US-12618390-B2 - Fluid turbine system and method of use

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating electricity from a fluid turbine are provided. In one aspect, the system employs a Tesla turbine to rotate a drive shaft, the drive shaft providing torque to operate an electrical generator. The incoming fluid flow that operates the Tesla turbine enters a hollow portion of the drive shaft and exists the system as an exhaust flow. The system may operate from standard water supplies provided to a residence or business, thereby reclaiming excess water pressure energy.

Inventors

• Coty Church

Assignees

• Tap Energy LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20250227

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A fluid turbine system comprising: a body configured to receive an inlet fluid supply, the body having a longitudinal axis; at least one turbine blade in fluid communication with the inlet fluid supply, the at least one turbine blade comprising a set of configurable bosses; a turbine shaft axially mounted along the longitudinal axis and coupled to the at least one turbine blade, the turbine shaft having a hollow turbine shaft portion with at least one port, the hollow shaft portion configured to communicate a fluid; and a power generator in communication with the turbine shaft; wherein: the inlet fluid supply imparts a turbine blade torque to the at least one turbine blade and flows into the at least one port of the hollow turbine shaft portion; the turbine shaft receives the turbine blade torque and urges the turbine shaft to rotate along the longitudinal axis to create a rotating turbine shaft; the set of configurable bosses operate to balance the at least one turbine blade when the turbine shaft is rotating; the power generator generates output power as enabled by the rotating turbine shaft; and the inlet fluid supply enters the at least one port of the hollow turbine shaft portion and flows through the hollow turbine shaft portion.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the inlet fluid supply exits the body through the hollow turbine shaft portion and the inlet fluid supply is provided by a water utility water supply.
3. 3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of configurable bosses are detachable and at least one of the set of configurable bosses is further configured as a shaft key operating to lock the at least one turbine blade to the turbine shaft.
4. 4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a nozzle configured to vary the incoming fluid supply wherein the output power is regulated.
5. 5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a system controller operating to control at least one of an inlet fluid supply pressure and an inlet fluid supply flow rate.
6. 6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein: the power generator is an electrical generator; the output power is electricity; and the at least one turbine blade is at least one turbine blade disc.
7. 7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the inlet fluid supply is a liquid and the at least one turbine blade is a plurality of turbine blades.
8. 8 . A method of using a fluid turbine device comprising: providing the fluid turbine device comprising: a body configured to receive an inlet fluid supply, the body having a longitudinal axis; at least one turbine blade in fluid communication with the inlet fluid supply, the at least one turbine blade comprising a set of configurable bosses; a turbine shaft axially mounted along the longitudinal axis and coupled to the at least one turbine blade, the turbine shaft having at least one port and a turbine shaft interior configured to communicate a fluid; and a power generator in communication with the turbine shaft; supplying the inlet fluid supply to the body; directing the inlet fluid supply to flow along a turbine blade surface of the at least one turbine blade; generating a turbine blade torque from a rotation of the at least one turbine blade; using the set of configurable bosses to balance the at least one turbine blade when the turbine shaft is rotating; flowing the inlet fluid supply into the at least one port and within the turbine shaft interior; receiving, by the turbine shaft, the turbine blade torque; rotating the turbine shaft as urged by the turbine blade torque to create a rotating turbine shaft; and generating output power by the power generator as enabled by the rotating turbine shaft.
9. 9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the inlet fluid supply is a liquid.
10. 10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one turbine blade is a plurality of turbine blades.
11. 11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the inlet fluid supply is provided by a water utility water supply and the at least one turbine blade is at least one turbine blade disc.
12. 12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the set of configurable bosses are detachable and at least one of the set of configurable bosses is further configured as a shaft key operating to lock the at least one turbine blade to the turbine shaft.
13. 13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising a nozzle configured to vary the incoming fluid supply and enable regulation of the output power; wherein: the power generator is an electrical generator; and the output power is electricity.
14. 14 . A fluid turbine device comprising: a body having a longitudinal axis and configured to receive an inlet fluid stream; at least one turbine blade positioned within the body, the at least one turbine blade configured: i) with a turbine blade surface oriented to generate a turbine blade torque as the inlet fluid stream flows over the turbine blade surface, ii) a set of configurable bosses coupled to the turbine blade surface; and iii) to rotate about the longitudinal axis; and a hollowed turbine shaft comprising at least one port and configured to communicate a fluid and to rotate about the longitudinal axis, the at least one turbine blade axially positioned about the hollowed turbine shaft and rotating with a rotation of the hollowed turbine shaft; wherein: the inlet fluid stream enters the body and flows over the turbine blade surface and into the at least one port of the hollowed turbine shaft; the set of configurable bosses operate to balance the at least one turbine blade when the hollowed turbine shaft is rotating; and the hollowed turbine shaft generates a hollowed turbine shaft torque upon the rotation of the hollowed turbine shaft.
