Stacked-Disk Turbine With Radial Foils for Small-Scale Torque

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional turbines face inefficiencies and mechanical complexity, particularly at small scales, and are limited by Betz's law in wind applications, while bladeless turbines suffer from low torque and mechanical failure issues.

Innovation Solution

A turbine design featuring thin disks stacked in close spacing with radial foils and a tangential inlet, utilizing viscous drag and lift to convert kinetic energy into high-torque, high-speed rotational motion, with a configuration that avoids sweeping diameters and mechanical wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional turbine designs with radial blades are used, then mechanical strength and reliability are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical reliabilityVSAvoidturbine structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The turbine is segmented into multiple thin disks stacked in close spacing, with foils arranged radially on each disk. This segmentation allows the complex turbine structure to be broken down into simple, repeatable units that are easier to manufacture and assemble, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability through the distributed architecture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses thin disk structures instead of solid blades, and foils that are mounted on the disks. These thin film elements reduce mechanical complexity and manufacturing cost compared to conventional solid blade designs, while still providing the necessary aerodynamic function and mechanical strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Device complexity

If bladeless turbine designs are used, then device complexity is reduced, but torque output and power generation capability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveturbine structure complexityVSAvoidtorque output

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the advantages of both conventional and bladeless turbines by combining thin disk structures (from bladeless designs) with radially arranged foils (from conventional designs). This hybrid approach achieves low device complexity while generating sufficient torque through the foil-induced lift and drag forces on the rotating disks

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The design skips the mechanical complexity of solid blades by using thin disks with mounted foils, rushing through the intermediate stage of fully bladeless turbines by adding simple foil elements that provide the necessary torque generation without the complexity of conventional solid blade construction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional turbines operate at small scales, then application versatility is improved, but efficiency and power output deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescale adaptabilityVSAvoidpower output efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional blade surfaces to three-dimensional stacked disk structures with radial foils. This dimensional change allows the turbine to maintain efficient fluid interaction at small scales by distributing the aerodynamic surfaces across multiple disks, improving power output efficiency while preserving scale adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple thin disks are nested in close spacing to form a compact turbine structure that maintains high surface area for fluid interaction within a small volume. This nested arrangement enables efficient power generation at small scales while preserving the ability to adapt to different application sizes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 design achieves high efficiency and practicality with low-cost production, suitable for various fluid types and scales, overcoming limitations of conventional and bladeless turbines.

Implementation Method 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLift: Aerofoil

Implementation Method 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectViscous drag: Drag

Data Source

PatentUS12480520B2Fluid turbines

Publication Date: 2025.11.25 EXERGI INC

AI summary

A turbine system includes a housing with a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a rotational mount, and a turbine mounted on the rotational mount. The turbine comprises a first disk with a through-hole, a plurality of first foils arranged radially, and a last disk with a smaller through-hole and. The first foils define a fluid path from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. The design allows for efficient fluid flow and rotation of the turbine about the axis, providing an effective and reliable turbine system for various applications.