally the sun gear. Preferably, said output or input is secured to the sun gear to be rotatatable therewith. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the planetary gear system includes one or more idler gears arranged to mesh with the sun gear, the / each idler gear being arranged to mesh with a respective planet gear. In such an embodiment, the sun gear meshes with the planet gear(s) via the idler gear(s), i.e. indirectly. In an alternative embodiment, said idler gear(s) may be omitted, whereby the sun gear meshes directly with the planet gear(s). The planetary gear system may include a stationary ring gear with which the / each planet gear is arranged to mesh. Preferably, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of said power-extracting and pumping apparatuses, includes a chamber, which may be defined 2024203689 31 May 2024 by a said housing or casing, in which the rotor is rotatable, or the / each blade is movable or rotatable, wherein the return and driving regions are defined. Preferably, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of said power-extracting and pumping apparatuses, includes a baffle arranged such that the / each blade is rotatable therearound, the baffle being configured to direct fluid through the driving region, preferably an outer part or extremity of said chamber, occupied by the / each blade when it presents a large surface area or is face-on to said fluid. Preferably, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of said power-extracting and pumping apparatuses, includes outer wall portions arranged and configured to conform to loci of the / each blade (preferably a radially outer portion or end or edge thereof) in parts of the driving region upstream and downstream of the crosssectional plane, thus defining respective outer profiles of the upstream and downstream parts of the driving region. Preferably, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of said power-extracting and pumping apparatuses, includes inner wall portions arranged and configured to conform to loci of the / each blade (preferably a radially inner portion or end or edge thereof) in parts of the driving region upstream and downstream of the crosssectional plane, thus defining respective inner profiles of the upstream and downstream parts of the driving region. Preferably, the inner wall portions are defined by said baffle. Preferably, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of said power-extracting and pumping apparatuses, includes: an outer wall portion arranged and configured to conform to a locus of a portion or end or edge of the / each blade which leads throughout passage of the blade through the return region, which outer wall portion defines an outer profile of a part of the return region downstream of the cross-sectional plane; and an outer wall portion arranged and configured to conform to a locus of a portion or end or edge of the / each blade which trails throughout passage of the blade through the return region, which outer wall portion defines an outer profile of a part of the return region upstream of the cross-sectional plane. Preferably, the power-extracting or pumping apparatus, or either or each of said power-extracting and pumping apparatuses, includes respective inner wall portions 2024203689 31 May 2024 arranged and configured to lie adjacent an inner face of the / each blade during movement thereof through parts of the return region upstream and downstream of the cross-sectional plane. Preferably, those inner wall portions are defined by said baffle. Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view showing details of a fluid-driven, fluid-pumping apparatus, comprising an energy-harnessing / power-extracting apparatus and a pumping apparatus, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing / exemplifying certain details and principles of the energy-harnessing / power-extracting apparatus; Figure 3 is another perspective view showing / exemplifying certain details and principles of the energy-harnessing / power-extracting apparatus; Figure 4 is a perspective view showing / exemplifying certain details and principles of the pumping apparatus; Figure 5 is another perspective view showing / exemplifying certain details and principles of the pumping apparatus; Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a hydroelectricity facility, provided with / including the fluid-driven, fluid-pumping apparatus, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a schematic view of another fluid-driven, fluid-pumping apparatus, comprising alternative energy-harnessing / power-extracting and pumping apparatuses, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is a perspective view showing another hydroelectricity facility, provided with / including the other fluid-driven, fluid-pumping apparatus, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is a perspective view showing another hydroelectricity facility, provided with / including a fluid-driven, fluid-pumping apparatus (comprising an energy-harnessing / power-extracting apparatus and a pumping apparatus), in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 is a schematic view showing details of a fluid-driven apparatus, comprising an energy-harnessing / power-extracting apparatus and another apparatus arranged to be operatively coupled thereto, in accordance with a 2024203689 31 May 2024 preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figures 11A and 11B are schematic views showing details of a further fluid-driven apparatus, comprising an energy-harnessing / power-extracting apparatus and another apparatus arranged to be operatively coupled thereto, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, depicting a diverter valve in a first condition and a second condition respectively; and Figure 12 is a schematic view showing details of a variant of the apparatus shown in Figures 11A and 11B, depicting a diverter valve in a second condition. Detailed Description Shown in Figure 1 is a power-extracting apparatus 1 operable to harness kinetic energy of a fluid (typically liquid) from a fluid source S (described later) flowing therethrough, to output mechanical power. The apparatus 1 includes a casing or housing 3, defining a chamber 5, a turbine 10 comprising a rotor 12 in the chamber 5, an intake conduit 30 upstream of the turbine 10 and configured to convey / duct the flowing fluid to the turbine 10, an outlet or discharge conduit 35 downstream of the turbine 10 for discharge of the fluid therethrough, and a power output 40, typically comprising a shaft, adapted to be coupled, via a coupling D, to another apparatus, which in the present / illustrated embodiment is a pumping apparatus 50, to provide mechanical power thereto, whereby the apparatus 50 is driven by the apparatus 1 (via the coupling D). There is thus defined a fluid-driven pumping apparatus 100, for extracting power and pumping fluid by means of power thus extracted, comprising the apparatus 1 and the apparatus 50 (and including the coupling D). The apparatus 50 includes a pump 51 having an input 52, coupled to the output 40 via coupling D to be driveable thereby, a casing or housing 53, defining a chamber 55, and an impeller 60, comprising a rotor 62 in the chamber 55. The apparatus 50 further includes an intake conduit 80 upstream of the pump 51, through which fluid, typically liquid, from a fluid source S' (described later) can be drawn by the pump 51 to the impeller 60, and an output conduit 85 downstream of the pump 51, to carry the fluid (thus pumped therethrough) to (for discharge, through an outlet 86 thereof, at) a destination / position / location R which is remote from and / or at a higher elevation than the source S', such as a water storage or holding reservoir at a hydropower plant or facility (as described in further detail later) or an industrial or agricultural site (e.g. comprising a field or paddock) or a remote / underdeveloped community, where it may be used (for instance) for any of (inter alia) cleaning, irrigation, drinking and washing. 2024203689 31 May 2024 Referring to Figure 2, the rotor 12 of the apparatus 1 / turbine 10 has blades 13, the number of which is three in the present and other illustrated embodiments (but can vary without departure from the invention), the blades 13 being arranged to rotate about respective central axes A, each of which axes is parallel to an axis of rotation B of the rotor 12, at half the rotational speed / frequency of and in the opposite rotational direction to the rotor 12, the axes A being arranged equidistant from and equiangularly about the axis B. Each blade 13 is configured symmetrically about a central plane C therethrough in which its axis A and opposed distal ends or edges 13A thereof extend or lie. The blades 13 are mounted on / via respective shafts 14 centred on the axes A, so as to be rotatable with the shafts 14 about the axes A. Referring additionally to Figure 3, the apparatus 1 / turbine 10 includes, extending along axis B between (and supported from at least one of) opposite walls 4 of the housing 3 or chamber 5, a baffle 7, about which the blades 13 are arranged whereby they are rotatable therearound, the baffle 7 having opposed sides or side portions 7A and 7B which are outwardly curved or convex. The baffle 7 is arranged to preclude fluid flow through a central part of the housing 3 / chamber 5, as described later. The turbine 10 / rotor 12 includes, referring to Figure 2, a central shaft 15, extending between and rotatably supported from the opposed walls 4. Certain characteristics of the casing / housing 3 may vary without departure from the invention. For instance, the exterior of the casing / housing 3 may be substantially cylindrical about a central transverse axis, as shown in Figures 1 and 7 (and is generally preferred), or have an alternative configuration, e.g. a square / rectangular prismatic configuration as shown in Figure 2. Also, the entrance 5C and exit 5D may have a cross-sectional / transverse configuration that is square / rectangular, as shown in Figure 2, or have an alternative cross-sectional / transverse configuration (e.g. one that is circular). In any / either case, each of the entrance 5C and exit 5D may vary in cross-sectional configuration, e.g. to define a transition from a circular configuration sympathetic to the interior of the respective conduit to which it connects (at / adjacent to where it so connects) and a rectangular / square configuration sympathetic to a region of the chamber to / from which the entrance 5C / exit 5D extends (where it meets that region). Referring also to Figure 3, the turbine 10 / rotor 12 further includes blade supports 16, from which the blades 13 are supported. Each blade support 16 is arranged adjacent a respective wall 4 and supported from the wall 4 and / or