Water wheel generator. Home made hydroelectric power plant

If there is a pond with a dam or a stream near the house, you can make an excellent source of free additional energy. The article will consider an example of how you can make a hydroelectric power station based on a water wheel with your own hands. A power plant made in this way is capable of delivering current up to 6 A; when installed on a small stream, the installation showed a result of 2 A. This is enough to turn on the receiver and a couple of light bulbs. Power depends on the force with which the water flow is.

Materials and tools:
- corners and cuttings of sheet metal;
- disks for creating a wheel (used from the Onan generator housing, which failed);
- generator (was made from two Dodge brake discs of 28 cm each);
- the shaft and bearings were also taken from Dodge;
- copper wire with a cross section of about 15 mm;
- Neodymium magnets;
- plywood;
- polystyrene resin (needed to fill the stator and rotor).

Manufacturing process:

Step one. Making a Wheel
To create a wheel, you need two steel disks. In this case, their diameter is 28 cm (11 inches). The disc must be marked so that it is clear where to install the blades. For the manufacture of the blades, a pipe with a diameter of 4 inches is taken and cut lengthwise into 4 parts. In total, the wheel has 16 blades. To fix the discs, they are pulled together with four bolts. Then you can set the blades to the desired positions. They are welded on. The gap between the discs is 10 inches, that is, the length of the wheel is 10 inches.

At this stage, the assembly of the hydroelectric power station is over, the wheel is ready, now you need to make a nozzle and a generator. On one side of the disk there is a hole for convenient mounting of the wheel to the generator.

Step two. Making a nozzle
The nozzle is needed in order to direct water to the wheel. Its width is 10 inches, as is the width of the wheel. The nozzle is made from a single piece of metal by bending. Next, the structure is welded by welding.

Now you can install the wheel on the axle and the mechanical part of the HPP is almost ready. It remains to assemble and install the generator.
The nozzle is made adjustable in height, this allows you to control the flow of water depending on the situation.

Step three. Assembling the generator
The process of creating a generator consists of several steps. First you need to make a winding, it consists of 9 coils. Each coil has 125 turns. The diameter of the copper wire is 1.5 mm. Each phase is formed by three coils connected in series. A total of 6 ends are displayed, this will make the connection both a star and a triangle.

In conclusion, the coils are filled with polyethylene resin and the finished stator comes out. Its diameter is 14 inches and its thickness is 0.5 inches.

To assemble the generator, plywood is needed, a template is made from it. Further, according to this template, 12 magnets are installed with dimensions of 2.5 x 5 cm and a thickness of 1.3 cm. Finally, the rotor is also filled with polyethylene resin. That's all, after drying, the generator is ready.

Under the aluminum cover are rectifiers that convert three-phase alternating current into direct current. The ammeter scale has a range of up to 6 A. With the smallest gap between the magnets, the device produces 12 volts at 38 rpm.

There are two adjusting screws on the back of the alternator that allow you to adjust the air gap. Thus, it is possible to select the most acceptable parameters for the operation of the generator.

Step four. The final stage of assembly and installation of the generator
All fasteners, as well as the water wheel, need to be painted. Firstly, this way the device will look more beautiful. And secondly, the paint will protect the metal from rust, which will quickly appear near the water source. It would be nice to equip the generator with a protective wing that diverts splashes, but the author did not find a suitable material.

In the photo you can see the place where the generator will be installed. This is a pipe from which water flows from the dam. The drop is about 3 feet. The wheel will take only a certain part of the entire water flow. In practice, the position where the water enters at an angle of 10 o'clock and exits at an angle of 5 o'clock has shown the best results. Then the maximum power is reached.

I have always been attracted to getting free energy from natural resources. And somehow I had the idea to make a simple mini power plant that would generate electricity from a passing water stream.

It all started with the idea of ​​using the drum of an old washing machine as a water wheel, a miniature homemade hydroelectric power plant.

Straight blades made of moisture-resistant plywood were attached to the drum using metal corners.

Torque from the water wheel is transmitted by a belt to a bicycle dynamo (DC generator). The generated electricity is fed to the LED. It is enough to turn the wheel slightly with your hand, and the LED will start flashing.

The basis of the whole structure is a bicycle frame.

Two bearings allow the water wheel to spin freely.

The first tests on a small river showed that the water wheel on the frame is set too high, which prevents the flow of water from spinning it normally.
After small changes in the frame design, the wheel began to be located lower and the rotation speed increased dramatically. As a result, the dynamo began to rotate and the 4.5 V LED lit up.

