BACKGROUND 1. Field of the invention

The present invention relates to turbines for power generation.

2. Description of Related Art

The use of fluids to generate power or rotate turbines to generate thrust is well known. However, the vast majority use propellers, fins, and the like to transform energy from fluid flow to power generation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,996,266 to Rebasti uses fan blades to blow air down through his device; U.S. Pat. No. 2,997,254 to Mulgrave et al. uses a fluid impeller; U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,135 to Pedersen et al. uses two curved cowlings to guide air into the turbine blades, and to create a vortex downwind of the turbine blades to make the blade spin faster; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,381 to Earnest uses a stator to redirect the flow and uses fan blades to impel fluid through holes.

Other developments include U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,433 to Eckel uses a plurality of fixed blades to guide air into the turbine blades, and one curved cowling to create a vortex downwind of the turbine blades to make the blade spin faster; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,963 to Beck which discloses a fluid flow pattern which exits radially from the fan axis of rotation.

However, there remains a need for more efficient, economical, and safer turbines. This invention satisfies these needs among others.

PHl 2396708vl 09/29/09 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a fluid-powered turbine with many unique features which increases rotational velocity and torque over conventional turbines. In particular, the turbine has two impulse-type turbine portions which, when used in combination, synergistically create increased power from a fluid input by twice extracting energy from the fluid, thereby increasing the turbine's efficiency. More particularly, the first impulse-type turbine portion rotates as ambient fluid is passed through a plurality of chutes. After passing through the chutes, the fluid is then reused by directing it to the periphery of the device where it contacts a second impingement-type turbine portion, thereby extracting additional energy from the fluid. This turbine also uses vastly more surface area than previous developments, which increases the surface area available for impingement, thus facilitating rotation of the rotor assembly. Additionally, it uses the energy of the flowing fluid in multiple stages to increase power. Because of this, the turbine will rotate much more rapidly compared to conventional turbines, based upon comparable fluid input, thus generating more torque. Additionally, when used as a windmill or other exposed turbine, the hazard of killing birds or other wildlife is substantially reduced due low profile vanes.

Accordingly, provided is a turbine comprising a rotatable shaft having an axis of rotation; and a rotor assembly comprising (a) a rotatable disk having a direction of rotation, a center to which said rotatable shaft is joined, a front surface, a rear surface, and a perimeter, (b) a first impingement-type turbine portion comprising a plurality of chutes disposed between said front and rear surfaces, wherein each chute comprises an impingement surface, a chute inlet, a chute outlet, and a chute channel fluidly connecting said chute inlet and chute outlet, wherein said

PHl 2396708vl 09/29/09 impingement surface is sloped from the front surface to the rear surface and orthogonally with respect to a radial direction of said disk, and (c) a second impingement-type turbine proportion comprising an upstream rotor and a downstream rotor, wherein said upstream rotor comprises a plurality of ducts disposed between said front and rear surfaces, wherein each duct has a duct inlet fluidly connected to one of said chute outlets, a duct outlet disposed at said perimeter, and a channel fluidly connecting one or more of said duct inlets to one of said duct outlets, and wherein said downstream rotor portion comprises an annular rim having a periphery, and a plurality of vanes joined to said rim and disposed along said periphery, wherein said vanes have a primary fluid contact surface and wherein said primary fluid contact surface is in a plane parallel to said axis of rotation and is angled from about 45 to less than 90 degrees from a radial direction from said disk..

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows a front view of a turbine according to one embodiment of the invention; Fig. Ia shows a detail of the front of the turbine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 2 shows a rear view of a turbine of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of the front of the turbine of Fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

This fluid driven turbine device is unique compared to conventional wind and aircraft turbines. The turbine can be used with air, steam, water or other fluids to generate power, for example as an electric generator or as an aircraft turbine.

PHl 2396708vl 09/29/09 Turning to Figure 1, illustrated is a fluid turbine 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The turbine comprises a rotatable shaft (not shown) and a rotor assembly 30. The rotator assembly 30 comprises a rotatable disk 40 having a direction of rotation 42, a center 12 to which the rotatable shaft is joined, a front surface 18, a rear surface 20, and a perimeter 14. The rotor assembly further comprises a first impulse-type turbine portion 50 having a plurality of chutes 15 disposed between the first surface 18 and the rear surface 20, and preferably arranged in one or more, and more preferably two or more annular patterns. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the chutes 15 are arranged in a first annular pattern 16 proximal to the perimeter 14 and a second annular pattern 17 proximal to the center 12. Each chute 15 has a chute inlet 51 on said front surface 18, a chute outlet 52, and an chute channel 53 fluidly connecting the inlet 51 and outlet 52. The channel 53 is preferably sloped 55,56 from the front surface 18 to the rear surface 20 and orthogonally with respect to a radial direction 54 of the disk. In certain preferred embodiments, the chute are attached to the disk 40. In certain preferred embodiments, the chutes are a part of the disk 40. In certain embodiment, said impingement surfaces comprise a majority of said front surface.

During operation, fluid traveling toward the rotor assembly 30 contacts the impingement surfaces 55,56 and is then guided into chute inlet 51, through the chute channel 53, and to the chute outlet 52. This fluid flow causes the rotor assembly 30 to rotate in the direction of rotation 42 which, in turn, causes the rotor shaft to rotate. The rotating shaft can then be used to generate power.

Upon exiting the chute outlet 52, the fluid enters a second impingement-type turbine portion 60 of the rotor assembly. (Figure 2) The second impingement -type turbine portion of

PHl 2396708vl 09/29/09 the rotor assembly comprises a upstream rotor 70 and downstream rotor 80 (Figure 3). The upstream rotor 70 comprises a plurality of ducts 27 disposed between the front surface 18 and rear surface 20 of the disk 40. Each duct 27 has a duct inlet 62 fluidly connected to one of the chute outlets 52, a duct outlet 64 disposed at the perimeter 14, and a channel 66 fluidly connecting one or more duct inlets 62 to a duct outlet 64. In certain preferred embodiments, the chute outlet 52 and the duct inlet 62 are the same. In certain preferred embodiments, the upstream rotor is attached to the disk. In certain preferred embodiments, the upstream rotor is a part of the disk.

The downstream rotor comprises an annular rim having a plurality of deflection vanes 26 attached to its periphery 82. In certain embodiments, the rim is attached to the disk. In certain other embodiments, the rim is a part of the disk. In still other embodiments, the rim and the disk are independently rotatable about the shaft. Each vane has a fluid contact surface 84 that is in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation and that is angled 86 from about 45 to less than 90 degrees, more preferably from about 75 to less than 90 degrees, and even more preferably from about 85 to about 89 degrees, from the radial direction 54 of the disk.

Fluid flows from the duct inlet 62 through the channel in a radial or semi-radial direction 68. In certain embodiments, the channel is constructed to increase the velocity of fluid flowing through the channel, preferably without substantially restricting the fluid flow through the channel. In certain embodiments, the chutes may have one or more devices, such as auxiliary openings, to facilitate high velocity fluid flow through the channel.

As the fluid exits the duct outlet it impinges the downstream rotor, causing the downstream rotor to rotate. For embodiments in which the downstream rotor and the upstream

PHl 2396708vl 09/29/09 rotor rotate independently, the downstream rotor preferably rotates at a higher velocity compared to the upstream rotor.

The turbine is preferably constructed of a plastic, metal, fiberglass or a composite material disk such as carbon fiber.

PHl 2396708vl 09/29/09