Abstract: The drive system for wind turbine with contra-rotating generator includes various embodiments of belt drive pulley systems for a direct drive contra-rotating wind generator. The generator has a magnetic rotor and an armature mounted on a shaft configured to rotate in the opposite direction from the magnetic rotor. In some embodiments, a belt extends across two pairs of coaxially mounted idler pulleys between a pulley on the magnetic rotor shaft and a pulley on the armature shaft. In other embodiments, the pulleys on the magnetic rotor and armature shafts are double sheave pulleys, and a first belt extends across one or two coaxial pair(s) of idler pulleys between an inner and outer sheave, and a second belt extends across one or two coaxial pair(s) of idler pulleys between an inner and outer sheave. Either the magnetic rotor or the armature shaft or both are coupled to a wind turbine rotor.

Abstract: The combined pump and energy recovery turbine includes at least one fluid flow pressurizing a sliding vane pump and a sliding vane energy recovery turbine that recovers energy from a second fluid flow, such as the brine discharge from an RO seawater desalination system. A cylindrical rotor has two sliding vanes in respective slots, the rotor being concentrically disposed within an oval-shaped enclosure defining two mirror image crescent-shaped chambers, each chamber having inlet and outlet passageways. The first chamber pressurizes the first fluid flow, and the second chamber functions as a second outflow-driven energy recovery turbine, thus enabling the single rotor device to operate as a pressurizing pump on the first fluid flow, and second outflow-driven energy recovery turbine recovering energy from the pressure drop in the second fluid flow.

Abstract: The drive system for wind turbine with contra-rotating generator includes various embodiments of belt drive pulley systems for a direct drive contra-rotating wind generator. The generator has a magnetic rotor and an armature mounted on a shaft configured to rotate in the opposite direction from the magnetic rotor. In some embodiments, a belt extends across two pairs of coaxially mounted idler pulleys between a pulley on the magnetic rotor shaft and a pulley on the armature shaft. In other embodiments, the pulleys on the magnetic rotor and armature shafts are double sheave pulleys, and a first belt extends across one or two coaxial pair(s) of idler pulleys between an inner and outer sheave, and a second belt extends across one or two coaxial pair(s) of idler pulleys between an inner and outer sheave. Either the magnetic rotor or the armature shaft or both are coupled to a wind turbine rotor.

Abstract: The rotary diaphragm pump has a flexible, resilient diaphragm band surrounding an elliptical frame within a case having four chambers surrounding an elliptical core. An articulating mechanism has a plurality of wheels traveling along the elliptical edges of the frame. The mechanism extends and retracts as the wheels move from maximum extension along the major axis of their elliptical tracks to minimum extension at the minor axis of their tracks. This mechanism drives a pair of actuator rollers along the inner surface of the diaphragm, periodically forcing the diaphragm into the surrounding chambers to produce the pumping action. Each chamber has an inlet port and an outlet port. The various ports may be interconnected to provide one or more multi-stage pumps in combination with one or more single-stage pumps, as desired. Two or more pumps may be joined in tandem to provide greater capacity from a single drive shaft.

Abstract: The combined pump and energy recovery turbine includes at least one fluid flow pressurizing a sliding vane pump and a sliding vane energy recovery turbine that recovers energy from a second fluid flow, such as the brine discharge from an RO seawater desalination system. A cylindrical rotor has two sliding vanes in respective slots, the rotor being concentrically disposed within an oval-shaped enclosure defining two mirror image crescent-shaped chambers, each chamber having inlet and outlet passageways. The first chamber pressurizes the first fluid flow, and the second chamber functions as a second outflow-driven energy recovery turbine, thus enabling the single rotor device to operate as a pressurizing pump on the first fluid flow, and second outflow-driven energy recovery turbine recovering energy from the pressure drop in the second fluid flow.

Abstract: The rotary diaphragm pump has a flexible, resilient diaphragm band surrounding an elliptical frame within a case having four chambers surrounding an elliptical core. An articulating mechanism has a plurality of wheels traveling along the elliptical edges of the frame. The mechanism extends and retracts as the wheels move from maximum extension along the major axis of their elliptical tracks to minimum extension at the minor axis of their tracks. This mechanism drives a pair of actuator rollers along the inner surface of the diaphragm, periodically forcing the diaphragm into the surrounding chambers to produce the pumping action. Each chamber has an inlet port and an outlet port. The various ports may be interconnected to provide one or more multi-stage pumps in combination with one or more single-stage pumps, as desired. Two or more pumps may be joined in tandem to provide greater capacity from a single drive shaft.

