SMART MINI-IDRO

User Guide

version 01

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SMART Mini-Idro

installation

• 1) in Microsoft Excel go to Instruments/macro/protection and set the valueto “MEDIUM” or “LOW” (with high protection it does not function)

• 2) decompress the zip file containing the Smart Mini-Idro files in onefolder

• 3) open the “SMART Mini-Idro_En.xls” file with Microsoft-Excel

• 4) Click “Solo lettura” - Enable macros in “read mode” only.

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SMART Mini-Idro

Software structure

• SMART Mini-Idro "is a toll for technical and economical evaluation of mini hydro power plants

• It is an instrument of knowledge and support in decisions

• The software can be used to assess the discharge availability, choice of technical parameters, evaluate energy production, benefits and financial aspects of mini hydro plants

• Support to the pre-feasibility project analysis

• To use the programme you must have Microsoft Excel installed in your PC

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SMART Mini-Idro

Working Modules

Net

discharge FDC Design discharge1

DISCHARGE

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TURBINENet Hear

Hydraulic

lossesTotal Head

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ENERGYPower Curve

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COSTSPlant layout

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FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

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Module discharge

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SMART Mini-Idro

Module: Discharge – Direct input of the FDC

Direct INPUT of the Flow Duration Curve (FDC): 21 flow values on 21 times (from 0% to 100% with step 5%).

NOTE: The Lombardia Region curve is valid only for the Northern Italy area.

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Module: Discharge – Minimum Instream Flow (MIF)

SMART Mini-Idro allows the input of the minimum instream flow MIF (briefly defined as the minimum amount of water that must be ensured for the preservation of water bodies and aquatic biotic communities) through:

• DIRECT METHOD: direct input of the known value of the MIF

• PERCENTAGE METHOD: percentage of the average discharge calculated

from the FDC (percentage of a Q mean)

• METHOD of the PO RIVER Basin Authority. Regarding the Italian Law

n.7/2002

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SMART Mini-Idro

Module: Discharge – Minimum Environmental Flow (MIF)

MIF : DIRECT METHOD

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SMART Mini-Idro

Module: Discharge – Minimum Environmental Flow (MIF)

MIF : PERCENTAGE METHOD (% of the Q mean)

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MIF : METHOD of the PO RIVER Basin Authority (calculation according to

the n. 7/02 Italian Law)

SMART Mini-Idro

Module: Discharge – Minimum Environmental Flow (MIF)

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SMART Mini-Idro

Module: Discharge – Net Discharges

For each duration, from 0% to 100%, the following discharges are calculated:

• Q gross: the total discharge, input in the FD

• MIF: regards the value input in the MIF module

• Q net: the net discharge, difference between the Q gross and the MIF

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Module: Discharge – Hydropower discharge

Direct input the Design Discharge

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Module: Dicharge – Hydropower discharge

Design Discharge, as a percentage of the Flow Duration Curve

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Module: Discharge– Utilization Curves

Presentation of the runoff and plant utilization curves

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Module: Turbine

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Module: Turbine – Net Head Calculation

The net head is estimated from the gross head considering the continuous and concentrated head losses

Continue head losses: assessed through the characteristics of the penstock and the design speed

Concentrated losses: a fraction of the kinetic energy of the flow (α coefficient)

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SMART Mini-Idro

Module: Turbine – Turbine selection

Selection of different types of turbines: Pelton, Turgo, CrossFlow, Francis, Kaplan and others

For each turbine it is proposed a typical turbine efficiency curveIt is also possible to assign manually the turbine efficiency curve

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Module: Energy

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SMART Mini-Idro

Module: Energy – Characteristics of the plant

In this module it is possible to evaluate the power plant and estimate the energy annual production.

The Energy Module starts with the section "Characteristics of the plant," a brief summary of the data describing the plant: it is given the name, location, river, design discharge, gross head and type of turbine.

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SMART Mini-Idro

Module: Energy – Power

This module calculates the plant power

The turbine efficiency, the local (concentrated) loss and the maximum loss are calculated in the Turbine Module

)(QηH/s][mQγ1000

1[kW]P PTURN

3

PMAX ⋅⋅⋅⋅=

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SMART Mini-Idro

Module: Energy Annual Production

This module determines the power plant energy annual production.

( ) dtP(t)f1η1000

1[MWh]E

8760

0

TOTANNUA ⋅⋅−⋅⋅= ∫ (t))(Qη(t))(QH(t)Qγ1000

1P(t) DERTURDERNDER ⋅⋅⋅⋅=

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Module: Costs

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Module: Costs – Investment estimate

The Costs Module has only one section name “Investment estimate“: it aims to estimate the cost required for the construction of the power plant in all its components.

Two ways are proposed by the tool:

• Synthetic estimate

• Correlation formulas

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SMART Mini-Idro

Module: Costs – Investment estimate

Formulas Option

in case the user does not have available the prices of the individual works, or does not know the characteristics of the installation, it is recommended to use the option “formulas”(with equations derived from practical cases)

WARNING:

PARAMETERS ARE PROPOSED AS DEFAULT BUT MUST BE VERIFIED WITH REAL CASES IN THE TERRITORY

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Module: Financial Analysis

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Module: Financial Analysis

• The Financial Analysis module is simulating the cash flows for the life of a plant (30 years), with respect to the expenditures and the energy production of plant, elaborating and comparing the annual costs and benefits

• You have to input the discount ( bringing up to date) rate, the management & maintenance costs and the taxes & fees costs

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SMART Mini-Idro

Module: Financial Analysis – Annual benefit

In Italy the selling price of the energy and the incentive instruments are governed by the market, making it impossible to offer sale prices with equal validity in the future

The designer must assign the most appropriate energy price per year of calculation

It is possible to consider also the incomes from Green Certificates for an assigned period

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Module: Financial Analysis

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

The latest Financial Analysis section displays the cash flow and calculates the most representative economic indicators

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References:

• Lombardia Region, Quaderni Regionali di Ricerca n.33, “Disponibilità ed ottimizzazione nell’uso della risorsa idrica: Parametri per lo sfruttamento idroelettrico” (1999).

• RETScreen International – Small Hydro Project Analysis, Minister of Natural Resources Canada, (2001-2004)

• Alterach J. et al. - Ricerca di Sistema, “Valutazione a livello regionale delle risorse idriche superficiali - Applicazione di procedure di regionalizzazione delle curve di durata delle portate medie giornaliere nell'area montana dall'Adamello al versante meridionale delle Alpi Orobiche” Rapporto GEN21/IDRO/WP 4.1 IDROUSI/Task 4.1.2/Milestone 4.1.2.3, 1 (2005)

• Peviani M., Menga R., Garofano E., Grasso F., Stella G.– Ricerca di Sistema “Risultati del censimento del potenziale mini-idro e realizzazione del sistema informativo territoriale” – Rapporto CESI RICERCA Prot. 7000595 (2006)

• Alterach J., Brasi O., Flamini B., Peviani M. et al. – Ricerca di Sistema, “Valutazione della disponibilità idrica e del potenziale di producibilità idroelettrica a scala nazionale e di bacino“ -Rapporto CESIRICERCA Prot. 7000597 (2006)

•Alessandro Davitti – Engeneering Degree Thesis - “Fattibilità tecnico-economica di impianti mini-idro: software ed applicazioni”, Politecnico di Milano, Facoltà d’Ingegneria, anno accademico 2006-2007.

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SMART Mini-Idro

Contacts:

Website www.seehydropower.eu

Julio Alterach julio.alterach@rse-web.it

Maximo Peviani maximo.peviani@rse-web.it