A reversible water pump and hydroturbine including a housing and a rotor is provided. The housing includes two end boards, which have the same shape, and a sideboard that connects the two end boards respectively. Each end board includes two coaxial semicircle boards having two different radiuses, that is, a large semicircular board and a small semicircular board which are joined together at their diameter; the side board includes a first round sideboard and a second round sideboard, two inlets/outlets, i.e. a first inlet/outlet and a second inlet/outlet, are formed at the ends of the first round sideboard. The rotor includes a rotary shaft, a rotary wheel and at least two blades, a service channel forms between the rotary wheel and the second round sideboard, and a return channel forms between the rotary wheel and the first round sideboard.

The invention concerns a method for starting a hydroelectric turbine (10) in a pumping mode, said turbine being provided with a runner (6) mechanically coupled to a shaft line (8) and a variable speed electric motor connected to a grid, a distributor (4) comprising guide vanes to control a flow of water to said runner, the method comprising: a) a step of operating the variable speed motor at least partly at fixed speed, said guide vanes being only partially opened, and of defining or calculating: data of a plurality of hydraulic characteristics (C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.i) of the turbine for an operation without cavitation; data of an operation range of the electric motor, giving the speed of the motor as a function of its power; b) then a step of operating the turbine in a power control mode.

The invention concerns a method for starting a hydroelectric turbine (10) in a pumping mode, said turbine being provided with a runner (6) mechanically coupled to a shaft line (8) and a variable speed electric motor connected to a grid, a distributor (4) comprising guide vanes to control a flow of water to said runner, the method comprising: a) a step of operating the variable speed motor at least partly at fixed speed, said guide vanes being only partially opened, and of defining or calculating: data of a plurality of hydraulic characteristics (C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.i) of the turbine for an operation without cavitation; data of an operation range of the electric motor, giving the speed of the motor as a function of its power; b) then a step of operating the turbine in a power control mode.

A reactive blade turbine system works vertically, horizontally, or at an angle and clockwise or counterclockwise according to blade angle and locking position and adjusts to variations in fluid flow such as changes in tidal currents to generate power more efficiently regardless of direction of fluid flow. A method for generating electrical power from a continuous fluid flow via the reactive turbine system is also provided herein.

A reactive blade turbine system works vertically, horizontally, or at an angle and clockwise or counterclockwise according to blade angle and locking position and adjusts to variations in fluid flow such as changes in tidal currents to generate power more efficiently regardless of direction of fluid flow. A method for generating electrical power from a continuous fluid flow via the reactive turbine system is also provided herein.

There is provided a method of operating a pump turbine plant including a turbine with a turbine impeller and a turbine spiral casing having a first pressure pipe, and a pump with a pump impeller and a pump spiral casing having a second pressure pipe; an electrical machine dynamically in a drive connection with a shaft, the pump turbine plant further including a hydraulic short-circuit that can be created between the turbine and the pump, wherein the turbine has a greater rated power than the pump, and wherein the turbine and the pump operate under partial load at least temporarily in the hydraulic short-circuit. The method further includes operating the turbine or the pump in the hydraulic short-circuit when a degree of efficiency of the pump and of the turbine in the hydraulic short-circuit is greater than a degree of efficiency of the turbine on its own.

There is provided a method of operating a pump turbine plant including a turbine with a turbine impeller and a turbine spiral casing having a first pressure pipe, and a pump with a pump impeller and a pump spiral casing having a second pressure pipe; an electrical machine dynamically in a drive connection with a shaft, the pump turbine plant further including a hydraulic short-circuit that can be created between the turbine and the pump, wherein the turbine has a greater rated power than the pump, and wherein the turbine and the pump operate under partial load at least temporarily in the hydraulic short-circuit. The method further includes operating the turbine or the pump in the hydraulic short-circuit when a degree of efficiency of the pump and of the turbine in the hydraulic short-circuit is greater than a degree of efficiency of the turbine on its own.

The present invention relates to a hydraulic energy store (1) having a first (2) and a second fluid reservoir (6), the fluid levels (4, 12) of which extend at different heights, which are connected to one another via a turbine/pump arrangement (10) and during the operation of which a fluid (3) can be moved to and fro between the first (2) and second fluid reservoir (6) and energy can be converted in the process. The second fluid reservoir (6) is configured as a container which is arranged within the fluid (3) in the first fluid reservoir (2), wherein, during operation, the fluid level (12) in the second fluid reservoir (6) can be changed in such a way that, as a result, the immersion depth (h.sub.t) of said second fluid reservoir (6) in the first fluid reservoir (2) can be changed owing to buoyancy.

A reactive blade turbine system works vertically, horizontally, or at an angle and clockwise or counterclockwise according to blade angle and locking position and adjusts to variations in fluid flow such as changes in tidal currents to generate power more efficiently regardless of direction of fluid flow. A method for generating electrical power from a continuous fluid flow via the reactive turbine system is also provided herein.

A reactive blade turbine system works vertically, horizontally, or at an angle and clockwise or counterclockwise according to blade angle and locking position and adjusts to variations in fluid flow such as changes in tidal currents to generate power more efficiently regardless of direction of fluid flow. A method for generating electrical power from a continuous fluid flow via the reactive turbine system is also provided herein.