Toroidal Lift Engine

Abstract

Toroidal lift engines are provided. For example, toroidal lift engines operate in a sealed environment without emitting heat and / or particles of any kind, and utilize only asymmetric pressure distribution on lift turbine blades to generate thrust from the normal component of lift and use the tangential component of this lift to drive ancillary devices, control fluid velocity, and / or induce fluid flow. The toroidal lift engines can be used to generate thrust, heat, and / or electricity to power vehicles, homes, etc.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 982,421, entitled "TOROIDAL LIFT FORCE ENGINE," filed February 27, 2020, by Berkstrand, Orville, Jay, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This application is related to U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 729,205, entitled "POWER GENERATION APPARATUS," filed December 28, 2012, and issued November 14, 2017, as U.S. Patent No. 9,816,383; U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 141,986, entitled "POWER GENERATION APPARATUS," filed December 27, 2013, and issued November 14, 2017, as U.S. Patent No. 9,816,384; and U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 482,313, entitled "WIND TURBINE," filed April 7, 2017, all of which are filed by Berkstrand, Orville, Jay, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0003] 1 is a front view of an exemplary prior art farm wind turbine 100 known to those skilled in the art. The wind turbine 100 includes a plurality of blades 105 (typically 18) arranged in a substantially circular arrangement and operably interconnected with a gearbox 110. Footing 115 is positioned slightly below the height of the lowest portion of the blades 105 to allow easy access to the blades 105 and / or the gearbox 110 for maintenance and other purposes. The gearbox 110 is operably interconnected with a pump pole 120 terminating in a connector 125. The connector 125 is further interconnected with a pump rod 130 surrounded by a standpipe 135 that extends into a well 140. Typically, a well casing 145 encircles the entrance to the well 140 and provides support for a discharge point 150.

[0004] The wind turbine tower 160 provides structural support for the blades 105 to be positioned at a significant height above the ground, so that the wind can reach the blades 105 without obstruction from buildings, terrain, etc. The tower 160 also provides support to counteract the forces generated by the blades 105 spinning in the wind, which may be lateral forces that may tip the wind turbine over when the wind reaches a sufficient speed. Therefore, the wind turbine 100 is typically configured to spin out of the wind when the wind speed reaches a certain threshold. This protects the blades 105 and / or the tower 160 from damage and / or destruction due to the blades spinning too fast and / or generating too much lateral force against the tower 160.

[0005] During operation, wind rotates the blades 105, which in turn rotates the gearbox 110, which in turn operates the pump via the pump rod 130 to pull water up from the well reservoir and out the discharge point 150, providing a conventional pumping mechanism. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, farm windmills 100 are typically limited to pumping water (or other fluids). Also, conventional farm windmills 100 are limited to certain wind speeds and are extremely inefficient when the wind speed is high. The reason for this low efficiency lies in their basic design, which generates torque when the wind speed is low in order to provide the only source of water for distant dependent animals, even on nearly windless days.

[0006] 2 is an exemplary front perspective view of a modern prior art wind turbine 200 that can be used to generate electricity. The wind turbine 200 comprises a number of blades 215 (typically three) mounted on a hub that is supported by a tower 210. A typical modern wind turbine is mounted to a height of the order of tens of meters (e.g., 90 meters) with blades also being of the order of tens of meters in length. Modern wind turbines 200 often contain all of their operating components within the tower 210 or within the support base 205. As such, the exterior of the wind turbine does not reveal its operation, as is the case with conventional farm windmills 100.

[0007] A notable drawback of modern wind turbines 200 is that they generally do not have an independent mechanism to prevent the wind turbine from stalling when the wind flow slows down or when a high-speed spike occurs over the blades 215. Typically, such very slight stalls occur due to, for example, momentary spikes and / or lulls in the wind flow over the blades 205 of the turbine 200. Without a mechanism to counter such spikes and stalls, the overall efficiency of the wind turbine 200 would be significantly reduced even further. Modern wind turbines do not have a simple control system to actively and automatically track the rotor revolutions per minute (RPM) to the instantaneous speed of the wind and constantly maintain a desired wind angle of attack. Instead, modern wind turbines generally operate primarily at a nearly constant RPM to generate the required grid frequency. More recent systems may have sophisticated and expensive electronic control systems that tolerate slight RPM variations of the order of ±20%. These control limitations limit the maximum possible efficiency of a wind turbine. Furthermore, wind turbines must be operated with a tip speed ratio (TSR) of 6 or greater at the rotor tips in the rotor plane to prevent the turbine from stalling due to a sudden backwind. Wind turbines have unavoidable atmospheric turbulence that is always present.

[0008] A conventional three-bladed windmill / wind turbine is usually operated at a TSR of 6 or more, and therefore only captures the tangential part of the lift, i.e., about 6% of the total lift generated. The remaining part, i.e., the normal component of the lift, is cancelled by trying to tip the tower over, and is therefore completely unused. This leads to the example tower 160, 210 and / or foundation 205 being constructed too strongly to prevent the tower from tipping over. Furthermore, conventional windmills are unable to capture any potential production to generate useful power, for example, because the flow from one blade intensifies the flow on other adjacent blades.

[0009] Conventional wisdom holds that any wind turbine is limited by Betz's law, which states that it cannot capture more than 16 / 27 (59.3%) of the kinetic energy contained in the wind. This factor of 16 / 27 (or 0.593) is known as the Betz limit. Conventional three-bladed wind turbines currently peak at about 75-80% of the Betz limit. The Betz limit represents a theoretical upper limit on the amount of energy that can be extracted at a particular turbine site, and is valid for drag-type forces, but not lift-type forces. Even if the wind continues to blow at a particular site (assuming that), general experience shows that no more kinetic energy can be extracted from the wind in a given year than the Betz limit. However, this may coincide with the maximum possible for a conventional three-bladed turbine. In practice, most current systems do not even reach a performance ratio of 50% of the Betz limit. The majority have typical ratios between 7% and 17% of the Betz limit.

[0010] Additionally, notable drawbacks to the operation of modern wind turbines include the relatively fast rotating rotor blades that pollute the surrounding air, the lack of productivity associated with having more blades, and the generally harsh sound they produce. Modern wind turbines are also dangerous to flying animals, such as birds. For these and other reasons, conventional wind turbines are neither practical nor desirable for use in urban and suburban areas that consume significant amounts of electricity. As such, conventional wind turbines are typically deployed in large clusters (i.e., wind farms) in locations where they can be efficiently serviced and where they are exposed to fast winds. As such, conventional wind turbines require large transmission systems to transport the electricity they generate to where it is needed.

[0011] Furthermore, in all wind turbines according to the prior art, the energy harvested by the wind turbine is D 2where D is the blade diameter. Another major drawback of prior art wind turbines is that they are operated at a tip speed ratio (TSR) of 6 or more. Therefore, prior art wind turbines must be placed on very tall towers to reach not only faster moving winds but also less turbulent winds. As a result, prior art wind turbines are recommended to be installed at a significant distance (e.g., 500 feet or more) from obstacles such as trees, buildings, or other wind turbines in order to function properly. Furthermore, with a TSR of 6 or more, a very slight stall will usually cause flow separation and energy loss in a conventional three-bladed wind turbine in the unlikely event of a wind gust causing the TSR to fall below, for example, 5. This is because the conventional three-bladed wind turbine has no mechanism to roughly track the wind speed and no mechanism to change the apparent wind angle of attack on the blades to limit the range of the gust, thereby reducing the power harvested.

