Apparatus for deriving energy from moving gas streams

Abstract

Abstract Apparatus for deriving energy from a moving gas stream, such as an atmospheric air current, and comprising: a rigid body or housing which is generally symmetrical about a single longitudinal axis intended to be oriented in the direction of stream flow, the body or housing defining a longitudinal, coaxial, convergent, frustoconical passageway therethrough for at least a portion of the stream; a gas turbine rotor mounted for rotation about the common axis in a plane rearwardly adjacent the plane of the outlet opening of the passageway in response to the flow of gas through the passageway; an induction fan mounted for rotation about the common axis substantially in the plane of the inlet opening of the passageway; driving means for rotating the induction fan at a fixed speed, or at a variable speed dependent upon gas stream velocity; means for transmitting the rotational energy produced by the turbine rotor; and optional means, such as a generator, for converting the rotational energy into electrical energy. The body or housing of the apparatus optionally but preferably has a transverse, coaxial, annular, flat or preferably slightly dished or frustoconical exterior wall member extending outwardly from the periphery of the passageway at the outlet opening thereof, and optionally but not preferably may also have a longitudinal, coaxial, cylindrical or preferably slightly-divergent frustoconical exterior wall surface extending downstream from the periphery of the passageway at the inlet opening thereof to a juncture with the transverse annular wall member. The body or housing of the apparatus is optionally mounted for rotation on supporting means and, when so mounted, is optionally but preferably provided with a vane extending radially and longitudinally from the housing, to orient the passageway in the direction of the gas stream flow.

Inventors

• 👤 George John Kronmiller

Bibliographic Details