Propulsion is achieved without expelling matter by a non-inertial subsystem to generate substantial internal Coriolis recoil forces that supply propulsion. A subsystem discretely injects mass (fluids) radially into a non-inertial system having spinning radially-oriented fins mounted on a thin disc. The mass (fluid) is input at the circumference of the spinning system by radially injecting the fluid at high velocity onto one fin at a time at the outer end thereof. The mass centrifugally slows as it travels toward the axis and leaves the system at a very low velocity near the axis of rotation. The resultant integrated non-linear Coriolis reaction or recoil is constrained to acting through the axis of rotation of the spinning vanes by keeping the rotation rate constant. The net integrated reactive force acting on the axis of rotation of the subsystem produces a propulsive force. The injected and retarded fluids are captured near the rotation axis and recirculated to the input injectors. By conserving the reaction mass, the closed propulsion system depends only on the availability of power from a source.

Propulsion is achieved without expelling matter by a non-inertial subsystem to generate substantial internal Coriolis recoil forces that supply propulsion. A subsystem discretely injects mass (fluids) radially into a non-inertial system having spinning radially-oriented fins mounted on a thin disc. The mass (fluid) is input at the circumference of the spinning system by radially injecting the fluid at high velocity onto one fin at a time at the outer end thereof. The mass centrifugally slows as it travels toward the axis and leaves the system at a very low velocity near the axis of rotation. The resultant integrated non-linear Coriolis reaction or recoil is constrained to acting through the axis of rotation of the spinning vanes by keeping the rotation rate constant. The net integrated reactive force acting on the axis of rotation of the subsystem produces a propulsive force. The injected and retarded fluids are captured near the rotation axis and recirculated to the input injectors. By conserving the reaction mass, the closed propulsion system depends only on the availability of power from a source.

a system for creating energy from a buoyancy-gravity cycle of a plurality of buoyant containers, cyclically moving sequentially though a liquid buoyancy column and a gravity slide, where a buoyant container captures liquid from a basin at the bottom of the system, is then inserted into the liquid column through a series of coordinatedly openable gates or valves, that maintain the liquid within the liquid column to deposit the volume of liquid into a tank that feeds a hydroelectric penstock and turbine system, to create electricity, while liquid from the tail race returns to the basin at the bottom of the system.

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 two-body wave energy converter (WEC) that utilizes components in the two bodies having variable geometry is described. The WEC includes a surface control body which includes a first variable geometry component, and a reaction control body, which includes a second variable geometry component. During operating, the two variable geometry components may be substantially inflated to enable the WEC to generate electrical energy using power-take off (PTO) components or substantially deflated to allow for load shedding or protection from intense elements.

A two-body wave energy converter (WEC) that utilizes components in the two bodies having variable geometry is described. The WEC includes a surface control body which includes a first variable geometry component, and a reaction control body, which includes a second variable geometry component. During operating, the two variable geometry components may be substantially inflated to enable the WEC to generate electrical energy using power-take off (PTO) components or substantially deflated to allow for load shedding or protection from intense elements.

A combined gas-liquid two-phase energy storage and power generation system includes a compressed gas storage unit, a first gas pipeline, a liquid piston device, a hydraulic energy conversion unit and a first pumped power generation unit. The combined gas-liquid two-phase energy storage and power generation system connects the liquid piston device and a first port group of the hydraulic energy conversion unit and receives/outputs the hydraulic potential from/to the first port group, and connects the first pumped power generation unit with the second port group of the hydraulic energy conversion unit and receives/outputs the hydraulic potential from/to the second port group.

A combined gas-liquid two-phase energy storage and power generation system includes a compressed gas storage unit, a first gas pipeline, a liquid piston device, a hydraulic energy conversion unit and a first pumped power generation unit. The combined gas-liquid two-phase energy storage and power generation system connects the liquid piston device and a first port group of the hydraulic energy conversion unit and receives/outputs the hydraulic potential from/to the first port group, and connects the first pumped power generation unit with the second port group of the hydraulic energy conversion unit and receives/outputs the hydraulic potential from/to the second port group.

System for power generation from a flow of fluid, comprising a fluid driven device connected to a tether wherein the tether is coupled with a base station to convert energy from the flow of fluid into transportable energy, wherein the fluid driven device comprises a frame provided with adjustable vanes, and wherein the vanes are adjustable for setting into a predefine position relative to the flow of fluid. The fluid driven device comprises a working mode and a retraction mode, wherein in the working mode the vanes are set in a first predetermined position to generate a lift force from the flow of fluid, and wherein in the retraction mode the vanes are set in a second predetermined position to provide a low drag level to the flow of fluid, and wherein the work performed during working mode is larger than the work supplied during retraction mode.