[0012] Finally, and perhaps most importantly, modern wind turbines can only capture energy from the tangential portion of the lift; the normal portion of the lift that tries to topple the tower is several times more powerful but goes unused and wasted. Wind is also notoriously intermittent, necessitating costly investments in backup and fill-in power systems.

[0013] overview These and other shortcomings of the prior art are overcome by a toroidal lift engine (TLE) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A toroidal lift engine operates, for example, in a contained, recirculating, closed, pressurized gas (e.g., air, helium, carbon dioxide (CO2), etc.) environment and uses the normal component of lift to generate linear thrust and the tangential component to drive an axial compressor, as well as auxiliary and speed control attachments. A toroidal lift engine consists, for example, of two turbine assemblies operating as a rigidly coupled rotating structure in a pressurized gas environment.

[0014] The outer turbine is a high-lift, low-drag (HLLD) lift turbine, which captures lift from the rotation of the lift turbine blades in the gas to generate thrust directly as well as drive auxiliary equipment. For example, the gas is pre-spun and directed by a set of blades in the input stator before it impinges on the lift turbine blades. A set of blades in the exit stator act to calm and redirect the flow after it has passed through the lift turbine. For example, the lift to drag ratio (L / D) of the lift turbine is greater than one.

[0015] The second, inner turbine section of this combination is an efficient axial compressor type turbine that serves to provide a steady flow of high velocity gas to the outer lift turbine, which also includes, for example, an input stator and an exit stator having blades configured to help condition the gas before it enters the input stator of the lift turbine assembly.

[0016] During operation, the axial turbine serves to provide a steady flow of gas to the lift turbine. For example, the lift turbine assembly and the axial turbine assembly are configured in a continuous flow arrangement, i.e., the gas flow exiting the axial turbine assembly enters the input stator of the lift turbine assembly. Similarly, the gas flow exiting the output stator enters the input stator of the axial turbine.

[0017] Toroidal lift engines can be used to generate thrust independent of the surrounding atmosphere and / or the speed of the vehicle on which they are mounted. By mounting a toroidal lift engine on a vehicle, the thrust can be used to accelerate / decelerate the vehicle. This thrust is generated within a sealed casing (e.g., a toroid), and is therefore independent of the outside atmosphere and the speed of the vehicle. A vehicle accelerating at about 1.0 G equipped with such a toroidal lift engine could theoretically reach the speed of light (c) in about 11 months, as well as potentially decelerate safely at the end of the journey. Acceleration at 3 G would reduce this time to less than 4 months. This is assuming the presence of fuel. Furthermore, toroidal lift engines would operate equally well on planetary surfaces and in the void of space.

[0018] For example, a toroidal lift engine may be installed on an aircraft. By directing the thrust forward, the aircraft may be able to take off on a shorter runway than normal. Similarly, by directing the thrust towards the aircraft's stern, it may be possible to aid in deceleration and allow the aircraft to land on a shorter runway or landing site. During normal flight operations, i.e., cruising but not during takeoff or landing, the aircraft's main engines may be turned off, thereby saving significant fuel costs, while the thrust generated by the toroidal lift engine provides sufficient thrust for straight flight and level / cruise flight operations. A slightly more powerful unit (not necessarily larger) could completely replace the engine driving the main propeller. With an even more powerful unit, the wings, tail, stabilizers, landing gear, etc. that interact with the atmosphere would also be extra appendages. Of course, if this thrust is greater than the vehicle's total weight, the vehicle could be accelerated into space and beyond.

[0019] Note that the natural profile of the ultimate vehicle using the exemplary toroidal lift engine is a symmetrical disc-shaped shape. Such a vehicle could, for example, accelerate at 1G for half the distance to its destination, rotate 180°, and then decelerate for the remainder of the journey. Such maneuvering would keep the G forces in the same direction for the comfort and long-term health of the occupants. As another example of various capabilities, such a vehicle could rotate about 135° at high speed in the atmosphere, and then perform a right-angle turn at high speed to correct course. A vehicle equipped in this way would not need to accelerate to Earth escape velocity of about 25,000 miles per hour to get to space. Instead, the vehicle could travel straight up and hover as a helicopter does in the atmosphere. This would eliminate the need for heavy heat shields, etc. After hovering, the vehicle could repeatedly accelerate and decelerate to its destination.

[0020] Additionally, the rotation of the lift turbine of the toroidal lift engine may be used to power a pump configured to pump a fluid, such as a hydraulic fluid, used to power a heat exchanger, a generator, etc. In this manner, the toroidal lift engine may be used to provide electricity, hot water, heat, and / or air conditioning to a home or other structure. The three-dimensional toroidal shape is ideal for this mission and appears to be the most suitable shape found so far, since it is desirable for the average blade speed of the lift turbine to be approximately 2-6 times the speed of the gas flowing through the lift turbine. At the same time, the velocity of the same gas passing through, for example, an axial turbine is nearly 1:1 with the average blade speed of the axial turbine, without resorting to noisy, inefficient, expensive, and problem-prone gears. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] The above and further advantages of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally equivalent elements, and in which:

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary farm wind turbine as previously described and as known in the prior art; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary three-blade wind turbine as previously described and known in the prior art. [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 illustrates the Bernoulli force caused by a rotating device. [Figure 3B] FIG. 13 illustrates a reaction force due to an angled surface. [Figure 3C] FIG. 2 illustrates the lift forces on a blade. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary Horizontal Axis Lift Turbine (HALT) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of an exemplary HALT according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a side view of an exemplary HALT according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary HALT blade in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8A] 4 is an exemplary graph illustrating power torque and distribution of lift into normal and tangential components versus tip speed ratio (TSR) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8B] FIG. 4 illustrates pressure distribution for an exemplary lift blade, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9A] 2 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a blade layout according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9B] 4 is an exemplary graph illustrating the relationship between TSR and power output in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10A] FIG. 13 is a diagram of the golden triangle of angle of attack α (∝) and exemplary forces related to compression in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10B] 4 is an exemplary force diagram of a lift turbine blade in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 11]1 is a graph illustrating momentary spikes and lulls in wind speed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary Toroidal Lift Engine (TLE) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary toroidal lift engine in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14A] FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary toroidal lift engine having a manual control arm in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14B] FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary toroidal lift engine having a manual control arm in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an exemplary toroidal lift engine in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an output assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17A] FIG. 2 is a front view of an exemplary blade of an exemplary lift-axial turbine, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17B] 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an exemplary blade of an exemplary lift-axial turbine, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary blade for use in an input / exit stator of a toroidal lift engine and an axial turbine in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 19A] FIG. 2 is a front view of blades of an input stator to a lift turbine and an exit stator to an axial compressor turbine according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19B] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a blade of an input stator illustrating an angle θ° according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20A] FIG. 2 is a front view of an example blade of an outlet stator and an adjustable axial blade according to an example embodiment of the invention. [Figure 20B] 4 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary blade of an outlet stator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20C]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a blade speed diagram for an axial turbine of a toroidal lift engine having an input stator and an output stator in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20D] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a blade velocity diagram illustrating the rotation of a lift turbine of a toroidal lift engine having an input stator and an output stator in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention toward the flow of a working fluid, as opposed to conventional gas turbines and steam engines. [Figure 21] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of hydraulic actuation of a control and energy capture diagram for a toroidal lift engine in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary environment showing the use of a toroidal lift engine in a home (or other building) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a toroidal lift engine in an aircraft or other moving vehicle, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary power generation device utilizing multiple toroidal lift engines in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 25] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an exemplary power generation device utilizing multiple toroidal lift engines in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26] 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary power generation device utilizing multiple toroidal lift engines in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS As mentioned above, it is customary to say that Betz's Law states that the maximum efficiency of any machine designed to extract energy from a flowing fluid (wind, water or other fluid) is limited to 16 / 27, or about 59.3%, of its kinetic energy. This is required by the law of conservation of energy. Although Betz's Law appears to apply to existing machines, this appearance is coincidental, not causal. As mentioned above, a conventional three-bladed wind turbine captures at best about 6% of the total lift generated and 0% of the normal force. At wind speeds from low to about 29 kilometers per hour (original: "about 18 miles per hour"), the best machine, i.e. the most efficient machine, is still the old farm windmill described above in connection with FIG. 1.

