Vortec Mhp

Seminar Report on VORTEC Micro Hydro Power Plant 2013-2014

Prepared by Sree Lakshmi Computers

INTRODUCTION

THE VORTEC MICRO HYDRO POWER PLANT

The VORTEC hydro power plant is a new way of harvesting the

enormous powers in rivers. The VORTEC technology is based on a different

principle than conventional hydro power systems. It uses the rotational motion

of the water, which occurs naturally in a vortex, to generate power. As



compared to conventional hydro power systems, which utilize pressurized

water usually created by high drops.

For a new concept of micro hydropower plant with gravitational

vortex and turbine with rapidity steps has been modeled the water flow

through the conical channel in the absence and the presence of steps. In the

first case, the power lines appear as conical propellers. Axial and radial

velocity of the water is not zero only in the boundary layer. In the second case

the structure of the water flow is changes with the formation of swirls every

area of the blades. The water velocity increases rapidly as proximity to the

drain hole and strongly depends on water flow



GRAVITATION WATER VORTEX POWER PLANT

The gravitational water vortex power plant is a type of micro hydro

power plant which is capable of producing energy using a low hydraulic head

of 0.7 - 3mtr (2ft 4in - 9ft 10in). The technology is based on a round basin

with a central drain. Above the drain the water forms a stable line vortex

which drives a water turbine.



It was invented by an Austrian Engineer Franz Zotloterer while

attempting to find a way to aerate water without an external power source. In

Zotloterer’s system, the water’s vortex energy is collected by a slow - moving,

large - surface water wheel, making the power station transparent to fish.

There are no large pressure difference built up, as happens in normal turbines.

The cost of construction for such plant is half that of a conventional hydro

electric installation of similar yield; and the environmental impact is positive

instead of negative.

A gravitational water vortex plant functions differently from traditional

hydro electric facilities. It has a rotation tank equipped with a central outlet

above which a stable, symmetrical vortex forms. It then drives the turbine to

the gravitational force between the turbine and the outlet. With 20 rotations

per minute, the turbine powers the generator, which transfers the resulting

electricity to the power grid. The turbine therefore generates neither high

levels of pressure nor backflow water. Gravitation water vortex plants meet “

clean tech” specifications due to the fact that 97% of electricity production is

CO2 - free.



DESIGN

The water passes through a straight inlet and the passes tangentially

into a round basin. The water forms a big vortex over the center bottom drain

of the basin. A turbine is withdrawing rotational energy from the vortex,

which is converted into electric energy by a generator.

The turbine’s theoretical energy conversion efficiency is 80%; a test

installation reported 73% efficiency, and after a year of use its operation cost

was approximately one US dollar per Watt of output.



The inventor refers to the turbine’s aeration of the water, which helps

improve water conditions, while the reduced speeds of the turbine and the lack

of cavitations ensure that most types of fish can pass through the turbine

without danger, something which is much more difficult to achieve at normal

hydro plants that require additional structures for the fish migration.



HOW IT WORKS

The aspect of the power plant reminds a bit of an upside - down

snail. The water passes through a large, straight inlet, and the passes

tangentially in to a round basin, forming a powerful vortex (whirlpool), which

finds its outlet at the center bottom of the shallow basin.

The turbine does not work on pressure differential but on the

dynamic force of the vortex. Not only does this power plant produce a useful

output of electricity, it also aerates the water in a gentle way.

The aim of invention is to create a hydro electric power plant that is

better and less expensive than previous embodiments. Said aim is achieved by

a hydro electric power plant which supports the formation of a suitable

gravitational vortex which tends to be formed also in the upper reaches



directly in front of the turbine inlet of conventional river stations as a lost

vortex and is therefore prevented as much as possible there. The inventive

hydro electric plant, however, ensures that the necessary current - related

conditions are fulfilled for reinforcing the rotational movement of the water,

which is created when the water flows off, in an unimpeded manner into a

stable gravitational vortex without using pressure lines and directing devices.

A turbine that rotates in a coaxial manner within the gravitational vortex and

impinged upon along the entire circumferences thereof withdraws rotational

energy from the gravitational vortex, which is converted into electric power in

a generator.

In addition, the inventive hydro electric power plant allows the body of

water that is used for generating power to be aerated so as to enhance the self -

cleaning properties thereof and the water temperature to be reduced during the

summer while decreasing the tendency thereof to be covered with water

quality by achieving the water.





