WO2004079186A2

WO2004079186A2 - Turbine or pump rotatable shutter with solar power

Info

Publication number: WO2004079186A2
Application number: PCT/US2004/007369
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert D. Hunt
Original assignee: Hunt Robert D
Priority date: 2003-03-06
Filing date: 2004-03-08
Publication date: 2004-09-16
Also published as: WO2004079186A8; WO2004079186A3

Abstract

A wind turbine or hybrid wind power and solar power turbine, hydro-turbine or high pressure gas turbine comprising a rotatable disk attached to an output shaft having rotatable shutters attached to the disk that fold down into the disk while rotating into the flow of working fluid to reduce drag. Solar cells mount to the uppers surfaces of the disk and shutters to form a hybrid wind power and solar power turbine. The shutters open to a position of ninety degrees perpendicular to the disk to harness the force of the working fluid. In the reverse mode of operation as an air compressor, high pressure gas compressor, hydro-pump, or jet propulsion thruster, the shutters open to apply a force against the working fluid to pump the working fluid or to thrust the working fluid backward to create jet propulsion via Newton's Third Law. Then fold to the closed position to move through a gap in a center wall in the housing that prevents the flow of working fluid from passing to the inlet side of the apparatus from the outlet side.

Description

HYBRID WIND AND SOLAR POWERED TURBINE; HYDO-TURBINE; AIR

COMPRESSOR; HYDRAULIC PUMP; AIR OR HYDRO-PROPELLER, HAVING

P OTABLE SHUTTERS OH A ROT TIHG DISK

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of applicant's U.S. Provisional Application Number 60/452,119 titled, "Hydraulic or pneumatical sail mechanism -- Improved method of power generation, refrigeration, pumping, and compression from wind energy, wave energy, or water current energy, via the use of sails constructed of electronically controlled rotatable and extendable shutters to reduce drag and to increase power" dated March 6, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of applicant's U..S. Provisional Application Number 60/500,362 titled, "Self- Actuated Horizontal Wind Shutters For a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine" dated September 3, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] This application claims the benefit of applicant's U.S. Provisional Application with no number yet assigned and titled, "Gravity Powered, Fuel-Less Glider Useful in the Air, on the Surface of the Water, or as an Underwater Sea Glider" dated December 26, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The above referenced U.S. Provisional Application Number 60/452,119 discloses the invention of a vertical axis wind turbine that has shutters that are actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic rams that are electronically controlled. The vertical axis wind turbine uses drag instead of lift as a means of more efficiently harnessing the power of the wind. The wind turbine alternates from a high drag configuration to a low drag configuration by opening and closing shutters. The shutters provide substantial surface area perpendicular to the direction of the wind to catch the wind when open to create high drag and have minimal surface area perpendicular to the direction of the wind when closed to create low drag. [0005] Actuation of the shutters via hydraulic or pneumatic rams as disclosed in the above referenced patent application presents a number of problems. The direction of the wind must be electronically determined by pitot tubes or other methods. And once the direction of the wind has been determined, proximity sensors must tell the shutters to open and to close within the desired arc around the circumference of the wind turbine in order to accomplish proper operation of the wind turbine. Thus substantial effort and cost must be expended in order to electronically actuate the wind turbine in the proper location using hydraulic or pneumatic rams as disclosed in the above referenced provisional patent.

[0006] The above referenced U.S. Provisional Application Number 60/500,362 discloses a self-actuation mechanism to operate the shutters instead of the use of a hydraulic or pneumatic ram as proposed in the original previous application. The self-actuation mechanism beneficially used a counterweight to accomplish self actuation. The counter-weight worked well in actual prototypes developed by the present applicant. However, the design using an actual counterweight is not aerodynamically efficient.