[0024] A typical farm windmill rotates out of the wind at speeds above about 29 kilometers per hour (originally "about 18 miles per hour"). Also, the blades of a farm windmill capture only a portion of the tangential component of the lift, and are typically set at an angle of about 45 degrees to obtain good starting torque at a blade speed adjusted by the magnitude of the pump load. If the blade speed exceeds the wind speed, the blades will backwind and stall, and the machine will not be able to reach a higher TSR, and therefore will not be able to increase the power level. Machines with blades set at a high TSR will not start and cannot reach operating speeds, mainly due to turbulence nulls that cause the blades to backwind. The exemplary toroidal lift engine of the present invention captures more energy from the flowing fluid by utilizing not only the tangential component of lift but also the normal component of lift, making it a more efficient machine than conventional farm windmills and / or modern three-bladed windmills.

[0025] Conventional and farm windmill type machines are limited to local atmospheric density, speed, and prevalent conditions, with power output proportional to the density of the air multiplied by the cube of the apparent wind speed. A toroidal lift engine operating according to these same rules is fully capable of operating indefinitely, 24 / 7, but with potentially millions of times the energy density of a similar machine in the atmosphere. For example, instead of an exemplary average wind speed of about 10 MPH at 1 atmosphere, a toroidal closed pressurized engine can operate continuously at about 1000 MPH, 100 atmospheres. This is 100 times faster than any atmospheric engine. 3 of 10 2 times, i.e. 10 8 As a result, toroidal lift engine designers are able to reduce the diameter of their toroidal lift engines by roughly two orders of magnitude, or 10 orders of magnitude, below the environmentally limited engine size. 4 This makes it easy to make it as small as possible and still have an abundant source of power and thrust to meet the necessary requirements.

[0026] Specifically, Betz's law is based on a simplification of Bernoulli's equation, which is explicit only for incompressible, irrotational flow. This is a reasonable assumption for most conventional wind turbines. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the validity of the Betz limit presupposes that Bernoulli's equation applies. Note that Bernoulli himself stated that wind turbines are explicitly subject to rotational flow, and therefore Bernoulli's equation does not apply. On the other hand, toroidal lift engines made in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention generate and enhance highly rotational flow, thereby reinforcing and enhancing the normal and tangential lift forces generated. Lift forces unknown in the time of Bernoulli and Newton can be used to capture enormous amounts of energy from the wind.

[0027] 3A is an example diagram illustrating the Bernoulli force, according to an example embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3A, when wind (or other fluid) V ∞engages the lever arm of a rotating device such as a water wheel. In this environment, the flow of the fluid is converted into rotary motion W. More generally, V ∞ interacts with the lever arm, and the lever arm is F B , or drag force, is applied, which is converted into rotational motion. This is the conversion of kinetic energy to potential energy and is an example of Newton's third law.

[0028] 3B is an exemplary diagram illustrating reaction forces, i.e., momentum exchange, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3B, the flow of fluid (V ∞ ) is the velocity V as the fluid interacts with the angled surface. r The reaction force F that rotates / moves R This exchange forms the basis of conventional windmills and / or wind turbines. Bernoulli specifically excludes the application of his theory to this type of device.

[0029] 3C is a diagram illustrating lift forces, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. ∞ is the flow V ∞ At right angles to the lift force F L At a specific angle of attack (∝) that generates ∞ ) Also, the drag force F from the fluid colliding with the blade D However, in the exemplary embodiment, the lift force F L is at least 30 to 1, and the drag force F D is substantially larger than (F L / F D ≧30:1). For example, Dr. Robert Liebeck has developed shaped blades such as the Douglas / Liebeck LNV109A, which are reported to have L / D ratios in excess of 150:1.

[0030] The present exemplary toroidal lift engine utilizes, for example, lift to generate substantially greater power density than conventional wind turbines that utilize only Bernoulli and / or reaction / drag forces. Moreover, the generation of lift generates not only Newtonian momentum exchange but also an asymmetric pressure distribution on the blades. Conventional wisdom rarely, if ever, distinguishes between the two, but the inventor's toroidal lift engine utilizes the power resulting from this asymmetric pressure distribution almost exclusively. Lift was unknown and unpredicted by either Bernoulli or Newton. They did not provide guidelines as to what energy could be extracted from a system that uses lift with an asymmetric pressure distribution.

[0031] 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary horizontal axis lift turbine (HALT) 400 illustrating certain features of a toroidal lift engine (TLE) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. By way of example, the HALT 400 illustrates the benefits of using stationary blades to pre-rotate and redirect the flow into a counter-rotating flow before the flow impinges on the rotor. This counter-rotation and pre-direction serves to compress the range of possible angles of attack (∝) of the flow relative to the rotor, avoiding stall when a momentary pause in the flow occurs. This would appear to contradict the universality of Newton's third law.

[0032] The HALT 400 is supported at an elevated position by, for example, a tower 405. The exemplary tower 405 may be supported by various types of bases according to various alternative embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment, the tower 405 may be fixed to a permanently fixed base (not shown). In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the tower 405 may be fixed to a pivoting base (not shown) that allows the tower to move between a raised position and a lowered position. The exemplary pivoting base may allow the HALT 400 to be lowered closer to the ground for ease of maintenance, replacement, and / or repair. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, such a pivoting base may eliminate the need for a ladder or other lifting mechanism to allow access to various elements of the HALT for repair / maintenance purposes, for example.