shaft 15 in a manner such that it is rotatable about the about axis B, and comprises radially outwardly extending arms 16A 2024203689 31 May 2024 interconnected at proximal ends and rotatably supporting, at distal ends thereof, (respective) ends of respective shafts 14. The apparatus 1 / turbine 10 includes a transmission 20, shown in Figure 2, comprising a gear system 22, which comprises respective planet gears 23, mounted to the shafts 14 to be rotatable therewith about axes A, and idler gears 24 rotatably supported from the casing 3 and arranged to mesh with respective ones of the planet gears 23. The gear system 22 further comprises a sun gear 25 secured to the shaft 15 to be rotatable therewith about axis B. Other forms of transmission, e.g. comprising a belt and / or chain transmission, are possible without departure from the invention. The ratio and arrangement of the gearing in the transmission 20 / gear system 22 is such that the blades 13 rotate about their axes A at half the rotational speed / frequency of and in the opposite rotational direction to the rotational direction to the rotor 12 as discussed. The apparatus 1 / turbine 10 thus includes a blade angle control mechanism or system (driveable by the blades 13 (or by the fluid therevia)), defined by the transmission 20 or gear system 22 in the present embodiment, operable such that blades 13 so rotate in the said opposite rotational direction. Blade angle control mechanisms or systems of alternative kinds, e.g. comprising guiding arrangements operable to orientate / rotate the blades 13 during rotation of the rotor / turbine 10, are also possible without departure from the invention. The apparatus 1 may, advantageously, be configured such that the shaft 15 defines the output 40, whereby losses between the output 40 and coupling D are minimal, and there is thus defined a direct-drive arrangement via which power is transmitted from the shaft 15 to the input 52 / apparatus 50. That said, the apparatus 1 could instead, including where the rotational axis B of the shaft 15 is not aligned with the rotational axis of the input 52, include an arrangement (e.g. comprising gears or a chain or belt drive) via which the shaft 15 and output 40 are interengaged, to transfer drive from the shaft 15 to the output 40, without departure from the invention. Referring to Figure 3, the apparatus 1 is configured such that most of the fluid that flows to the turbine 10 through the conduit 30 passes through a side region 6 of the chamber 5 which is defined between one side 7A of the baffle 7 and a wall 5A of the chamber 5 adjacent that side, within which region each blade 13 (owing to its rotational speed / frequency being half that of the rotor 12) is orientated such that the central plane C therethrough is transverse to the flow direction, and thus face-on to the flow, whereby fluid flowing through region 6 exerts driving force on the blade 13, and therefore a driving 2024203689 31 May 2024 torque about axis B, causing the rotor 12 to rotate. The spacing between the wall 5A and baffle side 7A is large, whereby the blade-driving region 6 is large in cross section, and the baffle 7 and chamber 5 are arranged and configured such that (referring also to Figure 1) one side 5C1 of an entrance 5C (via which fluid enters the chamber 5) aligns with or opens directly into the region 6, and such that the region 6 aligns with or opens directly into one / a corresponding side 5D1 of an exit 5D, via which the fluid flows from the chamber 5 into the conduit 35 to be discharged through an outlet end 36 thereof. The region 6 thus defines a substantially unrestricted fluid pathway between the entrance 5C and the exit 5D (particularly the sides 5C1 and 5D1), that pathway being direct and unconstricted. The conduits 30 and 35 comprise respective lengths of pipe having the same internal diameter, which in the example illustrated in Figure 1 is 60cm (or thereabout). The remainder of the fluid flows through the other side region 8 of the chamber 5 (opposite region 6) which is defined between the side 7B of the baffle 7 and the other wall 5B (opposite wall 5A) of the chamber 5 adjacent that side, within which region each blade 13 (owing to its rotational speed / frequency being half that of the rotor 12) is orientated such that the central plane C therethrough is aligned / substantially aligned with the flow direction, and thus edge-on to the flow through region 8, whereby an impeding force exerted on the blade 13 by the fluid / flow in that region, and thus an impeding torque about axis B, tending to retard the rotation of the rotor 12, are limited / minimised (during return of the blade 13 to the (upstream end of) the blade-driving region 6). The spacing between the wall 5B and the side 7B is small, whereby the blade-return region 8 is small in cross section, and the baffle 7 and housing 3 / chamber 5 are arranged and configured such that the side 5C2 of the entrance 5C (beside / opposite the side 5C1) aligns with the baffle 7 / a main part thereof, and such that the baffle 7 / main part thereof aligns with the side 5D2 of the exit 5D (beside / opposite the side 5D1). The region 8 thus defines a substantially restricted fluid pathway between the entrance 5C and the exit 5D, that pathway being curved and constricted. The rotor 12 and each of the entrance 5C and exit 5D are widthways centred - both to one another and along the central axis of each of conduit 30 and conduit 35 adjacent the entrance 5C and exit 5D respectively. The baffle 7 is ovate, or substantially ovate, in cross section about an axis which is parallel to axis B. Referring to Figure 1, the baffle 7 in cross section orthogonal to axis B defines an ovate or substantially ovate shape, centred about a plane or axis Y through a 2024203689 31 May 2024 midsection of the chamber 5 or region 6 with which the central plane C of each blade 13 is coplanar or coaxial when that blade is arranged in the midsection and (thus) orientated orthogonal, or substantially orthogonal, to the direction of fluid flow therethrough. The ovate shape is orientated such that the base E thereof is coincident with the axis B, or is adjacent thereto and aligned therewith in plane / axis Y, and such that the vertex or apex F thereof lies on / is coincident with plane / axis Y, remote from the axis B and is positioned between that axis and the wall 5B. Respective gaps between the blades 13 and the baffle 7, at least in the region 6, are thus restricted / minimised, such that efficiency of the harnessing of kinetic energy of the fluid by the apparatus 1 is promoted, there being limited / negligible flow of fluid between the baffle 7 and each blade 13 in that region. The ovate shape may, especially in the region 6, correspond generally or conform closely to a locus of a (continuously varying) portion of each blade 13 proximal or adjacent the baffle 7 as that blade rotates around the baffle 7. The housing 3 includes wall portions 3A symmetrically arranged about the plane Y and curved to conform closely to a locus of a radially outer end / edge 13A of each blade 13 as it passes through the region 6, the wall portions 3A thus defining radially outer profiles of (respective parts of) the region 6, or of the chamber 5 in that region, to either side of the plane Y. Respective gaps between the radially outer ends / edges 13A and each of said parts / profiles are thus restricted / minimised, such that efficiency of the harnessing of kinetic energy of the fluid by the apparatus 1 is promoted, there being limited / negligible flow of fluid between each blade 13 and said parts / profiles in the region 6. The housing also includes wall portions 3B symmetrically arranged about the plane Y and curved to conform closely to respective loci of respective ones of the two ends / edges 13A of each blade 13 as it passes through the region 8, the portions 3B radially outwardly bounding, or defining radially outer bounds / profiles of, respective parts of the region 8 (arranged about plane Y). More particularly, the wall portion 3B radially outwardly bounding, or defining the radially outer bound or profile of, the part into which each blade 13 passes as it enters the region 8 conforms closely to the edge / end 13A of that blade 13 which leads throughout the blade 13's passage through the region 8, and the wall portion 3B radially outwardly bounding, or defining the radially outer bound or profile of, the part from which each blade 13 passes as it exits the region 8 conforms closely to the edge / end 13A of that blade 13 which trails throughout the blade 13's passage through the region 8. A gap between each wall portion 3B and the respective blade end / edge 13A to which it closely conforms is thus restricted / minimised, such that efficiency of the harnessing of kinetic energy of the fluid by the apparatus 1 is promoted, there being limited / negligible flow of fluid between each blade 13 and each of said 2024203689 31 May 2024 parts / profiles / bounds in the region 8. Turbines in the disclosed and other embodiments of the present invention, particularly any of planetary gear systems, blade angle control mechanisms, transmissions, rotors, blades, blade supports, baffles and housing sections thereof, may have configurations generally consistent with or analogous to, those of turbines as disclosed in International Patent Application Publication No. WO 2007 / 009155 A1, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference, though it will be apparent that the turbines in said embodiments (inter alia) can comprise ones considerably smaller in scale than those disclosed in the aforementioned publication. Referring also to Figure 1, the apparatus 1 includes a stop valve 33 (preferably comprising a gate valve) arranged upstream of the turbine 10, concentrically along or adjacent the conduit 30 (and dimensionally matched to the internal diameter thereof), which is operable to assume either of an open condition, permitting passage of the fluid therethrough (whereby there is fluid communication between the driving fluid source S / inlet 31 and the turbine 10 / rotor 12), and a closed condition, precluding such passage (whereby there is no such fluid communication, and thus no passage / flow of fluid through the apparatus 1 / turbine 10, such that the apparatus 50 / pump 51 is not driven). The valve 33 may be timer- and / or selectably operable. Without departure from the invention a valve may, in accordance with an alternative embodiment (such as one in which incessant operation of the apparatus / turning of the turbine 10 is desirable, suitable or acceptable). The conduit 30 includes a bend or elbow 32 at a position therealong between the intake / inlet / upstream end 31 thereof (which lies in a travel path of the water, being arranged to face in a direction which is, or which (at least) has