[0007] The above referenced U.S. Provisional Application dated December 26, 2003, discloses a wind turbine and hyro- turbine that employs a disk mounted to a shaft with pivot able shutters mounted to the disk. The shutters may be folded down into the disk to provide a very aerodynamic or hydro-dynamic design that substantially reduces drag the shutters move into the wind or water as they rotate with the disk and shaft. [0008] Conventional wind turbines must be directed into the wind and may not be used readily in many applications for which it would be desirable to use a wind turbine and they produce a large amount of detrimental drag due to the large swept are of the vertical blade circumference of rotation. [0009] Conventional turbines must be very tall in order to create leverage by having very long blades to sweep a very large area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present inventor has succeeded at designing methods and systems for producing a wind turbine, high pressure gas turbine, hydro-turbine, pneumatic motor, or hydraulic pump that has shutters that are hydraulically operated, pneumatically operated, or self-actuated.

[0011] The preferred embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus that consists of shutters that are rotatably attached to a disk that is mounted on a vertical axis, although a horizontal axis may be used if the shutters are not self-actuated. The axis is connected to a central frame, housing, or stand via bearings that allow rotation of the horizontal disk and vertical shaft. The disk provides structural integrity for the shutters and provides a mechanically efficient aerodynamic design that produces far less drag than the amount of drag produced by a conventional horizontal axis wind turbine that uses vertical propeller type blades of which the entire circumference of the vertical blades, known as the "swept area", creates drag. An additional negative aspect of conventional wind turbines is

100 that they must be directed into the wind.

[0012] The new vertical axis wind turbine of the present invention attaches a rotating horizontal disk to a vertical axis. The axis is attached to a frame via bearings that allow the disk and shaft to rotate. Shutters are made into the disk

105 that open up near vertically to catch the wind or close by folding down horizontally into the disk to reduce drag as the shutters move into the wind.

[0013] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shutters are used in pairs with an upper and

110 lower shutter placed over each other on the disk. As the two shutters open, the top shutter opens upward and the bottom shutter opens downward to form a "V" shape that is directed into the wind or water to harness kinetic energy of motion. The shutters are self-actuated and work automatically,

115 irregardless of the direction of the wind.

[0014] The force of gravity is used to open the shutters as they are directed into the wind. The lower shutter is pivoted at the back of the shutter and gravity causes it to fall downward on its pivot point to the open position. As the

120 shutter begins to open, the force of the wind catches the shutter and forcefully opens it until it reaches stops that allow the shutter to open to approximately sixty degrees upward from the horizontal plane of the disk. Then the stops prevent the shutter from opening any further. The upper

125 shutter is connected to the bottom shutter by a gear mechanism and opens in response to the opening of the bottom shutter; and, likewise, once partially open the force of the wind makes the top shutter fully open.

[0015] Aerodynamic lift is used to close the shutters. As

130 the disk rotates over a 180 degree arc, the direction of the "V" into the wind reverses and the direction of rotation of the backside of the "V" moves forward into the wind that further increases the velocity of the wind against the backside of the "V", which causes the wind to apply a force

135 against the back of the shutters to push them closed. The upper and lower shutters are connected together by gears that cause them to close at the same time as the force of the wind exceeds the gravitational pull of the lower shutter and both shutters fully close downward into the disk to reduce drag as

140 the shutters move into the wind.

[0016] Three or more pairs of shutters are placed around the circumference of the disk so that at least one pair of shutters always form a "V" that is directed into the wind to harness the power of the wind or water. On the side of the

145 wind turbine that is opposite from the open "V, the shutters close to go into the wind with minimal drag - about the same amount of drag as is created by a discus or aileron cutting through the wind or water. Thus, the swept area of the vertical axis wind turbine is only a fraction of the swept

150 area of a conventional wind turbine, depending on the exact size and design of the shutters being approximately twenty percent of the amount of drag of a conventional wind turbine with propeller type blades.

[0017] Further the open shutters move backward in response

155 to the motion of the wind, which further reduces drag and allows control of the amount of drag applied against the "V" as the resistance may be increased or decreased by the amount of load applied to the shaft. Of course, the amount of kinetic energy gained is also determined by the amount of

160 breaking of the wind or water, with greater breaking generating more power and less breaking of the kinetic energy source producing less power. Because the amount of breaking is controllable, the amount of drag force may, therefore, also be controlled.