Abstract: An axial vane rotary power device comprises a rotor arranged to turn within an annular chamber having two end plates with mutually facing undulating cam surfaces. Vanes retained in angularly spaced slots in the rotor reciprocate axially as the rotor turns. Transfer passages, interleaved between the vanes, connect each working chamber to a respective transfer port at the central bore of the rotor. A tubular inner stator member, about which the rotor turns, has two sets of peripheral ports that provide fluid communication between the working chambers and intake and exhaust channels as the rotor turns. Various configurations of the device allow it to function as either a two- or four-phase internal combustion engine, a fluid driven motor, a pump, a compressor or an expander.

Abstract: An energy exchanger device can be used for exchanging pressure energy from one fluid to another, or may act as a hydraulic compressor or fluid driven pump. A preferred device uses a jet nozzle to rotate a cylindrical rotor block having a number of axially oriented conduits within it. As the rotor turns, one end of each of the conduits is alternately connected, through a first set of ports, to either an inlet for a high pressure fluid, or an outlet for the high pressure fluid from which the energy has been extracted. Correspondingly, the other end of each of the conduits is alternately connected to either an inlet for a low pressure fluid or an outlet for the fluid to which the energy has been transferred. A freely sliding element, such as a ball, may be placed in each of the conduits to isolate the two fluids from each other.

Abstract: A family of sliding vane rotary power devices provides two and four-phase internal combustion engines, as well as serving as pumps and compressors. All of these devices have an improved donut shaped rotor assembly having an integrated axial pump portion, an end shaft, a plurality of radial-directed passages and an equal plurality of sliding vanes in respective slots that are medially guided by cam followers moving in a pair of cam grooves The devices include an axial pump portion that acts as a supercharger for the four-phase internal combustion engine, a scavenger for the two-phase internal combustion engine, and as an axial pressure inducer when operating as a pump or compressor.

Abstract: A family of sliding vane rotary power devices provides an internal combustion engine, a pump, a compressor, a fluid-driven motor, an expander device, a fluid-driven pump, a compressor or a throttling device. All of these devices have a rotor assembly with a number of vanes equally spaced about the rotor dividing the rotor chamber into discrete cavities. As the rotor turns, the vanes follow the wall contour of the rotor chamber so that the cavities rotate with the rotor and expand and contract as the rotor turns. Various combinations of smooth wall contours and rotational arrangements are provided in different devices in order to cause an appropriate number of expansions and contractions of a cavity during the course of a rotation. Various devices in the family of devices differ both in the shape of the rotor chamber and in the configuration of an internal stator member about which the rotor assembly turns.

Abstract: A rotary power device of the swinging piston type has a cylindrical rotor mounted between internal and external portions of a stator. The internal stator provides intake and exhaust channels and may hold an igniter. The external stator includes two axially adjacent cam tracks with diametrically opposed eccentricities with respect to the axis of rotation. The rotor includes two axially spaced sets of sector-shaped compartments arranged at equal angular intervals around the inner stator, where each set is axially aligned with a respective cam track. Each compartment is open at the periphery of the rotor and has an inner opening aligned with ports in the internal stator. A sector-shaped piston mounted in each compartment pivots about an axis at one vertex of the compartment. Each piston includes a roller follower for engaging the respective cam track as the rotor rotates.

Abstract: A rotary power device of the swinging piston type comprises a cylindrical rotor mounted between internal and external portions of a stator. The internal portion of the stator provides intake and exhaust channels and may hold an igniter. The external portion of the stator includes a middle portion with an oval cam track. The rotor includes a multiplicity of sector-shaped compartments arranged at equal angular intervals around the inner stator. Each compartment is open at the periphery of the rotor and has an inner opening to the central bore in alignment with ports in the central internal stator. A sector-shaped piston is mounted in each compartment for pivotal motion about a pivot axis at one vertex of the compartment. Each piston includes a roller follower for engaging the oval-shaped cam track as the rotor rotates, which causes angular reciprocation of the pistons within the compartments while performing intake and exhaust cycles through inner openings.

