Planning a microhydropower system department of energy. Our flagship product, the stream engine, was invented by us and is manufactured inhouse. The price per watthour is far cheaper than photovoltaics pv and even less than wind. Summary t he system is a runoftheriver scheme, with water being extracted form the burn stream at a small weir. Micro hydro design aids, which consists of a set of spreadsheets and.
Design a micro hydro turbine introduction usually hydraulic turbines have to be designed individually according to the local operating conditions of power station such as discharge, head and given geometrical situations. A design report, submitted with the application, should include an evaluation of the foundation conditions, the hydrologic and hydraulic design and a structural stability analysis of the dam. Introduction to micro hydro micro hydro refers to hydro power systems with a power rating of 100kw or less. Design of weir weir design manual calculations and engineering.
The next step is to design a system that will effectively harness that potential. Decision support system for microhydro power plants in the. Civil works the design of the structure accounts for uplift due to buoyancy, seepage and overturning. Discharge equations and other details for each type of weir are provided in the owners manual and the help system. The choice of the turbine type depending mainly on the. An assessment of microhydropower potential at historic. How to design a minihydro power plant energy technology expert. This technique uses a rectangular opening cut in a board or piece of sheet metal, set into the brook like a dam. Design considerations of microhydro electric power plants to design a micro hydro electric power plant, there are many considerations to be prepared and taken into account in the design procedure. The design procedure of microhydro power plant was implemented by a matlab simulink computer program to calculate all the design parameters. We also provide engineering assistance in the feasibility and design of hydraulic diversions, and solutions for municipal, agricultural, and industrial liquidsolids. At the be gin ning, the weir was used for small thermo power and, later, for ir ri ga tion sys tem. Tools for small hydropower plant resource planning and. Another good article in the same magazine by the same author is called hydro penstockin the june no.
Design considerations of micro hydro electric power plants to design a micro hydro electric power plant, there are many considerations to be prepared and taken into account in the design procedure. Theres nothing as satisfying as helping to improve the environment and earning a nice financial return at the same time. It has been executing the national rural and renewable energy program nrrep since july 16, 2012 with single program modality. Water flow can be measured by constructing a weir of. Scope for incorporating microhydro power into a system of. It runs on microsoft excel and uses 2 mb of memory. Head and flow are the most important aspects of designing a hydropower system, these would be necessary to start the process. Dec 01, 1993 micro hydro design manual has grown from intermediate technologys field experiences with micro hydro installations and covers operation and maintenance, commissioning, electrical power, induction generators, electronic controllers, management, and energy surveys. Greenbug provides watertowire equipment packages featuring the archimedes screw technology. When the flow duration curve is constructed all of the flow rate data is sorted into descending order, then the highest flow rates are plotted on the left of the curve, then progressively lower flow rates to the right until the very lowest flow is plotted at the extreme. Micro hydro mh is generally defined as decentralized small scale water power plant less than 100 kw. After introducing the site measurements and calculations as input data to the computer program, the weir dimensions, open channel dimensions, penstock dimensions, turbine type, turbine size, turbine power, turbine speed, turbine. These projects are listed here to inspire you and to provide access to information that may be of interest to the public. This means that it has a minimal negative effect on the environment.
Mini capacity between 100 to 500 kw micro hydropower installations with a power output less than 100 kw 8. In the case of a dam the condition for maximum stress is when the water level above the base is maximum. There is an increasing need in many countries for power supplies to rural areas, partly to support industries. The water is raised up to the required height and the water then flows over the weir.
Microhydro installation in germany low head turbine. Full text 106 mb pdf concrete manual part 2, 9th ed. A microhydroelectric system is made up of a number of components, not just the turbine. Estimation of the water flow rate the water flow rate q can be estimated in different ways but a. Purchase a micro hydro system greenbug energy micro hydro. To build a microhydropower system, you need access to flowing water on your property. Hydro information systems turbnpro version 3 software. An excel program was developed to automate the optimization of the penstock. More than 26% 17,100 sites of all micro hydro sites are defined as weir type structures, and unknown sites represent almost 32% 20,720 points of all micro hydro site locations. Such a broad overview of micro hydro simply cannot be found elsewhere, and if you are looking for a book which deals with the subject completely, this is it.
