A turbine housing includes a volute flow passage with an inlet and an end that are spaced apart along a flow axis in a circumferential direction about an axis of rotation. The volute flow passage defines a plurality of cross sections arranged in series along the flow axis from the inlet to the end. The plurality of cross sections are taken normal to the flow axis. The plurality of cross sections have an area (A) and a centroid, and the centroid is spaced at a radial distance (R) from the axis of rotation. The volute flow passage has a sidewall angle distribution from the inlet to the end that is at least partly nonlinear. The volute flow passage has an A/R-distribution from the inlet to the end that is substantially linear. The volute flow passage has an A-distribution from the inlet to the end that is at least partly nonlinear.

A wind plant includes at least one wind collector assembly configured to collect a wind stream; at least one booster arm in fluid communication with the at least one wind collector assembly, the booster arm configured to receive the wind stream and to increase the flowrate of the wind stream; and at least one exit conduit, the at least one exit conduit in fluid communication with the booster arm and rotatable with respect to the booster arm. The at least one exit conduit is configured to rotate with respect to the at least one booster arm in response to a thrust force generated by the wind stream exiting the exit conduit. A method of capturing energy from wind is also disclosed.

A high performance hybrid turbine is provided which has an impeller towards which a fluid flow of water, air, or other fluid is conveyed for rotation of the impeller around an axis of rotation. The impeller exploits the thrusts that the fluid flow exerts on the elements constituting the impeller and the thrusts generated by a certain number of airfoils provided inside the elements of the impeller. The high performance hybrid turbine, if used as a wind turbine, can operate at much higher wind speeds than conventional wind turbines.

A turbine housing includes a volute flow passage with an inlet and an end that are spaced apart along a flow axis in a circumferential direction about an axis of rotation. The volute flow passage defines a plurality of cross sections arranged in series along the flow axis from the inlet to the end. The plurality of cross sections are taken normal to the flow axis. The plurality of cross sections have an area (A) and a centroid, and the centroid is spaced at a radial distance (R) from the axis of rotation. The volute flow passage has a sidewall angle distribution from the inlet to the end that is at least partly nonlinear. The volute flow passage has an A/R-distribution from the inlet to the end that is substantially linear. The volute flow passage has an A-distribution from the inlet to the end that is at least partly nonlinear.

An energy conversion system for converting wind energy into electrical energy includes at least one rotor having a substantially horizontal rotational axis and a plurality of rotor blades extending radially with respect to the rotational axis; a rotor mantle which fully surrounds the rotor; a plurality of wind funnels, including a first wind funnel arranged upstream of the rotor mantle and tapering towards the rotor mantle, and a second wind funnel arranged downstream of the rotor mantle and widening in a direction leading away from the rotor mantle; and a fixed frame which supports the rotor mantle and/or the plurality of wind funnels, wherein at least one adjustment device is provided, which is arranged and configured to orient the energy conversion system in a position corresponding to a prevailing wind direction.

A wind plant includes at least one wind collector assembly configured to collect a wind stream; at least one booster arm in fluid communication with the at least one wind collector assembly, the booster arm configured to receive the wind stream and to increase the flowrate of the wind stream; and at least one exit conduit, the at least one exit conduit in fluid communication with the booster arm and rotatable with respect to the booster arm. The at least one exit conduit is configured to rotate with respect to the at least one booster arm in response to a thrust force generated by the wind stream exiting the exit conduit. A method of capturing energy from wind is also disclosed.

A wind gathering device has a casing and a guiding sleeve, both of which have a trumpet-shaped air inlet and a flange formed annularly around an edge of the air inlet. The guiding sleeve is mounted in the casing and protrudes out of the air inlet of the casing. An annular inlet is annularly formed between the two flanges and extends into a space between an inner wall of the casing and an outer wall of the guiding sleeve. When the wind flows in a direction inclined relative to an axis of the guiding sleeve, the wind may directly enter the annular inlet or hit the two flanges and then shift direction to enter the annular inlet. The wind gathering device can effectively gather wind in various directions to increase the amount of the received wind of the generator.

A forced-air battery charging system for a vehicle having an engine compartment includes a turbine assembly having a casing and a plurality of blades, the casing being positioned forwardly in the engine compartment for operably receiving ambient air as the vehicle travels forwardly and having an outlet expelling the ambient air. The plurality of blades are situated in the casing between the inlet and the outlet and are operable to rotate about an axis when impacted by the received ambient air in a direction askew to the axis. An electricity generator is operatively coupled to the plurality of blades. The system includes an air duct having walls that define a channel having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end being open and in communication with the casing outlet, the distal end being open through which the ambient air exits under the vehicle after passing through the air duct proximal end.

A pump device includes a drive unit, a pump unit and a transport unit. The drive unit includes a base frame, and a variable-speed drive device disposed on the base frame. The pump unit includes a rotating shaft driven by the drive device, a fan blade co-rotatably mounted to the rotating shaft, a drain housing receiving the fan blade, and a suction housing in fluid communication with the drain housing. The transport unit includes a plurality of transport tubes in fluid communication with the drain housing.

A prime mover that is powered by the energy of a fluid is provided. Such a prime mover may include a first fairing, a second fairing spaced apart from the first fairing to define a gap therebetween and a blade assembly mounted on a shaft that extends between the first and second fairings. The first and second fairings each have a curved peripheral edge for directing a fluid into the gap. When the fluid flows into the gap it contacts the blade assembly to thereby rotate the blade assembly about an axis that is defined by the shaft. The prime mover may be mounted on a cell phone tower and used to generate electricity for powering components of the tower and/or for providing electricity to the power grid.