Hydroelectric power plants use water force to produce electrical energy. Self-made stations solve the problem of remoteness from centralized power grids or help to save on electricity.
Hydroelectric power plants have the following advantages over other types of alternative sources of energy:
By cons of homemade hydropower plants, it is impossible to work in the frost. In addition, the water medium is aggressive, therefore the station details must be waterproof and durable.
When designing a mini-hydroelectric power station for use as an alternative energy source for its own home, the following factors should be decisive:
Find out the speed is easy. Throw a piece of foam or tennis ball into the water and check out the time for which it saves a certain distance. Then divide meters for a second and you will learn speed. The minimum sufficient water velocity for homemade hydropower plants is 1 m / s.
If the speed of the flow of your river or the stream is below this value, then it will strengthen the small dam or the tapering pipe. But these options can cause additional difficulties. The construction of the dam requires permission from the authorities, as well as the consent of the neighbors.
The design of the hydropower plant is quite complicated, so it will be possible to build only a small station, which will save on electricity or provide a modest economy. Below are two examples of implementing homemade hydropower plants.
This option of HPP is ideal for bike trips. It is compact and easy, but can provide energy to a small camp, broken down by the coast of the stream or river. The resulting electricity is enough for evening lighting and charging of mobile devices.
To mount the station you will need:
To start a similar station, it is enough to immerse the wheel into the water. The depth of the immersion is determined experimentally, from about a third to half the wheel.
To build a more powerful station for permanent use, you will need more durable materials. Metal and plastic elements are best suitable, which are easier to protect against the effects of the aquatic environment. But wooden parts are suitable, if they soak them with a special solution and paint waterproof.
The station requires the following items:
The described starting materials are easy to find on a landfill or familiar. For cutting of the steel drum, the grinder and for welding can be paid to those skilled in the art (or do it all independently). As a result, the HPP with a capacity of up to 5 kW will cost a slight amount.
Get electricity from water is not difficult. Harder to build autonomous system Power supply based on homemade hydropower plants, maintaining a station in working condition and ensure the safety of people and animals around it.
On the queue - the design, the prototype of which served as a free projection (sample of 1964) Garland hydroelectric station V. Blinova.
Hydroelectric power plants, which will be discussed, free-proof, with a rather original turbine from the so-called Savonius rotors, strung on a common (may be a flexible, composite) work shaft. Dams and other large-scale hydraulic structures for their installation they do not require. Capable to work with full return even in shallow water, which in combination with simplicity, compactness and reliability of the design make these hydropower plants are very promising for those farmers and gardeners, whose land plots are located near small watercourses (rivers, streams and grooves).
Unlike damned free-flow hydropower plants, as is well known, only the kinetic energy of the current water is used. To determine the power here there is a formula:
N - Power on the working shaft (W),
- P - water density (1000 CT / m3),
- V - the flow rate of the river (m / s),
- F - the cross-sectional area of \u200b\u200bthe active (immersed) part of the hydromachine worker (M2),
- N - Energy conversion efficiency.
As can be seen from formula 1, at a river speed of 1 m / s per square meter of cross section of the active part of the hydromachines, it is ideally (when n \u003d 1) is the power equal to only 500 W. This value is clearly small for industrial use, but is quite sufficient for the auxiliary farm farmer or dacket. Moreover, it can be increasing by parallel operation of several "hydropower engineering".
And one more subtlety. The speed of the river on its different sections is different. Therefore, before starting the construction of minigas, it is necessary to determine the energy potential of your river on the simple method described. We only remind you that the distance traveled by the measuring float and divided during its passage will correspond to the average flow rate in this area. It should also be noted: This parameter will change depending on the time of the year.
Therefore, the calculation of the design should be made, guided by the average (for the planned period of operation of the minig power) speed of the river.
Fig.1. Savonius rotors for homemade garland minigas:
a, b - blades; 1 - transverse, 2 - end.