The electrical output derives from the amount of water (cubic

meter/sec)and the height of the drop inside the vortex (head).

Head in

meter

Amount in cubic meter/sec Electrical output in

KW

1 1 5

1 2 10

1 5 25

1 10 50

1.5 1 7.5

1.5 2 15

1.5 10 75

1.5 15 112.5

2 2 10

2 5 50

2 10 100

2 15 150

2 20 200

2.5 5 62.5

2.5 10 125

2.5 20 250

2.5 30 375

3 5 75

3 10 150

3 20 300

3 30 450

3 40 600



THE CONCEPT AND THEORETICAL STUDY OF MICRO HYDRO

POWER PLANT WITH GRAVITATIONAL VORTEX

The micro hydropower plant proposed developed a new technology for

converting hydraulic energy into mechanical work of small rivers due to local

restructuring of water flow in spiral flow through a conical channel as a

gravitational vortex. In the vortex thus formed, at the different heights of the

conical channel are positioned steps of rotor blades with different diameters.

The step rapidity increases with the height of the conical channel in the axial

flow direction

It is known that in the case of a high power HPP, increasing output by

1% hydro turbine increase the power of several MW. Under the new concept

solves the problem of increasing the efficiency of hydraulic flow energy

conversion into electricity by using a hydraulic turbine with rapidity steps.

Thus, the small hydropower plant from Figure 1, consists of a foundation

ashore in the form of a cylindrical concrete spiral cases with tangential inlet

connection, which is deflected a part of the river. The spiral chamber is

equipped with a fixed Fink blade unit director with adjustable tilt. Under the

spiral chamber is placed a conical channel for the formation of the water flow



as a gravitational vortex. In the bottom of the conical channel is made a

central drainage hole, positioned over a channel of escape. Between the

central drainage hole of the chamber and the running channel is connected to a

draft tube in the elbow. In the center of the spiral chamber and the conical

channel is positioned the hydraulic turbine with vertical shaft, kinematics

connected by a mechanism of angular velocity reduction and multiplication

gear with electric generator. The hydraulic rotor is performed in stages with

characteristic diameters of mobile blades which decreases along the entrance

to the chamber drain hole directly proportional to decreasing cross-sectional

diameter of the chamber in which are located. Each step of the rotor is

mounted on its axis of rotation. The axis are assembled telescopic and are

coupled to respective driving gears of the mechanism of reduction and

multiplication. The types of blades used in each step are chosen based on its

rapidity. For water flow in the gravitational vortex the most indicated are the

helical turbine stages with the hydrofoil profile. Can be used Francis turbine

steps with the form according to rapidity. Due to large variation of the

peripheral velocity along the blade, is necessary to twist the blade. The

mechanism of rpm reduction and multiplication gear consist of a number of

pairs of gears engaged with each other, equal to the number of steps of the

turbine, which, depending on turbine gear rpm, some pairs are used to reduce



angular velocity and others to multiply up to the nominal velocity of the

electric generator. So that if one angular velocity of step turbine exceeds the

rated velocity of the electric generator, its axis of rotation of the driving wheel

is coupled to the pair that reduce this velocity to nominal angular velocity

value of the electric generator. If one angular velocity of step turbine is below

the rated velocity of the electric generator, its axis of rotation of the driving

wheel is coupled to the pair that multiply the velocity to nominal value of

electric generator angular velocity.



Fig. shows. Section through the small hydropower plant using gravitational

vortex



THE CONCEPT AND THEORETICAL STUDY OF MICRO

HYDROPOWER PLANT WITH GRAVITATIONAL VORTEX AND

TURBINE WITH RAPIDITY STEPS

For simulation of this flow we will rely on models of Binnie, Haris [12]

and Taylor [13], using the cylindrical coordinate system r, _, z. The plane z=0

will pass through the fluid outlet section at the top of conical channel. We

consider that remote from the channel wall (outside the hydrodynamic

boundary layer G) the fluid rotates as a solid body with angular velocity _.

Due to axial symmetry, all derivatives on _ in the Navier- Stokes equation is

canceled. To solution obtained in this case will be the exact solution of the

Navier-Stokes equations, given that the terms on these equations, which

would be lost when crossing the boundary layer equation following

simplifying assumptions it would go

away.



