Intro to Micro-Hydro PowerIntro to Micro-Hydro Power

Gary Flomenhoft, BSME, MPP,CEELecturer/Research AssociateCommunity and International Development, CDAEGund Institute, University of Vermont

Project Director, Dominica Renewable Energy Workshophttp://www.uvm.edu/~gflomenh/Dominica/fieldwork.html

Hydro Hydro CurrentlyCurrently

1/10 of electricity, 1/10 of electricity, US.US.

20% World 20% World electricityelectricity

Hydro-Electric SystemsHydro-Electric Systems

Sizes- large, small, Sizes- large, small, MicroMicro

Types- Types- Impoundment, Run-of-the River, Impoundment, Run-of-the River, diversion, pumped storagediversion, pumped storage

TurbinesTurbines- reaction and impulse- reaction and impulse

Home-Hydro-PowerHome-Hydro-Power

Large Hydro-systemsLarge Hydro-systems Defined as greater Defined as greater

than 30 megawatts than 30 megawatts by Department of by Department of EnergyEnergy

Hoover dam- (1300 MW)Hoover dam- (1300 MW) Grand Coulee (6480 MWGrand Coulee (6480 MW

LargestLargest:: Venezuela Venezuela ((10 GW)10 GW) Itaipu-Brazil (12.6 GWItaipu-Brazil (12.6 GW China- 18.6 GW China- 18.6 GW

(2009)(2009)

Three Gorges DamThree Gorges Dam Over one mile longOver one mile long

575 feet tall. 575 feet tall.

25-75 billion dollars. 25-75 billion dollars.

20 years of 20 years of construction  construction  

18,600 MW18,600 MW Completion in 2009Completion in 2009

Small Hydro-systemsSmall Hydro-systems

DOE 100kw – DOE 100kw – 30mw30mw

Industries, townsIndustries, towns Thailand (9mw)Thailand (9mw) Winooski (5MW)Winooski (5MW) Essex (7MW)Essex (7MW)

Micro-hydro systemMicro-hydro system

DOE 0-100 kwDOE 0-100 kw

Farm, home, Farm, home, villagevillage

Increasing in Increasing in #’s Today#’s Today

Impoundment Type or “Run-Impoundment Type or “Run-of-the-River w/o of-the-River w/o impoundmentimpoundment

Diversion TypeDiversion Type

Diversion (Brazil)Diversion (Brazil)

Pumped StoragePumped Storage

Energy control- Energy control- produce power on produce power on demanddemand

70-80% efficency 70-80% efficency

Net electricity Net electricity consumersconsumers

Can be PV and wind Can be PV and wind poweredpowered

Turbines: Reaction or Turbines: Reaction or ImpulseImpulse

Depends on: head, flow, and pressureDepends on: head, flow, and pressure Impulse- similar to water wheel Impulse- similar to water wheel (cupped (cupped

Blades) Spins in the airBlades) Spins in the air

Reaction- used in large facilitiesReaction- used in large facilities (Blades similar to boat propeller) Submerged in water(Blades similar to boat propeller) Submerged in water

Turbines: Reaction or Turbines: Reaction or ImpulseImpulse

Turbines: Reaction or Turbines: Reaction or ImpulseImpulse

Impulse-type Turbine-Impulse-type Turbine-PeltonPelton

High-head/low High-head/low flow flow

(Vertical drop > (Vertical drop > 10m)10m)

High pressure High pressure (PSI)(PSI)

Inside of Micro TurbineInside of Micro Turbine

4 inch diameter 4 inch diameter impulse turbineimpulse turbine

Creates 200 watts Creates 200 watts of powerof power

Cost $1440Cost $1440

Harris DC Hydro systems

14 KW Canyon Industries Pelton

Impulse-type Turbine-Impulse-type Turbine-TurgoTurgo

Turgo: Medium head (>4ft)

Impulse-type Turbine-Impulse-type Turbine-CrossflowCrossflow

Low-head Low-head situations (high situations (high flow/ low PSI)flow/ low PSI)

Reaction-type Turbine-Reaction-type Turbine-FrancisFrancis

Low-head situations Low-head situations (high flow/ low PSI)(high flow/ low PSI)

Reaction-type Turbine-Reaction-type Turbine-PropellorPropellor Low-head Low-head

situations (high situations (high flow/ low PSI)flow/ low PSI)

Reaction-type Turbine-Reaction-type Turbine-KaplanKaplan

Low-head situations Low-head situations (high flow/ low PSI)(high flow/ low PSI)

Schematic Schematic MicroMicro-Hydro-Hydro

Home-Home-MicroMicro-Hydro-Hydro

How to determine power?How to determine power?