Next, it is necessary to determine the size of the active part of the hydromachine and its type. Since the entire minig power should be as simple as possible and simple in the manufacture, the most suitable type of converter is the sabonius rotor of the end structure. When working with a full immersion in the water, the value of F can be taken to the product of the diameter of the rotor D at its length L, and n \u003d 0.5. The frequency of rotation F with an acceptable accuracy is determined by the formula:
To make a hydropower installation of the most compact, power specified when calculating, it should be correlated with a real load, which must provide a minig power supply (since, as opposed to the wind turbine, the consumer's network will be issued continuously here). As a rule, this electricity goes to lighting, television nutrition, radio, refrigerator. Moreover, only the latter is included in the work during the day constantly. The remaining electrical appliances work mainly in the evening. Based on this, it is advisable to focus on the maximum power from one "hydropower engineering" of about 250-300 W, covering the peak load using a battery charged from the minig power.
The transmission of torque from the working shaft of the hydropower installation on the pulley of the electric generator is usually carried out using an intermediate transmission. However, this element, strictly speaking, can be excluded if the generator is used in the design of the microhese has a working speed of rotation less than 750 rpm. However, it is often necessary to refuse directly. After all, for the overwhelming majority of generators domestic production The operating speed of rotation at the beginning of the "issuance" of the capacity lies within 1500-3000 rpm. So, it is necessary to further coordinate the shafts of the hydropower installation and an electrical generator.
Now, when the preliminary theoretical part behind, consider concrete structures, each of them has its own advantages.
Here, for example, a semi-union free-current minigass with a horizontal arrangement of two coaxial, deployed relative to each other by 90 ° (to facilitate self-wave) and rigidly connected rotors of the transverse type Sabonius. And the main parts and nodes of this homemade hydropower plant - from the tree as the most accessible and "obedient" of the building material.
Offered minigas - submersible. That is, the support frame is located across the watercourse at the bottom and is strengthened by stretching cables or poles (if there is a packer, boat pier, etc.). This is done in order to avoid the construction of the design by the water loss.
Fig.2. Submersible mini hydroelectric power heater with a cross-type rotor arrangement:
1 - Baseline (Bar 150x100, 2 pcs.), 2 - cross-line lower (board 150x45, 2 pcs.), 3 - cross-medium (ram 150x120, 2 pcs.), 4 - riser (rounded diameter 100, 4 pcs .), 5 spar top (board 150x45, 2 pcs.), 6 - cross-top (board 100x40, 4 pcs.), 7 - intermediate shaft (stainless steel, bar diameter 30), 8 - Pulleys block, 9 - generator direct current, 10 - "Hussak" with a porcelain roller and a two-housing insulated wire, 11 - base plate (board 200x40), 12 - Pullery presenter, 13 - node of a wooden bearing (2 pcs.), 14 - Hydrophenergy Rotor (D600, L1000 , 2 pcs.), 15 disk (from bored in shield boards 20-40 mm thick, 3 pcs.); Metal fastening elements (including stretch marks, extreme disk hubs) are not conditionally shown.
Of course, the depth of the river at the installation site of the Mini HPP should be less than the height of the support frame. Otherwise, it is very difficult (or it is impossible) to avoid water from entering the electric generator. Well, if the place where it is supposed to place a mini hydroelectric power station, has a depth of more than 1.5 m or there heavily changing during the year the fullness and flow rate (which, by the way, is quite typically for watercoulations with snowpad), then this design is recommended to equip floats. This will also make it easy to move it when installing on the river.
The mini hydraulic support frame is a rectangular frame from a bar, boards and small logs, fastened with nails and wire (cables). Metal parts of the design (nails, bolts, clamps, corners, etc.) should be possible from stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant alloys.
Well, since the operation of such a mini hydroelectric power station is often possible in Russia only seasonal (due to the freezing of most rivers), then after the expiration of the work, all the design is subject to a thorough inspection. We change the fired wooden elements in a timely manner, rusted, despite the precautions taken, metal parts.
One of the main nodes of our miniature is the "hydropower garland" of two toughly attacked (and components of a single whole on the working shaft) of the rotors. Their discs are easy to perform from boards with a thickness of 20-30 mm. To do this, making up the shield from them, with the help of the circulation, they build a circle with a diameter of 600 mm. After that, each of the boards is cut according to the curve obtained on it. By knocking the workpiece together on two placters (to give the required rigidity), they repeat everything three times in the number of required discs.
As for the blades, it is advisable to make it from roofing iron. And it is better - from suitable in size and cut in half (along the axis) of cylindrical stainless capacities (barrels), in which aggressive fertilizers are usually stored and transported and transported. In the extreme case, the blades can be made and wooden. But their weight (especially after a long stay in water) will grow strongly. And it should be remembered when creating minigas on floats.
