Y02A40/60

Hydraulic turbine

A runner for a hydraulic turbine configured to reduce fish mortality. The runner includes a hub and a plurality of blades extending from the hub. Each blade includes a root connected to the hub and a tip opposite the root. Each blade further includes a leading edge opposite a trailing edge, and a ratio of a thickness of the leading edge to a diameter of the runner can range from about 0.06 to about 0.35. Further, each blade has a leading edge that is curved relative to a radial axis of the runner.

Autonomous Sensor Fish to Support Advanced Hydropower Development

An improved sensor fish with robust design and enhanced measurement capabilities. This sensor fish contains sensors for acceleration, rotation, magnetic field intensity, pressure, and temperature. A low-power microcontroller collects data from the sensors and stores up to 5 minutes of data on a non-volatile flash memory. A rechargeable battery supplies power to the sensor fish. A recovery system helps locating sensor fish. The package, when ready for use is nearly neutrally buoyant and thus mimics the behavior of an actual fish.

INVOLUNTARY GUIDANCE AND TRANSPORT SYSTEM FOR FISH
20210176971 · 2021-06-17 ·

A system includes a fish stunner configured to stun fish within a stunning zone of a waterway and a conveyor with a portion of the conveyor located below a waterline of the waterway and a second portion of the conveyor located above the waterline such that fish that have been stunned reach the conveyor and are lifted out of the water by the conveyor.

Autonomous sensor fish to support advanced hydropower development

An improved sensor fish with robust design and enhanced measurement capabilities. This sensor fish contains sensors for acceleration, rotation, magnetic field intensity, pressure, and temperature. A low-power microcontroller collects data from the sensors and stores up to 5 minutes of data on a non-volatile flash memory. A rechargeable battery supplies power to the sensor fish. A recovery system helps locating sensor fish. The package, when ready for use is nearly neutrally buoyant and thus mimics the behavior of an actual fish.

Wildlife deterrence system arranged in wind turbine blade

Systems and methods are disclosed for deterring wildlife, such as bats and birds, from drawing too proximate to an operating wind turbine. Wildlife species may be sensitive to transmitted frequencies, such as ultrasonic frequencies above the range of human hearing. For example, bats may avoid areas where ultrasonic frequencies are being emitted, either because the emitted ultrasonic frequency interferes with the echolocation of the bat, or because encountering the ultrasonic frequency is uncomfortable for the bat. In some aspects, acoustic transmitters may be arranged along a length of a blade of a wind turbine. A controller may direct the acoustical transmitters to transmit signals having ultrasonic frequencies to deter wildlife encounters. The controller may direct the transmitters to transmit only during periods where wildlife encounters are likely to occur (e.g. at night, during migration seasons, during favorable weather conditions, or the like).

HYDRAULIC TURBINE
20200408184 · 2020-12-31 ·

A runner for a hydraulic turbine configured to reduce fish mortality. The runner includes a hub and a plurality of blades extending from the hub. Each blade includes a root connected to the hub and a tip opposite the root. Each blade further includes a leading edge opposite a trailing edge, and a ratio of a thickness of the leading edge to a diameter of the runner can range from about 0.06 to about 0.35. Further, each blade has a leading edge that is curved relative to a radial axis of the runner.

FISH PASSAGES AND SCALED HYDROPOWER

A fish passage system having flexible textile materials forming a conduit to transport fish across river barriers encountered during migration. The system can include modular support structures that can be independently secured to riverbeds to form conduit supports, dams, hydropower structures, and the like.

Fluid flow enhancing device and culvert comprising same

Fluid flow enhancing devices disclosed herein are adapted to enhance flow of fluid through subsurface watershed conduits, for example, culverts, drainpipe and the like. Such fluid flow enhancing devices advantageously enhance watershed runoff functionality in subsurface watershed conduits by altering watershed flow from a parabolic flow pattern to a rotational flow pattern while still accommodating fish passage requirements. This change in flow pattern beneficially provides turbulence that disrupts and flushes debris out of the subsurface watershed conduits. This disruption and flushing establishes a passive cleaning functionality within the subsurface watershed conduits that serves to clean the subsurface watershed conduits after suitable upstream water delivery event (e.g., heavy rain, controlled water release, etc.). In doing so, these fluid flow enhancing devices overcome one or more shortcomings associated with subsurface watershed conduits in a manner that overcomes drawbacks associated with conventional design and in-use considerations for such subsurface watershed conduits.

A reservoir tail reverse regulation method for native fish protection
20200315144 · 2020-10-08 ·

The invention discloses a reservoir tail reverse regulation method for native fish protection, comprising the steps that firstly, a breeding habitat of native fishes at reservoir tail of a cascade hydroelectric dam is determined; secondly, breeding characteristics of migration native fishes are determined, and an ecological conservation project of a reach of the breeding habitat at reservoir tail is carried out; thirdly, the length of the reservoir tail of a downstream hydropower station of a cascade hydroelectric project in March to May is determined through a field investigation, and the maximum range of a natural river channel downstream of the upstream cascade power station is judged and finally, the flow state of the reach at reservoir tail is reversely regulated to achieve the goal of discharging water of the natural river channel at the reservoir tail and ensuring the natural flow state of the natural river channel.

STORMWATER CHANNEL AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING A STORMWATER CHANNEL ECOSYSTEM
20200291630 · 2020-09-17 ·

A stormwater channel includes a central channel bed flanked by left and right walls, with riparian planters and riparian reservoirs extending longitudinally through the channel. Water flows through the planters and reservoirs. Each planter contains plant-anchoring material and biochar. Riparian plant seeds or seedlings are planted in the planters and watered to form a riparian ecosystem. The stormwater channel also includes a fish migration channel adjacent to the riparian planters and reservoirs, enabling anadromous fish to swim upstream through the channel. Fish can be detected, trapped, and relocated past barriers using a drone.