An accelerated and/or redirected flow arrangement, optimally serving as a wildlife and/or debris excluder (WDE), is used in combination with a turbine-like device having an inlet end and an outlet end for fluid flowing therethrough, e.g., a hydro-turbine. The arrangement includes at least a forward part designed to be placed in front of a fluid inlet of a turbine-like device and configured to produce at least one of the following effects on the fluid: (a) imparting a redirection of the fluid; and/or (b) accelerating the flow velocity of the fluid, as it flows through the forward part. Turbine-like devices having both a forward part and a rearward part of flow arrangement are disclosed, as well as a method of enhancing turbine performance.

An ocean current power plant with an electric generator and a turbine, which comprises a stator and a rotor that is rotatable about the stator, for driving the electric generator. The rotor comprises a plurality of rotor arms, which respectively have a carrier mechanism and multiple rotor blades that are pivotably mounted on the carrier mechanism.

The present invention provides a large tidal current energy generating device and an assembly platform (1) thereof. At least one horizontal axis hydro-generator (2) is installed in the assembly platform (1). The assembly platform (1) includes at least four fixed piles (11), at least two force-bearing blocks (12), at least two force-bearing supports (13), and supports (14). The at least four fixed piles are connected through the supports to form an installation space (15). The at least one horizontal axis hydro-generator is installed inside the installation space. One end of each fixed pile is driven to be fixed to a seabed and the other end extends to be above a water surface. The at least four fixed piles are arranged in left and right columns relative to a water flow direction, and each column of the fixed piles is arranged along the water flow direction. The at least two force-bearing blocks are fixed to the corresponding fixed piles or supports and located on left and right sides of the horizontal axis hydro-generator below the water surface, respectively. Ends of the at least two force-bearing supports are respectively mounted on the left and right sides of the horizontal axis hydro-generator relative to the water flow direction and the other ends are respectively against the corresponding force-bearing blocks.

An accelerated and/or redirected flow arrangement, optimally serving as a wildlife and/or debris excluder (WDE), is used in combination with a turbine-like device having an inlet end and an outlet end for fluid flowing therethrough, e.g., a hydro-turbine. The arrangement includes at least a forward part designed to be placed in front of a fluid inlet of a turbine-like device and configured to produce at least one of the following effects on the fluid: (a) imparting a re-direction of the fluid; and/or (b) accelerating the flow velocity of the fluid, as it flows through the forward part. Turbine-like devices having both a forward part and a rearward part of flow arrangement are disclosed, as well as a method of enhancing turbine performance.

Apparatus (2) for generating electricity from water (4) flowing in a river (6), which apparatus (2) comprises: (i) a stator (B): (ii) a rotor (10) which is rotatable with respect to the stator (8}in order to generate the electricity, and wherein: (iii) the rotor (10} rotates about an axis (12} which extends in a direction transversely across the rotor (10) from a first side (14) to a second side (16) of the r9tor (10); (iv) the rotor (10) comprises a plurality of rotor blades (18) which extend from at least one of the first and second sides (14, 16) of the rotor (10); (v) the rotor blades (18) are such that each rotor blade (18) has an inner end (20) which is adjacent the side of the rotor (10) from which the rotor blade (18) extends, and an outer end (22) remote from the inner end (20); (vi) the inner end (20) of the rotor blade (18) is movably mounted with respect to the rotor (10) such that the rotor blade (18} is movable between a first position (24) and second position (26); (vii) the first position (24) is one in which the rotor blade (18) extends away from the side of the rotor (10) for being engaged by the water (4) such as to cause the rotor (10) to rotate to generate the electricity; (viii) the second position (26) is one in which the rotor blade (18) extends closer to the side of the rotor (10) than when the rotor blade (18) is in the first position (24); (ix) the second position (26) is one in which debris (28) which is in the water (4) flowing in the river (6) and which has become impacted against the rotor blade (18) is able to be freed from the rotor blade (18) by the water (4) flowing in the river (6); and (x) the rotor blade (18) is movable from the first position (24) to the second position (26} to free the rotor blade (18} from the debris (28), and the rotor blade (18) is movable from the second position
(26) to the first position (24} to enable the rotor blade (18) to resume the first position (24) for generating the electricity.

A fluid power-extraction machine is immersed in an ambient flow of a fluid, captures (and extracts energy from) a portion of the fluid, and discharges it back into the ambient flow. The machine includes a housing bounding a fluid intake inlet and including an ambient flow deflector, a downstream body arranged rearwardly from the deflector and forming a discharge outlet between the deflector and the downstream body, and a power extraction device in a fluid flow channel communicating from the fluid intake inlet to the discharge outlet. The deflector outwardly deflects and accelerates a portion of the ambient flow adjacent to the discharge outlet. A mixing surface of the downstream body extends outwardly and rearwardly from the discharge outlet, mixing the accelerated flow, the discharged flow and the ambient flow together along the mixing surface. A backflow preventer of the downstream body prevents wake backflow from impeding discharge of spent flow at the discharge outlet.

A connection system for connecting a first connection point with a second connection point, the second connection point being arranged for rotation and translation with respect to the first connection point, the connection system includes a first connection point, a first support surface moveable linearly with respect to the first connection point, a second support surface moveable linearly and rotationally with respect to the first connection point, and a second connection point moveable linearly and rotationally with respect to the first connection point, moveable rotationally with respect to the first support surface, and fixed with respect to the second support surface, and a reverse bend radius cable chain located on the first and second support surfaces, and having a first end connected with the first connection point via a first connector cable, and a second end connected with the second connection point via a second connector cable.

The present invention provides an adaptive hydroelectric turbine system comprising a base for a hydroelectric turbine or other electrical component, the base having four ground contacting feet, at least one of which is displaceable relative to the remaining of the base such as to ensure that all four feet can contact the seabed to provide improved stability and load bearing capabilities.

A buoyant energy generating housing apparatus submersed in fluid currents. The disclosed embodiments comprises rotary turbines that harvest the kinetic energy in the currents, and buoys that house equipment and provide buoyancy to support the system. Movements and rotations are restrained by multiple cables or tendons that are anchored on the seabed, in combination with the internal active ballast system in the buoys. Applications in currents with direction change are possible with the use of two-buoy embodiments, further assisted by the optional use of weathervanes.

A bearing assembly, such as for a wind turbine or a tidal turbine including a tower and a nacelle, includes a lower part that is attachable to the tower, an upper part that is attachable to the nacelle, a bearing that rotatably couples the lower part to the upper part to allow rotation of the nacelle with respect to the tower, and a brake mechanism configured to selectively prevent relative rotation of the upper part and the lower part. The brake mechanism includes a brake disc and a brake caliper.