15. 15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one of the set of configurable bosses is further configured as a shaft key operating to lock the at least one turbine blade to the hollowed turbine shaft.
16. 16 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the inlet fluid stream enters the at least one port and exits the body, and the inlet fluid stream is a liquid.
17. 17 . The device of claim 14 , further comprising: a power generator configured to receive the hollowed turbine shaft torque, wherein the power generator generates output power.
18. 18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein: the power generator is an electrical generator; the output power is electricity; and the inlet fluid stream is a liquid and the at least one turbine blade is a plurality of turbine blades.
19. 19 . The device of claim 17 , further comprising a nozzle configured to vary the incoming fluid stream, wherein the output power is regulated.
20. 20 . The device of claim 14 , further comprising a system controller operating to control at least one of an inlet fluid supply pressure of the inlet fluid stream and an inlet fluid supply flow rate of the inlet fluid stream.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/380,005 titled “Fluid Turbine System and Method of Use” filed Oct. 13, 2023 which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/897,140 titled “Hydroelectric Turbine System and Method of Use” filed Aug. 27, 2022 and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/240,815 titled “Hydroelectric Turbine System and Method of Use” filed Sep. 3, 2021, the disclosures of both are hereby incorporated herein by reference in entirety for all purposes. FIELD The disclosure relates generally to systems and methods involving a fluid turbine, and specifically to systems and methods for generating electricity from a fluid turbine. BACKGROUND Traditional incoming water sources to homes or businesses operate at higher water pressures than required to ensure robust and standardized water delivery. The excess water pressure equates to wasted energy. What is needed is a system or method to collect a portion of the excess water pressure for other purposes without compromising water delivery service, thereby recovering what would otherwise be wasted energy. The disclosure solves this need. Specifically, a portion of the excess water pressure may be used to generate electricity. As such, an otherwise wasted source of energy (the excess water pressure) is used to generate electricity. SUMMARY A fluid turbine system is disclosed which is connected to an incoming water source of a home, business or other conventional or standard water supply source. The system produces small amounts of electricity every time a homeowner consumes water (i.e., drinking, bathing, watering lawn, laundry, etc.). In one embodiment, the fluid turbine system may be used as a replacement or supplement to a pressure reducing valve in a home or business. In another embodiment, the system may be installed in-line with an existing pressure reducing valve. The excess water pressure provides the energy needed to drive a turbine that is coupled to a generator which in turn produces electricity. In one embodiment, a hydroelectric turbine system is disclosed, the system comprising: a body configured to receive an inlet fluid supply, the body having a longitudinal axis; a set of turbine blade discs disposed within the body and in fluid communication with the inlet fluid supply; a turbine shaft axially mounted along the longitudinal axis and coupled to the set of turbine blade discs, the turbine shaft having a hollow turbine shaft portion; a shaft coupler axially mounted along the longitudinal axis and coupled to the turbine shaft; an electrical generator coupled to the shaft coupler; wherein: the inlet fluid supply imparts a disc torque to the set of turbine blade discs and flows into the hollow turbine shaft portion; the turbine shaft receives the disc torque urging the turbine shaft to rotate along the longitudinal axis; the shaft coupler rotates about the longitudinal axis to yield a rotating shaft coupler; the electrical generator generates electricity as enabled by the rotating shaft coupler; and the inlet flow enters the hollow turbine shaft portion and forms an exhaust fluid stream. In one aspect, each turbine blade disc of the set of turbine blade discs comprises a set of bosses disposed on a respective disc surface. In another aspect, the inlet fluid supply is provided by a water utility water supply. In another aspect, the electrical generator is a DC generator, and the electricity includes DC electricity. In another aspect, the system further comprises a system controller operating to control at least one of an inlet fluid supply pressure and an inlet fluid supply flow rate. In another aspect, the body comprises a body chamber configured to direct the inlet fluid supply to substantially flow tangentially along a disc surface of each turbine blade disc. In another aspect, the shaft coupler is a magnetic shaft coupler; and the shaft coupler is magnetically coupled to the turbine shaft. In another embodiment, a method of generating electricity from a hydroelectric turbine device is disclosed, the method comprising: providing a hydroelectric turbine device comprising: a body configured to receive an inlet fluid supply, the body having a longitudinal axis; a set of turbine blade discs disposed within the body and in fluid communication with the inlet fluid supply; a turbine shaft axially mounted along the longitudinal axis and coupled to the set of turbine blade discs, the turbine shaft having a turbine shaft interior; a shaft coupler axially mounted along the longitudinal axis and coupled to the turbine shaft; and an electrical generator coupled to the shaft coupler; supplying the inlet fluid supply to the body; directing the inlet fluid supply to flow along a disc surface of each turbine blade disc of the set of turbine blade discs; generating a disc torque from the set of turbine blade discs; flowing the inlet fluid into