A turbine impeller includes: a hub portion coupled to an end of a rotational shaft; a plurality of main blades disposed at intervals on a peripheral surface of the hub portion; and a short blade disposed between two adjacent main blades among the plurality of main blades. An inter-blade flow channel is formed between the two adjacent main blades so that a fluid flows through the inter-blade flow channel from an outer side toward an inner side of the turbine impeller in a radial direction. In a meridional plane, a hub-side end of a leading edge of the short blade is disposed on an inner side, in the radial direction, of a hub-side end of a leading edge of the main blade.

An improved steam engine is provided for operating on a recirculation of superheated air and steam. A gas turbine is including having a first intake, a first discharge and a power output shaft, said power output shaft providing rotation power output generated from a change in entropy of the gas through the turbine. A power turbine superheats the gas discharge and includes a turbocharger in operational communication with an electric DC motor, and a compressor mechanically driven by the turbocharger. The discharge from the compressor forms the turbine steam intake. A water injection system may be further provided for adding steam to the air recirculating circuit. A drive motor operatively coupled to the turbine may be used for startup to bring the turbine up to operational rotation speeds. A DC generator operatively coupled to recharge a battery driving the drive motor or for providing electrical power output.

An improved steam engine is provided for operating on a recirculation of superheated air and steam. A gas turbine is including having a first intake, a first discharge and a power output shaft, said power output shaft providing rotation power output generated from a change in entropy of the gas through the turbine. A power turbine superheats the gas discharge and includes a turbocharger in operational communication with an electric DC motor, and a compressor mechanically driven by the turbocharger. The discharge from the compressor forms the turbine steam intake. A water injection system may be further provided for adding steam to the air recirculating circuit. A drive motor operatively coupled to the turbine may be used for startup to bring the turbine up to operational rotation speeds. A DC generator operatively coupled to recharge a battery driving the drive motor or for providing electrical power output.

A blade row group arrangeable in a main flow path of a fluid-flow machine includes N adjacent member blade rows firmly arranged relative to each other in both a meridional direction (m) and a circumferential direction (u). A relative secondary passage length (v′) and a relative secondary passage width (w′) each increase at least in one part of the area between the mean meridional flow line (SLM) and at least one of the main flow path boundaries (HB) towards the main flow path boundary (HB).

A blade row group arrangeable in a main flow path of a fluid-flow machine includes N adjacent member blade rows firmly arranged relative to each other in both a meridional direction (m) and a circumferential direction (u). A relative secondary passage length (v′) and a relative secondary passage width (w′) each increase at least in one part of the area between the mean meridional flow line (SLM) and at least one of the main flow path boundaries (HB) towards the main flow path boundary (HB).

A vehicle propulsion system comprises at least two motors. Combustion occurs upstream of a first motor, and a second motor is downstream of said first motor. The first motor is a turbine that drives a primary propulsion element to effect propulsion and a compressor to effect compression. The second motor is an expansion device whose incoming gases arrive from said first motor. The first motor and the second motor intercommunicate energy via electrical, electromagnetic, and/or mechanical means. Pressurized gases that result from said compression, combustion, or both are rendered or wastegated for auxiliary usage such as aerial thrust, vertical takeoff and/or vertical landing, near-vertical takeoff and/or near-vertical landing, pneumatic storage for hybrid drive, pneumatic lift and/or drive for towing and/or raising another vehicle, aerial vehicle steering, aerial vehicle pitch stabilization or manipulation, aerial vehicle roll stabilization or manipulation, and/or aerial vehicle yaw stabilization or manipulation.

A vehicle propulsion system comprises at least two motors. Combustion occurs upstream of a first motor, and a second motor is downstream of said first motor. The first motor is a turbine that drives a primary propulsion element to effect propulsion and a compressor to effect compression. The second motor is an expansion device whose incoming gases arrive from said first motor. The first motor and the second motor intercommunicate energy via electrical, electromagnetic, and/or mechanical means. Pressurized gases that result from said compression, combustion, or both are rendered or wastegated for auxiliary usage such as aerial thrust, vertical takeoff and/or vertical landing, near-vertical takeoff and/or near-vertical landing, pneumatic storage for hybrid drive, pneumatic lift and/or drive for towing and/or raising another vehicle, aerial vehicle steering, aerial vehicle pitch stabilization or manipulation, aerial vehicle roll stabilization or manipulation, and/or aerial vehicle yaw stabilization or manipulation.

An energy system for converting potential and/or kinetic fluid energy into mechanical kinetic energy is provided comprising a housing configured to securely and rotatably support a centrifugal turbine and a energy transmission shaft, the housing comprising a housing fluid inlet and a housing fluid outlet, where the centrifugal turbine comprises relatively light-weight material and a plurality of chambers supported radially around a central hub and configured to function essentially as impellers to rotatably drive the energy transmission shaft upon direction of fluid into the chambers.

An energy system for converting potential and/or kinetic fluid energy into mechanical kinetic energy is provided comprising a housing configured to securely and rotatably support a centrifugal turbine and a energy transmission shaft, the housing comprising a housing fluid inlet and a housing fluid outlet, where the centrifugal turbine comprises relatively light-weight material and a plurality of chambers supported radially around a central hub and configured to function essentially as impellers to rotatably drive the energy transmission shaft upon direction of fluid into the chambers.

A submersible pump assembly includes a centrifugal pump driven by a motor. The pump has a number of stages, each of the stages having a diffuser and an impeller. An upthrust washer is located between a diffuser upthrust surface and an impeller upthrust surface. Balance holes extend from an inlet on an upper side of the impeller to an outlet within one of the impeller passages. The upthrust washer overlies the inlets while the impeller is in the upthrust position. Slots are located at an interface between the upthrust washer and the impeller upthrust surface. Each of the slots registers with the inlet of one of the balance holes to allow fluid flow into the inlets of the balance holes while the impeller is in the upthrust position.