Abstract: An axial piston rotary power device has a housing enclosing a cylindrical chamber. An axially undulating guide cam is medially fixed to the inner annular wall of the chamber. A central cylindrical stator protrudes axially through the chamber from one end of the housing. The stator has lateral intake and discharge ports communicating with axial channels for conveying working fluid to and from the chamber. A rotary cylindrical block has a plurality of closed-ended cylindrical bores parallel to and spaced apart at equal angular intervals around a central bore. The block rotatably encloses the central cylindrical stator. Each closed-ended cylindrical bore has, at each end, a radially inward opening through the central bore and axially aligned with lateral ports in the central stator. A plurality of double-acting pistons are slidably received in the bores. Each piston has a medial stub shaft protruding through a slot parallel to the axis.

Abstract: An axial piston rotary power device can be configured as a four-cycle and two-cycle internal combustion engine, a compressor, a pump, a fluid-driven motor or an expander. The device includes an external stator housing, an internal axial stator and a rotary cylindrical block attached to an end shaft that can rotate within the annular enclosure formed by the two stators. The cylindrical block contains a plurality of cylindrical cavities arranged as pairs of working cylinders. Each cylindrical cavity encloses a double-acting piston assembly comprising two piston heads connected to a middle portion having a pair of axially spaced apart roller cam followers that make roller contact with a guide cam surface protruding from the inside of the external stator housing. The action of the cam roller followers on the guide cam imparts rotation to the cylindrical block when the piston assemblies reciprocate within their respective bores.

Abstract: A rotary power device of the swinging piston type comprises a cylindrical rotor mounted between internal and external portions of a stator. The internal portion of the stator provides intake and exhaust channels and may hold an igniter. The external portion of the stator includes a middle portion with an oval cam track. The rotor includes a multiplicity of sector-shaped compartments arranged at equal angular intervals around the inner stator. Each compartment is open at the periphery of the rotor and has an inner opening to the central bore in alignment with ports in the central internal stator. A sector-shaped piston is mounted in each compartment for pivotal motion about a pivot axis at one vertex of the compartment. Each piston includes a roller follower for engaging the oval-shaped cam track as the rotor rotates, which causes angular reciprocation of the pistons within the compartments while performing intake and exhaust cycles through inner openings.

Abstract: A rotary power device of the swinging piston type has a cylindrical rotor mounted between internal and external portions of a stator. The internal stator provides intake and exhaust channels and may hold an igniter. The external stator includes two axially adjacent cam tracks with diametrically opposed eccentricities with respect to the axis of rotation. The rotor includes two axially spaced sets of sector-shaped compartments arranged at equal angular intervals around the inner stator, where each set is axially aligned with a respective cam track. Each compartment is open at the periphery of the rotor and has an inner opening aligned with ports in the internal stator. A sector-shaped piston mounted in each compartment pivots about an axis at one vertex of the compartment. Each piston includes a roller follower for engaging the respective cam track as the rotor rotates.

Abstract: An axial piston rotary power device has a housing enclosing a cylindrical chamber. An axially undulating guide cam is medially fixed to the inner annular wall of the chamber. A central cylindrical stator protrudes axially through the chamber from one end of the housing. The stator has lateral intake and discharge ports communicating with axial channels for conveying working fluid to and from the chamber. A rotary cylindrical block has a plurality of closed-ended cylindrical bores parallel to and spaced apart at equal angular intervals around a central bore. The block rotatably encloses the central cylindrical stator. Each closed-ended cylindrical bore has, at each end, a radially inward opening through the central bore and axially aligned with lateral ports in the central stator. A plurality of double-acting pistons are slidably received in the bores. Each piston has a medial stub shaft protruding through a slot parallel to the axis.

Abstract: An axial piston rotary power device can be configured as a four-cycle and two-cycle internal combustion engine, a compressor, a pump, a fluid-driven motor or an expander. The device includes an external stator housing, an internal axial stator and a rotary cylindrical block attached to an end shaft that can rotate within the annular enclosure formed by the two stators. The cylindrical block contains a plurality of cylindrical cavities arranged as pairs of working cylinders. Each cylindrical cavity encloses a double-acting piston assembly comprising two piston heads connected to a middle portion having a pair of axially spaced apart roller cam followers that make roller contact with a guide cam surface protruding from the inside of the external stator housing. The action of the cam roller followers on the guide cam imparts rotation to the cylindrical block when the piston assemblies reciprocate within their respective bores.