a component that is, opposite to that of the current / flow in the water source S, whereby (flowing / moving) water is incident thereto so as to enter therethrough) and the downstream end 34 thereof / chamber entrance 5C, whereby, whereas a downstream portion 30A thereof is arranged to be horizontal or aligned with the flow (or substantially so), an upstream portion 30B thereof is inclined in a direction therealong towards the intake / inlet / upstream end 31, such that water flows through the conduit 30 to the turbine 10 under a head pressure / pressure head, as well as under a momentum, conferred by the current / flow thereof in the water source S, whereby additional harnessable kinetic energy is contributed. The length of the portion 30B / extent to which the intake / inlet / upstream end 31 is at a higher level than the downstream end 34 / chamber entrance 5C (and thus the amount of 2024203689 31 May 2024 head pressure) may vary, and in particular depend upon the depth to which the conduit 30 and turbine 10 and / or the conduit 80 and pump 51 are / can be submerged in the water source S. In the example shown in Figure 1, an offset between the intake / inlet end 31 and the downstream end 34 / chamber entrance 5C is, and / or confers a head of, 1 metre (or thereabout). The apparatus 1 also includes, at an intake or inlet end of conduit 30, a filter or strainer 31A, e.g. comprising a grille defining suitably small or narrow apertures or slots, precluding objects (e.g. aquatic flora) and / or animals (e.g. fish or other aquatic fauna) and / or debris exceeding a certain size in the fluid at the source S from entering the apparatus 1 / conduit 30 at the intake or inlet end - though such a filter or strainer may be omitted without departure from the invention. As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, whether a filter / strainer 31A is appropriate, and if so the aperture / slot dimensions thereof, depend(s) on the source S, and in turn on the application to which the apparatus 1 / 100 is put. The drive configuration of the apparatus 50 / pump 51 is the reverse of the drive configuration of the apparatus 1 / turbine 10, whereby the pump rotor 62 receives power (from the coupling D) to drive fluid, rather than being driven by fluid to provide power (to the coupling D). Referring to Figure 4, the impeller 60 / rotor 62 of the apparatus 50 / pump 51 has blades 63, the number of which is three in the present and other illustrated embodiments (but can vary without departure from the invention), the blades 63 being arranged to rotate about respective central axes A', each of which axes is parallel to an axis of rotation B' of the rotor 62, at half the rotational speed / frequency of and in the opposite rotational direction to the rotor 62, the axes A' being arranged equidistant from and equiangularly about the axis B'. Each blade 63 is configured symmetrically about a central plane C' therethrough (shown in Figure 1) in which its axis A' and opposed distal ends or edges 63A thereof extend or lie. The blades 63 are mounted on / via respective shafts 64 centred on the axes A', so as to be rotatable with the shafts 64 about the axes A'. Referring additionally to Figure 5, the apparatus 50 / pump 51 includes, extending along axis B' between (and supported from at least one of) opposite walls 54 of the housing 53 or chamber 55, a baffle 67, about which the blades 63 are arranged whereby they are rotatable therearound, the baffle 67 having opposed sides or side portions 67A and 67B which are outwardly curved or convex, and being arranged to preclude fluid flow through a central part of the housing 53 / chamber 55. 2024203689 31 May 2024 The turbine 10 / rotor 12 includes, referring to Figure 2, a central shaft 15, extending between and rotatably supported from the opposed walls 4. Certain characteristics of the casing / housing 53 may vary without departure from the invention. For instance, the exterior of the casing / housing 53 may be substantially cylindrical about a central transverse axis, as shown in Figures 1 and 7 (and is generally preferred), or have an alternative configuration, e.g. a square / rectangular prismatic configuration as shown in Figure 4. Also, the entrance 5C' and exit 5D' may have a cross-sectional / transverse configuration that is square / rectangular, as shown in Figure 4, or have an alternative cross-sectional / transverse configuration (e.g. one that is circular). In any / either case, each of the entrance 5C' and exit 5D' may vary in cross-sectional configuration, e.g. to define a transition from a circular configuration sympathetic to the interior of the respective conduit to which it connects (at / adjacent to where it so connects) and a rectangular / square configuration sympathetic to a region of the chamber to / from which the entrance 5C' / exit 5D' extends (where it meets that region). Referring also to Figure 5, the pump 51 / impeller / rotor 52 further includes blade supports 66, from which the blades 63 are supported. Each blade support 66 is arranged adjacent a respective wall 54 and supported from the wall 54 and / or shaft 65 in a manner such that it is rotatable about the about axis B', and comprises radially outwardly extending arms 66A interconnected at proximal ends and rotatably supporting, at distal ends thereof, (respective) ends of respective shafts 64. The apparatus 50 / pump 51 includes a transmission 70, shown in Figure 4, comprising a gear system 72, which comprises respective planet gears 73, mounted to the shafts 64 to be rotatable therewith about axes A', and idler gears 74 rotatably supported from the casing 53 and arranged to mesh with respective ones of the planet gears 73. The gear system 72 further comprises a sun gear 75 secured to the shaft 65 to be rotatable therewith about axis B'. Other forms of transmission, e.g. comprising a belt and / or chain transmission, are possible without departure from the invention. The ratio and arrangement of the gearing in the transmission 70 / gear system 72 is such that the blades 63 rotate about their axes A at half the rotational speed / frequency of and in the opposite rotational direction to the rotational direction to the rotor 62 as discussed. The apparatus 50 / pump 51 thus includes a blade angle control mechanism or system, defined by the transmission 70 or gear system 72 (and driveable via the input 52) in the present embodiment, operable such that the blades 63 so rotate in the said opposite 2024203689 31 May 2024 rotational direction. Blade angle control mechanisms or systems of alternative kinds, e.g. comprising guiding arrangements operable to orientate / rotate the blades 63 during rotation of the impeller / rotor 62, are also possible without departure from the invention. The apparatus 50 may, advantageously, be configured such that the shaft 65 defines the input 52, whereby losses between the coupling D and input 52 are minimal. That said, the apparatus 50 could instead, including where the rotational axis B' of the shaft 65 is not aligned with the rotational axis of the input 52, include an arrangement (e.g. comprising gears or a chain or belt drive) via which the input 52 and shaft 65 are interengaged, to transfer drive from the input 52 to the shaft 65, without departure from the invention. Referring to Figure 5, the apparatus 50 is configured such that most of the fluid that is carried to the pump 51 by / through the conduit 80, drawn by the pump 51 / impeller 62, flows through a side region 56 of the chamber 55 which is defined between one side 67A of the baffle 67 and a wall 55A of the chamber 55 adjacent that side, within which region each blade 63 (owing to its rotational speed / frequency being half that of the rotor 62) is orientated such that the central plane C' therethrough is transverse to the flow direction, and thus face-on to the flow, whereby the blade 63 exerts driving force on fluid in the region 56. The spacing between the wall 55A and baffle side 67A is large, whereby the fluid-driving region 56 is large in cross section, and the baffle 67 and chamber 55 are arranged and configured such that (referring also to Figure 1) one side 55C1 of an entrance 55C (via which fluid enters the chamber 55) aligns with or opens directly into the region 56, and such that the region 56 aligns with or opens directly into one / a corresponding side 55D1 of an exit 55D (via which fluid leaves the chamber 55). The region 56 thus defines a substantially unrestricted fluid pathway between the entrance 55C and the exit 55D (particularly the sides 55C1 and 55D1), that pathway being direct and unconstricted. The conduits 80 and 85 comprise respective lengths of pipe having the same internal diameter, which in the present embodiment is 60cm or thereabout. The remainder of the fluid flows through the other side region 58 of the chamber 55 (opposite region 56) which is defined between the side 67B of the baffle 67 and the other wall 5B (opposite wall 5A) of the chamber 55 adjacent that side, within which region each blade 63 (owing to its rotational speed / frequency being half that of the impeller 62) is orientated such that the central plane C' therethrough is aligned / substantially aligned with the flow direction, and thus edge-on to the flow through region 58, whereby an impeding 2024203689 31 May 2024 force exerted by the fluid / flow on the blade 63 in that region, and thus an impeding torque about axis B', tending to retard the rotation of the impeller 62, are limited / minimised (during return of the blade 63 to the (upstream end of) the fluid-driving region 56). The spacing between the wall 55B and the side 67B is small, whereby the blade-return region 58 is small in cross section, and the baffle 67 and housing 53 / chamber 55 are arranged and configured such that the side 55C2 of the entrance 55C (beside / opposite the side 55C1) aligns with the baffle 67 / a main part thereof, and such that the baffle 67 / main part thereof aligns with the side 55D2 of the exit 55D (beside / opposite the side 55D1). The region 58 thus defines a substantially restricted fluid pathway between the entrance 55C and the exit 55D, that pathway being curved and constricted. The rotor 12 and each of the entrance 5C and exit 5D are widthways centred - both to one another and along the central axis of each of conduits 80 and 85 adjacent the entrance 55C and exit 55D respectively. The baffle 67 is ovate, or substantially ovate, in cross section about an axis which is parallel to axis B'. Referring to Figure 1, the baffle 67 in cross section orthogonal to axis B' defines an ovate or substantially ovate shape, centred about a plane or axis Y' through a midsection of the chamber 55 or region 56 with which the central plane C' of each blade 63 is coplanar or coaxial when that blade is arranged in the midsection and (thus) orientated orthogonal, or substantially orthogonal, to the direction of fluid flow therethrough. The ovate shape is orientated such that the base E' thereof is coincident with the axis B', or is adjacent thereto and aligned therewith in plane / axis Y', and such that the vertex or apex F' thereof lies on / is coincident with plane / axis Y', remote from the axis B' and is positioned between that axis and the wall 55B. Respective gaps between the blades 63 and the baffle 67, at least in the region 56, are thus restricted / minimised, such that efficiency of the apparatus 50 is promoted, there being limited / negligible flow of fluid between the baffle 67 and each blade 63 in that region. The ovate shape may, especially in the region 56, correspond generally to a locus of a (continuously varying) portion of each blade 63 proximal the baffle 67 as that blade rotates around the baffle 67. The housing 53 includes wall portions 53A symmetrically arranged about the plane Y' and curved to conform closely to a locus of a radially outer end / edge 63A of each blade 63 as it passes through the region 56, the wall portions 53A thus defining radially outer profiles of (respective parts of) the region 56, or of the chamber 55 in that region, to either side of the plane Y'. Respective gaps between the radially outer ends / edges 63A and each of said parts / profiles are thus restricted / minimised, such that efficiency of the pumping by the apparatus 50 is promoted, there being limited / negligible flow of fluid between each 2024203689 31 May 2024 blade 63 and said parts / profiles in the region 56. The housing also includes wall portions 53B symmetrically arranged about the plane Y' and curved to conform closely to respective loci of respective ones of the two ends / edges 63A of each blade 63 as it passes through the region 58, the portions 53B radially outwardly bounding, or defining radially outer bounds / profiles of, respective parts of the region 58 (arranged about plane Y). More particularly, the wall portion 53B radially outwardly bounding, or defining the radially outer bound or profile of, the part into which each blade 63 passes as it enters the region 58 conforms closely to the edge / end 63A of that blade 63 which leads throughout the blade 63's passage through the region 58, and the wall portion 53B radially outwardly bounding, or defining the radially outer bound or profile of, the part from which each blade 63 passes as it exits the region 58 conforms closely to the edge / end 63A of that blade 63 which trails throughout the blade 63's passage through the region 58. A gap between each wall portion 53B and the respective blade end / edge 63A to which it closely conforms is thus restricted / minimised, such that efficiency of the pumping of the fluid is promoted, there being limited / negligible flow of fluid between each blade 63 and each of said parts / profiles / bounds in the region 58. Referring also to Figure 1, the apparatus 50 includes, at an intake or inlet end of conduit 80, a filter or strainer 81A, e.g. comprising a grille defining suitably small or narrow apertures or slots, precluding objects (e.g. aquatic flora) and / or animals (e.g. fish or other aquatic fauna) and / or debris exceeding a certain size in the fluid at the driven fluid source S' from being drawn into the apparatus 50 / conduit 80 at the intake or inlet end - though such a filter or strainer may be omitted without departure from the invention. As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, whether a filter / strainer 81A is appropriate, and if so the aperture / slot dimensions thereof, depend(s) on the source S', and in turn on the application to which the apparatus 50 / 100 is put. The coupling D of the apparatus 100 is a solid or rigid coupling, whereby (advantageously) it can be simple and inexpensive, and losses thereacross minimal / negligible. The coupling may, in alternative embodiments, comprise one of another type. The ratio between the rotor 12 and the impeller 62 is 1:1. Dimensions of the turbine 10, in particular the dimensions of the rotor 12, including the blades 13, and dimensions of the baffle 7 and chamber 5, are twice (or thereabout) those of the pump 51, in particular of the rotor 62 / blades 63, baffle 67 and chamber 55, respectively, thereof. 2024203689 31 May 2024 Each rotor blade 13 has, in the central plane C therethrough, a depth d (being the distance between the distal edges / ends 13A) and a width w (being the dimension perpendicular to the depth) which are equal to one another, each being 60 cm (whereby the width w and depth d of each blade 63 is 30 cm) in the present embodiment. In each of the apparatus 1 and apparatus 50, the dimensions of the baffle and the chamber (including the entrance and exit thereof) are proportional to the rotor or blade (w / d) dimensions, as is / are the conduit internal diameter(s). Shown in Figure 6 is a pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) plant or facility 500 which comprises or is provided with the apparatus 100. The plant / facility 500 includes an upper reservoir 510, defined by a first part of a river, and a lower reservoir 520, defined by a second part of the river which is downstream of and at a lower level than the first part, and a dam wall 530 therebetween, and further includes at least one generator 540, comprising or operatively coupled to one or more turbines arranged for delivery thereto (e.g. via / through at least one water control gate or penstock) of water in transit from the upper reservoir 510 to the lower reservoir 520, to convert kinetic energy of the flowing / cascading water into electricity, the generator(s) 540 being arranged to supply the electricity to a power station (not shown), which may be remote from or part of the plant / facility 500. The plant / facility 500 is a "pump-back" plant / facility, in that the upper reservoir 510 is replenished both by the natural supply of river water flowing thereto and by supply thereto of (return) water pumped from the lower reservoir 520. For the purpose of providing the supply of return water to the upper reservoir 510, the plant / facility 500 comprises a holding or storage reservoir 550, for holding / storing the pumped water, at a higher level than the upper reservoir 510, and at least one supply line 560 comprising a conduit and valve(s) operable so as to permit flow of water through the conduit(s) from the reservoir 550 to the reservoir 510 in an open condition (whereby the said latter supply is effected), and to preclude such flow in a closed condition. The apparatuses 1 and 50 are arranged such that the conduit inlets / intakes / upstream ends 31 and 81 are positioned upstream of the turbine 10 and pump 51, respectively, in the water in the reservoir 520 (whereby the driving water source S and the driven water source S' are both defined by that reservoir), and the downstream conduit portion 30A and conduit 80 are parallel to the flow / current, as shown in Figure 1, and possibly / preferably such that the conduit 30 / valve 33 and turbine 10 are at a higher level than the conduit 80 and pump 51 in the reservoir 520, as also shown in Figure 1. The 2024203689 31 May 2024 conduit 30 is at a location relatively close to that at which the water enters or discharges into the reservoir 520, where the flow / current velocity in the reservoir 520 is comparatively high, and the inlet / intake / upstream end 31 lies in the path of the flow / current (whereby the water is incident thereto to enter therethrough), such that current / flow-conferred momentum of water flowing into and through the conduit 30 and to the turbine 10 is comparatively high, and therefore so is said additional harnessable kinetic energy thus contributed. The conduit 80 likewise may be (as shown) at a location relatively close to that at which the water enters or discharges into the reservoir 520 (where the flow / current velocity is comparatively high), such that the conduits 30 and 80, as well as the turbine 10 and pump 51, can be close to each other and the lengths of shafts 15 and 65 thus small. The inlet / intake / upstream end 81 of conduit 80 can also be arranged to lie in a / the path of the flow / current (travel path) in the reservoir 520, whereby water is incident to inlet / intake / upstream end 81 to enter therethrough, such that flow of the water into and along the conduit 80 and to the pump 51 / impeller is under momentum conferred by passage of the water along the travel path (in addition to being under the draw exerted by the pump 51 / impeller) and thus assisted thereby. The apparatus 100 is thus, in accordance with an advantageous instantiation of the present invention, operable to pump water from the reservoir 520 to the reservoir 550. Shown in Figures 7 and 8 are a fluid-driven pumping apparatus 100' (for extracting power and pumping fluid by means of power thus extracted), comprising a power-extracting apparatus 1' (operable to harness energy of a fluid) and a pumping apparatus 50' (suppliable with power extracted by the apparatus 1'), and a PSH plant or facility 500' comprising / provided with the apparatus 100', respectively, in accordance with alternative preferred embodiments of the present invention - in respect of which reference numerals as have been used in the description above and in Figures 1 to 6 are used to refer to the same features. The apparatuses 1', 50' and 100' and plant / facility 500' are the same as the apparatuses 1, 50 and 100 and plant / facility 500, respectively, but for differences therebetween that will be apparent from the description below and Figures 7 and 8. In the apparatus 1', the intake conduit 30' has a bend or elbow 32' which, rather than extending through an acute angle (as the elbow 32 in the apparatus 1 does), extends through a right angle, such that upstream portion 30B' of intake conduit 30' is arranged to extend upwardly in a direction therealong towards the inlet or upstream end 31' of the conduit 30'. Whereas the apparatus 1 / intake conduit 30 is configured to be immersed in a free stream of water, the apparatus 1' / intake conduit 30' is configured such that flow of 2024203689 31 May 2024 water therethrough is induced by the turbine 10's being at a lower elevation, whereby the kinetic energy of the water flowing (e.g. ducted via headworks) to the turbine 10 is conferred solely by head pressure. The inlet / upstream end 31' (unlike the inlet / upstream end 31 in the apparatus 1) is not configured to face in a direction opposite to a direction of flow / current in a water source S. The length of the portion 30B / extent to which the intake / inlet / upstream end 31 is at a higher level than the downstream end 34 / chamber entrance 5C (and thus the amount of head pressure) may vary, and in particular depend upon the depth to which the conduit 