[0033] HALT 400 may, for example, comprise a nacelle 450 supporting a nose dish 420, a number of rotors 410, a number of stators 415, and a tail component 435. In addition to the rotors 410 and stators 415, an outer support structure 425 connects the outer edges of each of the rotors 410. For example, the supports 425 may provide additional structural stability to the rotors 410. The tail component 435 may, for example, be supported by lateral supports 430 operably interconnected with pole supports 440. It should be noted that in alternative embodiments of the invention, HALT 400 may include additional and / or different arrangements of components. As such, the description herein of specific components should be taken as exemplary only.

[0034] The nacelle 450 is mounted to the tower 405 in a manner that allows the nacelle 450 to rotate, for example. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various mechanisms can be mounted to the nacelle 450 and actuated by the rotation of the blades 410, for example, a tilt-axis positive displacement high efficiency hydraulic pump / motor (not shown) capable of high speed rotation. One of the key insights in the development of the exemplary HALT machine was the discovery of a simple automated technique to periodically and automatically cause the running blade rotor 410 to linearly track wind speed in real time through the use of an exemplary simple needle valve in a closed loop control circuit as disclosed below in FIG.

[0035] Wind energy varies as the cube of wind speed. If there is some device in the closed loop hydraulic control circuit of the HALT 400 that has a pressure drop proportional to the square of the velocity of the fluid passing through it (an orifice or needle valve does this easily and accurately over an extended temperature range), the blade rotor in operation will / will track the wind speed linearly (1:1). Combined with a positive displacement hydraulic pump, the flow rate of hydraulic fluid is directly correlated linearly to the wind speed. Since the large rotor of the HALT rotates slowly, it is easy to see that the device works very well to control the angle of attack of the wind on the blades at all wind speeds. For example, the HALT machine would not work well without it. The same system of closed loop control is used in the exemplary toroidal lift engine described herein.

[0036] As described above, the HALT nacelle 450 is mounted on the tower 405 in such a way that it can rotate, for example, into the wind. During operation, the tail component operates to orient the rotor and stator blades into the wind. The HALT and its control system are designed to be robust, so that the blades do not need to rotate out of the way during high winds. In the unlikely event that the HALT experiences extreme winds, such as a typhoon or hurricane, the entire machine may be automatically and remotely lowered to the ground, stowed, and protected. Such lowering may be accomplished, for example, by using a remotely controlled tower or a hinged tower that allows the assembly to be lowered. Furthermore, momentary gusts or drops in wind speed do not cause loss of rotation as often occurs with prior art windmills and wind turbines. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the rotation system may include braking and / or locking mechanisms to lock the various tower-mounted components in place. This may be necessary, for example, for maintenance purposes, or if the tower is collapsible to prevent various components of the HALT from collapsing and being damaged when the tower is lowered to the ground. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, in accordance with alternative embodiments of the present invention, no braking or other locking mechanisms are used. As such, the description of the braking / locking mechanisms should be taken as exemplary only.

[0037] During operation, the stationary wings 415 counter-rotate the wind before it interacts with the rotor 410. For example, this counter-rotation pre-rotation compresses the possible angle of attack of the wind or other fluid as it interacts with the rotor 410. This is done to prevent momentary stall of the rotor due to lulls and / or spikes in the wind, as well as to provide better continuous lift.

[0038] 5 is a rear view 500 of an exemplary HALT 400, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. View 500 shows the top of tower 405 and the rear of rotor 410 and supports 425. Also shown are tail component 435, as well as pole supports 440 and lateral supports 430.

[0039] One of the main differences of the exemplary HALT compared to conventional wind turbines or other turbines such as jet engines and / or steam turbines is that the rotor 410 rotates against the wind or other fluid flow, seemingly violating Newton's third law. Conventional turbines, such as jet engines, gas engines, or the widely used steam turbines, always rotate with the flow. This is because conventional turbines are reaction or impulse machines, and their rotational speed is always slower than the flow. This differs from the turbines of toroidal lift engines, which always rotate several times faster than the opposing flow. In effect, the turbines of toroidal lift engines "make their own wind." This pre-rotation of the fluid before it hits the rotor 410 not only compresses the range of possible wind angles of attack ∝, but also helps generate additional lift from the blades.

[0040] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view 600 of an exemplary HALT according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A tower 405 is shown supporting a nacelle 450 including a fixed wing 415, a rotor 410, and tail structures 430, 435. The interior of the nacelle 450 is not shown. A nose dish 420 is mounted along the central axis of the HALT 400. The lateral supports 430 and the pole support mechanism 440 are also shown. It should be noted that according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the rotor and fixed wings are disposed aft of the tower 405 when viewed from the direction of the wind (or other fluid). However, it should be noted that in alternative embodiments, the fixed wings and / or rotor may be disposed in front of the tower 405. Furthermore, in alternative embodiments, the rotor may be aft of the tower 405 and the fixed wings may be in front of the tower 405. Thus, the description contained herein of the fixed wings 415 and rotor 410 being disposed aft of the tower 405 should be taken as exemplary only.

[0041] FIG. 7 is a cross-section 700 of an exemplary rotor utilizing Dr. Robert Liebeck's LNV109A high-lift, low-drag airwheel that can be used in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. This particular wing cross-section shape is believed to be suitable because it has minimal rear concavity. This indicates that the high-lift characteristics of the wing are related to an asymmetric pressure distribution, rather than a Newtonian momentum exchange downdraft. For example, a rotor having the cross-section shown in FIG. 700 may be used in a HALT as described above with reference to FIGS. 4-7, or in a toroidal lift engine as described in detail below. It should be noted that in alternative embodiments, other cross-sections may be used to achieve the desired advantages. Thus, the cross-section shown in FIG. 700 should be taken as illustrative only and not limiting.

[0042] Table 1 provides percentage-of-chord dimensions for an exemplary rotor blade according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] [Table 1]

[0044] FIG. 8A illustrates a detailed mathematical analysis showing typical tangential and normal components of lift / drag for all aeronautical shapes and how they must be oriented to maintain the angle of attack during operation at various TSRs from a TSR of zero to a TSR of about 6. This model is according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8A, for example, the shape must rotate clockwise from a vertical position with a TSR of zero, shown in the top left corner, to a horizontal position with a TSR of 6, shown in the top right corner. The normal component of lift steadily increases with increasing tip speed ratio (TSR), while the tangential component is, for example, an order of magnitude smaller and steadily becomes zero as TSR becomes equal to the L / D ratio. The energy output of the tangential portion peaks at about half the maximum TSR and then decreases with increasing TSR, while the energy output of the normal portion, if captured, always increases with TSR. Similarly, the tangential component of the blade torque decreases with increasing TSR and becomes zero when TSR = L / D.

[0045] FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating the asymmetry of lift forces on a blade, detailing the tangential and normal components of lift, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0046] FIG. 9A is an example blade layout used for both HALT and toroidal lift engines, showing example blade locations and orientation of various components. The blades do not necessarily overlap, but their flows do. This is so that the flow from the trailing edge of one blade serves to energize the boundary layer of the following blade, allowing the blade to function at high angles of attack in the region where flow separation is most likely to occur at such high angles of attack. Conventional wisdom dictates that for this annular blade array to provide normal lift in the observed direction, i.e. downstream of the flow, the resulting downdraft would need to reverse / reverse on itself, which is clearly absurd.