At the ends of the "hydropower engineering" are attached thorough supports. In fact, these are short cylinders with a wide flange and an end groove for the key. The flange is attached to the corresponding rotor disk on four bolts.
To reduce friction, bearings are provided on medium crossing. And since ordinary balls or roller bearings for work in water are unsuitable, used ... homemade wooden. The design of each of them consists of two clamps and liner powder with a hole for the passage of a spike support. And the average bearing liners are located so that the fibers of the wood here go parallel to the shaft. In addition, they take special measures to put the liner liners tightly fixed from lateral displacements. Do it with the help of tightening bolts.
Fig.3. Slip bearing assembly:
1 - crimp bracket (ST3, strip 50x8, 4 pcs.), 2 - cross-line frame, 3 - Crimping liner (from solid wood, 2 pcs.), 4 Liner replacement (from solid wood, 2 pcs.) , 5 - Bolt M10 with a nut and a walker of Grovers (4 sets), 6 - Hairpin M8 with two nuts and washers (2 pcs.).
As an electric generator in the microhes under consideration, any of the automotive is used. They give 12-14 in direct current and easily join both batteries and electrical appliances. The power of these machines is about 300 W.
Quite acceptable for independent manufacture And the design of the portable mini hydroelectric station with a vertical layout of "Garlands" and the generator. Such a hydraulic station, according to the author of the development, the least material. The support structure of the installation that locks its position in the river bed is a steel hollow rod (for example, from pipe segments). It is chosen, based on the nature of the bottom of the watercourse and the flow rate. And such that the acute end of the rod, driven into the bottom, would guarantee the resistance of the minig power and the incommion of it. Perhaps I. additional use Stretchers.
By defining the formula (1) the active surface of the rotor and measuring the depth of the river at the installation site of Mini HPP, it is easy to calculate the diameter of the Savonius rotors used here. To make the design simple and self-missing, it is advisable to perform "hydropower engineering" of two rotors, connected so that the first tool blades are 90 ° offset relative to the second (along the axis of rotation). Moreover, to improve the efficiency of work, the design from the incident flow is equipped with a shield playing the role of the guide machine. Well, the working shaft is attached in the bearings of the slide of the upper and lower supports. In principle, with a short time of operation, mini hydroelectric power plants (for example, in a tourist campaign) can also be used for large diameter ball bearings. However, in the presence of sand or sludge, after each use, the nodes are used to rinse in clean water.
Fig. 4. Mini hydroelectric power station with an end-type rotor location:
1 - barbecue, 2 - node of the bottom bearing, 3-diet "Hydrophenergy" (3 pcs.), 4 - Rotor (D600, 2 pcs.), 5 - Upper Bearing Node, 6 - Shaft Worker, 7 - Transmission, 8 - electric generator, 9 - "hussak" with a porcelain roller and a two-housing insulated wire, 10 - generator fastening clamp, 11 - movable shield-guide; A, b - blades: stretch marks at the upper end of the rod support are not conditionally shown.
Fastening the supports to the rod bolt and weld, depending on the weight of the "hydropower engineering" and the need for its disassembly on the part. The upper end of the hydromachine working shaft is simultaneously both the input shaft of the multiplier, which (as the most simple and technological) can be applied to the belt.
The electric generator takes again automotive again. To the rod of the support it is easy to attach a clamp. And the wires themselves coming from the generator must have reliable waterproofing. On the illustrations, the exact geometric proportions of the intermediate transmission are not conventionally shown, as they depend on the parameters of the specific generator in your own. Well, the transmission belts can be made from an old automotive chamber, cutting it on a tape 20 mm wide with a subsequent twist in the harnesses.
For the power supply of small villages, the garland minigas design of V.Blanov, which represents nothing more than a chain of barrel-shaped Savonius rotors with a diameter of 300-400 mm, fixed on a flexible cable, stretched across the river. One end of the cable is attached to the hinge support, and the other through the simplest multiplier to the generator shaft. At the flow rate of 1.5-2.0 m / s, the rotor chain makes up to 90 rpm. And the small dimensions of the elements of the "hydropower engineering" allow you to exploit this microhes on rivers with a depth of less than one meter.
