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Hydro -How to...?

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Comments

  • #32
    Annatar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭Annatar


    Is there no way to introduce a multiplier affect to either the flow or head?
    Gravity is pretty much a constant around the globe so short of inventing a small, portable and safe Singularity, that cant be altered.

    If the head was 20m
    1st 5m was a 10" pipe
    2nd 5m was a 8" pipe
    3rd 5m was a 6" pipe

    Would this have ANY benefit? Would any additional kW be obtained?
    Or would a straight, no variation in size, intake pipe be better?


    Another idea I did have was using a wind pump to elevate water all the day round to the top of a hill to a reservoir. Then when required take it back down producing Hydroelectricity as it goes.

    The wind pump doesnt need to be an electric turbine hooked to an electric pump. Mayhaps just a simple mechnical pump.

    Issue with this is that there is too many places for energy waste. Short of there being a spring or stream feeding the reservoir as well, all thats being done is using the reservoir as a pretty wasteful battery.
    Still, that being said, is there anything to be said for this approach? Any improvements that could be made?


  • #33
    Cheeble
    Closed Accounts Posts: 224 ✭✭Cheeble


    Annatar wrote: »
    Gravity is pretty much a constant around the globe so short of inventing a small, portable and safe Singularity, that cant be altered.
    Good idea though.
    Annatar wrote: »
    If the head was 20m
    1st 5m was a 10" pipe
    2nd 5m was a 8" pipe
    3rd 5m was a 6" pipe

    Would this have ANY benefit?
    No, the narrower pipe just restricts the flow.

    Annatar wrote: »
    Another idea I did have was using a wind pump to elevate water all the day round to the top of a hill to a reservoir. Then when required take it back down producing Hydroelectricity as it goes.
    Yes, another good idea, they call it pumped storage and it's widely used throughout the world (try wikipedia). It's a lossy storage medium though, and you don't get more energy out than you put in.

    Cheeble-eers


  • #34
    BabyEater
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 697 ✭✭✭BabyEater


    I have a river beside my house and it has a flow rate of 55 litres per second with a head of 4 meters. Does anybody know what type of turbine would be best suited for this. Those stream engines only go to 9.5 litres per second.

    This river is part of an old mill so i have the ability to store a good bit of water.


  • #35
    Annatar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭Annatar


    Cheeble wrote: »
    Yes, another good idea, they call it pumped storage and it's widely used throughout the world (try wikipedia). It's a lossy storage medium though, and you don't get more energy out than you put in.
    Cheeble-eers

    Twould, IF you were returning the water to the same stream you got it from.
    Access to water, or more to the point access to along enough portion of the waterway to create enough of a head is a big problem.

    Im figuring on using a stream nearer the top of a hill to be my source, and a stream at the foot of a hill to be the destination.

    The inbetween bit is the interesting section.


    Syphoning water from one stream to another over a hill has the benefit of not relying on Wind. Simpler.

    Using a wind powered mechanical pump has the benefit of producing a greater Head. Minimal maintenance req for pump. Cheap.
    Cons-cost of the reservoir, Needs wind.


  • #36
    Annatar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭Annatar


    BabyEater wrote: »
    I have a river beside my house and it has a flow rate of 55 litres per second with a head of 4 meters. Does anybody know what type of turbine would be best suited for this. Those stream engines only go to 9.5 litres per second.

    This river is part of an old mill so i have the ability to store a good bit of water.


    Sweet!
    http://www.reuk.co.uk/Calculation-of-Hydro-Power.htm


    Head: 4 (metres), Flow Rate: 55 (litres per second)
    Hydro Power: 2158(Watts)
    At 60% system efficiency 1295(Watts) of generated electricity

    Will take a look around and see what I see RE turbines.
    I wonder would and Archimedes' Screw Generator work well..?