[0047] FIG. 9B shows the power coefficient (C) for various angles included in the blade layout for both the HALT and toroidal lift engine blade layouts in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. power )

[0048] FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating an example golden triangle illustrating the compression range of the angle of attack α(∝), in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating how redirected mechanical wind enhances apparent wind when used on a blade as described herein in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] FIG. 11 is a graph 1100 showing rotor speed versus light wind. Line 1115 represents a typical old three-bladed conventional turbine, while nearby line 1120 represents a more modern turbine. The lower curve is for a toroidal lift engine or HALT, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. For example, the X-axis is linear time, and the Y-axis is wind speed in kilometers per hour (km / h). The lower graph shows wind speeds (solid lines) 1130 for both machines measured over a small time interval of less than a minute, while nearby dotted line 1125 represents the average machine rotor speed for HALT (dashed line). Momentary spikes, such as exemplary spike 1105, can cause blade stalls, and temporary pauses, such as pause 1110, can cause blade back phenomena for both machines. These instantaneous wind changes, also known as delta (Δ) winds, can momentarily stall conventional wind turbines or shut down the turbine or turbine. Such stall or shutdown recovery can take as long as a second or more. Before such recovery can occur, new wind phenomena (spikes, pauses, etc.) can occur, which can cause further stalls and prevent the rotor from gaining speed, resulting in a significant reduction in energy harvest. As can be easily seen, HALT tracks the actual wind speed more closely. Conventional wisdom holds that this full blade array would not work, and that the reason it would not work would be because the overlapping blade layout of the full array would prevent the blades from "downdrafting". However, direct empirical observations and energy measurements of the tangential lift output of HALT clearly refute this notion.

[0051] The principles of the present invention can be used to overcome such problems with light wind phenomena. By pre-rotating and properly directing the wind (or other fluid) flow before it strikes the rotor, the maximum possible variation in the wind's angle of attack relative to the rotor is compressed, preventing momentary drops in the fluid's velocity from adversely affecting the rotation of the turbine. For example, HALT or toroidal lift engines in various exemplary embodiments of the present invention function smoothly despite ever-present local wind turbulence.

[0052] Graph 1100 also illustrates an exemplary revolutions per minute (RPM) for an exemplary turbine, for example, the rotor RPM may have momentary variations 1120, but generally maintains a substantially constant speed.

[0053] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an exemplary toroidal lift engine 1200, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The exemplary toroidal lift engine 1200 includes an outer housing 1205 supported by, for example, a pair of supports 1210. It should be noted that, while a pair of supports 1210 is illustrated and described in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a different number of supports 1210 may be used in alternative embodiments of the present invention. Thus, the description of the pair of supports 1210 should be taken as exemplary. The internal components of the toroidal lift engine 1200 are illustrated and described in detail below with reference to FIG. 15. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the toroidal lift engine is filled with a pressurized gas, such as air, helium, carbon dioxide (CO2), etc., which serves to amplify the thrust generated by the lift turbine. For example, the use of supercritical CO2, which has a density about 400 times that of air near room temperature and about 1100 psi, provides a significant increase in power output compared to the use of regular air at the same temperature at 1 atmosphere. In an exemplary embodiment, the pressurized gas has a pressure of about 101 kPa (original: "about 1 atmosphere, 14.5 psi, or 1 bar"), which provides an output thrust of about 1334 N (original: "about 300 lbf"). However, in alternative embodiments, the pressure may be different. For example, a thrust of 4000 N (original: "900 lbf") may be obtained when pressurized to about 3 atmospheres (original: "3 bar"), which would be suitable for a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) or space tourist vehicle. When the pressure is increased to about 6 atmospheres (original: "6 bar"), the resulting thrust of about 8,000 N (original: "about 1,800 lbf") would be useful for powering postal vehicles, light delivery trucks, ferries, transport ships, and the like.

[0054] The manual control arm 1405 is operatively connected to rotate the toroidal lift engine, i.e., to change the direction in which the thrust is applied. For example, in FIG. 12, the manual control arm 1405 allows the toroidal lift engine to rotate between the two supports. It should be noted that in alternative embodiments of the invention, other control mechanisms may be used to direct the thrust in any direction. Thus, the description of the manual control arm should be taken as exemplary only. In alternative embodiments, a motor control unit (not shown) may be attached to one of the supports 1210. The motor control unit may be used to rotate the toroidal lift engine 1200 to change the direction in which the thrust 1235 is exerted. According to an exemplary embodiment, the thrust 1235 is generated in one direction, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 12, due to asymmetric forces on the blades of the toroidal lift engine. This direction is opposite to that experienced with a conventional jet engine. This is because the thrust is due to asymmetric pressure distribution on the blades during operation, and not due to the ejection of various particles.

[0055] For example, to change the direction of thrust, the toroidal lift engine must be oriented so that the direction of thrust matches the desired direction. For example, the manual control arm 1405, with its fine and coarse selector detents, can position the toroidal lift engine in any orientation of 360 degrees to direct thrust upwards to take off an overweight vehicle. In some embodiments, the manual control arm 1405 may be limited to adjustments in predetermined degree increments, for example, 5 degree increments. However, in alternative embodiments, the manual control arm 1405 may not be so limited. In alternative embodiments, thrust may be directed in a first direction to allow the aircraft or other vehicle to accelerate in a forward direction. The toroidal lift engine may then be rotated 180 degrees back to allow deceleration.

[0056] Additionally, exemplary input hoses 1225 and output hoses 1230 may be provided to allow fluid (e.g., hydraulic fluid or coolant) to enter and exit the toroidal lift engine. For example, the fluid may be pumped by a pump actuated by the lift turbine. The fluid may be used to power a generator or heat exchanger, or may be passed through a precisely adjustable orifice, such as a needle valve (not shown), to provide speed control of a closed lift turbine 1710 (FIG. 17) relative to the flowing working gas, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] The exemplary adjustment knob 1250 may be used, for example, to adjust the angle of the blades of an axial turbine input stator, allowing the toroidal lift engine to operate efficiently at a variety of speeds. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, in accordance with alternative embodiments of the present invention, the manual adjustment knob 1250 may be automated.

[0058] FIG. 13 is an exemplary diagram 1300 of a toroidal lift engine according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Similar to that described above in connection with FIG. 12, the exemplary diagram 1300 shows a perspective view of the toroidal lift engine. Shown is the support 1210 as well as the removable outer vessel cover 1205 enclosing, for example, an acoustic damping material (not shown). Shown are the input hose 1225 and the output hose 1230 for hydraulic fluid. Again, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the toroidal lift engine 1200 outputs thrust 1235 from the direction of the end plate 1220.

[0059] Also shown is an integral heat exchanger 1630, as described in more detail below with reference to Figure 16. Also shown is a bleed valve 1620 and a filter 1625 for use in the hydraulic actuation system of the toroidal lift engine, as described in more detail below with reference to Figure 16.

