Alexander Gorlov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander M. Gorlov
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Alexander M Gorlov, Boston, 2001
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| Born |
Alexandr Moiseevich Gorlov (Александр Моиcеевич Горлов)
March 23, 1931 |
| Died | June 10, 2016 (aged 85) Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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| Occupation | Inventor, scientist, professor |
Alexander M. Gorlov (March 23, 1931 – June 10, 2016) was a smart mechanical engineer from Russia. He was a professor at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, where he also led a special lab for power from water and air. He is best known for inventing the Gorlov helical turbine, which helps create clean energy from water.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
Alexander Gorlov was born in 1931 into a family with a successful lawyer father. Sadly, his father was arrested and died in prison during a difficult time in his country's history. His mother also spent many years in difficult camps in Russia. Because of this, young Alexander had to spend some of his childhood in an orphanage in the Urals area of Russia.
Later, Gorlov earned his doctorate in engineering. He had a successful science career in Moscow during a time when things were a bit more open in the Soviet Union. He even received important awards for his work. However, in 1975, because he was friends with Alexander Solzhenitsyn, a famous writer who spoke out against the government, Gorlov had to leave his home country. He eventually moved to the United States and started a new life there.
A Career of Innovation
Since 1976, Professor Gorlov taught Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University. He also did a lot of research on how to get clean energy from water and wind. His big dream was to create cheap, eco-friendly hydropower.
The Gorlov Helical Turbine
Gorlov invented special spiral-shaped turbines called Gorlov Helical Turbines. These turbines can be used in rivers, ocean tides, and strong ocean currents. This invention is very promising for helping with the world's energy needs. In fact, Popular Science magazine named it one of the top 100 inventions of 2001!
Protecting Important Places
Another important invention by Gorlov was a "Terrorist Truck-Bomb Protection System." This system has four US patents and is approved by the U.S. Department of State. This means it can be used to protect important government places like nuclear power plants, military bases, embassies, bridges, and tunnels from attacks.
Gorlov wrote over 100 technical papers and books. He also held 25 patents in the US and other countries. His work covered many areas, including renewable energy, how structures are built, and the design of bridges and tunnels.
Global Engineering Projects
Professor Gorlov worked on many engineering projects around the world:
- He helped design and build bridges and tunnels in Russia.
- He worked on a hydropower plant for the Aswan Dam Project on the Nile River in Egypt.
- He helped with hydropower plants on rivers like Khram and Langanury in Georgia, and at Lake Sevan in Armenia.
- His helical turbine was used to get tidal energy in the Uldolmok Strait in Korea and the Chacao Channel in Chile.
Awards and Recognition
- In 2001, he received the Thomas Edison Award from ASME for inventing the helical turbine.
- In 2011, he was nominated for the European Inventor Award for his helical turbine invention.
Personal Life
Professor Alexander M. Gorlov lived in Brookline and Falmouth, both in Massachusetts, USA. He lived with his wife, Ella, who is a local historian.
Patents
- A. M. Gorlov, Apparatus for harnessing tidal power, United States Patent 4,103,490, Aug 1, 1978.
- A. M. Gorlov, High volume tidal or current flow harnessing system, United States Patent 4,464,080, Aug 7, 1984.
- A. M. Gorlov, Terrorist vehicle arresting system United States Patent 4,759,655, July 26, 1988.
- A. M. Gorlov, Friction reduction for terrorist vehicle arresting system, United States Patent 5,026,203, June 25, 1991.
- A. M. Gorlov, Water gate array for current flow or tidal movement pneumatic harnessing system, United States Patent 5,074,710, Dec 24, 1991.
- A. M. Gorlov, Shutter for hydro-pneumatic current flow harnessing system, United States Patent 5,222,833, June 29, 1993.
- A. M. Gorlov, Unidirectional helical reaction turbine operable under reversible fluid flow for power systems, United States Patent 5,451,137, Sept. 19, 1995.
- B. L. Istorik, I. B. Chpolianski, A. M. Gorlov, Unidirecional reaction turbine operable under reversible fluid from flow, United States Patent 5,451,138, Sept 19, 1995.
- A. M. Gorlov, Helical turbine assembly operable under multidirectional fluid flow for power and propulsion systems, United States Patent 5,642,984, July 1, 1997.
- A. M. Gorlov, Helical turbine assembly operable under multidirectional gas and water flow, United States Patent 6,155,892, Dec 5, 2000.
- A. M. Gorlov, Method for maintaining flotation using a helical turbine assembly, United States Patent 6,253,700, July 3, 2001.
- A. M. Gorlov, System for providing wind propulsion of a marine vessel using a helical turbine assembly, United States Patent 6,293,835, Sept 25, 2001.
