RICHARD KENNETH DONELSON
Engineers in Emigsville, PA

6533536, Mar 18, 2003

Jul 3, 2001

09/898442

Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Joseph M. Cybularz - Jacobus PA
Richard K. Donelson - Emigsville PA
Mark E. Kennell - Dallastown PA
Wolfgang Heine - York PA

Voith Hydro, Inc. - York PA

F03B 306

415 17, 415 13, 415 24, 415 33, 415 36, 415 42, 416174, 416244 A, 416245 A

A turbine installation comprising a turbine in combination with an electrical closed-loop control system. The turbine is disposed in a flow of water for producing electrical energy. The turbine includes a hollow hub and a plurality of runner blades pivotally connected to a hollow hub. Each blade comprises a hydrofoil being bounded by an inner surface and a distal outer surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. The blades are adjustable in pitch from a maximum pitch position in which an inner portion of the water directing surface extends substantially in a direction of the water flow, to a minimum pitch position in which an outer portion of the water directing surface is substantially perpendicular to the water flow. The hollow hub has spaced apart inner and outer surfaces and a hub longitudinal axis. Each blade is pivotally connected to the hub about a rotational axis.

6254339, Jul 3, 2001

Jun 2, 1999

9/324312

Richard K. Fisher - Jacobus PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Joseph M. Cybularz - Jacobus PA
Richard K. Donelson - Emigsville PA
Mark E. Kennell - Dallastown PA
Wolfgang Heine - York PA

Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation, Inc. - York PA

F03B 306, F03B 318, F03B 1510, F03B 1514

4151731

A turbine disposed in a water passageway includes a hub and associated runner blades. Each blade comprises an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. Each blade is rotatable relative to the hub about a blade rotational axis. The water passageway includes a spherically-shaped discharge ring that conforms to the outer edges of the blades to improve certain turbine parameters such as cavitation, efficiency, flow disturbance, and fish survivability. The turbine hub may also include a spherically-shaped outer surface in a region swept by the inner edges of the blades when the blades are rotated from maximum to minimum pitch, as well as seals attached to the inner edges of the blades. The hub may also be associated with blades in which the chord is reduced in the root region of the blade.

5954474, Sep 21, 1999

Feb 12, 1997

8/800240

Richard K. Fisher - Jacobus PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Joseph M. Cybularz - Jacobus PA
Richard K. Donelson - Emigsville PA
Mark E. Kennell - Dallastown PA
Wolfgang Heine - York PA

Voith Hydro, Inc. - York PA

F03B 306, F03B 318, F03B 1510, F03B 1514

415 17

A turbine, disposed in water flowing therethrough, includes a hub and associated runner blades. Each blade comprises an inner surface and a distal outer surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. Each blade is rotatable relative to the hub about a blade rotational axis. The hub includes a spherically-shaped outer surface in a region of the hub swept by the inner surface of the blades when the blades are rotated from maximum to minimum pitch. The hub may also be associated with blades in which the chord is reduced in the root region of the blade. The turbine may also include seals attached to the blade inner surface and an essentially spherically-shaped discharge ring to improve certain turbine parameters such as cavitation, efficiency, flow disturbance, and fish survivability.

6402477, Jun 11, 2002

Nov 28, 2000

09/723590

Joseph M. Cybularz - Jacobus PA
Richard K. Donelson - Emigsville PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Randy V. Seifarth - York PA
Siegbert Etter - Heidenheim, DE
Donald E. Zehner - Etters PA

Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation, Inc. - York PA

F03B 306

416244A, 416174, 416245 A, 415 13, 415 17, 415 24, 415 33, 415 36, 415 42, 4151701, 4151742

A turbine, adaptable to improve the survivability of fish present in water flowing therethrough, includes a hub and associated runner blades. Each blade comprises an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. Each blade is rotatable relative to the hub about a blade rotational axis. The turbine is provided with a gap shielding device designed to shield a gap formed between the hub and the blade inner edge as the blade is rotated about its axis. The gap shielding device may comprise a plurality of independently biased pins, a plurality of fluid jets, a plurality of flexible members, a fluid-filled boot, and combinations thereof.

6164907, Dec 26, 2000

May 18, 1999

9/314225

Joseph M. Cybularz - Jacobus PA
Richard K. Donelson - Emigsville PA
Richard K. Fisher - Jacobus PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Randy V. Seifarth - York PA
Siegbert Etter - Heidenheim, DE
Donald E. Zehner - Etters PA

Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation Inc. - York PA

F03B 306, F03B 318, F03B 1510, F03B 1514

4151734

A turbine installation having reduced inner and outer gaps comprises a water passageway and a turbine runner disposed in the passageway downstream of a discharge ring. The turbine runner includes a hollow hub having spaced apart inner and outer surfaces and a longitudinal axis and a plurality of runner blades. Each blade comprises a hydrofoil having an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. Each blade is pivotally connected to the hub about a rotational axis extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis so that its inner edge is proximate the hub. Each blade is rotatable between a maximum pitch position and a minimum pitch position. The discharge ring has a spherical configuration cooperable with the outer edge of each of the blades to reduce an outer gap formed between the outer edge of each of the blades and the passageway. The hub may be configured as a sphere downstream of the blade rotational axes to reduce an inner gap formed between the inner edge of each of the blades and the hub.

5947679, Sep 7, 1999

Mar 28, 1996

8/623245

Joseph M. Cybularz - Jacobus PA
Richard K. Donelson - Emigsville PA
Richard K. Fisher - Jacobus PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Randy V. Seifarth - York PA
Siegbert Etter - Heidenheim, DE
Donald E. Zehner - Etters PA

Voith Hydro, Inc. - York PA

F03B 306, F03B 318, F03B 1510, F03B 1514

415 17

A turbine, adaptable to improve the survivability of fish present in water flowing therethrough, includes a hub and associated runner blades. Each blade comprises an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. Each blade is rotatable relative to the hub about a blade rotational axis. The turbine is provided with features designed to shield a gap formed between the hub and the blade inner edge as the blade is rotated about its axis.