Miniature hydro-power generation system

Abstract

A miniature hydro-power generation system includes an outer housing and an inner housing. The outer housing may receive a flow of liquid flowing in a first direction at a predetermined range of pressure. The flow of liquid may be decreased by a predetermined amount of pressure and increased by a predetermined amount of velocity and channeled to a hydro-generator included in the inner housing with an inlet nozzle. The flow of liquid may be channeled with the inlet nozzle to flow in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Upon transfer of kinetic energy in the flow of liquid to the hydro-generator, the inner housing may rotate in the second direction. The flow of liquid may then be channeled back to the first direction and out of the housing with an outlet nozzle. The outlet nozzle configured to increase the pressure and decrease the velocity of the flow of liquid to minimized non-laminar flow characteristics.

1 . A miniature hydro-power generation system, comprising:
 a housing comprising an outer surface;   an inlet nozzle forming a portion of the outer surface of the housing;   an outlet nozzle also forming a portion of the outer surface of the housing;   a plurality of paddles formed with a base, the base rotatably disposed between the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle to form a portion of the outer surface, so that the paddles extend outwardly from a central axis of the housing in a channel formed between the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle; and   a generator comprising a stator and a rotor, at least one of the stator and the rotor rotatably disposed within the channel and coupled with at least one of the paddles and the base, the stator positioned proximate the rotor to form the generator.   
     
     
         2 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is disposed in an outer enclosure having a first section formed with a first cross-sectional area, and a second section formed with a second cross-sectional area, the outlet nozzle coupled with and extending into the first section, and the inlet nozzle coupled with and extending into the second section, the cross-sectional area of the second section being larger than the cross-sectional area of the first section. 
     
     
         3 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 2 , wherein the outer enclosure includes a third section positioned between the first section and the second section, the third section have a cross-sectional area larger than the first section and smaller than the second section. 
     
     
         4 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet nozzle comprises an inlet channel configured to receive a flow of liquid flowing in a first direction and channel the flow of liquid to the channel to impact the paddles at a predetermined angle, the flow of liquid flowing in the channel in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction after impact. 
     
     
         5 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet nozzle comprises an inlet channel configured to receive a flow of liquid flowing in a direction substantially parallel with the central axis of the housing, divert the flow of liquid by about forty five degrees from the direction substantially parallel with the central axis, and direct the flow of liquid to impact the paddles in the channel, the paddles rotatable in the channel perpendicular to the direction substantially parallel with the central axis. 
     
     
         6 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet nozzle comprises an inlet channel that includes an inner wall, an outer wall and an inlet slot exit, the inner wall comprising a first arc with a first predetermined radius of curvature and a second arc with a second predetermined radius of curvature that is different than the first predetermined radius of curvature of the first arc, the first arc configured to direct a first portion of the flow of liquid out of the inlet slot exit, and the second arc configured to direct a second portion of the flow of liquid out of the inlet slot exit. 
     
     
         7 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the combination of the inlet nozzle, the base, and the outlet nozzle substantially complete the outer surface of the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a shaft having a first end and a second end and being positioned along the central axis of the housing, the first end of the shaft coupled with the inlet nozzle, and the second end of the shaft coupled with the outlet nozzle. 
     
     
         9 . A miniature hydro-power generation system, comprising:
 an inlet nozzle and an outlet nozzle forming part of a housing;   a shaft having a first end and a second end and being positioned along a central axis of the housing, the first end of the shaft coupled with the inlet nozzle, and the second end of the shaft coupled with the outlet nozzle;   a plurality of paddles rotatably disposed between the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle and coupled with the shaft, the paddles extending outwardly away from the central axis of the housing in a channel formed to circumferentially surround at least a part of the shaft between the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle; and   a generator comprising a stator and a rotor, at least one of the stator and the rotor rotatably disposed within the channel and coupled with the paddles, the stator positioned proximate the rotor to form the generator.   
     
     
         10 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 9 , wherein the central channel is formed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular with the central axis so that the paddles and the at least one of the rotor and the stator rotate around the shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 9 , further comprising a first bearing and a second bearing surrounding the shaft and configured to enable rotation of the paddles and the at least one of the rotor and the stator around the shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 9 , wherein the inlet nozzle is configured to receive a flow of liquid flowing in a first direction substantially parallel with the central axis of the housing, and further configured to change the flow of liquid to a second direction substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 9 , wherein the paddles are integrally formed as part of a turbine rotor, the turbine rotor also formed to include a bearing holder, the bearing holder formed to receive a bearing that surrounds the shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 9 , wherein the paddles are integrally formed as part of a turbine rotor, and the channel is defined by the inlet nozzle, the outlet nozzle and the turbine rotor. 
     
