Turbine Guide Strip for Variable Blade Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing turbine systems for generating energy from flowing fluids face limitations in energy yield due to fixed blade orientations and the need for separate motors for each blade, which are costly and prone to faults, reducing control over optimal orientation and increasing energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A turbine system with a rotor shaft and variable-orientation turbine blades, where a guide strip with a smooth profile determines the blade orientation through a follower element, eliminating the need for separate motors and allowing continuous adjustment of blade angles during rotation, using mechanical energy within the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If separate motors are used for each turbine blade to control orientation, then the energy yield is improved through continuous orientation control, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple turbine blades are merged into a single rigid rotor structure, eliminating the need for separate control mechanisms for each blade. The guide strip controls the orientation of all blades simultaneously through a single follower element, reducing device complexity while maintaining continuous orientation control capability
Solution Approach 2:
The guide strip serves as a universal control element that simultaneously controls the orientation of multiple turbine blades throughout their entire rotational cycle. This single component performs the function that would otherwise require multiple separate motors, reducing both complexity and cost
2Ease of operation
If separate motors are used for each turbine blade, then continuous orientation control is achieved, but the reliability decreases due to more components that can fail
Solution Approach 1:
The control function for multiple blades is merged into a single guide strip mechanism with one follower element. This eliminates multiple independent motor components that could fail, while maintaining the capability for continuous orientation control of all blades throughout their rotation
Solution Approach 2:
The guide strip mechanism is designed to be self-contained and passive, using the rotational motion of the rotor itself to drive the follower element along the guide strip. This eliminates the need for external power sources and active control systems, thereby improving reliability
3Productivity
If separate motors are used for each turbine blade, then optimal orientation can be set at each point along a revolution, but the energy consumption increases due to multiple energy sources required
Solution Approach 1:
The energy input required for orientation control is merged into a single passive mechanical system. The guide strip and follower element use the rotor's own rotational energy to maintain optimal blade orientation throughout the revolution, eliminating the need for multiple separate energy sources while maintaining high energy yield
Solution Approach 2:
The orientation control system is self-powered, using the rotational motion of the rotor to drive the follower element along the guide strip. This passive mechanical system requires no external energy input, allowing continuous optimal orientation control without additional energy consumption
Data Source
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AI summary
In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a turbine system (100) for generating energy from a flowing fluid (500), comprising: (i) a rotor shaft (300); (ii) at least one turbine blade (200) coupled to the rotor shaft (300), wherein an orientation of at least a portion (202) of the turbine blade (200) is variable relative to the rotor shaft (300); and (iii) a guide strip (800) coupled to the turbine blade portion (202), wherein the guide strip (800) determines the orientation of the turbine blade portion (202) relative to the rotor shaft (300).