165 [0018] Conventional horizontal axis wind turbines work by the principal of lift. The vertical axis wind turbine of the present invention works by the use of drag. Its efficiency comes from creating controllable maximum drag on the power generating side of the turbine with open shutters that move

170 backward with the motion of the wind and the opposite side of the turbine produces minimal drag as only a disk moves forward into the wind. Its efficiency increases with the degree of differential between high drag and low drag. The greater the surface area of the shutters on the high drag side of the wind

175 or water turbine and the lower the surface area of the disk on the low drag side, the greater the efficiency of the wind turbine or hydro-turbine

[0019] Conventional turbines must be very tall in order to create leverage by having very long blades to sweep a very

180 large area. The new vertical axis turbine of the present invention creates leverage by increasing its width instead of height. This allows the vertical turbine to be used in many applications, in which horizontal axis turbines cannot be used, such as flat building rooftops or just above the rooftop of a

185 house, as a sailboat wind turbine over a cabin area, attached to cellular telephone towers, on top of advertisement billboards, at the top of power line towers, etc without having long blades hanging downward like a conventional horizontal axis wind turbine.

190 [0020] The shaft of the new innovative vertical axis wind turbine may be connected to an air compressor to produce high pressure compressed air that may be used as a form of energy storage and may additionally be used as ballast weight as used in the gravityplane.

195 [0021] The vertical axis wind or water turbine is far more flexible in its operation than is a conventional horizontal axis turbine: (1) the wind may be blowing from any direction and it does not have to be directed into the wind; and, (2) the amount of drag is dramatically reduced because its swept

200 area is much smaller than the swept area of a conventional wind turbine and the drag force may be controlled; and, (2) torque is gained be an increase in horizontal distance instead of an increase in vertical distance, which allows it to be used in many applications in which a conventional horizontal

205 axis wind turbine may not be used.

[0022] The wind shutters are mounted to a pivot point at the rear of the wind shutters. As the wind shutters rotate around the vertical axis, the wind shutters open to catch the force of the wind via drag when the wind is directed toward

210 the front of the wind shutters and they close to reduce drag when the wind is directed into the rear of the wind shutters, which is during the portion of their rotation that they move forward into the oncoming wind.

[0023] The vertical axis wind turbine uses four separate

215 technical aspects of design that work together to control self-actuation of the shutters: (1) aerodynamic lift; and, 2) gravity acceleration to actuate the lower shutters downward; and, (3) a counter-weight system that may comprise actual counterweights that extend outward beyond the shutters; or, a

220 lever mechanism that causes the upper shutter to open in response to gravity pulling the lower shutter downward; or, (3) a gear mechanism that causes the upper shutter to open in response to gravity pulling the lower shutter downward; and, (3) the use of stops to prevent the shutters from actuating to

225 a position beyond the desired position.

[0024] The stops prevent the shutters from reaching an undesirable angle of attack into the wind. The stops control both the downward limit to which the shutters may rotate and control the upward limit to which the shutters may rotate on

230 the fulcrum to prevent detrimental angles of attack of the shutters into the wind from occurring in order to control the self-actuation process of the self-actuated shutters of the present invention.

[0025] The actuation process may be hydraulically operated,

235 pneumatically operated, or self-actuated. Self-actuation is the preferred embodiment of the present invention for use as a wind turbine of hydro-turbine harnessing environmental energy. However, for uses such as a high pressure gas turbine, a more powerful method of actuation, such as hydraulic or pneumatic

240 actuation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 describes a top view of the preferred 245 embodiment of the wind turbine or hydro-turbine (100) of the present invention having self-actuated wind shutters (104), mounted on a horizontal upper disk (102) that rotates on bearings (not shown) around a central vertical axis (not shown) . The wind shutters (104) mount to a pivot point (110) 250 at the rear of the wind shutters. Solar cells are placed on the upper surfaces of the disk (102) and the upper surfaces of the wind shutters (104) . The upper disc (102) counter-rotates a lower disk (108)

[0027] Figure 2 is a side view of the preferred embodiment

255 of the vertical axis wind turbine (200) shown in Figure 1 from a top view. As the wind shutters (204) rotate around the vertical axis (206 & 220) the wind shutters (204) open to catch the force of the wind via drag when the wind is directed toward the front of the wind shutters and they close to reduce

260 drag when the wind is directed into the rear of the wind shutters (204), which is during the portion of their rotation that they move forward into the oncoming wind in order to generate useful power from the force of the wind.