30 and turbine 10 and / or the conduit 80 and pump 51 are / can be submerged in the water source S. In the example shown in Figure 7, an offset between the inlet / upstream end 31' and the downstream end 34 / chamber entrance 5C is, and / or confers a head of, 1 metre (or thereabout). In the apparatus 50', it may be that the upward extension of output conduit 85' is less than that of the output conduit 85 of apparatus 50, or (if, say, the upward extensions are the same) that the flow rate through the output conduit 85' is greater than that through the output conduit 85), in light of an ability of the apparatus 50 to pump the output fluid to a greater height / provide greater lift, as shown in Figure 1 (c.f. Figure 7), owing to the aforementioned additional kinetic energy which is contributed during operation thereof. In the plant / facility 500', which comprises / is provided with the apparatus 100' (rather than apparatus 100), the apparatuses 1' and 50' are arranged at / about a location 525, at / in which there may be situated (for instance) a waterfall or headworks or rapids / a downward gradient (not shown), where there is a drop in level / elevation of the water in the lower reservoir 520, the turbine 10 or a unit / apparatus 300 which includes it (described later), as well as the pump 51 or a unit / apparatus 400 which includes it (described later), being disposed at the lower-level or downstream side / position at / in the said location, the conduit 35 or the outlet / downstream end 36 thereof also being disposed (preferably in the water) at that side / position, and the conduit 80' or the inlet / upstream end 81' thereof being disposed in the water at that side / position. The plant / facility 500' is configured such that water is ducted from the upper-level or upstream side / position (at / in the said location) to and / or by the conduit 30' (e.g. by and / or via and / or through and / or at a said headworks or piping therein / associated therewith) to drive the rotor / turbine 10. The apparatus 100' is thus, in accordance with an advantageous instantiation of the present invention, operable to pump water from the reservoir 520 to the reservoir 550. 2024203689 31 May 2024 The apparatuses 1, 1' (and 300) and apparatuses 50, 50' (and 400) are especially suitable for operating conditions (such as the exemplified operating conditions of apparatuses 100 and 100') in which the driving fluid is at a low head / has a low flow rate and the driven fluid is pumped at a low flow rate / to a low head respectively (although their operability is not limited to such conditions). Shown in Figure 9 is an alternative PSH plant or facility 500" including / provided with a fluid-driven pumping apparatus 100", comprising a power-extracting apparatus 1" (operable to harness energy of a fluid) and the pumping apparatus 50 (suppliable with power extracted by the apparatus 1"), in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention - in respect of which reference numerals as have been used in the description above and in Figure 6 are used to refer to the same features. The plant / facility 500" is the same as the plant / facility 500 but for the arrangement / configuration of the power-extracting apparatus, which in the plant / facility 500" receives / takes in water from the upper reservoir 510 (e.g. operating / being operable to do so where there is an excess of water in the reservoir 510), via a conduit that extends from the source S, through headworks / dam wall 530 (as indicated by a broken line), to the conduit upstream end 31, whereby it is upper reservoir 510 that defines the driving fluid source S. The intake / inlet / upstream end of that conduit is submerged in the water in the upper reservoir 510, and the outlet / downstream end thereof is connected to the end 31, such as (for example) via respective flanges provided at the ends and interconnected by means of fastening elements. The power-extracting apparatus 1" may, but for the conduit end 31 being configured to connect to the conduit running from upper reservoir 510 (which conduit may be part of apparatus 1" or additional / supplementary to it), be the same as the apparatus 1. Flow of water through the conduit running from upper reservoir 510, and thence through conduit 30, is induced by the turbine 10's being at a lower elevation, whereby the kinetic energy of the water flowing to / driving the turbine 10 is conferred by a (static) pressure head. The length and configuration of the conduit running from upper reservoir 510 may vary, and in particular depend upon the difference in elevation between the upper 510 and lower 520 reservoirs and the dimensioning (especially thickness-wise) of the headworks / dam wall 530. 2024203689 31 May 2024 Without departure from the invention, the upper reservoir may, in a variant of any of plants / facilities 500, 500' and 500", be one into which there is no natural water inflow (selectably or permanently so), e.g. comprising a lake or basin, and the lower reservoir one from which there is (likewise selectably or permanently) no water outflow (natural or otherwise), e.g. comprising a basin or lake, in which case it is solely return water pumped by the apparatus 100 / 100' / 100" that replenishes the upper reservoir, the plant / facility in such a variant thus being a "pure" or "off-river", or "closed-loop", pumped-storage hydropower plant / facility. The plant / facility of the said variant may be one in which the pumping apparatus 100 / 100' / 100" is, alternatively or additionally, arranged to pump the return water to the upper reservoir (and, where the apparatus 100 / 100' / 100" is alternatively so arranged, it may be that the plant / facility has no holding / storage reservoir). The plant / facility of the said variant may be one in which the upper and lower reservoirs are defined by oversized farm dams and / or located away from any rivers or national parks in hilly country. Advantageously, apparatus 100 / 100' / 100" is adapted for 100% on-site application, allowing for ready implementation thereof, including at sites which may be remote and / or comparatively small, especially for the purposes of utilising such sites for hydropower / PSH (i.e. as hydropower / PSH facilities), and / or permitting an operator at the site to have full control over the apparatus 100 / 100' / 100" and operation thereof. Operation / operability of the apparatus 100 / 100' / 100" can be concurrent with power generation at the facility / plant 500 / 500' / 500" (or another facility / plant), without impacting power generation. Operation / operability of the apparatus 1, 1' or 1" or apparatus 100, 100' or 100" may, advantageously, be perpetual / around-the-clock (whereby valve may remain open or be omitted). Operation / operability of the apparatus 1, 1' or 1" or apparatus 100, 100' or 100", advantageously, may (alternatively, additionally or at any rate) be in conditions of low or no wind and / or conditions of low or no light (e.g. overcast or night-time conditions). Operation / operability of the apparatus 1, 1' or 1" or apparatus 100, 100' or 100", advantageously, may (alternatively, additionally or at any rate) be where grid-power demand is high, or be independent of grid-power demand. An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus 300, circled with a 2024203689 31 May 2024 broken line in Figure 7, connectable to, and / or arrangeable along or at an end of, and / or integratable with or into, at least one conduit, for extracting power by harnessing kinetic energy of a fluid flowing therethrough, the apparatus 300 comprising the turbine 10, and including the casing / housing 3 and the / at least one output 40, and possibly further comprising the valve 33 connected to the casing / housing 3 (e.g. as shown) or integrated with the casing / housing 3. In the examples / embodiments described and illustrated, the apparatus 300 forms part of each of the apparatuses 1, 1' and 1", being adapted for inline arrangement with said conduit(s) (e.g. comprising conduit(s) 30 / 30' and / or 35) so as to be operable to harness kinetic energy of / extract power from a fluid flowing therethrough. As can be seen in Figures 1 and 7, the apparatus 300 includes respective flanges, at the upstream and downstream ends thereof, configured to connect (e.g. by means of fastening elements) to flanges (also shown) at the downstream end of the intake conduit and at the upstream end of the outlet / discharge conduit respectively (though alternative means of interconnection of the respective ends, as will be known to a person skilled in the art, is / are possible without departure from the invention). The apparatus 300 may, advantageously, be provided as a unit, as shown. It is to be appreciated that the apparatus 1, 1' or 1" or the apparatus 300 (including, or not including, the valve 33) may, without departure from the invention, be utilised for alternative purposes, including as discussed below. Referring to Figure 10, the apparatus 1, 1' or 1" or apparatus 300 (if necessary of a scale different from that exemplified) may be operatively coupled or coupleable (directly or indirectly), via the / a said output 40 thereof, to an apparatus 600 (discussed below). Connected (such as in a manner mentioned / described above) to the inlet or entrance 5C and the outlet or exit 5D of the unit / apparatus 300 (so as to be inline-arranged with the unit / apparatus 300) are, respectively, an upstream conduit, conduit section or conduit portion P1 and a downstream conduit, conduit section or conduit portion P2, either or each of which may comprise or be defined by a pipe or piping. In a first variant, the conduit / section / portion P1 and conduit / section / portion P2 comprise or are defined by conduits 30 / 30' and 35, respectively, whereby it is / can be apparatus 1, 1' or 1" that is operatively coupled to apparatus 600. In a second variant, the conduits / sections / portions P1 and P2 may comprise or be defined by other / different conduits, sections or portions, such as conduits / sections / portions of an irrigation or water supply (e.g. safe-reuse-of-treated-wastewater (SRTW)) line or pipeline or another line / pipeline. 