Watts= head x GPM/10 (53% Watts= head x GPM/10 (53% efficiency)efficiency)

Dominica #1 High head/Low flow

Head: 120 feet

Flow: 80-120 GPM

Power: 1KW

Schematic: Forbay tankSchematic: Forbay tank

Intake ConstructionIntake Construction

Intake ConstructionIntake Construction

Intake ConstructionIntake Construction

Intake ConstructionIntake Construction

Penstock: 4” SCH 40 PVCPenstock: 4” SCH 40 PVCPainted for UV protectionPainted for UV protection

Penstock: 4” SCH 40 PVCPenstock: 4” SCH 40 PVCPainted for UV protectionPainted for UV protection

PowerHouse: PowerHouse:

PowerHouse: PowerHouse:

PowerHouse: PowerHouse:

TurbineTurbine: :

TurbineTurbine: :

TurbineTurbine

Sahyadri Energy Systems

PF-175

WATER DELIVERED TO TURBINE BY PVC PIPE:• Length is approx 480 ft.• 4 inch diameter• Approx cost $1600

HYDRAULIC COMPONENTS OF TURBINE:-hydroelectric generator

Dominica #2 Low Head/High Flow

Head: 10 feetFlow: 1000 GPMPower: 1KW

Low-Head System Installation

Diversion

Diversion

Diversion

Pipe Installation

Pipe Installation

Pipe Installation

Pipe Installation

Pipe Installation

Trough Installation

Trough Installation

Trough Installation

Dominica #2 Turbine: LH-1000

$1895

Turbine: LH-1000

Hydropower – Pros & ConsHydropower – Pros & Cons

Current hydropower technology, while Current hydropower technology, while essentially emission-free, can have essentially emission-free, can have undesirable environmental effects, such as fish undesirable environmental effects, such as fish injury and mortality from passage through injury and mortality from passage through turbines, as well as detrimental effects on the turbines, as well as detrimental effects on the quality of downstream water.quality of downstream water.

ConsCons Disrupt natural flow patterns of the streamDisrupt natural flow patterns of the stream Fertilization of flood plainFertilization of flood plain Fish migrationFish migration Sediment and stratification Sediment and stratification Decommissioning and Dam removal Decommissioning and Dam removal Hydro licensing / re-licensing Hydro licensing / re-licensing

Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Marine Fisheries Service Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Forest Service (FS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), (NMFS), the Forest Service (FS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Park Service (NPS), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the the National Park Service (NPS), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Reclamation (BuRec), Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Reclamation (BuRec), Army Corps of Engineers, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Fish PassageFish Passage Fish populations can be impacted if fish cannot Fish populations can be impacted if fish cannot

migrate upstream past impoundment dams to migrate upstream past impoundment dams to spawning grounds or if they cannot migrate spawning grounds or if they cannot migrate downstream to the ocean. downstream to the ocean.

Upstream fish passage Upstream fish passage Fish ladders or elevatorsFish ladders or elevators truckstrucks

Downstream fish passageDownstream fish passage aided by diverting fish from turbine intakes using aided by diverting fish from turbine intakes using

screens or racks or even underwater lights and screens or racks or even underwater lights and sounds, and by maintaining a minimum spill flow sounds, and by maintaining a minimum spill flow past the turbine. past the turbine.

Fish LadderFish Ladder

Water Quality and FlowWater Quality and Flow

Hydropower plants can cause low dissolved Hydropower plants can cause low dissolved oxygen levels in the water, a problem that is oxygen levels in the water, a problem that is harmful to riparian habitats and is addressed harmful to riparian habitats and is addressed using various aeration techniques. Maintaining using various aeration techniques. Maintaining minimum flows of water downstream of a minimum flows of water downstream of a hydropower installation is also critical for the hydropower installation is also critical for the survival of riparian habitats. survival of riparian habitats.

Environmentally Friendly Environmentally Friendly TurbinesTurbines

Environmentally friendly turbines, also called Environmentally friendly turbines, also called "fish friendly" turbines, aim to reduce fish "fish friendly" turbines, aim to reduce fish mortality when passing through the turbine, mortality when passing through the turbine, while also increasing water quality by while also increasing water quality by maintaining dissolved oxygen concentrations. maintaining dissolved oxygen concentrations.

ProsPros

Control of floods and water flowControl of floods and water flow Generate electric cleanly and is Generate electric cleanly and is

renewable renewable Efficiency – Energy to Electricity at Efficiency – Energy to Electricity at

90%90%

ReferencesReferences

http://www.ferc.gov/industries/hydropower/genhttp://www.ferc.gov/industries/hydropower/gen-info/water-power/wp-pump.asp-info/water-power/wp-pump.asp

http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/hydhttp://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/hydro_plant_types.htmlro_plant_types.html

http://www.homepower.com/files/hp44-24.pdfhttp://www.homepower.com/files/hp44-24.pdf http://library.thinkquest.org/20331/types/hydrohttp://library.thinkquest.org/20331/types/hydro

/types.html/types.html Hinrichs, Kleinbach. ENERGY, Its use and the Hinrichs, Kleinbach. ENERGY, Its use and the

Environment,Tompson Learning, 2002.Environment,Tompson Learning, 2002.