Abstract: A pump includes a pump casing that defines a pump chamber, the pump casing having an inlet and an outlet. An impeller is arranged with respect to the pump chamber to displace fluid from the inlet into the pump chamber. A vortex shaping mechanism is arranged in the pump chamber and is configured to constrain fluid within the pump chamber into a rotational flow pattern about a rotational axis. At least the casing and the vortex shaping mechanism are configured so that a portion of the fluid is encouraged to establish a solid body vortex, with an outer periphery of the solid body vortex being determined by the vortex shaping mechanism, and a portion of the fluid defining a diffusion zone in fluid communication with the outlet such that fluid cant diffuse across a fluid interface between the solid body vortex and the diffusion zone to generate a pumping pressure at the outlet.

Abstract: A pump includes a pump casing that defines a pump chamber, the pump casing having an inlet and an outlet. An impeller is arranged with respect to the pump chamber to displace fluid from the inlet into the pump chamber. A vortex shaping mechanism is arranged in the pump chamber and is configured to constrain fluid within the pump chamber into a rotational flow pattern about a rotational axis. At least the casing and the vortex shaping mechanism are configured so that a portion of the fluid is encouraged to establish a solid body vortex, with an outer periphery of the solid body vortex being determined by the vortex shaping mechanism, and a portion of the fluid defining a diffusion zone in fluid communication with the outlet such that fluid cant diffuse across a fluid interface between the solid body vortex and the diffusion zone to generate a pumping pressure at the outlet.

Abstract: A pump includes a pump casing that defines a pump chamber, the pump casing having an inlet and an outlet. An impeller is arranged with respect to the pump chamber to displace fluid from the inlet into the pump chamber. A vortex shaping mechanism is arranged in the pump chamber and is configured to constrain fluid within the pump chamber into a rotational flow pattern about a rotational axis. At least the casing and the vortex shaping mechanism are configured so that a portion of the fluid is encouraged to establish a solid body vortex, with an outer periphery of the solid body vortex being determined by the vortex shaping mechanism, and a portion of the fluid defining a diffusion zone in fluid communication with the outlet such that fluid can diffuse across a fluid interface between the solid body vortex and the diffusion zone to generate a pumping pressure at the outlet.

Abstract: A pump includes a pump casing that defines a pump chamber, the pump casing having an inlet and an outlet. An impeller is arranged with respect to the pump chamber to displace fluid from the inlet into the pump chamber. A vortex shaping mechanism is arranged in the pump chamber and is configured to constrain fluid within the pump chamber into a rotational flow pattern about a rotational axis. At least the casing and the vortex shaping mechanism are configured so that a portion of the fluid is encouraged to establish a solid body vortex, with an outer periphery of the solid body vortex being determined by the vortex shaping mechanism, and a portion of the fluid defining a diffusion zone in fluid communication with the outlet such that fluid can diffuse across a fluid interface between the solid body vortex and the diffusion zone to generate a pumping pressure at the outlet.

Abstract: An apparatus for pumping or compressing a fluid, the apparatus including a housing having a front wall, a rear wall and one or more side walls interconnecting the front and rear walls to define a fluid rotation chamber. At least one inlet is located substantially centrally in the front wall. An impeller is located at least partially within the at least one inlet such that at least a portion of the impeller extends outwardly beyond at least a portion of the front wall. The housing has at least one outlet. Rotation of the impeller causes fluid entering the apparatus through the at least one inlet to rotate within the fluid rotation chamber prior to exiting the apparatus through the at least one outlet.

Abstract: An apparatus for pumping or compressing a fluid, the apparatus comprising: a housing having a front wall, a rear wall and one or more side walls interconnecting the front and rear walls to define a fluid rotation chamber; at least one inlet located substantially centrally in the front wall; an impeller located at least partially within the at least one inlet such that at least a portion of the impeller extends outwardly beyond at least a portion of the front wall; and at least one outlet, wherein rotation of the impeller causes fluid entering the apparatus through the at least one inlet to rotate within the fluid rotation chamber prior to exiting the apparatus through the at least one outlet.

Abstract: An apparatus for pumping or compressing a fluid, the apparatus comprising: a housing having a front wall, a rear wall and one or more side walls interconnecting the front and rear walls to define a fluid rotation chamber; at least one inlet located substantially centrally in the front wall; an impeller located at least partially within the at least one inlet such that at least a portion of the impeller extends outwardly beyond at least a portion of the front wall; and at least one outlet, wherein rotation of the impeller causes fluid entering the apparatus through the at least one inlet to rotate within the fluid rotation chamber prior to exiting the apparatus through the at least one outlet.

Abstract: An apparatus to pump fluid comprises an annular bore (12) and at least one pair of pistons (15, 16) which travel along the bore (12). The pistons (15, 16) can be releasably locked to a rotating plate like member (14) to travel through the bore (12). One piston (15) moves with the rotating plate (14) to be the travelling piston while the other piston (16) is locked in the bore (12) to become the stationary piston. As the travelling piston hits the rear of the stationary piston, a changeover occurs where the travelling piston becomes locked to the bore (12) to become the stationary piston and the stationary piston becomes released from the bore (12) and locked to the rotating plates (14) to become the travelling piston. This arrangement is continuously repeated to provide a pump/compressor/engine and the like.

Abstract: A mold for the manufacture of a fan having a hub and a plurality of helical blades extending from the hub. The mold cavity is designed with a specific shape to produce the helical blades of the fan. The mold is comprised of two mold parts. At least one of the mold parts is freely rotatable such that upon separation of the mold parts, the formed fan causes the rotatable mold part to autorotate as it is pulled away from the other mold part.

Abstract: An air movement apparatus (10) comprises a curved body about which air can circulate, the curved body having a rim (12) and, in use, having a lower pressure surface (25) on one side of the rim (12), and a higher pressure surface (26) on the other side of the rim (12), an air outlet (22) to blow air over the lower pressure surface (25), an air inlet (24) to suck air in from the higher pressure surface (26), and air acceleration means (14) to move air from the air inlet (24) to the air outlet (22).

Abstract: A thruster such as a marine thruster has a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a shroud, a fluid passageway, and an internal toroidal body around which recirculating fluid passes at high speed, the recirculating fluid causing the incoming fluid to be accelerated through to the fluid outlet.

Abstract: An impeller has a plurality of rotating passageways which can be defined between adjacent blades, the blades having a curved root portion and able to pivot across a part spherical hub to maintain a fine line contact. The passageways have a convergence to improve the efficiency of the impeller. The hub can be split into two relatively rotating portions, with the blades attached to each portion to provide an efficient means to vary the pitch of the blades.