Recirculating hydropneumatic pulse turbine

Claims

1. A recirculating hydropneumatic impulse turbine comprising: a manifold assembly comprising a central suction pipe extending beneath it, the manifold assembly comprising a manifold plate having a generally horizontal upper surface and configured such that the suction pipe is in fluid communication with the upper surface, and a number of peripherally arranged drive cups around the upper surface; a drive unit around a central suction pipe, the drive unit having a fluid inlet at its lower end in fluid communication with the lower end of the suction pipe, and a plurality of tangentially arranged outlet nozzles formed at its upper end; a central air pipe with an upper air intake and a lower air distribution manifold, wherein the manifold has at least one Venturi outlet capable of capturing air in the fluid to facilitate movement of the fluid from the lower end of the drive assembly upward into the outlet nozzles; wherein during use, the fluid jets generated at the outlet nozzles interact with the drive cups, creating a relative rotation between the outlet nozzles and the drive cups about a vertical axis, and the rotation is capable of producing useful work, and the fluid subsequently flows from the drive cups through the upper surface of the collector plate into a suction pipe, down the suction pipe, where the fluid enters the fluid inlet of the drive assembly for entrainment by air and recirculation into the outlet nozzles.

2. The impulse turbine according to claim 1, in which the outlet nozzles rotate and interact with stationary drive bowls, or the outlet nozzles rotate and the drive bowls also rotate, but in opposite directions.

3. An impulse turbine according to claim 1 or 2, in which the outlet nozzles rotate and interact with static drive cups.

4. The impulse turbine of claim 3, wherein the collector assembly comprises a static upper drive plate positioned above the collector plate such that the drive cups are integral with or secured to the underside of the drive plate, are positioned around its periphery, extending downward toward the collector plate, and are located directly above but not in contact with the collector plate.

5. The impulse turbine of claim 4, wherein the drive cups are formed integrally with the drive plate so that the drive plate and the drive cups form a single element, or the drive cups are removably or permanently attached to the drive plate.

6. An impulse turbine according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the collector plate is a floating plate mounted so as to rotate.

7. An impulse turbine according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the outlet nozzles are located outside the periphery of the collector plate and rotate about the periphery of the collector plate.

8. The pulse turbine of claim 7, wherein the drive plate is configured to extend beyond the periphery of the collector plate such that the drive cups also extend beyond the periphery of the collector plate.

9. An impulse turbine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the suction pipe is formed integrally with the collector plate, extending vertically underneath it in such a way that the upper surface and the suction pipe together have a funnel-shaped configuration, and in such a way that the suction pipe is in fluid communication with the upper surface.

10. The impulse turbine of claim 9, wherein the suction pipe is a pipe of constant diameter with a transition region between the upper surface of the collector plate and the upper part of the suction pipe.

11. An impulse turbine according to claim 9 or 10, in which the two parts of the central suction pipe, the upper part and the middle part, are formed integrally with the collector plate, passing vertically underneath it in such a way that the generally horizontal upper surface of the collector plate and the suction pipe together have a funnel-shaped configuration.

12. The impulse turbine according to claim 11, in which the inlet opening of the suction pipe has an upper portion, which is a shoulder region between the upper surface of the collector plate and the middle portion of the suction pipe.

13. An impulse turbine according to any one of claims 9 to 12, in which the outlet nozzles are formed integrally with a nozzle plate which extends below the collector plate, downwards and outwards of the upper part and the middle part of the suction pipe with a tight fit, but in such a way that relative rotation can be ensured between the nozzle plate and the collector plate.

14. The impulse turbine of claim 13, wherein the collector plate and the upper and middle portions of the suction pipe float, while the nozzle plate extends with its lower end below the middle portion of the suction pipe down to the inlet of the drive unit and will rotate during operation due to the forced rotation of the outlet nozzles.

15. The impulse turbine of claim 13 or 14, wherein the nozzle plate comprises a vertical side wall having a sealing engagement between an angular flange of the drive plate to provide relative rotation between the drive plate and the side wall of the nozzle plate.

16. An impulse turbine according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the outlet nozzles are located tangentially to the periphery of the collector plate and outside the periphery of the collector plate.

17. An impulse turbine according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the drive bowls comprise a fluid jet engagement portion that projects outward beyond the periphery of the collector plate, together with a fluid return portion that returns fluid to the upper surface of the collector plate.

18. An impulse turbine according to any one of claims 1-17, in which the drive bowls are designed in such a way that the jets of fluid are deflected by 160°-170°, wherein the jets of fluid strike the parts of the drive bowls that interact with the jets of fluid, and the direction of the water changes in accordance with the contour of the drive bowls.

19. An impulse turbine according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the drive unit is located near the suction pipe, under the upper surface of the collector plate, with a fluid inlet at the lower end of the drive unit in fluid communication with the lower end of the suction pipe, and a plurality of tangentially arranged outlet nozzles at the upper end of the drive unit.

20. An impulse turbine according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the drive unit is a cylindrical drum with one perimeter side wall having an inner surface, the drum being rotatable about its central vertical axis, the inner surface being a smooth surface along which fluid flows from a lower fluid inlet of the drum, exiting through outlet nozzles near the upper end of the drum.

21. The pulse turbine of claim 20, wherein the inner surface of the drum is provided with flow channels, each of which is aligned with a specific outlet nozzle, to provide a directed flow of fluid from the lower inlet of the drum to the upper outlet nozzles.

22. The pulse turbine of claim 21, wherein the drive unit has a lower fluid distribution manifold that directs a fluid inlet to the lower end of each flow channel to provide a directed flow of fluid.

23. The pulse turbine of claim 22, wherein the flow channels are pipes either formed integrally with the interior of the drum or rigidly fixed to the interior of the drum.

24. An impulse turbine according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the drive unit is a frame of tubes around a central suction tube, each tube in the frame of tubes being aligned with a specific upper outlet nozzle to provide a directed flow of fluid from a lower fluid inlet to the upper outlet nozzles.

25. The impulse turbine of claim 24, wherein the drive assembly has a fluid inlet at a lower end that has a lower fluid distribution manifold that distributes fluid from the fluid inlet to a lower end of each tube in the tube frame.

26. The pulse turbine of claim 25, wherein each tube in the tube frame is capable of vertical tilt relative to the vertical axis of the drive unit, as well as tangential tilt relative to the periphery of the collector plate, resulting in a generally spiral array of tubes forming the frame of the drive unit.

27. An impulse turbine according to any one of paragraphs 24-26, in which the flow of fluid from the lower inlet to the upper outlet nozzles of the drive unit is directed upward and generally has a spiral shape.

28. An impulse turbine according to any one of claims 1 to 27, in which the central suction pipe has a central air pipe with an upper air intake and a lower air distribution manifold, and the lower air distribution manifold has at least one venturi tube capable of capturing air in the fluid to facilitate the movement of the fluid from the lower end of the drive assembly upward to the upper outlet nozzles.

29. The pulse turbine of claim 28, wherein the upper air intake is connected to an air outlet valve, and the air outlet valve is a passive vent that allows for equalization of internal and external air pressure.

30. An impulse turbine according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the central air tube comprises a plurality of inlet openings located below the collector plate so that air entering the central air tube moves downwardly from these openings to a lower air distribution manifold which comprises a number of radial ports, one for each venturi tube, such venturi tubes extending from the wall of the central air tube to a location associated with and located in close proximity to or within the flow channel, and the outlet opening thereof facing downstream so as to create a venturi tube through which air is trapped by the passing fluid.

31. An impulse turbine according to any one of paragraphs 1-30, designed to operate with a head of less than 5 m, preferably in the range from 1 to 3 m.