Measuring the flow at different times of the year helps estimate the maximum and minimum usable flow. Performance in feasibility studies of micro hydro power. Pdf design planning of microhydro power plant in hink river. Different types of weir can be used as diverging structures some of them are given below. In this paper particular attention is focused on peculiarities of the technical and economic feasibility study and the design of an ultralow head micro hydroelectric power plant for a farm holiday centre also aimed at didactic ecological activities. The turbine was build on an existing waterfall and has a head of 1,7m, a flow rate of aprox. Our intake boxes are designed for a flow of 5 to 50gpm or 200gpm. Pdf design considerations of microhydroelectric power. Micro hydro system design, implementation, micro hydro, nepal number of pages. Planning a micro hydro plant international water power. A 100kw system will produce 100 standard units of electricity in one hour.
A short video about our low head turbine installation. Pipe flow expert software used by engineers in over 100 countries worldwide. Micro hydro power convert potential energy of water into electricity and it a clean source. They can be set as diversion controllers for micro hydro use, or as load controllers, to shut of loads if the battery gets too low. Turbnpro is the only software of its kind created to develop information on hydraulic turbines, their. Technologies and materials for renewable energy, environment and sustainability, tmrees18, 19a21 september 2018, athens, greece performanc in feasib lity stud es f micro hydro p wer plants. A weir is usually modeled as an outlet device that controls the discharge from a pond.
The water flow of micro hydropower station generally is not too big, micro hydropower station owner can choose spillway overflow weir without sluice gate. For those interested in solely the engineering design of hydroplants, and can read german, i recommend wasserkraftanlagen. Technical specifications of micro hydropower system design. Pdf microhydro power plant is a type of renewable power plant that is environment friendly, easy. A weir is a small dam built across a river to control the upstream water level. Micro hydro power plant is a type of renewable power plant that is environment friendly, easy to be operated and low operation cost. In medium or highhead installations water may first be carried horizontally to the forebay tank by a small. Once your system is installed, be prepared for a number of weekly, monthly and yearly maintenance tasks, from keeping the intake pipe unclogged to greasing the machinery. Hydro sites and end users needs vary, and a wide range of equipment and system configurations are available to properly match the conditions. Micro hydro and solar electric equipment vancouver bc.
But in case of a weir design, when the discharge increases the near water level also builds up and the difference between them will become less and less. Small hydro is the development of hydroelectric power on a scale suitable for local community and industry, or to contribute to distributed generation in a regional electricity grid. A sufficient quantity of falling water must be available, which usually, but not always, means that hilly or mountainous sites are best. Technical specifications of micro hydropower system design and.
Micro hydro sites any site with a water drop and flows. Flow is the volume of water per unit of time available to the turbine. With greenbugs low head hydropower systems, low drops in manmade and natural waterways can easily be developed to produce clean, reliable baseload power. Water flow in upstream will be diverted in intake weir and it will flow into the channel. The definition of a small hydro project varies based on different consideration of what should constitute bottom and top limits from country to country, but most common range, although not binding, in capacity. Thinking about it, we elaborate software to evaluate the feasibility of implementation of small hydro power. Results the design procedure of microhydroelectric power plant was implemented by matlab simulink computer program. Design considerations of microhydroelectric power plant.
The project present about simulation of micro hydro power based on river configuration at river downstream. A weir is an impervious barrier constructed across a river to raise the water level on the upstream side. This manual presents the technology and design concepts of hydro power. I have used lots of these units and all are still working well. Sundance will work with you to create a micro hydro system that makes good use of the water resources on your land, providing a costsaving energy source while protecting the environment. Mar 19, 2007 planning a micro hydro plant 19 march 2007 giampiero goretti and raffaele ruscitti illustrate the methodological peculiarities characterising the technicaleconomic feasibility study and planning of a low head micro hydro power plant in italys tiber valley which employs a coandaeffect screen. Small scale hydro micro hydro is the cheapest way to power an re home. For storage type hydro systems a more accurate method for determining the flow of streams over 1 cfs is the use of a weir that is simply a dam with a slot of specific width and depth cut into it.