[0060] 14A is a side view 1400A of an exemplary toroidal lift engine 1200, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The exemplary view 1400A shows a manual control mechanism 1405 that allows the toroidal lift engine 1200 to rotate about an axis between supports 1210. In some embodiments, the manual control mechanism 1405 may be used, such as when the toroidal lift engine is mounted on a small boat or other watercraft that is typically steered using manual controls by directing the thrust or propellers. However, it should be noted that in alternative embodiments, the thrust 1235 may be controlled by both the electronic motor control system 1215 and / or the manual control system 1405.

[0061] FIG. 14B is a diagram 1400B of an exemplary toroidal lift engine 1200, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1400B illustrates input hydraulic hose 1225 and output hydraulic hose 1230 running along support 1210, for example. Note, however, that in alternative embodiments, input hose 1225 and output hose 1230 attached to swivel joints (not shown) may be generally connected to turbine start circuit 2105 (FIG. 21) and example components 1610, 1605, 1606, and 1607 of FIG. 16, or may be configured in alternative arrangements and not directly along support 1210. Additionally, in alternative embodiments, hoses 1225, 1230 may be integral with support 1210 or may be arranged in other configurations.

[0062] FIG. 15 is an exemplary cross-sectional view 1500 of an exemplary toroidal lift engine 1200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The exemplary toroidal lift engine 1200 is comprised of, for example, two turbine assemblies. Similar to known gas turbines, the first turbine assembly is comprised of, for example, an axial compressor turbine assembly including an axial turbine 1705, an input stator 2005, and an exit stator 1905. The second power turbine assembly includes a lift flow turbine 1710, a lift flow input stator 1910, and a lift flow output stator 2010. Lift in the exemplary toroidal lift engine serves a similar purpose as heat in a conventional gas turbine, but without the prohibitive cost of burning petroleum fuel. The costs of transporting fuel, the costs of obtaining fuel, and the negative impact of transporting fuel on vehicle performance are also avoided.

[0063] Similar to the power turbine of a gas turbine, the exemplary lift turbine powers an axial turbine 1705 to generate a high velocity, steady flow of pre-compressed working gas to recirculate and flow through the toroidal lift engine. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, multiple axial stages may be utilized, or a centrifugal compressor may be utilized to achieve the same result. For example, compressed gas is fed to an input stator 1905, described in detail below with reference to FIG. 19, where the gas is pre-rotated and directed before entering the lift turbine 1710. The gas generates lift as it passes through the lift turbine 1710, and then exits the lift turbine 1710 and enters an exit stator 2005, described in detail below with reference to FIG. 20. From our previous wind turbine experiments, we have found that lift is composed of two different sources: (1) Newtonian momentum exchange, and (2) asymmetric pressure distribution on the blades. The exemplary toroidal lift engine utilizes only the asymmetric portion. During operation, there is an asymmetric pressure distribution on the blades of the lift turbine 1710, which allows lift to be generated even when the gas is contained within the exemplary sealed solid container. An external needle valve of the hydraulic control system automatically controls and adjusts the angle of attack α of the working fluid on the blades of the lift turbine at all times and at all speeds. This asymmetric pressure is generated by the exemplary lift turbine using a pre-rotated flow orientation. The purpose of this pre-rotated flow is to minimize possible variations in the angle of attack alpha of the fluid at all times, thereby preventing stalls and flow interruption surges commonly found in variable speed gas turbines and jet engines. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the lift turbine has a flow opposite to that of a conventional jet engine, for example, i.e. it rotates towards the gas flow. In an alternative embodiment, the lift turbine outlet stator 2010 may be omitted by combining its function with the axial compressor input stator 2005. Furthermore, in an alternative embodiment, the axial outlet stator 1905 may be combined with the lift turbine input stator 1910.

[0064] The exemplary toroidal lift engine 1500 further includes a hydraulic pump / motor 1510 that is actuated, i.e., rotated, by the rotation of the blades of the lift turbine 1710. A planetary gearbox assembly 1515 provides an interconnection between the combination of the lift turbine 1710 and the axial turbine 1705 and the pump 1510. The pump 1510 includes, for example, a high pressure final dynamic system pressure seal in its valve plate for the pressurized working fluid of the toroidal lift engine. An RPM sensor 1505 is used to monitor the speed of the pump / motor 1510 and thus the speed of the lift turbine. For example, an anemometer sensor 1512 monitors the speed of the working gas. The input and output hoses 1225, 1230 are connected, for example, via swivels to the toroidal lift engine. The hydraulic fluid may be pumped by pump 1510 to power a heat exchanger, generator, air conditioner, heat pump, etc. and / or pumped via a needle valve speed control (not shown). Exemplary devices powered by pump 1510 are described in more detail below with reference to Figures 21 and 22.

[0065] For example, a toroidal lift engine, once started, produces thrust without requiring fuel and / or further energy input and without emitting particles of any kind. Because a toroidal lift engine is not a heat engine, the various well-known laws of thermodynamics do not apply to its operation. Once started, a toroidal lift engine will continue to operate once the lift to drag ratio (L / D) of the lift turbine exceeds 1 and approaches approximately 150:1.

[0066] 16 is a schematic diagram of an example power circuit 1600 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. The example power circuit 1600 is illustrated in the form of an example control system and hydraulic system for use in a toroidal lift engine according to an example embodiment of the present invention. For example, the toroidal lift engine 1500 is operatively interconnected with a pump / motor 1510 that is driven by the operation of the toroidal lift engine 1500. An example manual starter assembly consisting of a manual hydraulic pump 1605 and a tank assembly 1607 illustratively connected to a push button on / off valve 1606 is used to initialize the toroidal lift engine 1500, for example, by starting the rotation of a turbine included in the toroidal lift engine 1500. The manual pump 1605 is used to pump excess hydraulic fluid into a pre-pressurized accumulator 1610. To start the exemplary toroidal lift engine 1500, the manual valve push button 1605 is depressed to generate a momentary pulse of hydraulic fluid flowing through the pump / motor 1510. This causes the combination of the lift turbine 1710 and the axial turbine 1705 to begin to rotate at high speed. This accelerates the working gas. After flowing through the pump / motor, the working gas flows back through a valve to the open tank of the manual pump 1607. The exemplary needle valve 1640, which functions as an adjustable precision orifice, is used to control the flow rate of hydraulic fluid through the system 1500. The exemplary liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger 1630 is used or can be used to extract heat from the hydraulic fluid, which is primarily generated by flowing through the needle valve 1640. Illustratively, the thrust or power of the toroidal lift engine can be controlled using the needle valve 1640. To decrease thrust, the needle valve is opened. This allows the lift turbine to speed up slightly until the working fluid flows back. To increase thrust, the needle valve is gradually closed, which slows the lift turbine speed relative to the gas velocity, increasing the angle of attack of the lift turbine blades, which in turn increases the power / thrust produced until the lift turbine stalls and shuts down.In this way, power / thrust can be changed almost instantaneously.

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, the needle valve 1640 may be operatively interconnected with an accelerator pedal, or other device, to allow an operator of a vehicle powered by the toroidal lift engine to vary the amount of thrust generated.

