An improved turbine over the old horizontal and vertical axis turbines because of its ability to capture several times the amount of wind. The basic design and process of this new machine can also work in the ocean at capturing ocean currents. Being Omni-directional (not having to turn into the wind) gives it one efficiency over the 3 bladed turbine. Another efficiency all embodiments have is its frictionless exponent. This quality helps save on wear and tear and maintenance cost. Most if not all past turbines have a static presents, being built in one basic wind capturing position. This new turbine is more dynamic because it can hide from wind damage and then open to capture more wind than its predecessors.

An article includes a ceramic-based substrate and a barrier layer on the ceramic-based substrate. The barrier layer includes a matrix phase and gettering particles in the matrix phase. The gettering particles with an aspect ratio greater than one are aligned such that a maximum dimension of the gettering particles extends along an axis that is generally parallel to the substrate. The barrier layer includes a dispersion of diffusive particles in the matrix phase. A composite material and a method of applying a barrier layer to a substrate are also disclosed.

A system for generating power includes an environmental engine operating on one or more computing devices that determines a wind flowing over a blade of a wind turbine, wherein the wind flowing over the blade of the wind turbine varies based on environmental conditions and operating parameters of the wind turbine. The system also includes an artificial intelligence (AI) ensemble engine operating on the one or more computing devices that generates a plurality of different models for the wind turbine. Each model characterizes a relationship between at least two of a rotor speed, a blade pitch, the wind flowing over the blade, a wind speed and a turbulence intensity for the wind turbine. The AI ensemble engine selects a model with a highest efficiency metric, and simulates execution of the selected model to determine recommended operating parameters.

A fluid-driven power generation unit, may include two sets of airfoils disposed on opposite sides of the power generation unit with their leading edges facing a windward end of the power generation unit; a body element having a curved front face and a back disposed, wherein at least a portion of the elongate body element is disposed between the first and second set of airfoils; and a power generation unit disposed in alignment with the body element, the power generation unit including at least a housing, and a turbine and an electrical generation unit actuated by the turbine disposed within the housing. As a fluid flows across the airfoils, the lifting force of the airfoils causes a reduced pressure within the power generation unit, drawing air past the turbine, through the body element and out the back of the body element, thereby extracting power from this secondary fluid flow stream.

An improved turbine over the old horizontal and vertical axis turbines because of its ability to capture several times the amount of wind. The basic design and process of this new machine can also work in the ocean at capturing ocean currents. Being Omni-directional (not having to turn into the wind) gives it one efficiency over the 3 bladed turbine. Another efficiency all embodiments have is its frictionless exponent. This quality helps save on wear and tear and maintenance cost. Most if not all past turbines have a static presents, being built in one basic wind capturing position. This new turbine is more dynamic because it can hide from wind damage and then open to capture more wind than its predecessors.

A pumped hydro energy storage system and method are disclosed. The system employs a high-density fluid, such as a slurry, to improve power output. In some cases, the fluid is a binary fluid system, with a high-density fluid and a lower-density fluid, such as water. The lower-density fluid flows through the turbine unit of the system, avoiding the need to modify the system to handle the high-density fluid, while achieving improved power output. The system can be configured with one atmospheric reservoir for a higher-density fluid and another one for a lighter-density fluid. Each of them is connected to a pressurized cavity which is filled with the higher-density or lighter-density fluid. The atmospheric tanks may be at the same elevation, or the tank with high density fluid might be higher for increased energy output. For example, the system may be placed on a topographical elevation. The system further includes a fire extinguishing sub-system to utilize the water or lower-density fluid to extinguish fires occurring in the proximity thereof.

A rotor blade for addressing the deflection of rotor blades of a wind turbine. The rotor blade includes a plurality of exterior surfaces defining a blade body having a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The blade body extending between a blade tip and a blade root. The blade body including a breakaway tip portion defined by a predetermined breaking point. The breakaway tip portion is configured to break away from the remaining portion of the blade body when subject to a predetermined tower strike load. A wind turbine including the rotor blade configuration is further disclosed.

A jointed rotor blade assembly may include a first blade segment having a first outer shell terminating at a first joint end and a second blade segment coupled to the first blade segment at a blade joint. The second blade segment may include a second outer shell terminating at a second joint end. The outer shells may overlap one another at the blade joint such that an overlapping region is defined between the first and second joint ends. In addition, the first outer shell may be spaced apart from the second outer shell along at least a portion of the overlapping region such that a gap is defined between the outer shells within the overlapping region. Moreover, the rotor blade assembly may include a sealing member positioned between the outer shells within the overlapping region that is configured to allow relative movement between the outer shells at the blade joint.

An improved turbine over the old horizontal and vertical axis turbines because of its ability to capture several times the amount of wind. The basic design and process of this new machine can also work in the ocean at capturing ocean currents. Being Omni-directional (not having to turn into the wind) gives it one efficiency over the 3 bladed turbine. Another efficiency all embodiments have is its frictionless exponent. This quality helps save on wear and tear and maintenance cost. Most if not all past turbines have a static presents, being built in one basic wind capturing position. This new turbine is more dynamic because it can hide from wind damage and then open to capture more wind than its predecessors.

A method for protecting a wind turbine from an extreme change in wind direction includes receiving a wind direction and/or a wind speed at the wind turbine. When a change in the wind direction or the wind speed exceeds a predetermined threshold, the method includes determining a margin to stall and/or zero lift of the at least one rotor blade of the wind turbine as a function of an angle of attack or change in the angle of attack at a blade span location of at least one rotor blade of the wind turbine. The method also includes implementing a corrective action for the wind turbine (without shutting down the wind turbine) when the margin to stall and/or zero lift exceeds a predetermined value so as to avoid stall and/or negative lift on the at least one rotor blade during operation of the wind turbine.