Water is taken from the river by diverting it through an intake at a weir. Micro hydro systems differ from large hydro power since the flows of. Microhydroelectric power plants are one of an alternative source of energy. Technical and economic feasibility studies of a micro. Small all installations in the range between 500 to kw. The objectives of this project to simulate flow of downstream river for different micro hydro power, to determine the performance. System design please provide as much information as you can and we will generate a basic system design and budget equipment cost estimate. A wall is set up parallel and exactly four feet upstream from the weir. Design and construction of mini hydropower plant with propeller turbine, pp. Unless careful design principles are applied, the diversion weir, the intake structure and the embankment walls of the river may be damaged. Theory and modeling for the lake townsend spillway replacement project greg paxson, p. After introducing the site measurements and calculations as input data to the computer program, the weir dimensions, open channel dimensions, penstock dimensions, turbine type, turbine size, turbine power, turbine speed, turbine efficiency, generator specifications and gear box ratio were determined. This workshop will cover design considerations as they apply to both low and high head microhydro systems. The c60 and c40 are pwm charge controlers for solar or micro hydro applications.
A suitable methodology is provided in design of small dams, chapter 9 section 9. Full text 171 mb pdf dam removal analysis guidelines for sediment, full text 8. Combining the worlds of environmental science, fluid dynamics. Of course actual design should consider the local terrain conditions to determine the appropriate arrangement. The main emphasis is on small scale hydropower resource assessment computer tools and methodologies for the development of shp plants corresponding to a preliminary or prefeasibility study level. Weirs have been used for ages to control the flow of water in streams, rivers, and other water bodies.
Once the head and flow are known, the power available for a micro hydropower system can be calculated. They are built from salvaged redwood, with heavyduty stainless steel screen and stainless steel screws. Micro hydroelectric generator small home kit for sale. Design of microhydroelectric power station international journal. Essentially, the extracted water runs to a settling tanks and then down 800 metres of buried pipe the penstock to a turbine, where the electricity is generated at 240 volts. From a school in fiji to an offgrid home in spain, you can find our machines all. Guidelines for detailed feasibility studies of micro hydro projects iii preface the alternative energy promotion centre aepc was established in 1996. It discusses in detail how to plan you micro hydro intake or penstock, including thrust blocks for pipe supports, choice of materials, air relief, etc. A board is then laid perfectly level on top of the weir and the upstream wall. Micro hydro power generation introducing powerspout micro hydro turbine 1200w offgrid battery enabled system configuration field installation examples. In any hydropower projects the diversion structures occupies the key position. The channel transports the water to fore bay tank before going to. To install other micro hydro systems, youll need either earthmoving, mechanical and electrical skills or a qualified contractor.
Micro hydro is a type of hydroelectric power that typically produces from 5 kw to 100 kw of electricity using the natural flow of water. The yaxis is the flow rate in m 3 s metrescubed per second, or sometime in litres per second for smaller watercourses. More than one turbine can be installed depending on the water resource available. We offer a wide array of waterpowered products on an international scale. For further details of the economics of micro hydro power see the case study on the micro hydro scheme in zimbabwe go to top. The water is channeled into the weir and the depth is measured from the top of a stake that is level with the edge of the weir and several feet upstream. Microhydropower design aids is a complete set of tools consisting of typical autocad drawings, typical microsoft excel spreadsheets and a users manual recommended for using up to feasibility study level of microhydropower schemes up to 100kw. Pushpa chitrakar, hydropower specialist was published by nmhda was a useful book for design of micro and mini hydropower projects. Water turbine design guide micro hydro power generators. Programmes promoting the use of micro hydro power in developing countries have concentrated on the social, as well as the technical and economic aspects of this energy source. About us hydroscreen is a valueadded company providing consulting engineering, design, manufacturing, and installation of quality coanda screen and wedgewire screen solutions. France, totalling 24,748 micro hydro locations, is a clear leader among the eu countries and represents 38. These micro hydropower design aids have been prepared to provide a basis for consultants to undertake. Other considerations for a potential microhydropower site include its power output, economics, permits, and water rights.
