A submersible hydraulic assembly for an energy storage plant is provided that includes at least one hydraulic machine and at least one first buoyancy chamber filled with at least one first buoyancy element. The at least one first buoyancy chamber is generally configured in such a way that the hydraulic machine is substantially neutrally buoyant when submerged in an environmental liquid. An energy storage plant is also provided as well as a method for performing maintenance operations on an energy storage plant and a method for assembling/disassembling an energy storage plant.

A hydraulic rotary drive includes a stator and an impeller rotatably connected to the stator. The stator has a liquid chamber defining a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, and a flow circuit extending between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet. The impeller is rotatably has a plurality of butterfly blades positioned in the flow circuit, and a rotation axis. Each butterfly blade extends radially away from the rotation axis, and includes first and second wings that are rotatable relative to each other about a radial axis between an open position and a closed position.

Embodiments include a hydroelectric system including a module having a protective housing, a turbine housing retained within the protective housing, the turbine housing including an inlet portion at a first end, a substantially tubular portion, and an outlet portion at a second end, a turbine retained at least partially within the turbine housing, the turbine including a plurality of blades coupled with a central shaft, and a hydraulic pump, the hydraulic pump being coupled with the central shaft, where the hydraulic pump is configured to pump a high pressure liquid, and an artificial barrier, the module being coupled to a downstream surface of the artificial barrier, where the artificial barrier defines a cutout having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a channel fluidly coupled with the turbine housing of the module.

The present invention is a fish passage system for use at dams. It may incorporate one or more reversible pump-turbines for controlling and generating power from downstream flow of water and fish and for pumping water and fish upstream. For low head embodiments the system may use water stored at above headwater elevation in lieu of a reversible pump turbine for moving fish and water from tailwater to headwater.

An ocean wave-crest powered electrical generator comprises a buoyant vessel anchored to the sea floor by mooring chains. The vessel defines a substantial opening at the bow leading to a paddle wheel such that ocean wave crests flow past the paddle wheel while passing through the generator thereby capturing the power of the continuous wave crests passing through the bow opening. The paddle wheel transforms energy from the breaking wave crests into kinetic energy that in turn activates an electric power generator. The wave crest electrical generator is permanently moored near the beach and allowed to rise and fall with the tide thus allowing for a continuous flow of ocean waves to be converted into power. Pumped storage provides a sustained flow of energy that is easy to regulate and this can be accomplished in combination with energetic marinas by constructing a reservoir on top of a near-by cliff, hill or tall building.

An ocean wave-crest powered electrical generator comprises a buoyant vessel anchored to the sea floor by mooring chains. The vessel defines a substantial opening at the bow leading to a paddle wheel such that ocean wave crests flow past the paddle wheel while passing through the generator thereby capturing the power of the continuous wave crests passing through the bow opening. The paddle wheel transforms energy from the breaking wave crests into kinetic energy that in turn activates an electric power generator. The wave crest electrical generator is permanently moored near the beach and allowed to rise and fall with the tide thus allowing for a continuous flow of ocean waves to be converted into power. Pumped storage provides a sustained flow of energy that is easy to regulate and this can be accomplished in combination with energetic marinas by constructing a reservoir on top of a near-by cliff, hill or tall building.

A hydraulic turbine according to an embodiment includes a turbine body, a running water surface provided in the turbine body, the running water surface defining a channel for water, and a coating layer provided on the running water surface, the coating layer being formed by water-repellent paint or hydrophilic paint.

A hydraulic turbine according to an embodiment includes a turbine body, a running water surface provided in the turbine body, the running water surface defining a channel for water, and a coating layer provided on the running water surface, the coating layer being formed by water-repellent paint or hydrophilic paint.

Transporter and fish lock including an upper inlet and an upper outlet adapted to be in flow communication with an upper volume of water, and a lower outlet and a lower inlet adapted to be in flow communication with a lower volume of water. The upper inlet and the lower outlet communicate via a downstream passage having a first effective through-flow area, and the lower inlet and the upper outlet communicate via an upstream passage having a second effective through-flow area. The downstream passage includes a first helical rotor having a thread-direction that by a flow directed downstream causes the first rotor to rotate around its axis. The upstream passage includes a second helical rotor, wherein the rotors are mutually connected such that the first rotor drives the second rotor in rotation around its axis, and the second rotor has a thread-direction that upon rotation generates a flow directed upstream.

The invention provides an energy storage system (1) for storing energy in a waterbody (2), such as a sea, an ocean, a waterway, etc. The energy storage system comprises a reservoir structure (8A, 8B, 8C, 9A, 9B, 9C) for a working liquid (7) and an energy storing and retrieving subsystem (10A, 10B). The working liquid (7) in the reservoir structure is completely separated from the water (6) of the waterbody. The reservoir structure comprises a deformable pressurizing subreservoir (8A), which is extending in the waterbody, and which has a liquid-impermeable deformable wall structure (18). The reservoir structure further comprises a buried depressurizing subreservoir (9A), which is an artificial structure, which has been buried under a vertical column of a waterbody underground (5). The energy storage system provides, inter alia, improved energy storage capacity and improved reliability, as well as reduced operational costs and reduced environmental disturbance.