The heart of the hydropower system is a turbine. Our patended and patents pending technology employs the vertical axis underwater turbines of five types, namely:
- Turbine with Sinkable Blades (Type 1);
- Turbine with Sinkable Blades (Type 2);
- Turbine with Pivotally Mounted Blades (Type 3);
- Turbine with Sinkable and Floatable Blades (Type 4);
- Conveyor-Type Turbine (Type 5).

Each turbine includes a plurality of specifically oriented blades.The high efficiency of the presented turbines comes from creating maximum drug force by vertically oriented blades on the power generating sides and practically zero frictional force produced by blades on the resting sides of the turbines.

A converter consists of a pair of contra-rotating vertical axis underwater hydro-turbines, positioned in a protecting housing, and a detachable venturi-shaped water flow accelerator, located in the inlet area of the converter.

Type 1. Turbine with Sinkable Blades

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Type 2. Turbine with Sinkable Blades

Type 3. Turbine with Pivotally Mounted Blades

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Type 4. Turbine with Sinkable and Floatable Blades

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The turbine comprises an arrangement of two sets of paddles with asymmetrically fixed blades to increase the torque and power output.

The radial support members attach both sets of the paddles to the hub and provide the integrity and structural strength of the turbine.

The first set of paddles with floatable blades is located above the radial support members, as the second set of paddles with sinkable blades is located below the support members. A plurality of stops, built into the hub and support members, allow the free rotation of the paddles in the 90 degrees angle range.

Vertically oriented blades on the power generating side create maximum drug force while the amount of frictional force is negligible because the frictional area of the horizontally oriented blades on the resting side of the paddlewheel is close to zero.

Type 5. Conveyor-Type Turbine

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This turbine employs a conveyor mechanism, which is mounted via bearings on inner vertically-oriented shafts to a protecting housing, and only three rectangular-shaped blades.

Such arrangement allows the interception of the incoming water flow practically completely, thus maximizing the turbine’s performance.

The torque is gained by an increase in the horizontal distance instead of an increase in the vertical distance, thereby allowing this turbine to be used in very shallow water currents with a low head.

Furthermore, increasing the turbine’s horizontal distance practically doesn’t decrease the velocity of the conveyor mechanism, which, in turn, eliminates the necessity of the speed increaser (gearing) between the turbines and the generators for larger turbine sizes. Consequently, this tremendously reduces the number of components, making this technology simple, reliable and highly cost-effective.

The presented venturi-shaped water flow accelerator plays a vital role in improving the efficiency of the system.

Example 1

For example, the 0.55m-radius and 0.5m-height turbine may have an attached water flow accelerator with inlet A_in and narrow outlet A_out areas of up to 1.0m²(2.0m x 0.5m) and 0.275m²(0.55m x 0.5m) respectively. This accelerator is capable to increase the incoming 0.5m deep water current velocity from V_in=1.0m/s up to V_out=2.0m/s and to strike the blades cross section area of A_in.

Applying the coefficient of a mechanical turbine's efficiency C_m in the range=(0.8-0.85), and providing that maximum power occurs when the peripheral velocity V_f of the runner is equal to

The experimental data, received during the field testing of the prototype with analogous dimensions, confirmed these calculations. At the water velocity of 1.0m/s, it generated 110W of the mechanical power calculated as

Example 2

At the water velocity of 2.5m/s, the same apparatus is capable to produce about

OptimSet technology covers the wide market niche - regions with shallow water currents. It is a relatively new market segment with an enormous potential for growth.

OptimSet has filed numerous patent applications to dominate our market segment. The OptimSet's technology currently has patented and patents pending status.

We will focus on our segment of the market and attempt to achieve the best reputation in that segment.

1. The need in our product is obvious, because it is unique and highly competitive in terms of capability, productivity and price.

3. It is suitable for use in either deep or shallow water flows, thus providing a vast number of possible site-locations for installation.

4. It is operable in water depths ranging from about 0.5 up to 30 meters and at a water stream velocity of 1-6 m/s.

5. It can be produced in differing physical sizes ranging from only several meters in length/width to 30 meters or more.

6. It can be easily deployed and dismantled.

7. It is simple and reliable.

8. It has a low cost of manufacture and maintenance with regard to both materials and labor.

9. It has a modular structure. An array of interconnected modules can be used to create versatile forms of robust hydroelectric power systems, which are inexpensive to install, and maintain.

10. The system modules include the novell vertical axis turbines and have an advanced performance because of their built-in water flow accelerators.

11. The protective screens, made of steel nets or bars, prevent clogging of the modules by submerged objects and prevent fish entrapment.

12. A preliminary estimate of the capital cost of generating electricity is about $ 2,000 per kilowatt, or roughly two times less than present-day marine and wind technologies. It takes into account production, installation and maintenance costs.

Note: Our extensive field trials show that the turbines of Type 4 and Type 5 are the most efficient for hydro-kinetic applications. This novel technology is under further optimization and pre-commercial testing. Detailed product catalogs with technical information, product specifications and prices will be made available at a later date. We are also interested in building collaborative partnerships leading to technology commercialization.