It must be said that V.Brinov until 1964 was able to create several portable and stationary mini hydroelectric power plants of his design, the largest of which was the HPP, built at the village of the thoroughties (Tver region). A pair of garlands here led to rotation two standard autotractor generators with a total capacity of 3.5 kW.
MK 10 1997 I. Document
It is at this place that we will try to make our new hydroelectric power station. Earlier, attempts at this pond, attempts to create a homemade hydropower station from the Belichety wheel with a belt transmission to the generator (it is shown in the photo at the end of the article), which gave a current about 1 amper, this was enough to power a few light bulbs and radio in our small hunting house . This power plant successfully worked for more than 2 years, and we decided to create a more powerful option at the site of this mini dam, a similar variant of the hydroelectric power station.
For the manufacture of mini-dam hydroelectric power station on M will be needed:
Trimming sheet metal and corners;
- wheels for the wheel (used from the enclosure of the outstanding generator of the company Onan);
- generator (it was made of two disks with a diameter of 11 inches from Dodge's disc brakes);
- the leading shaft and bearings - it seems that, too, from Dodge, we do not remember exactly, so they removed them with their own hands from some other homemade;
- copper wire with a cross section of about 15 mm;
- a little plywood;
- magnets;
- polystyrene resin for pouring the rotor and stator.
The blades of the driving wheel make from the 9-inch cut on 4 parts steel pipe.
We made a template that helped lay out of the hole, the side surfaces of the wheels - discs with a diameter of 12 inches.
We make a template with which we are placing holes for hubs (5 pieces), as well as the position of the blades. In such a wheel, if you look at the side, water beats from above, around the area of \u200b\u200b10 hours, passes through the middle of the wheel and goes downstairs, for 5 hours, so that water beats on the wheel twice. We revised a large number of photos and tried to simulate the width and angle of the blades. On the photo from above - marking for edges of the blades and holes for fastening the wheel to the generator. In the wheel 16 blades.
The pattern was glued to one of the disks - the future side surface of the wheel, both disks we closed together. The photo above is the drilling of small holes for the positioning of the blades.
We make a gap between the discs of 10 inches using the stud with a solid thread, and most accurately align them before installing the blades.
The process of welding the wheel is shown in the photo above. It is very important that the blades are made of galvanized steel pipe. Before welding, it is necessary to clean the zinc from the edges of the blades, since when welding the galvanized metal sends toxic gas, which we try to avoid.
The finished wheel of our future HPP, without a generator. On, the other side of the wheel (opposite generator) in the side disk is a 4-inch hole with a diameter - for the convenience of screwing to the generator, as well as for cleaning to shove your hand and remove sticks and other rubbers, which can be inside the water.
The nozzle has the same width (10 inches), as the wheel, and about 1 inches of height from the end where the water comes out. The area of \u200b\u200bthe nozzle is slightly smaller than the 4-inch pipe on which the nozzle is naked. In the photo from above - we can go metal sheet with your own hands for nozzle.
Place the wheel on the axis, our HPP is practically ready, it remains only to make and install the generator. The whole design is movable. We can move the nozzle forward, back, up, down. The wheel and generator can move forward and backward.
Production of the generator for our hydropower station.>
We make the winding of the stator and prepare for the fill. The winding consists of 9 coils, each coil consists of 125 turns of the copper wire with a cross section of 1.5 mm. Each phase consists of 3 consistently connected coils, we brought out the 6th ends, so we can make a connection as a star and a triangle.
And this is the stator - after the fill. (For its fill, we use a polyester resin) its diameter of 14 inches (35.5 cm), thickness 0.5 inches 1.3 cm.
We make a pattern of plywood - for marking for magnets.
In the photo - template and one of the brake discs (future rotor).
We set up the prepared template 12 of the magnets with a size of 2.5 x 5 cm, 1.3 cm thick.
Pour the rotor with polyester resin, and when the resin dries off the rotor will be ready for operation.
This is how our almost complete hydroelectric power station looks like as a generator.
Photo on the other hand. Under the aluminum lid - two bridge rectifiers of 3 phase alternating current in constant. Ampmetra scale - up to 6a. In this state, when the air gap between magnetic rotors is reduced to the limit, the machine produces 12.5 volts at 38 rpm.
In the rear magnetic rotor, there are 3 tuning screws to regulate the air gap, so that the generator can rotate faster if necessary, in the hope of finding the optimum.