2024203689 31 May 2024 The apparatus 600 may (in the case of the first or second or another variant) comprise any of numerous apparatuses, including (inter alia) pumping apparatuses, such as apparatuses 50, 50' and 400 (as disclosed) and other pumping apparatuses (the latter including, for example, conventional pumps), and apparatuses which output / deliver mechanical power, including (for example) grain milling apparatuses, wood grinding apparatuses, and machining, forging, hammering, pounding, forming and crushing apparatuses. The apparatus 600 may alternatively (in the case of the first or second or another variant) comprise an electrical generator, for converting mechanical power (supplied via output 40) to electrical power, to which the unit / apparatus 300 or output 40 may be directly coupleable / coupled or (indirectly) coupleable / coupled via a transmission or gearbox (not shown), which may be a speed-increasing or speed-decreasing transmission / gearbox. In a particularly advantageous example / embodiment of the invention, the conduits / sections / portions P1 and P2 are part of / defined by said irrigation or water supply (e.g. SRTW) line / pipeline, such as one that runs to / supplies a rural / remote location or farm (which location / farm may be off the electrical grid), and the apparatus 600 comprises said generator, to which the unit / apparatus 300 / output 40 is operatively coupled or coupleable (indirectly, e.g. via said transmission / gearbox, or directly) as discussed above. The apparatus 600 may be arranged at or near a said / farm / location, whereby to be operable to generate power locally / for local use (at or near the farm / location). The apparatus / arrangement described with reference to Figure 10 is operable such that when valve 33 is in an open condition (or not included), the fluid / liquid / water is conveyed / flows through conduit / section / portion P1, apparatus / unit 300 and conduit / section / portion P2 - for instance to irrigate and / or be put to another use (e.g. through / involving SRTW) - whereby the apparatus 600 is driveable / suppliable with (rotary / mechanical) power (by / via output 40). Shown in Figures 11A and 11B is a first variation of the apparatus / arrangement described with reference to Figure 10 (according to any of the first, second and other variants), wherein connected or connectable between the conduits / sections / portions P1 and P2 is an apparatus 700 (which likewise may be provided or providable as a unit), encircled by a broken line in Figure 11A, which variation also embodies the present invention. The unit / apparatus 700 (like the unit / apparatus 300 in the apparatus / arrangement described 2024203689 31 May 2024 with reference to Figure 10) is connected / connectable at an upstream end thereof to a downstream end of conduit / section / portion P1 and at a downstream end thereof to an upstream end of conduit / section / portion P2. The unit / apparatus 700 includes a valve / diverter 33' (e.g. comprising a diverter ball valve) at the upstream end thereof, having an inlet or entrance 33E, connected / connectable to the downstream end of conduit / section / portion P1 (e.g. in the same way as the apparatus / unit 300 / valve 33 is so connected / connectable in the apparatus / arrangement described with reference to Figure 10), a two-way junction 38 (e.g. a Y-junction or T-junction, which may comprise or be defined by (respectively) a Y piece or a T-piece, as shown) at the downstream end thereof, having an outlet or exit 38E connected / connectable to the upstream end of conduit / section / portion P2 (e.g. in the same way as the apparatus / unit 300 is so connected / connectable in the apparatus / arrangement described with reference to Figure 10), a first conduit / conduit section / conduit portion 700P1 extending from a first outlet or exit 33E1 of the valve / diverter 33' to a first inlet or entrance 38E1 of the junction / piece 38, a second conduit / conduit section / conduit portion 700P2 extending from a second outlet or exit 33E2 of the valve / diverter 33' to the inlet / entrance 5C, and a third conduit / conduit section / conduit portion 700P3 extending from the outlet / exit 5D to a second inlet or entrance 38E2 of the junction / piece 38. The valve / diverter 33' is configured / operable such that in a first condition thereof, shown in Figure 11A, it permits (a) passage of fluid / liquid therethrough (from the inlet / entrance 33E to the outlet / exit 33E1) through the conduit / section / portion P1, through the junction / piece 38 (from the inlet / entrance 38E1 to the outlet / exit 38E) and along / through the conduit / section / portion P2 (for instance to irrigate and / or be put to a said other use (e.g. through / involving SRTW)), but precludes (b) passage of fluid / liquid through / from the outlet / exit 33E2 to the inlet / entrance 38E3 and thence through the unit / apparatus 300, whereby the apparatus 600 is not driveable / suppliable with (rotary / mechanical) power (by / via output 40) and is thus isolated. The valve / diverter 33' is configured / operable such that in a second condition thereof, shown in Figure 11B, it precludes the passage of fluid / liquid through the outlet / exit 33E1 and conduit / section / portion 700P1 (i.e. (a)), but permits the passage of fluid / liquid through / from the outlet / exit 33E2, through the unit / apparatus 300, through the junction / piece 38 from the inlet / entrance 38E2 to the outlet / exit 38E and along / through the conduit / section / portion P2 (for instance to irrigate and / or be put to a said other use (e.g. through / involving SRTW)) (i.e. (b)), whereby the apparatus 600 is driveable / suppliable with (rotary / mechanical) power (by / via output 40). Shown in Figure 12 is a second variation of the apparatus / arrangement described with 2024203689 31 May 2024 reference to Figure 10 (according to any of the first, second and other variants), wherein connected or connectable between the conduits / sections / portions P1 and P2 is an apparatus 700' encircled by a broken line (which likewise may be provided or providable as a unit). The second variation is the same as the said first variation except that valve / diverter 33" therein (which also may comprise a diverter ball valve), whereas in the first condition it (like valve / diverter 33') permits (a) and precludes (b) (whereby the apparatus 600 is not driveable / suppliable with (rotary / mechanical) power (by / via output 40) and is thus isolated), in the second condition it permits both (a) and (b), whereby the apparatus 600 is driveable / suppliable with (rotary / mechanical) power (by / via output 40), and the fluid / liquid passing through conduit / section / portion P2 (for instance to irrigate and / or be put to a said other use (e.g. through / involving SRTW)) can flow / pass thereinto from the conduit / section / portion 700P1 (via inlet / entrance 38E1 and outlet / exit 38E) from the conduit / section / portion 700P3 (via inlet / entrance 38E2 and outlet / exit 38E). The apparatus / unit 300, 700 or 700' may be installed between the conduits / sections / portions P1 and P2 of the (e.g. irrigation / water / SRTW) line, and in particular retrofitted thereto, whereby the fluid / water passing through the line can be exploited (as driving fluid) to drive the turbine 10 and thus drive / operate / power the apparatus 600. The line / pipeline, may be one for use / to supply water in large-scale farming or agriculture typical of first-world countries, or small-scale farming or agriculture typical of third-world or developing countries. An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus 400, circled with a broken line in Figure 7, connectable to, and / or arrangeable along or at an end of, and / or integratable with or into, at least one conduit, for pumping fluid, which in the examples / embodiments described and illustrated forms part of each of the apparatuses 50 and 50'. The apparatus 400 is adapted for in-line arrangement with said conduit(s) (e.g. comprising conduit(s) 80 / 80' and / or 85 / 85') so as to be operable to pump fluid therealong, the apparatus comprising the pump 51 (including the casing / housing 63), and including (at least one) input 52. As can be seen in Figures 1 and 7, the apparatus 400 includes respective flanges, at the upstream and downstream ends thereof, configured to connect (e.g. by means of fastening elements) to flanges (also shown) at the downstream end of the intake conduit and at the upstream end of the outlet / discharge conduit respectively (though alternative means of interconnection of the respective ends, as will be known to a person skilled in the art, is / are possible without departure from the invention). The 2024203689 31 May 2024 apparatus 400 may, advantageously, be provided as a unit, as shown. Each of apparatus / unit 300 and apparatus / unit 400 is, advantageously, reversible or operable in reverse, whereby entrance 5C or 5C' defines an exit and exit 5D or 5D' defines an entrance. Also, apparatus / unit 300 is, advantageously, operable for pumping fluid (instead of for extracting power from fluid), whereby the turbine rotor 12 and output 40 are operable as an impeller rotor (62) and input (52) respectively. Moreover, apparatus / unit 400 is, advantageously, operable for extracting power from fluid (instead of for pumping fluid), whereby the impeller rotor 62 and input 52 are operable as a turbine rotor (12) and output (40) respectively. It is also to be appreciated that apparatus 50 or 50' or apparatus 400, in an embodiment of the invention, may be coupled to and / or driveable by an alternative apparatus (or source of rotary / mechanical power), which may be for extracting power from a renewable energy source, such as an apparatus operable to extract power from fluid, solar, wind or geothermal energy (e.g. comprising any of numerous kinds of such apparatus which are well known in the art and / or commercially available) to output (in mechanical / rotary form) power thus extracted (to the apparatus 50 / 50'). That said, apparatus 1, 1' or 1" or 300, advantageously, can be - as it is in apparatus 100, 100' or 100", especially in plant / facility 500 / 500' / 500" - simpler, cheaper, and quite possibly (owing to its not being reliant on weather / climatic conditions) more-often operable, than those typically used to power return water pumps in PSH facilities. A said alternative apparatus could, for example, comprise a water wheel (e.g. stream wheel) or Pelton wheel (or other cross-flow turbine) arranged such that successive blades / buckets / paddles thereof lie in a path of driving fluid / liquid (such as at or near (e.g. slightly downstream of) a waterfall or rapids, or a spillway (e.g. of / defined by a dam wall, such as dam wall 530), where it may fall, cascade, tumble, spill, etc.), to be urged by current / flow and / or impact of the fluid thereagainst, imparting driving force to the wheel / turbine. Embodiments of the invention disclosed herein may vary in scale and / or relative dimensions. While in each of the apparatuses 1, 1' and 1" the orientation of the rotor / turbine 10 is such that axes A and B are horizontal, alternative orientations of the rotor / turbine 10 2024203689 31 May 2024 about the central upstream-downstream axis therethrough (indicated by a long-short broken line in Figures 1 and 7) - including in particular an orientation whereby the axes A and B are vertical - are possible without