[0068] The pre-charge gas accumulator 1610 is used to lightly pressurize the closed loop hydraulic system while providing volume for thermal expansion and to replenish lost fluid. The pre-charge gas accumulator 1610 is charged via a hand pump 1605 and a tank 1607. An exemplary hydraulic fluid filter 1625 is used to keep contaminants from entering the hydraulic fluid. A bleed valve 1620 is used to bleed trapped gas from the closed loop hydraulic system.

[0069] In operation, the toroidal lift engine is initialized using a starter assembly 1605 to flow fluid through the turbine blades of the toroidal lift engine to begin spinning. Once in operation, the turbine blades activate the example motor / pump 1510, which moves fluid through the system. Excess heat from the heat exchanger 1630 may be rejected from the system, and the excess heat may be utilized for a variety of purposes. Exemplary uses of the heat may be to heat a home or vehicle, generate hot water, or for use in a processing system, and / or to power other systems.

[0070] The exemplary output circuit 1600 described herein is an exemplary system primarily intended to control and regulate the rotational speed of the lift turbine 1710 relative to the speed / velocity of the working gas using a precision orifice / needle valve 1640. Note that the precision orifice / needle valve 1640 also produces heat as a by-product as the working gas passes through the needle valve. However, it is expressly contemplated that in alternative embodiments, different configurations may be used depending on the desired application of the toroidal lift engine, for example, a more sophisticated control circuit as shown in FIG. 21 used to provide heat and / or grid-quality power to a home or other building. The exemplary control circuit 2100, which includes, among other things, a priority valve 2140 in addition to needle valve control, is primarily intended to generate the required 60 or 50 Hz local grid frequency by delivering a precisely constant flow of hydraulic fluid to a motor 2170 to drive a synchronous generator 2171 at a nearly constant RPM regardless of load. Thus, the description herein should be taken as exemplary only.

[0071] FIG. 17A is a front view 1700A of an example blade of a lift turbine 1710 and an axial turbine 1705, in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention.

[0072] FIG 17B is a cross-sectional view 1700B of a blade of the exemplary toroidal lift engine 1200, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Similar to FIG 17A, a lift turbine blade 1710 is shown along with an axial flow blade 1705. Stream 1715 and stream 1720 show the direction of fluid flow within the assembly. Due to the change in housing geometry, the average velocity of stream 1720 is approximately twice the average velocity of stream 1715.

[0073] 18 is a cross-section 1800 of an example blade of a toroidal lift engine, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. The example blade 1800 shows an example cross-section for all blades used in the toroidal lift engine, excluding the lift turbine itself.

[0074] FIG. 19A is a front view 1900A of an example blade of a turbine lift intake stator 1910, according to an example embodiment of the invention. The example blade 1910, shown below with reference to FIG. 19B, having an exiting flow at an angle θ, is used by the stator to pre-rotate the flow. Specifically, the flow is pre-rotated to maximize a particular angle of attack as the fluid enters the lift turbine. The blade 1905 is used to straighten the flow before it re-enters the lift turbine input stator 1910 to minimize flow losses as the fluid exits the axial turbine 1705. For example, the blades of the input stator 1900 are used statically to effortlessly rotate and / or straighten the toroidal engine fluid as it passes through.

[0075] 19B is a side view 1900B of an example blade of an input stator 1900 illustrating the angle θ according to an example embodiment of the invention. Flows 1915, 1920 illustrate the direction of fluid flow according to an example embodiment of the invention.

[0076] 20A is a side view 2000A of a cross-sectional view of an example blade of an outlet stator 2010 according to an example body of the present invention. The example outlet stator 2000 includes a set of blades 2010 used to straighten the flow of fluid 2015 as the fluid exits the lift turbine. The example blades 2010 are not adjustable and do not rotate. The example blades 2005 may be optionally adjustable and are used to adjust the angle of attack of the fluid as it enters the axial turbine 1705.

[0077] 20B is a front view 2000B of an exemplary blade, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As described above in connection with FIG. 20A, the exemplary blade 2010 remains stationary and fixed. The blade 2010 minimizes flow losses by straightening the flow 2015 as it exits the lift turbine. The blade 2005 remains stationary, but may be optionally adjusted to modify the angle of attack of the flow 2020 as it passes the axial turbine blade 1705.

[0078] FIG. 20C is a cross-sectional view 2000C of a blade velocity diagram of an axial turbine of a toroidal lift engine having input and output stators in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] FIG. 20D is a cross-sectional view 2000D of a blade velocity diagram of a lift turbine of a toroidal lift engine having an input stator and an output stator, different from conventional gas turbines and steam engines, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing the rotation of the lift turbine into the flow of the working fluid.

[0080] Figure 21 is an example schematic diagram 2100 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. Figure 21 shows a toroidal lift engine 1500 operatively interconnected with a manifold assembly 2110, a fluid turbine starter / recharge circuit 2105, a manual pump / tank powered starter circuit 2120, and an energy capture assembly 2115. The toroidal lift engine 1200 is further operatively interconnected with an example motor-pump 1510 that drives the lift turbine (when started) or is driven by the lift turbine (when powered).

[0081] The fluid recharge circuit 2105 is used as a starter circuit for the toroidal lift engine. The exemplary circuit 2015 includes a hand pump, tank and valve combination 2120 that is used to pump up an accumulator 2125. In an alternative embodiment, the hand pump 2120 may be replaced with an electric pump. However, the use of a hand pump allows for off-grid operation without requiring access to an external power source.

[0082] The manifold assembly 2110 is comprised of, for example, a starter valve and an actuation valve. The exemplary logic valve 2135 is required for the starter circuit and has a small size and high flow capacity. The logic valve 2135 is operated by the hand palm button valve 2130. The priority valve 2140 is used to power the motor 2170 of the generator 2171 by providing a constant flow of oil to the motor. The exemplary needle valve 1640 is used to control the speed of the lift turbine and in the event of an emergency power down, the needle valve 1640 is bypassed by activating the solenoid valve 2145.

[0083] The optional exemplary power boost circuit 2120 allows the operating pressure of the fluid to be increased, automatically or manually, via pump / motor 2160, or decreased, via needle valve 2161 and / or solenoid valve 2150, thereby adjusting the density of the fluid during operation of the toroidal lift engine, increasing or decreasing the power output of the toroidal lift engine by an order of magnitude, if necessary.

[0084] The energy capture assembly 2115 includes a system shutoff valve 2180 , an exemplary grid frequency hydraulic motor-generator 2170 , a heat exchanger 2166 , a system filter 2165 , and a regulation accumulator 2175 .

[0085] It should be noted that the circuits shown and described in Figures 16 and 21 are one exemplary embodiment. Other circuits may be used to generate power, heat, etc., and / or to start and control the toroidal lift engine. Thus, the illustrations and descriptions of Figures 16 and 21 should be taken as exemplary only.

[0086] 22 is an exemplary diagram of a building 2205, such as a house, being powered by a toroidal lift engine 1200, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. During operation, the toroidal lift engine 1200 generates excess heat, which is utilized to heat a hot water tank 2210. Additionally, excess flow may be utilized to provide energy to a generator 2230 that generates electricity to power the house, and / or a charging point 2220 for electric vehicles. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a single toroidal lift engine can be installed in the house 2205 and sized to provide sufficient power for the house, as well as provide heat, hot water, and / or air conditioning.