     
         15 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 9 , further comprising a rotatable base having an outer surface and an inner surface, the paddles coupled with the outer surface, and the at least one of the rotor and the stator coupled with the inner surface. 
     
     
         16 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 15 , wherein the rotatable base includes a central aperture through which the shaft extends between the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle. 
     
     
         17 . A miniature hydro-power generation system, comprising:
 an outer housing;   an inner housing disposed within the outer housing, the inner housing comprising an inlet nozzle and an outlet nozzle fixedly coupled with the outer housing;   the inner housing further comprising a turbine rotor that includes a plurality of paddles disposed in a central channel formed by the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle, the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle configured to surround a portion of the turbine rotor;   the combination of the inlet nozzle, the outlet nozzle, and the turbine rotor configured to form the inner housing and a cavity inside the inner housing;   a shaft coupled with the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle and extending through the turbine rotor, the turbine rotor rotatable within the outer housing around the shaft; and   a generator comprising a stator and a rotor, at least one of the stator and the rotor disposed within the turbine rotor, the stator positioned proximate the rotor to form the generator.   
     
     
         18 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 17 , wherein the generator includes a permanent magnet, the permanent magnet coupled to an inner surface of the turbine rotor. 
     
     
         19 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 17 , wherein the turbine rotor includes a bearing aperture formed to receive a bearing, the bearing surrounding the shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 19 , wherein the inlet nozzle comprises an inlet shaft sleeve formed to engage and be partially enclosed by the bearing. 
     
     
         21 . The miniature hydro-power generation system of  claim 17 , wherein the outer housing becomes progressively smaller from the inlet nozzle to the outlet nozzle so that shoulders are formed to maintain the position of the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle in the outer housing. 
     
     
         22 . A method of generating power with a miniature hydro-power generation system comprising:
 providing an enclosure that defines an interior chamber;   receiving at an inlet nozzle coupled with the enclosure a flow of liquid flowing substantially in parallel with a central axis of the enclosure;   directing the flow of liquid into a central channel with the inlet nozzle to rotate a turbine rotor such that the flow of liquid flows axially around the central axis of the enclosure in the central channel, the central channel formed in the enclosure;   rotating the turbine rotor axially around the central axis of the enclosure using the flow of liquid;   generating electric power with a generator comprising a stator and a rotor, at least one of the stator and the rotor disposed in the rotating turbine rotor, the stator positioned proximate the rotor to form the generator;   receiving the flow of liquid from the central channel with an outlet nozzle coupled with the enclosure; and   channeling the flow of liquid with the outlet nozzle to flow out of the enclosure substantially parallel with the central axis of the enclosure.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein rotating the turbine rotor axially around the central axis of the enclosure in the central channel using the flow of liquid comprises flowing the flow of liquid in the central channel at a velocity that is substantially equal to a rotational velocity of the turbine rotor. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein receiving at the inlet nozzle coupled with the enclosure a flow of liquid comprises adjusting the flow of liquid to a predetermined pressure and velocity with the inlet nozzle; and wherein receiving the flow of liquid from the central channel with the outlet nozzle comprises increasing the predetermined pressure to a predetermined higher pressure while reducing the predetermined velocity to a predetermined lower velocity with the outlet nozzle. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein adjusting the flow of liquid to the predetermined pressure and velocity with the inlet nozzle comprises decreasing the pressure and increasing the velocity of the flow of liquid. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein directing the flow of liquid into the central channel with the inlet nozzle comprises channeling the flow of liquid into the interior chamber. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein directing the flow of liquid into the central channel comprises changing a direction of flow of the flow of liquid from flowing substantially in parallel with the central axis to flowing axially around at least part of the central axis of the enclosure. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein rotating the turbine rotor axially around the central axis of the enclosure comprises rotating the turbine rotor within the interior chamber between the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein rotating the turbine rotor axially around the central axis comprises extracting kinetic energy from the flow of liquid while the liquid flows in the central channel with the rotating turbine rotor.