departure from the invention. The orientation of the unit / apparatus 300 about the said upstream-downstream axis may vary to that end (and may likewise vary in other apparatuses which include unit / apparatus 300, including, for example, any of those described and illustrated). Also, the orientation / position of the axis of rotation of the output 40 / shaft 15 may vary without departure from the invention. The unit / apparatus 300 may, rather than being configured such that the output / shaft axis of rotation is perpendicular to the axis B and in the plane Y (as it is in the exemplifications illustrated), be alternatively configured - for instance such that the output / shaft axis of rotation is coaxial with the axis B or in a plane parallel to plane Y (e.g. extending parallel to axis Y or to axis B). Similarly, while in each of the apparatuses 50 and 50' the orientation of the rotor / impeller 62 is such that axes A' and B' are horizontal, alternative orientations of the rotor / turbine 10 about the central upstream-downstream axis therethrough (indicated by a long-short broken line in Figures 1 and 7) - including in particular an orientation whereby the axes A' and B' are vertical - are possible without departure from the invention. The orientation of the unit / apparatus 400 about the said upstream-downstream axis may vary to that end (and may likewise vary in other apparatuses which include unit / apparatus 400, including, for example, any of those described and illustrated). Also, the orientation / position of the axis of rotation of the input 52 / shaft 65 may vary without departure from the invention. The unit / apparatus 400 may, rather than being configured such that the input / shaft axis of rotation is perpendicular to the axis B' and in the plane Y' (as it is in the exemplifications illustrated), be alternatively configured - for instance such that the input / shaft axis of rotation is coaxial with the axis B' or in a plane parallel to plane Y' (e.g. extending parallel to axis Y' or to axis B'). Without departure from the invention, the turbine (including turbine 10) or an apparatus comprising it (including any such apparatus that is disclosed herein) may be provided with or comprise plural outputs, e.g. comprising a pair of outputs 40, consisting of the output 40 that is illustrated, which is defined by or coupled to one end of the shaft 15, and another output, defined by or coupled to the other end of the shaft 15. Without departure from the invention, the pump (including pump 51) or an apparatus comprising it (including any such apparatus that is disclosed herein) may be provided with or comprise plural inputs, e.g. comprising a pair of inputs 52, consisting of the input 52 that is illustrated, which is defined by or coupled to one end of the shaft 65, and another 2024203689 31 May 2024 input, defined by or coupled to the other end of the shaft 65. Envisioned within the scope of the present invention are embodiments wherein at least one power-extracting / energy-harnessing apparatus (which may comprise, inter alia, any of apparatus 1, apparatus 1', apparatus 1", apparatus 100, apparatus 100', apparatus 100", apparatus 300, an apparatus as shown in Figure 10, apparatus 700, apparatus 700' and an apparatus defined by turbine 10 in and of itself) is coupled to one or more pump or pumping apparatuses (which may comprise, inter alia, at least one of any of apparatus 50, apparatus 50', apparatus 100, apparatus 100', apparatus 100", apparatus 400, apparatus 600 and an apparatus defined by pump 51 in and of itself). Embodiments of the invention provide simple and inexpensive means of exploiting water that is flowing and / or at a pressure head to produce power, including where the kinetic / gravitational-potential energy of the water might ordinarily be considered insufficient to justify implementing an arrangement to harness it. While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments. Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.
Claims
1. An apparatus for extracting power from or pumping fluid, comprising:a turbine or impeller, comprising a rotor arranged to be driven by or to drive fluid, respectively; andan output or input, arranged to be operatively coupled to the rotor, to supply power from the turbine or to the impeller, respectively.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output or input comprises a rotary output or input.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the output or input comprises a shaft.
4. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, including a chamber in which the rotor is rotatable and / or one or more blades thereof are movable or rotatable.
5. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, including at least one inlet arranged to be upstream of the rotor such that said fluid can enter the apparatus through the inlet(s).
6. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, including at least one outlet arranged to be downstream of the rotor such that said fluid can exit or be discharged from the apparatus through the outlet(s).
7. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, including at least one conduit arranged to be upstream of the rotor to duct or convey said fluid towards the rotor such that it to the rotor.
8. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, including at least one conduit arranged to be downstream of the rotor to duct or convey said fluid away therefrom.
9. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one entrance arranged to be upstream of the rotor, such that said fluid can pass through the entrance(s) and to the rotor, and / or at least one exit arranged to be downstream of the rotor, such that said fluid can pass from the rotor and through the exit(s).2024203689 31 May 202410. An apparatus according to claim 9, being in accordance with claim 5 and / or claim 6, wherein the at least one inlet is defined by said entrance(s) and / or the at least one outlet is defined by said exit(s).
11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said at least one entrance is connected or connectable to one or more conduits such that the conduit(s) is / are arranged to duct or convey said fluid to said entrance(s).
12. An apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein said at least one exit is connected or connectable to one or more conduits such that that / those conduit(s) is / are arranged to duct or convey said fluid from said exit(s).
13. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a unit which comprises the turbine or impeller and the output or input.
14. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the turbine or impeller comprises a cross-flow turbine / impeller or rotor.
15. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotor comprises one or more blades.
16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the one or more blades are radially outward of an axis of rotation of the rotor.
17. An apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, comprising plural said blades disposed at positions which are equiangularly arranged around the rotor or an axis of rotation of the rotor.
18. An apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein said blades or positions are three in number.
19. An apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein central axes of said blades are equidistant from an / the axis of rotation of the rotor.
20. An apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 19, configured such that, as the rotor rotates, an orientation of the / each blade about a rotational axis thereof which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor varies whereby the blade:presents a large surface area, or is face-on, to said fluid while moving therewith,2024203689 31 May 2024so that driving force exerted by the fluid on the blade, or by the blade on the fluid, is large; andpresents a small surface area, or is edge-on, to the fluid while moving thereagainst, so that retarding force exerted by the blade on the fluid, or by the fluid on the blade, is small.
21. An apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 20, configured such that the / each blade rotates about an / a said axis thereof which is parallel to the / an axis of rotation of the rotor, at a frequency which is half that at which the rotor rotates, so as:to present a large surface area, or to be face-on, to said fluid while moving therewith, so that driving force exerted by the fluid on the blade, or by the blade on the fluid, is large; andto present a small surface area, or to be edge-on, to the fluid while moving thereagainst, so that retarding force exerted by the blade on the fluid, or by the fluid on the blade, is small.
22. An apparatus according to claim 20 or 21, including at least one blade angle control system or mechanism operable to rotate the / each blade about the axis thereof such that the blade presents a said large surface area, or is face-on, to the fluid when moving therewith and presents a said small surface area, or is edge-on, to the fluid when moving thereagainst or oppositely thereto.
23. An apparatus according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the apparatus or at least one blade angle control system / mechanism comprises a gear system operable, preferably by rotation of the rotor, to rotate the / each blade about the axis thereof such that the blade presents a said large surface area, or is face-on, to the fluid when moving therewith and presents a said small surface area, or is edge-on, to the fluid when moving thereagainst or oppositely thereto.
24. An apparatus according to claim 22 or 23, wherein the blade angle control mechanism or gear system is operable by rotation of the rotor.
25. An apparatus according to claim 23 or 24, wherein the gear system comprises a planetary gear system comprising one or more planet gears, the / each planet gear being connected to a respective blade to be rotatable therewith about said axis thereof, and a sun gear arranged to mesh with the planet gear(s) to be driven rotationally by the sun gear or to drive rotationally the sun gear.2024203689 31 May 202426. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said output or input is secured to the sun gear to be rotatatable therewith.
27. An apparatus according to claim 25 or 26, wherein the planetary gear system includes one or more idler gears arranged to mesh with the sun gear, the / each idler gear being arranged to mesh with a respective said planet gear.
28. An apparatus according to any one of claims 25 to 27, wherein the planetary gear system includes a stationary ring gear which the / each planet gear is arranged to mesh with.
29. An apparatus according to any one of claims 20 to 28, configured such that the / each blade rotates in a rotational direction opposite to that in which the rotor rotates.
