This invention provides an apparatus and a method for generating power from a flowing liquid. The apparatus has three main components. The first component is a control unit for selectively directing the flowing liquid to the second component, the power unit, which is responsible for generating power. The third component, a reversing unit, is used to adjust the control unit between two control unit configurations. The method involves the manner in which the liquid is passed and directed through the apparatus in order to generate power.

An electric power generator driven by a fluid circulating under pressure in a pipe (9) includes an internal moving contact (1) placed inside a non-magnetic section (10) of the pipe (9), and a stator (4) placed around the pipe (9). The internal moving contact (1) includes permanent magnets (2), a rotational drive means (3), and means (7 and 8) of support. The electric power generator does not require any sealed joints for the passage of mechanical shafts or electric cables and is particularly adapted for the production of electricity from dangerous fluids which circulate in pipes under high pressure. The electric power generator has application in gas and liquid transport networks, particularly at isolated hydrocarbon production sites.

A hydraulic power generating device includes a main body case forming a flow passage provided with a water wheel chamber between a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port, a cover covering the main body case, a water wheel for power generation disposed in the water wheel chamber, a rotor magnet for rotating in cooperation with the water wheel. An ejection port including a groove is formed on the main body case for ejecting fluid toward the blades of the water wheel at a high speed and an protrusion part is formed on the cover for adjusting the aperture area of the ejection port by entering into the groove. Further, a discharge space is formed at a downstream position of the water wheel chamber so as to be in communication with the fluid outlet port, to which fluid after having rotated the water wheel is ejected and a stagnation preventing protrusion part is formed in the discharge space to facilitate flow of air bubbles to the fluid outlet port.

An emergency lighting system 10 for use on the outlet 101 of a conventional faucet 100 and including a generally T-shaped housing member 20 having a cross-arm portion 22 that is connected on one end 24 to the faucet outlet 101 and has an interior fluid flow deflector element 26 disposed above the intersection of the cross-arm portion 22 with the stem portion 21 of the housing member 20 which contains a power generating unit 12 and an illumination unit 13; wherein, the power generating unit 12 includes a turbine element 26 which is positioned beneath the fluid flow deflector element 26 for supplying electrical current to the illumination unit 13 when pressurized water flows over the fluid flow deflector element 26.

A predetermined portion of the energy available in a flowing fluid within a pipe is converted to torque in a rotating system outside the pipe. The rotational energy thus obtained is available to other uses at the end-user's discretion. A preferred embodiment comprises a magnetic turbine with blades (705), and includes an external rotating ring (720) with attached pole pieces (710 715) comprising either permanent magnets, or electromagnets with coils (745 750) which are connected through slip rings (not shown) to an external power source (not shown) and thereby energized. Attraction between the pole pieces and the rotating turbine causes the external ring to rotate. A mechanical coupling (730) couples the ring to a generator (732) or other load such as a grinding wheel (not shown) through a shaft (725).