Opposed Turbine Blade Sets for Bidirectional Flow Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current alternative energy sources like nuclear and renewable energy face challenges such as high establishment costs, intermittent energy production, and land requirements, with renewable energy plants often lying idle due to weather dependence and having unsightly, large footprints.
Innovation Solution
A turbine assembly with a first and second turbine blade set mounted in opposed relation within a housing, allowing operation regardless of fluid flow direction, creating a lower pressure region for enhanced mass fluid flow and energy generation, and integrated with a generator for efficient energy conversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single turbine blade set is used, then the structure is simple, but the turbine cannot operate consistently regardless of fluid flow direction
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine is divided into two separate blade sets (first turbine blade set and second turbine blade set) mounted on the same shaft. Each blade set can independently interact with the fluid flow, allowing the turbine to operate consistently regardless of flow direction. This segmentation enables the turbine to adapt to bidirectional flow while maintaining structural organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual blade set configuration allows the turbine to perform the same function (generating rotational energy) regardless of fluid flow direction. Both blade sets are designed to convert kinetic energy from the fluid into mechanical work on the shaft, making the turbine universally applicable to both directions of flow rather than being optimized for a single direction.
2Productivity
If turbine blade sets are mounted in opposed relation, then mass fluid flow is enhanced through lower pressure region, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second turbine blade set is mounted in reverse relation to the first blade set, with its blades oriented opposite to the first blade set. This inverted configuration creates a lower pressure region between the two blade sets, which enhances the mass fluid flow through the turbine. The reverse mounting of the second blade set is specifically designed to exploit pressure differential for improved flow characteristics.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the turbine is designed for bidirectional flow operation, then adaptability to various fluid flows is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second turbine blade sets are mounted on a common shaft within a single housing structure. This merging of the two blade sets onto one rotational axis allows the turbine to handle bidirectional flow while using a unified structural platform. The common shaft and housing reduce the overall complexity compared to having separate turbines for each flow direction.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The turbine assembly generates energy consistently and efficiently, minimizing backflow pressure and turbulence, while being adaptable to various fluid flows and locations, including pipelines and ocean beds, with negligible impact on fluid flow, thus overcoming the limitations of existing energy sources.
Implementation Method 1
a first turbine blade set and a second turbine blade set mounted within a passage of a housing, the first turbine blade set and second turbine blade set being mounted in opposed relation whereby the turbine blade sets are in reversed orientation with respect to each other such that in simultaneous operation a region between the two turbine blade sets has a lower pressure than the fluid pressure at an opening of the passage
Implementation Method 2
in operation a region between the two turbine blade sets has a lower pressure than the fluid pressure at an opening of the passage. The low pressure created in the presence of the pumping blade is greater than would be created in its absence. This serves to enhance the mass fluid flow through the passage.
Data Source
Figure 1(A)~1(D)
Figure 2(A)~2(D)
Figure 3(A)~3(D)
AI summary
A turbine unit (11) adapted to be placed in a flowing fluid. The turbine unit (11) comprises a first turbine set (13) and a second turbine set (15) mounted within a passage (21) of a housing (19). The first turbine blade set (13) and a second turbine blade set (15) are set in opposed relation such that in operation a region between the two turbine blade sets (13, 15) has a lower pressure than the fluid pressure at an opening of the passage (21). The turbine unit (11) being used to generate power. The turbine units (Figures 8 to 11) can be abutted with each other such that they define a passage and each turbine unit comprises a driving turbine blade set before fluid passes to a pumping turbine blade set.