Micro hydro systems differ from large hydro power since the flows of water required are much smaller. New software development and application cases in cameroon. Most micro hydro systems use less than a hundred gallons per minute. Sharp crested weir broad crested weir ogee weir tyrolean weir weir with lateral intake etc. Hydrocad provides numerous weir options, as shown at the right. Design planning of microhydro power plant in hink river. Home free software extended programs about us contact us client zone our programs hydrohelp 1. There is no large dam to form a loch and impound the water, as there is on bigger schemes.
This type of turbine is best suited for a hydro site that has low head and large water flow. A beginners guide to design and installation from the national sustainable agriculture information service is an excellent resource for a detailed description of these methods. Pipe flow expert is our premier software program for piping design and pipe system modeling. Pushpa chitrakar was published by gtz now giz in 2006. Design and construction of mini hydropower plant with. Streams run twentyfour hours a day, seven days a week, and often 52 weeks per year. The choice of the turbine type depending mainly on the sit head and flow rate. These installations can provide power to an isolated home or small community, or are sometimes connected to electric power networks, particularly where net metering is offered.
Main components of a small scale hydro power scheme can be summarized as follows. The weir method is more versatile and may prove useful for higher flows. You can get this article on the home power web site with a subscription fee. To conv and mini i m paper report unt a lot of ponents weir ifications of e design consi esign a micro e design proc flow duration hoice of turb mined by the ormally built. Micro hydro development in the uk is still popular, which includes pico, micro and mini. The paper presents a brief evaluation of the historic software tools and the current tools used in the small hydro. Microhydro design manual has grown from intermediate technologys field experiences with micro hydro installations and covers operation and maintenance, commissioning, electrical power, induction generators, electronic controllers, management, and energy surveys adam harvey has worked for the micro hydro programme of it now practical action in nepal and sri lanka and on. Nov 16, 2016 however, because micro hydro works 24 hours a day 7 days a week, and can potentially provide all the power a house needs, these systems may be a better option than wind or photovoltaic generation. Covid19 coronavirus may affect your travel plans, please click here to read seis response plan and current information regarding registrations and cancellations. Among these diverging structures weir is the most commonly used structure, because of its simple design and operation. Archimedes screw generators enable costeffective generation of power at drops between 1 and 10. The most important part of a well functioning hydro system is a troublefree water intake. A small stream can generate consistent, clean, dam free, renewable electricity at a price per watt lower than solar or wind.
Hydro info systems introduces turbnpro version kc4. Estimation of the water flow rate the water flow rate q can be estimated in different ways but a more suitable method could be measuring. Micro hydropower is an indigenous and renewable source of energy for which the potential exists in almost the whole hindukush himalayanregion, which includes afghanistan, bhutan, china, india, myanmar, nepal and pakistan. British hydropower association a guide to uk mini hydro development v3. Feb 25, 2019 a weir is a small dam built across a river to control the upstream water level. Spillway of micro water power professional micro hydro. Design of weir weir design manual calculations and. The structure,of this weir is simple and easy to manage. Micro hydro power small hydro energy manufacturer hydro. Our fivestep design process begins with a site visit, followed by a load. Microhydro design manual has grown from intermediate technologys field experiences with microhydro installations and covers operation and maintenance, commissioning, electrical power, induction generators, electronic controllers, management, and energy surveys. The quickest way to access this information is to click the. Support to micro mini hydropower development under. It varies seasonally and may vary along a creeks length if tributaries flow into it.