HydroCoil Power, Inc.

page: the way HydroCoil Turbine works

Water entry at right contacts gradual coil first. [george retseck illustration]

HYDROELECTRIC POWER -- DESIGN and FUNCTION  DETAILS

1. can be used in low-head hydro applications, does not require high-velocity entry.
2. exponential pitch design of the continuous vane with changing coils.
3. the increasing angle of Ribbon Drive captures the sequentially decreasing axial components of linear velocity, ultimately capturing most of the original axial kinetic energy and converting it into rotational torque to generate electricity. 
4. highly-efficient design which optimizes energy extraction.  Negligible environmental impact if any. 
5. the increasing internal pressure diminishes potential cavitation and surface erosion --Diminu-Cav [R]. 
6. root bending stress of the coiled vane is constantly changing and is distributed; the vane is mostly self-supporting, and both the vane and the fillet can be relatively thin.  
7. simplicity of design and maintenance help decrease costs.
8. self-starting, and continues to function in variable flow conditions.
9. scalable in clusters for differing sites.
10. the portable small units can be tethered to a ship, or useful as a power source for remote-monitoring locations. 
11. self-orienting in the water current of rivers, tides, ocean.

The patented designs [reg. USPTO ] with few moving parts, tested by research  funded by Ben Franklin Technology Partners, produce power unlike other low-head hydro technology with their complexity, deep-draft water requirement, or more limited energy capture.  (Low flow hydro generally requires high head.)