[0087] FIG. 23 is a diagram of an exemplary aircraft 2300 utilizing a toroidal lift engine, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The aircraft 2300 is illustratively shown as utilizing an engine 2310 powering a propeller 2305. However, it should be noted that, according to alternative embodiments of the present invention, the aircraft 2300 may utilize a variety of different configurations 2310, including, for example, a multi-engine configuration. As such, the description of the aircraft 2300 as a single-engine propeller aircraft should be taken as exemplary only. The aircraft 2300 has a set of conventional wings 2315 and a number of seats 2320. The toroidal lift engines 1200 may be mounted, for example, behind the seats 2320 and oriented to generate thrust 1235 upward, downward, forward, or aft. For example, the toroidal lift engines 1200 may be rotatably mounted along an axis perpendicular to the forward-rear axis of the aircraft.

[0088] In an exemplary embodiment, thrust 1235 may be generated aft to allow aircraft 2360 to take off from a shorter runway than would normally be required for that aircraft. Additionally, once airborne, engines 2310 may be slowed down and / or shut down entirely, so long as thrust 1235 provided by toroidal lift engines 1200 is sufficient to maintain steady flight. In such an embodiment, significant aircraft fuel may be saved by eliminating the need to keep engines 2310 running during en route flight.

[0089] The toroidal lift engines may be oriented to provide forward thrust 1235, i.e., reverse thrust, to allow the aircraft 2300 to land on a runway that is shorter than required for the aircraft 2300. This may allow the aircraft 2300 to land on emergency runways and / or non-standard or unconventional landing zones. This may prove useful, for example, in medical evacuation and other emergency situations. For example, a throttle on the aircraft may be coupled to a needle valve 1640 to vary the amount of thrust generated.

[0090] 24 is a perspective view of an example power generation apparatus 2400 utilizing multiple toroidal lift engines 1200, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. For example, the power generation apparatus 2400 may be arranged in a windmill-like configuration. Each of the toroidal lift engines 1200 may be mounted at the end of a support arm 2420 mounted about a central support 2415. The rotating support arm powers a relatively large hydraulic pump 2610 for driving a remotely located generator 2171, air conditioner, heat pump, or the like. The assembly may be mounted on a support post 2410 secured to a base 2405.

[0091] It is estimated that mounting multiple (e.g., eight) toroidal lift engines 1200 in such an arrangement and using them to turn a generator (see FIG. 25) could produce on the order of about 10,000 horsepower, or any other desired amount of electricity, to power large buildings, ships, submarines, central generating stations, or anywhere that utilizes large gas / steam turbines, diesel engines, and / or nuclear power plants. Use of a system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention not only results in fuel cost savings, but also avoids the non-inconsiderable costs of intrastate power transmission, gas / oil pipelines, and rail / truck facilities required to transport the fuel to where the fuel is consumed and the power used.

[0092] 25 is a plan view of an example power generation device utilizing multiple toroidal lift engines, according to an example embodiment of the invention. The nacelle includes an example generator 2660 that is rotated by the operation of the toroidal lift engines 1200, which act on the supports 2420 to induce rotation.

[0093] Figure 26 is a schematic diagram of an example power generation apparatus 2600 utilizing multiple toroidal lift engines 1200, in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention. The apparatus 2600 includes multiple toroidal lift engines 1200 mounted on support arms 2420, as described above in connection with Figures 24-25. An example control unit 2605 includes a needle valve control system 1640, similar to that described above in connection with Figure 16. The remaining circuits are energy output circuits designed to provide power, heat, etc. based on operation of the toroidal lift engines.

[0094] Rotation of the toroidal lift engine 1200 is used to drive a pump 2610, which pumps fluid through a priority valve 2615 to drive an exemplary local grid frequency generator 2660, as well as an exemplary heat pump 2625 for a general heating and air conditioning system 2620. From the valve 2615, the fluid may ultimately flow through a heat exchanger 2635, a filter 2640, a check valve 2650, through an accumulator 2655, and back to the inlet to the pump 2610, completing the closed circuit.

[0095] Using a system similar to device 2600, multiple toroidal lift engines can be used to provide substantial power, heating, cooling, etc.

[0096] The above description is written in terms of various exemplary embodiments. Therefore, all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings is intended to be interpreted as illustrative and not limiting. In particular, it is noted that the various sizes, overlaps, materials, number of blades, etc., are to be viewed as illustrative and not limiting the scope of the invention. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the principles of the invention may be used with a variety of materials, sizes, and / or purposes.

[0097] Although various descriptions and arrangements of components for providing electricity, heat, hot water, and / or air conditioning are described herein, it should be noted that the principles of the present invention may be used in a wide variety of systems. As such, the description of a particular arrangement of components should be taken as exemplary only. It should be specifically noted that in alternative embodiments, the shutdown system may be configured to provide only hot water, electricity, or heat, or any combination thereof. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the principles of the present invention for purposes of the description contained herein may be modified such that unnecessary components are removed to meet the desired objectives of a particular installation.

Claims

1. A lift turbine assembly operatively interconnected with an axial turbine assembly, said lift turbine assembly and said axial turbine assembly being contained within a gas filled vessel. An apparatus comprising: the lift turbine assembly comprising: (a) an input stator having a first set of blades; (b) a lift turbine having a second set of blades, the second set of blades generating lift; and Including, the first set of blades induces a counter-rotating flow of the gas, the direction of the counter-rotating flow being opposite to a direction of rotation of the lift turbine, and the second set of blades rotates against the counter-rotating flow of the gas; The axial flow turbine assembly includes: (a) an axial flow input stator having a third set of blades; (b) an axial turbine having a fourth set of blades, the fourth set of blades rotating in the same rotational sense as the second set of blades; 13. An apparatus comprising:

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein rotation of the lift turbine powers a pump.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the pump drives hydraulic fluid, the hydraulic fluid powering a machine.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the machine is a heat exchanger.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the machine is a generator.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the machine is a needle valve.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the needle valve is configured to control and regulate the speed of the lift turbine relative to the velocity of the gas flow.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the machine is a pressurized accumulator.

9. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas is compressed to greater than 1 atmosphere.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas is maintained at a stable pressure within the vessel.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vessel is toroidal in shape.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas is helium.

13. The gas is carbon dioxide (CO ２ 2. The apparatus of claim 1 .

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the container is sealed from the outside atmosphere.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein gas is not vented from the vessel.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas is maintained at a stable temperature.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lift turbine and the axial turbine rotate as a single unit.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fourth set of blades is adjustable.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a normal component of the generated lift force is used to generate thrust.

20. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the generated thrust is independent of a velocity associated with the apparatus.

21. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the generated thrust is independent of a velocity associated with the apparatus.

22. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a needle valve operatively interconnected to the lift turbine assembly, wherein opening of the needle valve increases the speed of the lift turbine and decreases the amount of thrust generated.

23. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein closing the needle valve increases the amount of thrust generated.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lift turbine has a lift to drag ratio (L / D) greater than 1:

1.

25. 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the lift turbine has a lift to drag ratio (L / D) of 150:1.

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