This is how a home-made hydroelectric power station turned out from the old trash.
Further, the mini hydroelectric power station assembly was installed on a small stream.

It produces only a few volts, but they are enough to light the LED.

It was a good experiment to start with.

Further improvement in the project

Further improvement of the water wheel should affect:

• Build a mini-dam to increase water pressure. At the same time, it is not planned to completely block the river so that the fish can leave in the second stream.
• Under the dam, install a pipe through which water will flow to a makeshift turbine. Arrange a casing from a rubber conveyor belt in the pipe. By blocking the flow of water through the pipe, you can service the mechanisms.
• According to calculations, the turbine will produce about twice as much power as the water wheel. In addition, replacing the water wheel with a turbine should eliminate the problem of freezing in winter.
• The flow of water will spin the turbine, transferring torque to the generator. The turbine will be held on two bearings made of solid wood. With regular lubrication, they will last a long time. The thrust washer will keep the mechanism from lateral displacement.
• Make metal blades, calculating the angle at which they need to be bent (the power of the hydroelectric power plant depends on this parameter). The blades will need to be screwed using rubber gaskets to avoid their separation.
• To transmit torque, use a shaft assembled from pipes.
• Install generator. Install a pulley smaller than the one mounted on the shaft on the generator. This will increase the speed, which is necessary for the efficient operation of the generator.

The generator should produce about 600 watts of electricity. This will make it possible to connect household appliances. If the next stage of the experiment is successful, it will be possible to think about further modernization in order to generate several kilowatts of electricity.

Option number 1

A home-made Rope Garland mini-hydroelectric power station is an excellent solution for obtaining affordable and inexpensive electricity if there is a small river with your place of residence.

The design of a garland cable mini-hydroelectric power station is based on the rotation of the cable in the riverbed.

The first designs of an autonomous simplest hydroelectric power station were put into practice by individual craftsmen half a century ago. Back in the Radio magazine for the 50s, they printed information about a garland hydroelectric power station, made in tin cans and with a generator from a car!

Fig.1. Appearance of a do-it-yourself cable garland of a mini-hydroelectric power station.

How to make a cable garland hydroelectric power station with your own hands?

The figure below shows a diagram of the design of a simple rope garland mini-hydroelectric power station with a turbine-rope hydraulic drive that rotates from the flow of the river.

Fig. 2 Scheme and principle of operation of the Garland mini-hydroelectric power station

1. Bearing, 2. Support, 3. Metal cable, 4. Hydraulic wheel (turbine),

5. Power generator, 6. Upper river level, 7. River bed.

As hydraulic wheels (rotors), in a cable hydraulic drive of a mini-hydroelectric power station, several “impellers” made of a thin metal sheet with a diameter of about half a meter can be used, like a children's toy - a propeller made of a square sheet of paper. As a flexible shaft, it is advisable to use a conventional steel cable with a diameter of 10 ... 15 mm.
Approximate calculations show that from such a cable hydroelectric power station, you can get up to 1.5 ... 2.0 kW from one hydrowheel, with a river flow of about 2.5 meters / sec!

If supports 2 with bearings 1 and electric generator 5 are installed on the bottom of the river, and the bearings with the generator are raised above the river level, and the whole structure is placed along the flow axis, then the result will be practically the same. This scheme is expediently used for very "narrow rivers" but with a depth of more than 0.5 meters. Thermal energy in such a hydroelectric power station can be obtained by connecting electric heaters to an electric generator.

The rotors of a hydroelectric power plant are usually located in the core of the flow (at 0.2 depth from the surface in summer and 0.5 depth from the ice surface in winter). The depth of the river at the installation site of the hydroelectric power plant does not exceed 1.5 m. With a river depth of more than 1.5 m, it is quite possible to use rotors arranged in two rows.

The emergence of dachas and even farms on waste lands remote from the power grid, the galloping rise in fuel and electricity prices brought to life the old ideas of autonomous power supply with the widespread use of natural energy from the sun, wind and water. Including increased interest in mini- and micro-hydroelectric power plants.

Two of these hydroelectric power plants acceptable for self-construction are: do-it-yourself micro-hydroelectric power station and a floating damless mini-hydroelectric power station. Next in line are structures, the prototype of which was the free-flow (1964 model) daisy-chain hydroelectric power station of V. Blinov.

Dudyshev V.D.

