Title:
Raghuraj Hinged Blade Hydraulic Turbine
TECHNICAL FIELD:
The present invention relates to power generation in general and to hinged blade
hydraulic turbines inparticular ..
BACKGROUND:
The use of potential or kinetic power from water in order to provide driving force and
more especially electric energy is widely known.
There is a number of water resources, such as irrigation canals, feeding or discharge
canals to and from rivers, lakes or estuaries with sufficient flow rate to produce electric power.
For many years, treadmills or waterwheels have been widely used to obtain energy frorn
the moving' water and to turn stone wheels or industrial machinery and some small electric
generators in a relatively simple, low-cost way.
Water wheels or hydraulic turbine have been used for hundreds of years for industrial power.
. ' .
Their main purpose is harnessing flowing water power. The migration from water wheels to
modern tur.bines took about one hundred years. Development occurred during the l.ndustrial
revolution, using scientific principles and methods. They also made extensive use of new
materials and manufacturing methods developed at the time.
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IPO· DELHI 27-86-2016 17"11
However a major constraint of the turbines in the prior art is that it is affected by the
downstream flow that usually pushes the blades in the opposite direction to the flow of stream
due to which torque reduces. Also in the fixed blade turbine· units, when blades moves after the
hitting of water stream, the force of earth's gravitation, pulls the blade in the opposite
direction( backward direction) to that of the turbine. This phenomenon also leads to erratic_
movement of the fixed blade turbine thereby adversely affecting the torque generated.
Another constraint of the fixed blade turbine unit is that length of blade up to which it can
immerse in downstream is restricted to a limit, further which it adversely affects the torque
generated.
Thus, there is a need for a hydraulic· device that can generate sufficient torque, more
particularly·, wherein there is relative low flow rate of the flowing water in the stream.
To overcome the· aforesaid challenge, the present invention discloses a modified version of
turbine which is useful more particularly for small scale energy production like over canals and
·rivers. This concept utilises flow rates of ·canals and converts it into the use full work in form of
- meGhanical-or eleGVica 1-energy-wh ich-solve-the·majer-problems ef-energy-crises7'
SUMMARY:
The subject matter described herein is directed to an hydraulic turbine in general and to
a hinged blade hydraulic turbines in particular.
According to an embodiment of present invention, the hinged blade hydraulic turbine
comprises of a blade holding wheel disposed substantially co-axial to a power transmission
shaft,· a blade unit, a locking device wherein blades of the blade unit are adaptively hinged on
the blade holding wheel by means of the locking device such that the blade of blade unit 103
gets locked once the blade get in contact with upstream flow.
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IPO DELHI 27~86-2016 17 11
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the blades of blade unit are
curved.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the blades of blade unit are
semi-curved.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the blades of blade unit are
straight.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a generator is coupled to
the power transmission shaft.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the locking device is a rivet.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present subject matter will
become better understood with reference to the folldwing description and appended claims.
This summary is provided to introduce· a selection of concepts in a simplified form. This.
summary is not intended to identify key features or· essential features of ~he claimed subject
matter, rior is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
The feature, aspects and advantages of the subject matter will be better understood with
-regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawing wherein;
Fig: 001 Diagram of main turbine unit in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein;
Unit 101 is blade holding wheel.
Unit 102 is pow.er transmission shaft.
Unit 103 is Blades of turbine.
Unit 104 is locking device for Blades.
' Fig: 002 is Isometric view of main turbine unit with straight blades, in an embodiment of the
,present invention.
Fig: 003 is lsc;>metric view of main turbine unit with curved blades, in an P.mbnr:limP.nt of
the present invention.
Fig: 004 front view of main turbine unit with curved blades, in an embodiment -of the
present invention, wherein;
Unit 103A is curved turbine blade.
Fig: 005 is side view of different type of blades for main turbine unit in an embodiment of
the present invention.
Unit 103 is straight turbine blade in an embodiment of the present invention.
Unit 103A is curved turbine blade in another embodiment of the present invention.
Unit 103B is Semi-curved turbine blade in yet another embodiment of the present
invention.
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IPD OELHI 27-BS-2016 17 11
DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION:
The device ·disclosed in th~ present invention provides better efficiency and torque,
more particularly wherein flow rates of streams are relatively less.