At leisure, 17 people took part in the creation of HPP.
We proceed to the manufacture of fastening elements, for this we first clean with sheet metal and corners all rust, soil and paint, it is certainly not necessary, but so more beautiful, and there will be a view of the trade.
Our generator with water wheels is ready, it remains only to install it!
It would be nice to build a screen from splashing for a generator who would rotate with the wheel, but we never found suitable material. Therefore, we decided to do it later if the HPP earned.
Another photo of a generator with a waterfront. Nozzle has not yet been established, it is in the back in the body and we will soon put it.
In the photo - the place where we want to put it. The 4-inch pipe goes from the bottom of the dam, the difference is about 3 feet. We take only a small part of the water flow.
This is our old micro HPP, which has worked for 2 years, including winters. She was enough for 1 amp (12 watts) or so. This is a Beliche Wheel, with a belt transmission on the engine from Ametek's computer streamer. The belt tension is critical for successful work, it must often be configured. We hope that you have built something better than this.
So our hydroelectric station on the spot, we make it setting. Finally, we come to theoretically predicted parameters: the best result is obtained when water is part of 10 hours of wheels, and goes around 5 hours.
Earned! Output of about 2 amps (1.9 to be accurate). Increase current fails. Settings are not easy - each wheel movement requires an appropriate movement of the nozzle, and vice versa. We can also change the air gap and change the connection from the star to the triangle. The result is clearly better at the star - the power is higher than that of the triangle with the same turnover. As a result, we stopped at the star, with a 1.25 inches gap (quite a lot).
The machine can be made slightly cheaper if you use less powerful magnets and a smaller air gap ... or it can produce more current with the same magnets, a smaller gap and coils with a large number of turns. Someday we will deal with this. In the meantime - the wheel gives 160 rpm on idling, 110 rpm under load, producing 1.9 A x 12V.
We got the pleasure of the sea, it was very fun, and the mini-hydroelectric station works well. All the same need a screen on the generator - in the river full of magnetite sand! Every few hours you have to clean the magnetic rotors from the sandy increments. It is necessary or to put the screen, or attach a pair of powerful magnets at the entrance to the pipe.
According to the site: OtherPower.com
Hydroelectric power plants use water force to produce electrical energy. Self-made stations solve the problem of remoteness from centralized power grids or help to save on electricity.
Hydroelectric power plants have the following advantages over other types of alternative sources of energy:
By cons of homemade hydropower plants, it is impossible to work in the frost. In addition, the water medium is aggressive, therefore the station details must be waterproof and durable.
When designing a mini-hydroelectric power station for use as an alternative energy source for its own home, the following factors should be decisive:
Find out the speed is easy. Throw a piece of foam or tennis ball into the water and check out the time for which it saves a certain distance. Then divide meters for a second and you will learn speed. The minimum sufficient water velocity for homemade hydropower plants is 1 m / s.
If the speed of the flow of your river or the stream is below this value, then it will strengthen the small dam or the tapering pipe. But these options can cause additional difficulties. The construction of the dam requires permission from the authorities, as well as the consent of the neighbors.
The design of the hydropower plant is quite complicated, so it will be possible to build only a small station, which will save on electricity or provide a modest economy. Below are two examples of implementing homemade hydropower plants.
This option of HPP is ideal for bike trips. It is compact and easy, but can provide energy to a small camp, broken down by the coast of the stream or river. The resulting electricity is enough for evening lighting and charging of mobile devices.
To mount the station you will need:
To start a similar station, it is enough to immerse the wheel into the water. The depth of the immersion is determined experimentally, from about a third to half the wheel.
To build a more powerful station for permanent use, more durable materials will be needed. Metal and plastic elements are best suitable, which are easier to protect against the effects of the aquatic environment. But wooden parts are suitable, if they soak them with a special solution and paint waterproof.
The station requires the following items:
The described starting materials are easy to find on a landfill or familiar. For cutting of the steel drum, the grinder and for welding can be paid to those skilled in the art (or do it all independently). As a result, the HPP with a capacity of up to 5 kW will cost a slight amount.
Get electricity from water is not difficult. It is more difficult to build an autonomous power supply system based on homemade hydropower plants, maintain a station in working condition and ensure the safety of people and animals around it.