[0028] Solar cells (202) are placed on the shutters (204)

265 and upper surface of the upper disk (210) . The upper disk (210) counter-rotates the lower disk (216) . A counter- rotating generator (214) is connected to the upper vertical axis (206) for the upper disk and the lower vertical axis (220) for the lower disk (216) to produce an electrical output (218) .

270 The rotational speed of the wind turbine (200) is effectively doubled by the effect of counter-rotation. The wind turbine (200) is mounted on a stand (208) .

[0029] Figure 3 is a detail of the level system (300) of the apparatus of Figures 1 & 2. The shutters (302) are

275 actuated by the lever system (308) that provides the equivalent of a counter-weight to cause the upper shutter (302) to actuate in response to the lower shutter (316) dropping due to the effect of gravity.

[0030] The lever system (302) is comprised of an upper arm

280 (304) that is rotatably connected to the upper shutter (302) . The upper arm is rotatably connected to a main lever (308) that pivots on a central pivot point (310) . The lower portion of the main lever (308) is rotatbly connected to a lower arm

(312) that is rotatbly connected to the lower shutter (316) .

285 As the lower shutter (316) falls via gravity, the main lever

(308) pivots on the central pivot point (310) to push the upper shutter (302) upward.

[0031] Figure 4 describes a gas turbine or a hydro-turbine or in the reverse mode an air compressor or water pump

290 apparatus (400) . Rotatable shutters (406) are mounted on a disk (404) that is attached to a shaft (410), having bearings

(414) that rotatably attach the shaft (410) to the housing

(412). The bearings (414) allow the shaft (410), disk (404), and shutters (406) to rotate within the housing (412) .

295 [0032] The open shutters (406) apply a force against the working fluid and pressurize the working fluid that enters at the top of the apparatus (400) . During the rotation of the shutters (406) , they actuate to the open position, which is ninety degrees perpendicular to the surface of the disk (404) ,

300 within zone (408) . The shutters (406) may be actuated by an electric motor, hydraulic or pneumatic motor (these are not shown) using a gear mechanism (not shown) or by a mechanical mechanisum using rollers (416) that become progressive closer together to force the shutters 406) closed from the rotation

305 of the shutters (406) into the rollers (416) . The shutters have a biasing member (not shown) that is located between the shutters that acts as a spring to force the shutters open in zone (408) after the shutters pass through the gap (418).

[0033] The shutters (406) are mounted on rotatable shafts

310 (420) that rotate within bearings (422) attached to the disk

(404) . One half of a shutter (406) actuates upward and the other half of the shutter (406) actuates downward as each shutter (406) pivots on its shaft (420) to assume the open position and then returns to the previous closed position to

315 penetrate the gap (418) in a cycle. When in the closed position, the upper half of the shutter (406) folds over the lower half of the shutter (406) during opening and closing, a "V" shape is formed by the two halves of the shutter (406) set. Once fully open, the shutter (406) with both halves aligned

320 forms a straight vertical panel.

[0034] The shutters (406) actuate to the closed position, which is folded down within the disk 404) by the rollers (416) before going through a gap (418) in a center wall of the housing (412) on the left side of the apparatus (400) . The

325 space within the gap (418) is always filled by the disk (404) to prevent the working fluid from passing through the gap

(418) . The collapsed shutters (406) pass through the gap (418) by folding down into the disk 404), then re-open to pump the working fluid in a cycle or to produce power from a working

330 fluid flow. Four shutters (406) are shown as usually three or more shutters (406) would be attached to the disk (404) to make sure a shutter (406) is always acting upon or being acted upon by the working fluid.