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  • #37
    Annatar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭Annatar


    Kinda interesting...

    http://www.cleanenergysolutions.co.uk/presentation.pdf


  • #38
    Annatar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭Annatar


    BabyEater wrote: »
    I have a river beside my house and it has a flow rate of 55 litres per second with a head of 4 meters. Does anybody know what type of turbine would be best suited for this. Those stream engines only go to 9.5 litres per second.

    This river is part of an old mill so i have the ability to store a good bit of water.


    http://ecologics.ie/products/wind-energy/

    hydro_table.jpg


  • #39
    BabyEater
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 697 ✭✭✭BabyEater


    Thanks for the reply's Annatar.

    The graph in your last post is incorrect as the values along the top are in gpm not liters per seconds, so i would need about 5 of them.

    There is an old waterwheel in place and i was wondering if it would as efficient as a turbine as its RPM is very low so there would be a lot of gearing.


  • #40
    Annatar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭Annatar


    BabyEater wrote: »
    Thanks for the reply's Annatar.

    The graph in your last post is incorrect as the values along the top are in gpm not liters per seconds, so i would need about 5 of them.

    There is an old waterwheel in place and i was wondering if it would as efficient as a turbine as its RPM is very low so there would be a lot of gearing.


    I just copied n pasted the graph from the site...


  • #41
    BabyEater
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 697 ✭✭✭BabyEater


    I looked at the link alright. Its hard to know with all the different types of turbines out there, which one woud suit best. Was thinking of a crossflow or something like that.


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  • #42
    Lightning McQue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 112 ✭✭Lightning McQue


    Babyeater

    There is a company in Ravensdale Dundalk that sells turbines although they are fairly hard to contact.

    Since you live up there you could check them out.

    They installed a 3 kw turbine in a house in Greystones. I was hoping to go see it but they never rang me back.

    Lightning McQueen


  • #43
    Scruff
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,228 ✭✭✭Scruff


    Click here for some info from Sustainable Energy Ireland. The info might be a bit out of date with regards to grants etc but there are some case studies (a bit old too) and some links and contact info.
    The most useful is probably to www.gilkes.com who supply hydro generators of different sizes and types. They also have lots of useful info on their site.


  • #44
    BabyEater
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 697 ✭✭✭BabyEater


    Lightning
    Can you tell me who it is in Ravensdale that sells the turbines, as I am not aware of anyone.



    Scruff

    Gilkes seem to have a a wide range of turbines i must contact them. The head that they are looking for is 5 meters tho, so i wonder will it matter that i dont quite have that much.

    I think i will have to do a more detailed check of my site to see exactly what head and flow I have, as they were only rough measurments I took.


  • #45
    Carawaystick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    EU link to canadian research http://technologies.ew.eea.europa.eu/technologies/resourc_mngt/energy_save_renewbls/other_energ/869497D1E01648D6A68F633FA0B58FC7.pdf


  • #46
    Lightning McQue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 112 ✭✭Lightning McQue


    Babyeater

    if you look up www.solarite.eu they have a list of turbines suitable for different head/flow etc. Phone 042-935002. They never returned my phonecalls and I was hoping to go see a 3 kw turbine in operation in Greystones Co. Wicklow which they installed. It cost €10000.

    The addreess is Carrickarnon Ravensdale. I dont know anything about them so let me know how you got on.

    Lightning McQueen


  • #47
    Lightning McQue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 112 ✭✭Lightning McQue


    BabyEater

    I am just wondering how did you get on?

    Lightning


  • #48
    BabyEater
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 697 ✭✭✭BabyEater


    Lightning

    Was looking at buying a Turgo runner from http://www.h-hydro.com/.
    Would be thinking of 6 nozzels 40mm in diameter. I would plan on making the rest of the turbine myself.

    Still waiting on replys from other people as i am finding it difficult to find a turbine for my flow rate and head from other sources.


  • #49
    quentingargan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,627 ✭✭✭quentingargan


    You might also like to look at http://www.renewablecomponents.com/hydro.html


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