In fig: - Representation of vortex flow of incompressible fluid through a

conical chamber:

G-hydrodynamic boundary layer flow conical chamber wall secondary

oriented to the top of the cone;

� - swirl intensity;

Q - water flow through the top of the cone;



z, r, � - cylindrical coordinate system;

u, v, w - components of radial, circular and axial velocity

At large distance from the conical channel wall the flow occurs without

friction. For this reason for the radial pressure gradient we can write:

(1/ �p).( �p/�r)=rw2 (1) ��

Solving the problem in the boundary layer approximation, we admit that

the pressure gradient in accordance with the equation (1) exists in the liquid

layer near the wall, where it shows the phenomenon of friction. Following low

simulation software Mathcad 7 was found that water flow space is separated

into two areas. The first area includes within hydrodynamic boundary layer

adhering to the conical wall. The second area is the fluid flow outside the

boundary layer. The zones are bounded by the outer boundary layer _ limit.



THE WATER FLOW IN CONICAL CHANNEL IN THE PRESENCE

OF THE TURBINE ROTOR

In the presence of the turbine rotor in steps, the flow structure changes

qualitatively. Rotor blades require boundary conditions of water velocities

equal to the velocities of their surfaces, speed is not known a priori, but the

settlement is determined depending on when torque resistance that opposes

the rotation shaft and velocity diagrams into and out of blades, due to absolute

velocity of the water entry into blades, blade profile, entry and exit angles of

the blades and blade fluid (Figure)

Explanatory drawing for the Euler turbine equation



Structure of water flow through the conical channel in the presence of the

rotor blades stages



ADVANTAGES

This leads to certain advantages of the VORTEC system especially in low

head (low drop) situations. Not only are they driven by a simple and reliable

technology, they are also easy to maintain, compact, and inexpensive. Water

vortex plants are also good news for the environment. Their construction will

restore the body of water (eg. River) on which they are built, benefiting nature

and the local community alike. The innovative technology behind these

facilities means that they pose no threat to fish population, as they are able to

bypass the rotor downstream and upstream. A further advantage is the

improved cleaning efficiency of natural micro - organisms thanks to the

higher oxygen levels resulting from the regular aeration of the water.

• The VORTEC can be used with a minimum head of 0.5m,

conventional hydro power has to have at least 2-5m head

• The VORTEC doesn’t need a dam, only so called directing walls,

which

means construction is much less demanding.



• The VORTEC is designed to run on the minimum amount of available

flowing water. That means there is never stagnant water created. The

water comes out as it goes in.

• The VORTEC systems can be cascaded when there is only a little

amount of water available to create maximum electrical output.

• The VORTEC can produce from 2KW to 500KW constant usable

electrical power, depending on the flow of water available.

Water vortex plants have little impact on the local environment as most of

the construction work is below ground.



PROPERTIES OF THE GRAVITATIONAL WATER VORTEX

The gravitation water vortex

• Increases the water surface area

• Maximizes the velocity of flow on the water surface area

• Disseminates homogeneously contaminants in the water

• Increase the contact surface of the disseminate contaminants for

micro organisms and water plants

• Aerates the water naturally, because of the high velocity of flow on

the water surface area and the increased water surface area, to

support the self - purification of water with micro organisms and

water plants

• Increase the heat of evaporation and so water can reduce the

temperature itself at rising temperatures in the summer.

• Builds up a peripheral zone of ice in the winter to isolate the center

of the vortex.

• Concentrates dense water in the ring - shaped centre to ensure the

survival of micro organisms as long as possible.

• Decelerates the flow of water, so it can be used as an active retention

pond.



• Concentrate rotation energy in the ring - shaped centre and so it can

be used for a water power plant.



CONCLUSION

As conclusion one can say that if river is available the VORTEC

micro hydro power plant is probably one of the cheapest and most

environmentally friendly solutions compared to other alternative energy

sources.

It was developed a new hydro power plants with gravitational

vortex and turbine with rapidity steps for hydraulic energy recovery of rivers

with falls and with small flows. For water flow in the gravitational vortex

the most indicated are helical turbine steps with hydrofoil profile. Can be

used Francis turbine steps with the form according to rapidity. Due to large

variation along the peripheral velocity of the blade is necessary twisting the

blade.



BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Zotlöterer, F., Hydroelectric plant, Patent No. RCT WO

2004/061295,A2.

2. Brochure Small Hydropower for Developing Countries –

European Small Hydropower Association,

3. Cooke, J. C., On Pohlhausen's method with application to a

swirl problem of Taylor, JAS, Vol.19, 1952, pp.486-490.

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