335 CLAIMS

What is claimed is :

1. A turbine comprising a rotatable vessel attached to 340 an axis mounted to a suitable housing or frame and at least one rotatable shutter for producing rotation from a kinetic energy source, such as from a class of environmental energy like wind power or hydro-power, or from discharging pressurized working fluid past

Claims

345 the shutters to a lower pressure to produce rotation of the vessel.

2. The axis of claim 1 wherein the axis may be horizontal or vertical.

3. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the vessel is a 350 cylindrical disk.

4. The shutter of claim 1 wherein a plurality of shutters extend around the circumference of the disk of claim 4.

5. The shutters of claim 1 wherein the shutters pivot to 355 actuate to the open position, which is approximately ninety degrees of rotation from the surface of the disk, when their direction of motion is the same as the direction of motion of the kinetic energy source or the direction of motion of the flow of pressurized 360 fluid to harness the power of the kinetic energy source or to harness the power of the pressurized working fluid discharged to a lower pressure.

6. The shutters of claim 1 wherein the shutters pivot to actuate to the closed position, which is parallel to

365 and adjacent to the surface of the disk and preferably entirely within the disk and not extending above the surface of the disk, when their direction of motion is opposed to and moving into the direction of flow of the kinetic energy source or into the

370 direction of motion of the flow of pressurized fluid to reduce the force of drag.

7. The shutter of claim 1 wherein the shutter is attached to the vessel by a pivot point that allows the shutter to rotate on this axis.

375 8. The shutter of claim 1 wherein the shutter is actuated to pivot on its axis by an electric motor, hydraulic or pneumatic motor, or a hydraulic or pneumatic ram, or by a concentric gear mechanism using power from the rotary motion of the disk. 380

9. The shutter of claim 1 wherein the shutter is self- actuated to pivot on its axis.

10. The self-actuation of claim 9 wherein the shutter actuates downward by the force of gravity that may be performed with the use of a counter-weight system

385 that may be an actual counterweight that extends outward beyond the shutter; or, by a lever mechanism that causes the upper shutter to open in response to gravity pulling the lower shutter downward; and, or as a gear mechanism that causes the upper shutter to

390 open in response to gravity pulling the lower shutter downward.

11. The self-actuation of claim 9 wherein the shutter actuates upward by the force of aerodynamic lift.

12. The turbine of claim 1 wherein a plurality of 395 turbines attach to the axis of claim 1.

13. The plurality of turbines of claim 12 wherein the turbines counter-rotate.

14. The turbines that counter-rotate of claim 13 wherein the counter-rotating turbines are coupled to a

400 counter-rotating generator to increase the rotational speed of the generator.

15. The counter-rotating generator of claim 14 wherein a stator is connected to a turbine rotating in one direction and a stator is connected to the turbine

405 rotating in the opposite direction.

16. The turbine of claim 1 wherein the disk of claim 3 is coupled to the shaft of claim 1, a plurality of shutters of claim 4 mount to the disk for common rotation of the shaft, disk, and plurality of 410 shutters.

17. The shutters of claim 1 wherein the shutters actuate to the open position when their direction of motion is the same as the direction of motion of the kinetic energy source or the direction of motion of the flow

415 of pressurized fluid to harness the power of the kinetic energy source or power of the pressurized fluid.

18. The shutters of claim 1 wherein the shutters actuate to the closed position when their direction of motion

420 is opposed to the direction of the kinetic energy source or the direction of motion of the flow of pressurized fluid to reduce the force of drag.

19. A hydraulic pump, air compressor, hydro-propeller or air propeller comprising a rotatable vessel attached

425 to an axis mounted to a suitable frame or housing and at least one rotatable shutter for pressurizing or thrusting forward a working fluid, such as air or water, having a power source connected to the axis.

