A tesla-type turbine for converting the enthalpy of a gas volume flow into mechanical energy, a method for operating the Tesla-type turbine, and an apparatus for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, a method for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, and a method for converting thermal energy into electrical energy. The Tesla-type turbine has at least one disc which is positioned on an axis of rotation and is set into rotation by a gas volume flow flowing substantially tangentially, so that mechanical energy can be collected at a shaft coupled to the disc. A disc body that forms the disc has at least one cavity in which, for the purpose of cooling the disc body, a cooling medium, in particular a cooling liquid, is received or can be received.

A tesla-type turbine for converting the enthalpy of a gas volume flow into mechanical energy, a method for operating the Tesla-type turbine, and an apparatus for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, a method for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, and a method for converting thermal energy into electrical energy. The Tesla-type turbine has at least one disc which is positioned on an axis of rotation and is set into rotation by a gas volume flow flowing substantially tangentially, so that mechanical energy can be collected at a shaft coupled to the disc. A disc body that forms the disc has at least one cavity in which, for the purpose of cooling the disc body, a cooling medium, in particular a cooling liquid, is received or can be received.

A rotary manifold for a rotor assembly of a cohesion-type drive includes a manifold body extending along a drive axis for rotation thereabout, a first ductwork internal the body for fluid communication with a plurality of first chambers of the drive, and a second ductwork internal the body for fluid communication with a plurality of second chambers of the drive. The second ductwork is in fluid isolation of the first ductwork.

A rotary manifold for a rotor assembly of a cohesion-type drive includes a manifold body extending along a drive axis for rotation thereabout, a first ductwork internal the body for fluid communication with a plurality of first chambers of the drive, and a second ductwork internal the body for fluid communication with a plurality of second chambers of the drive. The second ductwork is in fluid isolation of the first ductwork.

A vacuum pump generally comprises a low pressure portion and a high pressure portion separated by a gas impermeable partition. Gas molecules exit the low pressure portion through an opening in the partition and passively impinge on a featureless rotatable surface in the high pressure portion. A drive rotates the rotatable surface with tangential velocity in the supersonic range at multiple times the most probable velocity of the impinging gas molecules. Impinging gas molecules are ejected outwardly from the periphery of the rotatable surface generating a substantial net outward flow of gas and reducing the pressure in the low pressure portion. The vacuum pump is effective to reduce the pressure in the low pressure portion to a target minimum pressure without using seals to prevent gas molecules from leaking back to the low pressure portion and without using blades or vanes to actively impact the gas molecules.

A vacuum pump generally comprises a low pressure portion and a high pressure portion separated by a gas impermeable partition. Gas molecules exit the low pressure portion through an opening in the partition and passively impinge on a featureless rotatable surface in the high pressure portion. A drive rotates the rotatable surface with tangential velocity in the supersonic range at multiple times the most probable velocity of the impinging gas molecules. Impinging gas molecules are ejected outwardly from the periphery of the rotatable surface generating a substantial net outward flow of gas and reducing the pressure in the low pressure portion. The vacuum pump is effective to reduce the pressure in the low pressure portion to a target minimum pressure without using seals to prevent gas molecules from leaking back to the low pressure portion and without using blades or vanes to actively impact the gas molecules.

A pump includes a housing, a process stream input, a process stream output, a power stream inlet, and a rotor. The rotor comprises an impeller, a shroud, and a turbine. The impeller comprises fluid motive elements positioned about a central axis of the rotor and extending outward to the shroud. The turbine comprises runners formed on an outwardly facing surface of the shroud of the rotor. The shroud extends radially about the fluid motive elements of the impeller. The rotor is rotatably supported within the housing. The runners cause the rotor to rotate when the power stream flows through a fluid path impinging the runners thereby transferring energy from the flow of the power stream received through a power stream inlet into rotational energy of the fluid motive elements of the impeller to propel the process stream from a process stream input out a process stream output.

A pump includes a housing, a process stream input, a process stream output, a power stream inlet, and a rotor. The rotor comprises an impeller, a shroud, and a turbine. The impeller comprises fluid motive elements positioned about a central axis of the rotor and extending outward to the shroud. The turbine comprises runners formed on an outwardly facing surface of the shroud of the rotor. The shroud extends radially about the fluid motive elements of the impeller. The rotor is rotatably supported within the housing. The runners cause the rotor to rotate when the power stream flows through a fluid path impinging the runners thereby transferring energy from the flow of the power stream received through a power stream inlet into rotational energy of the fluid motive elements of the impeller to propel the process stream from a process stream input out a process stream output.

This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates; a motor portion; and a housing. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. At least one of the flat plates includes an inner annular portion, an outer annular portion arranged radially outside of the inner annular portion, ribs each of which is arranged to join the inner and outer annular portions to each other, and air holes each of which is surrounded by the inner and outer annular portions and circumferentially adjacent ones of the ribs. With the inner annular portion and the outer annular portion being joined to each other through the ribs, an increase in the opening area of each air hole, which is defined between the inner and outer annular portions, can be achieved. This leads to improved air intake efficiency, resulting in improved air blowing efficiency.