The inventive technology, in particular embodiments thereof, may be described as an apparatus (e.g., a pump) that imparts work to and redirects a fluid, and that features an impeller configured to contact and redirect an impeller inflow along a toroidal flowpath to generate an impeller discharge that has both axial and tangential velocity components, where the axial velocity component is substantially 180 degrees relative to a direction of an impeller inflow, in a meridional plane, the apparatus also featuring a diffuser having a diffuser axis that is aligned with an impeller axis of rotation, the diffuser featuring a diffuser outlet annular radial size that is greater than a diffuser inlet annular radial size; and/or curved diffuser vanes established as part of the diffuser, that redirect the impeller discharge so as to reduce the tangential velocity components.

The inventive technology, in particular embodiments thereof, may be described as an apparatus (e.g., a pump) that imparts work to and redirects a fluid, and that features an impeller configured to contact and redirect an impeller inflow along a toroidal flowpath to generate an impeller discharge that has both axial and tangential velocity components, where the axial velocity component is substantially 180 degrees relative to a direction of an impeller inflow, in a meridional plane, the apparatus also featuring a diffuser having a diffuser axis that is aligned with an impeller axis of rotation, the diffuser featuring a diffuser outlet annular radial size that is greater than a diffuser inlet annular radial size; and/or curved diffuser vanes established as part of the diffuser, that redirect the impeller discharge so as to reduce the tangential velocity components.

A water-driven turbine has an elongated endless conveyor with down and up streaming straightaways connected by travel-reversing turns. Paddles mounted on the conveyor present high resistance to waterflow on the downstream straightaway and low resistance to waterflow or the atmosphere on the upstream straightaway, the differential allowing the flow of water to continuously drive the conveyor which is connected to a power take-off shaft facilitating connection to a variety of energy-harnessing systems. The turbine can be towed, self-driven or mooring line manipulated to a flow site and is operable in unidirectional flows such as rivers and reversing flows such as tides at depths from surface to bottom. The paddles can be mounted or changed on shore, at the flow site and anywhere in between. The turbine is efficient in low and high velocity water flow, not easily damaged by floating debris, cavitation free and fish, mammal and environmentally friendly.

A deep-sea multi-energy integrated platform for complementary power generation, production, living and exploration includes a platform body and a sustainable power supply system, where the platform body includes a column cabin, an upper platform housing, a lower platform housing and a current guide column; the column cabin, the current guide column, the lower platform housing and the upper platform housing are mutually connected to form a triangular platform with a hollow cavity, and a net is disposed in the hollow cavity to form a mariculture zone; the sustainable power supply system includes a wind-driven generator disposed at an end of a top surface of the upper platform housing, a solar panel disposed above a middle portion of the top surface of the upper platform housing, a wave power generation apparatus disposed on the current guide column, and several tidal current power generation apparatuses.

A deep-sea multi-energy integrated platform for complementary power generation, production, living and exploration includes a platform body and a sustainable power supply system, where the platform body includes a column cabin, an upper platform housing, a lower platform housing and a current guide column; the column cabin, the current guide column, the lower platform housing and the upper platform housing are mutually connected to form a triangular platform with a hollow cavity, and a net is disposed in the hollow cavity to form a mariculture zone; the sustainable power supply system includes a wind-driven generator disposed at an end of a top surface of the upper platform housing, a solar panel disposed above a middle portion of the top surface of the upper platform housing, a wave power generation apparatus disposed on the current guide column, and several tidal current power generation apparatuses.

A submerged hydroelectric generator system includes a peg stock. The peg stock is defined between a first end and an oppositely defined second end. The first end is positioned in a manner to allow fluid entering the first end of the peg stock will flow towards the second end of the peg stock. An intake valve is placed at the first end of the peg stock to allow water to flow into the first end of the peg stock. One or more generators are mounted on the peg stock. The generators are designed to generate power from energy generated by the water flowing through the peg stock. An outlet valve is installed on the second end of the peg stock to release water from the peg stock as water enters the peg stock.

A submerged hydroelectric generator system includes a peg stock. The peg stock is defined between a first end and an oppositely defined second end. The first end is positioned in a manner to allow fluid entering the first end of the peg stock will flow towards the second end of the peg stock. An intake valve is placed at the first end of the peg stock to allow water to flow into the first end of the peg stock. One or more generators are mounted on the peg stock. The generators are designed to generate power from energy generated by the water flowing through the peg stock. An outlet valve is installed on the second end of the peg stock to release water from the peg stock as water enters the peg stock.

A free node to be deployed underwater for omnidirectional energy and data harvesting includes a housing that forms a sealed chamber; a wavelength-changing layer attached to an outside of the housing and configured to receive a first optical signal having a first wavelength range and to emit a second optical signal having a second wavelength range, different from the first wavelength range, wherein the first optical signal includes encoded data; a flexible solar cell wrapped around the housing, the flexible solar cell being configured to receive the second optical signal and generate an electrical signal; an energy storage module located in the chamber and configured to store electrical energy associated with the electrical signal; and a decoder located in the chamber and configured to receive the electrical signal and decode the encoded data. The first wavelength range is ultraviolet light and the second wavelength range is visible or infrared light.

A free node to be deployed underwater for omnidirectional energy and data harvesting includes a housing that forms a sealed chamber; a wavelength-changing layer attached to an outside of the housing and configured to receive a first optical signal having a first wavelength range and to emit a second optical signal having a second wavelength range, different from the first wavelength range, wherein the first optical signal includes encoded data; a flexible solar cell wrapped around the housing, the flexible solar cell being configured to receive the second optical signal and generate an electrical signal; an energy storage module located in the chamber and configured to store electrical energy associated with the electrical signal; and a decoder located in the chamber and configured to receive the electrical signal and decode the encoded data. The first wavelength range is ultraviolet light and the second wavelength range is visible or infrared light.

Electrical machines as provided herein can include a shaftless rotor with an annular array of permanent magnets; and a stator with an annular ferromagnetic core and a plurality of electromagnetic inductors about the ferromagnetic core. The stator is located adjacent to and substantially co-axial with the shaftless rotor; and a fluid thrust bearing located in an axially planar gap between the stator and the shaftless rotor.