20. The axis of claim 19 wherein the axis may be 430 horizontal or vertical.

21. The vessel of claim 19 wherein the vessel is a cylindrical disk.

22. The shutter of claim 19 wherein a plurality of shutters extend around the circumference of the disk

435 of claim 21.

23. The shutters of claim 19 wherein the shutters pivot to actuate to the open position, which is approximately ninety degrees rotation from the surface of the disk, when their direction of motion

440 is the same as the direction of motion of the kinetic energy source or the direction of motion of the flow of pressurized fluid to apply pressure against the working fluid that pressurizes the working fluid or thrusts the working fluid forward.

445 24. The shutters of claim 19 wherein the shutters pivot to actuate to the closed position, which is parallel to and adjacent to the surface of the disk, when their direction of motion is opposed to the direction of the flow of the working fluid to reduce the force

450 of drag.

25. The shutter of claim 19 wherein the shutter is attached to the vessel by a pivot point that allows the shutter to rotate on this axis.

26. The shutter of claim 19 wherein the shutter is 455 actuated to pivot on its axis by a hydraulic or pneumatic ram.

27. The shutter of claim 19 wherein the shutter is self- actuated to pivot on its axis.

28. The self-actuation of claim 27 wherein the shutter 460 actuates downward by the force of gravity acceleration.

29. The self-actuation of claim 27 wherein the shutter actuates upward by the force of aerodynamic lift.

30. The air compressor or hydraulic pump of claim 19 465 wherein the disk and shutters, while in the closed position, penetrate an opening in a center wall within the housing of the air compressor or hydraulic pump to prevent the working fluid from detrimentally flowing from the outlet side of the air compressor or 470 hydraulic pump to the inlet side of the air compressor or hydraulic pump and to reduce drag as the shutters move into the working fluid.

31. The shutters of claim 30 wherein the shutters are actuated to the closed position within the disc by a

475 series of rollers that progressively become closer together to fold the shutters to the closed position.

32. The shutters of claim 30 wherein the shutters are actuated to the open position by a biasing member, selected from such species as a spring, a compressed

480 air pneumatic ram, etc., that applies a spring-like force to open the shutters .

33. A hybrid solar powered and wind powered turbine comprising a rotatable disk attached to an axis mounted to a suitable frame and at least one

485 rotatable shutter for producing rotation from the kinetic energy of wind power or water power to produce rotation of the disk; and, having solar cells mounted on the upper surfaces of the disk and the upper surfaces of the shutter, which are directed to

490 the sun to produce solar power.

34. The shutter of claim 33 wherein a plurality of shutters that have solar cells mounted on their upper surface which is directed to the sun to produce solar power extend around the circumference of the disk of

495 claim 33.

35. The thrusting forward of claim 19 wherein a working fluid is thrust forward by the shutters to produce a jet propulsion effect via Newton's third law to provide thrust for a vehicle.

500 36. A hybrid solar and wind powered vessel; providing a floating vessel having at least one wind turbine mounted to the upper surface of the vessel and having at least one solar cell mounted to the upper surfaces of the wind turbine or upper surfaces of the vessel.

505 37. The wind turbine of claim 36 wherein an air compressor is connected to the shaft of the wind turbine to produce high pressure compressed air.

38. The vessel of claim 36 wherein the vessel comprises at least one pressure vessel for the storage of a

510 high pressure gaseous working fluid, such as high pressure gas or compressed air.

39. The vessel of claim 36 wherein the vessel comprises at least one pneumatic motor.

40. The high pressure gaseous working fluid of claim 38 515 wherein working fluid is used to power a pneumatic motor of claim 39 to provide power for propulsion, for the generation of electrical power, or mechanical power for such purposes for which mechanical power is used. 520

41. The wind turbine of claim 36 wherein a hydraulic pump is coupled to the shaft of the hydraulic pump to produce a flow of high pressure hydraulic fluid.

42. The pressurized hydraulic fluid of claim 41 wherein the flow of hydraulic fluid is used to power a

525 hydraulic motor to provide power for propulsion, for the generation of electrical power, or for mechanical power for such purposes for which mechanical power is used.