30. An apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 29, configured such that the / each blade moves through driving and return regions which are diametrically opposed about an / the axis of rotation of the rotor and through which extends a cross-sectional plane on which an / said axis of rotation of the rotor lies, whereby the blade:during movement thereof in the driving region, is aligned to the cross-sectional plane when its axis lies therein; andduring movement thereof in the return region, is perpendicular to the cross-sectional plane when its axis lies therein.
31. An apparatus according to claim 30, being in accordance with claim 9, wherein: said driving region extends from or away from said entrance(s) and / or to or towards said exit(s); and / orsaid return region extends from or away from said entrance(s) and / or to or towards said exit(s).
32. An apparatus according to claim 30 or 31, including a baffle arranged such that the / each blade is rotatable therearound, the baffle being configured to direct fluid through the driving region.
33. An apparatus according to any one of claims 30 to 32, including outer wall portions conforming to loci of the / each blade in parts of the driving region upstream and downstream of the cross-sectional plane, thus defining respective outer profiles of the upstream and downstream parts of the driving region.2024203689 31 May 202434. An apparatus according to any one of claims 30 to 33, including inner wall portions conforming to loci of the / each blade in parts of the driving region upstream and downstream of the cross-sectional plane, thus defining respective inner profiles of the upstream and downstream parts of the driving region.
35. An apparatus according to claim 34, being in accordance with claim 32, wherein the inner wall portions are defined by said baffle.
36. An apparatus according to any one of claims 30 to 35, including:an outer wall portion conforming to a locus of a portion or end or edge of the / each blade which leads throughout passage of the blade through the return region, which outer wall portion defines an outer profile of a part of the return region downstream of the cross-sectional plane; andan outer wall portion conforming to a locus of a portion or end or edge of the / each blade which trails throughout passage of the blade through the return region, which outer wall portion defines an outer profile of a part of the return region upstream of the cross-sectional plane.
37. An apparatus according to any one of claims 30 to 36, including respective inner wall portions arranged and configured to lie adjacent an inner face of the / each blade during movement thereof through parts of the return region upstream and downstream of the cross-sectional plane.
38. An apparatus according to claim 37, being in accordance with claim 32, wherein said inner wall portions are defined by said baffle.
39. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, arranged orarrangeable to receive or take in fluid from a source.
40. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, arranged orarrangeable to receive or take in fluid from a body of fluid.
41. An apparatus according to claim 39 or 40, arranged or arrangeable to receive or take in fluid from a reservoir.
42. An apparatus according to any one of claims 39 to 41, arranged or arrangeable such that the rotor is lower than a level of fluid in the source, body or reservoir whereby fluid passes to the rotor therefrom under a pressure head.2024203689 31 May 202443. An apparatus according to any one of claims 39 to 42, arranged to receive or take in fluid from a said source, body or reservoir via at least one inlet at, in, or downstream of, the source, body or reservoir.
44. An apparatus according to claim 43, being in accordance with claim 5, wherein said at least one inlet arranged to be upstream of the rotor comprises said at least one inlet at, in, or downstream of, the source, body or reservoir.
45. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, being in accordance with claim 5, 43 or 44, wherein the rotor is arranged to be lower than the, each, or at least one said, inlet such that fluid passes to the rotor therefrom under a pressure head.
46. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, being in accordance with any of claims 5 and 43 to 45, arranged such that the, each, or at least one said, inlet lies in a travel path of fluid whereby said fluid is incident thereto so as to enter therethrough to pass to the rotor therefrom under momentum conferred by passage of the fluid along said travel path.
47. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one entrance is so connected / connectable such that said rotor is arranged to be lower than one or more upstream ends of said conduit(s), and / or than a level of fluid in a / said reservoir, source or body of fluid from which the apparatus can receive or take in fluid, whereby said fluid can pass to the rotor under a pressure head.
48. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, being in accordance with claim 11, wherein said at least one entrance is so connected / connectable such that said fluid passes to the rotor, under momentum conferred by passage of the fluid along a travel path thereof, from the, each, or at least one said, inlet which lie / s in the travel path whereby the fluid is incident to the inlet(s) to enter therethrough.
49. An apparatus for extracting power from fluid according to any one of the preceding claims, operable such that passage of fluid to the rotor, whereby the rotor is driven, can be permitted / effected and precluded.
50. An apparatus for extracting power from fluid according to any one of the preceding claims, being in accordance with claim 9, including at least one valve operable to assume a condition permitting passage of said fluid between said entrance(s) and said exit(s),2024203689 31 May 2024such that the turbine rotor is rotatable by the fluid, and a condition precluding passage of said fluid from said entrance(s) to said exit(s), such that said turbine rotor is not rotatable by the fluid.
51. An apparatus for pumping fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 48, wherein the rotor is arranged to be lower than the, each, or at least one said, outlet, and / or than a level of fluid in a reservoir or body of fluid to which fluid is pumpable by the apparatus, such that the fluid is pumped against a pressure head.
52. An apparatus for pumping fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 48 and 51, wherein said at least one exit is so connected / connectable such that said rotor is arranged to be lower than one or more downstream ends of said conduit(s), and / or than a level of fluid in a / said reservoir or body of fluid to which fluid is pumpable by the apparatus, whereby said fluid can be pumped against a pressure head.
53. An apparatus operable to extract power from fluid and / or to pump fluid, the apparatus comprising first and second apparatuses, wherein:the first apparatus comprises an apparatus for extracting power according to any one of claims 1 to 50, arranged to be operatively engaged with the second apparatus via said output; and / orthe second apparatus comprises an apparatus for pumping fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 48, 51 and 52, arranged to be operatively engaged with the first apparatus via said input.
54. An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein the first apparatus is arranged to output power to the second apparatus.
55. An apparatus according to claim 54, wherein first apparatus is operable to extract power and to output power thus extracted to the second apparatus.
56. An apparatus according to claim 55, wherein the first apparatus is operable to extract power from a renewable energy source.
57. An apparatus according to claim 55 or 56, wherein the first apparatus is operable to extract power from fluid.
58. An apparatus according to claim 57, wherein the first apparatus or a / the turbine rotor thereof is arranged at a position along a fluid line, whereby the first apparatus is2024203689 31 May 2024operable to extract power from a flow of fluid in the line.
59. An apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the first apparatus or a / the turbine rotor thereof is arranged at a said position along an irrigation and / or safe reuse of treated wastewater (SRTW) line to extract power from a flow of water or liquid in the line.
60. An apparatus according to any one of claims 53 to 59, wherein the first apparatus and / or a / the turbine rotor thereof is arranged to receive or take in and / or to be driven by fluid.
61. An apparatus according to claim 60, wherein the first apparatus and / or a said turbine rotor thereof is arranged to receive or take in and / or to be driven by fluid in or from a reservoir.
62. An apparatus according to claim 60, wherein the first apparatus and / or a said turbine rotor thereof is arranged to receive or take in and / or to be driven by fluid in or from a reservoir in a hydropower plant or facility.
63. An apparatus according to claim 60, wherein the first apparatus and / or a said turbine rotor thereof is arranged to receive or take in and / or to be driven by fluid in or from the lower one of upper and lower reservoirs in a hydropower plant or facility.
64. An apparatus according to any one of claims 53 to 63, wherein the second apparatus comprises a generator operable to convert power output thereto by the first apparatus to electricity.
65. An apparatus according to any one of claims 53 to 63, wherein the second apparatus is operable to pump fluid by means of power output thereto by the first apparatus.
66. An apparatus according to claim 65, wherein the second apparatus is arranged to pump fluid to a reservoir.
67. An apparatus according to claim 65, wherein the second apparatus is arranged to pump fluid to a reservoir in a / said hydropower plant or facility.
68. An apparatus according to claim 65, wherein the second apparatus is arranged to pump fluid to the upper one of one of upper and lower reservoirs in a / said hydropower2024203689 31 May 2024plant or facility.
69. An apparatus according to claim 65, wherein the second apparatus is arranged to pump fluid to a holding or storage reservoir for supplying fluid to the upper one of upper and lower reservoirs in a / said hydropower plant or facility.
70. An apparatus according to any one of claims 53 to 69, wherein the first apparatus comprises the apparatus for extracting power according to any one of claims 1 to 50, and the second apparatus comprises the apparatus for pumping fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 48, 51 and 52.
71. An apparatus according to claim 70, wherein a / said chamber and / or rotor blade(s) of the first apparatus is / are larger than a / said chamber and / or rotor blade(s) of the second apparatus.
72. An apparatus according to claim 70, wherein a / said chamber and / or rotor blade(s) of the first apparatus is / are twice as large as a / said chamber and / or rotor blade(s) of the second apparatus.
73. An apparatus according to claim 71 or 72, wherein a said chamber and / or rotor blade(s) of the first apparatus is / are an integral number of times as large as a said chamber and / or rotor blade(s) of the second apparatus.
74. An apparatus according to any one of claims 71 to 73, wherein said chamber and rotor blade(s) of the first apparatus are larger than said chamber and rotor blade(s) of the second apparatus.
75. An apparatus according to any one of claims 70 to 75, wherein a ratio between the turbine rotor and impeller is 1:1.
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