Working Principle :
As shown. in Fig. land Fig. 2, In an embodiment of the present invention, a Unit 101 is mounting
on a unit 102 which transfers torque from the wheel ( unit 101 ) as the blades of unit 103 are
driven by the force of upstream wave of preferably a canal/river. Blades of Unit 103 are
arranged in such a way that when it gets in contact with canal water upstream, it will be locked
by the unit 104 in that position so that maximum force can be transmitted from the upstream
flow to the unit 103.
When the blades· of unit 103 are not in contact with theupstream flow, it will be free as it
hangsfreely on hinges. So ~II theblades of unit 103 in contact with upstream are locked and
otherblades of unit 103 which aren't in contact with upstream will be free. :. .
In an embodiment of the present invention, the locking device 104 .is a rivet. In yet
another. embodiment of the present invention, the locking device 104 is adaptively adjustable
to fix the angle of blade ofthe bt'ade unit i03.
The other advantage of hinged blade of unit 103 is that it is not affected by the
downstream flow that usually pushes the blade in the opposite direction to that of the turbine,
due to which torque reduces and it is the ~ammon problem of turbines in the prior art. Also due
to the hinged blade units of unit 103 it utilises the effect of gravity to its advantage compared
to that of the fixed blade turbine units of the prior art, wherein, when the blades moves after
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IPO DELHI 27~as-ZB1S 17 11
••
.the hitting of water stream, the gravitational pull on the blade will try to rotate the turbine in
the opposite direction.· However, in the present invention blade of unit 103 are hinged due to
which gravity effect on blade of unit 103 is in favour of and rotates the blade in forward
direction. This also helps in smooth running of turbine unit compared to that of the prior art.
Furthermore, the length of blade up to which it can immersed in downstream is restricted to
a particular limit, further which it adversely affects the torque generated. In the present
invention length of blade of unit 103 can be increased beyond that limit, which is in the present
embodiment is 2m and there is no obstruction provided by the upstream that's why it opens
new gates fpr energy harvesting.
This· unique phenomenon provides maximum power transmission to the unit 102 and
flowing water energy can be harnessed in use full mechanical or electrical energy.
ln_anotheLembodiment oh~e present invention-the-blades are wrved,-as shown in-Fig.-3 -
Fig: 004 front view of main turbine unit with curved blades, in an embodiment of the
l
present invention, wherein Unit 103A are curved turbine blades.
Fig: 005 illustrates side view of different types of blades for main turbine unit wherein,
Unit 103 is a straight turbine blade in an embodiment of the present (nvention. Unit 103A is
curved turbine blade in another embodiment of the present invention. Unit 103B is Semicurved
turbine blade in yet another embodiment of the present invention.
Here the applicant intends to encompass within the language any structur~ presently
existing or developed in future that performs· the same function. Further, the components of
the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly
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,,... )
illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference
numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views.
. Although the subject matter has been described in considerable detail with reference to
certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are also possible. As such, th~
spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the
preferred embodiment contained therein.

I claim:
1. A hinged blade hydraulic turbine comprising
a blade holding wheel 101 disposed substantially co-axial to power transmission
shaft 102;
a blade unit 103;
a locking device 104 wherein blades of said blade unit 103 are adaptively hinged
on said blade holding wheel 101 by means of said locking device 104 such that
the blade. of blade unit 103 gets locked once said· blade get in contact with
u·pstream flow.
2. 'f.he hinged blade hydraulic.turbine of claim 1 wherein said blades of said blade unit 103
are curved.
3. The hinged blade h,ydraulic turbine of claim 1 wherein said blades of said blade unit 103 ·
are semi-curvea. ·
4. The hinged blade hydraulic turbine of claim 1 wherein said blades of said blade unit 103
are straight ..
5. The hinged blade hydraulic turbine of claim 1 wherein a generator is coupled to said
power transmission shaft 102.
6. The hinged blade hydraulic turbine of clr~im l wherein said locking device 104 is a rivet.
· 7. The hinged blade hydraulic turbine of claim 1 wherein said locking device 104 is
adaptively adjustable to fix the angle of said blades of said blade unit 103.
8. The hinged blade hydraulic turbine of claim 1; substantially as described herein and
illustrated.