43. A hybrid wind power, solar power, and hydro-power 530 generation apparatus; providing a floating vessel having at least one wind turbine mounted to the upper surface of the vessel and having at least one solar cell mounted to the upper surfaces of the wind turbine or upper surfaces of the vessel, and having 535 at least on hydro-turbine mounted to the lower surface of the vessel below the surface of the water, and having at least one pressure vessel for the storage of a high pressure working fluid.

44. The vessel of claim 43 wherein the vessel is 540 stationery.

45. The vessel of claim 43 wherein the vessel is used for transportation of passengers and cargo via harnessing the current differential between the force of the wind current via the wind turbine located above the

545 surface of the water and the water current via the hydro-turbine located below the vessel.

46. The wind turbine of claim 43 wherein an air compressor is connected to the shaft of the wind turbine to produce high pressure compressed air.

550 47. The vessel of claim 43 wherein the vessel comprises at least one pressure vessel for the storage of a high pressure gaseous working fluid, such as high pressure gas or compressed air.

48. The vessel of claim 43 wherein the vessel comprises 555 at least one pneumatic motor.

49. The high pressure gaseous working fluid of claim 47 wherein working fluid is used to power a pneumatic motor of claim 48 to provide power for propulsion, for the generation of electrical power, or mechanical

560 power for such purposes for which mechanical power is used.

50. The wind turbine of claim 43 wherein a hydraulic pump is coupled to the shaft of the hydraulic pump to produce a flow of high pressure hydraulic fluid.

565 51. The pressurized hydraulic fluid of claim 50 wherein the flow of hydraulic fluid is used to power a hydraulic motor to provide power for propulsion, for the generation of electrical power, or for mechanical power for such purposes for which mechanical power is 570 used.

52. The wind turbine and hydro-turbine of claim 43 wherein the shafts of the wind turbine and hydro- turbine are connected to electrical generators that provide electrical power to a reversible fuel cell to

575 generate hydrogen via electrolysis.

53. The vessel of claim 43 wherein an aerostatic lifting body is tethered to the vessel.

54. The aerostatic lifting body of claim 53 wherein hydrogen gas provides aerostatic lift.

580 55. The aerostatic lifting body of claim 53 wherein aerial surveillance equipment is carried to height by the aerostatic lifting body.

56. The aerostatic lifting body of claim 53 wherein communications equipment, such as the equipment

585 installed on cellular towers, is carried to height by the aerostatic lifting body.

57. The wind turbine and hydro-turbine of claim 43 wherein a plurality of wind turbines and hydro- turbines are installed on the vessel of claim 43.

590 58. The fuel cell of claim 52 wherein the hydrogen produced by the fuel cell is for lift in the lifting body and is used to power the fuel cell to produce electrical power that is stored in electrical storage batteries for later use in a cycle.

595 59. A hybrid wind power, solar power, and hydro-power submersible apparatus; providing a floating surface vessel and providing an underwater vessel being attached to each other by a supply tube that supplies air and communications transmittions from the surface

600 to the submersible, having at least one wind turbine mounted to the surface vessel and having at least one solar cell mounted to the upper surfaces of the wind turbine or upper surfaces of the vessel, and having at least one hydro-turbine mounted to the underwater 605 submersible vessel below the surface of the water, and having at least one pressure vessel for the storage of a high pressure working fluid on the surface vessel.

60. The wind turbine of claim 59 wherein an air 610 compressor is coupled to the shaft of the wind turbine to produce compressed air.

61. The compressed air of claim 60 wherein the compressed air is supplied to the submersible of claim 59 by the supply tube of claim 59 to provide air for ballast

615 change and for human use.

62. The surface vessel of claim 59 wherein having at least one set of radar communication equipment to provide radar surveillance of the surface.

63. The surface vessel of claim 59 wherein having at 620 least one set of cameras to provide visual surveillance of the surface.

64. The supply tube of claim 59 wherein the radar communications of claim 62 and the visual communications of claim 63 are transmitted to the

625 submersible of claim 59 via communication lines and fiber optic cables contained within the supply tube.

65. The supply tube of claim 59 wherein a return air line is contained within the supply tube to return used air back to the surface to eliminate the need to

630 exhaust the air into the water having higher hydrostatic pressure than the pressure of the surface air.

66. The surface vessel of claim 59 wherein the surface vessel comprises a reel to shorten or lengthen the supply tube .

67. A propulsion apparatus comprising a rotatable vessel attached to an axis mounted to a suitable housing or frame and at least one rotatable shutter for producing propulsion.

68. The vessel of claim 67 wherein the vessel is a cylindrical disk.

69. The propulsion device of claim 67 wherein the propulsion apparatus is attached to a floating vessel to provide propulsion for the vessel.

70. The shutter of claim 67 wherein a plurality of shutters mount to the disk of claim 68 to provide propulsion.

71. The shutters of claim 69 wherein the shutters rotate to an open position that is ninety degrees perpendicular to the surface of the disk to catch the water to provide thrust.

72. The shutters of claim 69 wherein the shutters rotate to a closed position being within the disk to reduce drag while moving into the water.

73. A paddle comprising a handle having at least one rotatable shutter to provide thrust for a boat.

74. The shutter of claim 73 wherein a shutter is provided on each side of the handle.

75. The shutters of claim 74 wherein the shutters rotate to an open position that is ninety degrees perpendicular to the surface of the handle to catch the water to provide thrust .

76. The shutters of claim 74 wherein the shutters rotate to a closed position being within the handle to reduce drag while moving into the water.

77. A hydro-turbine or pneumatic turbine comprising a rotatable vessel attached to an axis mounted to a suitable frame or housing and at least one rotatable shutter for producing power a working fluid possessing kinetic energy, such as air, high pressure gaseous, or water.

78. The axis of claim 19 wherein the axis may be horizontal or vertical.

79. The vessel of claim 19 wherein the vessel is a cylindrical disk.

80. The shutter of claim 19 wherein a plurality of shutters extend around the circumference of the disk of claim 21.

81. The shutters of claim 19 wherein the shutters pivot to actuate to the open position, which is approximately ninety degrees rotation from the surface of the disk, when their direction of motion is the same as the direction of motion of the kinetic energy source or the direction of motion of the flow of pressurized fluid to apply pressure against the working fluid that pressurizes the working fluid or thrusts the working fluid forward.

82. The shutters of claim 19 wherein the shutters pivot to actuate to the closed position, which is parallel to and adjacent to the surface of the disk, when their direction of motion is opposed to the direction of the flow of the working fluid to reduce the force of drag.

83. The shutter of claim 19 wherein the shutter is attached to the vessel by a pivot point that allows the shutter to rotate on this axis.

84. The shutter of claim 19 wherein the shutter is actuated to pivot on its axis by a hydraulic or pneumatic ram.

85. The shutter of claim 19 wherein the shutter is self- actuated to pivot on its axis.

86. The self-actuation of claim 27 wherein the shutter actuates downward by the force of gravity acceleration.

87. The self-actuation of claim 27 wherein the shutter actuates upward by the force of aerodynamic lift.

88. The air compressor or hydraulic pump of claim 19 wherein the disk and shutters, while in the closed position, penetrate an opening in a center wall within the housing of the air compressor or hydraulic pump to prevent the working fluid from detrimentally flowing from the outlet side of the air compressor or hydraulic pump to the inlet side of the air compressor or hydraulic pump and to reduce drag as the shutters move into the working fluid.

89. The shutters of claim 30 wherein the shutters are actuated to the closed position within the disc by a series of rollers that progressively become closer together to fold the shutters to the closed position.

90. The shutters of claim 30 wherein the shutters are actuated to the open position by a biasing member, selected from such species as a spring, a compressed air pneumatic ram, etc., that applies a spring-like force to open the shutters.