Option number 2

The hydroelectric power plants that will be discussed are free-flow, with a rather original turbine from the so-called Savonius rotors strung on a common (maybe flexible, composite) working shaft. They do not require dams and other large-scale hydraulic structures for their installation. Able to work with full efficiency even in shallow water, which, combined with the simplicity, compactness and reliability of the design, make these hydroelectric power plants very promising for those farmers and gardeners whose plots of land are located near small watercourses (rivers, streams and ditches).

Unlike dams, free-flow hydropower plants, as is known, use only the kinetic energy of flowing water. To determine the power, there is a formula here:

N=0.5*p*V3*F*n (1),

N - power on the working shaft (W),
- р - water density (1000 kt/m3),
- V - river flow velocity (m/s),
- F - cross-sectional area of ​​the active (immersed) part of the working body of the hydraulic machine (m2),
- n - energy conversion efficiency.

As can be seen from formula 1, at a river speed of 1 m/s, ideally (when n = 1) a power equal to only 500 W per square meter of the active part of the hydraulic machine falls. This value is clearly small for industrial use, but it is quite sufficient for the subsidiary farm of a farmer or summer resident. Moreover, it can be increased by the parallel operation of several "hydraulic garlands".

And one more subtlety. The speed of the river in its different parts is different. Therefore, before starting the construction of a mini hydroelectric power station, it is necessary to determine the energy potential of your river using a simple method. We only recall that the distance traveled by the measuring float and divided by the time of its passage will correspond to the average flow velocity in this section. It should also be noted that this parameter will change depending on the season.

Therefore, the calculation of the design should be made, guided by the average (for the planned period of operation of the mini-HPP) speed of the river.

Fig. 1 Savonius rotors for home-made daisy-chain mini-hydroelectric power stations:

a, b - blades; 1 - transverse, 2 - end.

Next, you need to determine the size of the active part of the hydraulic machine and its type. Since the whole mini-hydro power plant should be as simple and easy to manufacture as possible, the most suitable type of converter is the Savonius rotor of the end design. When working with complete immersion in water, the value of F can be taken equal to the product of the rotor diameter D and its length L, and n=0.5. The rotation frequency f with an accuracy acceptable for practice is determined by the formula:

f=48V/3.14D (rpm) (2).

To make the hydropower plant as compact as possible, the power specified in the calculation should be correlated with the real load, the power supply of which should be provided by a mini-hydroelectric power station (since, unlike a wind turbine, current will be continuously supplied to the consumer's network here). As a rule, this electricity is used for lighting, powering the TV, radio, refrigerator. And only the latter is included in the work during the day constantly. The rest of the electrical appliances work mainly in the evening. Based on this, it is advisable to focus on the maximum power from one "hydraulic garland" of the order of 250-300 W, covering the peak load with a battery charged from a mini-hydroelectric power station.

The transmission of torque from the working shaft of the hydraulic power plant to 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 used in the design of the micro-hydroelectric power station has an operating speed of rotation of less than 750 rpm. However, direct communication often has to be abandoned. After all, for the vast majority of generators of domestic production, the operating speed of rotation at the beginning of the "delivery" of power lies in the range of 1500-3000 rpm. This means that additional coordination of the shafts of the hydraulic power plant and the electric generator is needed.

Well, now that the preliminary theoretical part is over, let's consider specific designs. Each of them has its own merits.

Here, for example, is a semi-stationary free-flow mini-hydroelectric power station with a horizontal arrangement of two coaxial, rotated 90 ° relative to each other (to facilitate self-starting) and rigidly connected transverse-type Savonius rotors. Moreover, the main parts and components of this home-made hydropower plant are made of wood as the most accessible and “obedient” building material.

The proposed mini-hydroelectric power station is submersible. That is, its support frame is located across the watercourse at the bottom and is reinforced with stretch cables or poles (if, for example, there are walkways, a boat pier, etc. nearby). This is done in order to avoid the entrainment of the structure by the watercourse itself.

Fig. 2 Submersible mini-hydroelectric power station with a horizontal arrangement of rotors of a transverse type:

1 - spar-base (beam 150x100, 2 pcs.), 2 - lower cross-beam (board 150x45, 2 pcs.), 3 - middle cross-beam (beam 150x120, 2 pcs.), 4 - riser (round timber with a diameter of 100, 4 pcs. .), 5 upper spar (board 150x45, 2 pcs.), 6 - upper cross member (board 100x40, 4 pcs.), 7 - intermediate shaft (stainless steel, rod with a diameter of 30), 8 - pulley block, 9 - DC generator current, 10 - "gander" with a porcelain roller and a two-core insulated wire, 11 - base plate (board 200x40), 12 - drive pulley, 13 - wooden bearing assembly (2 pcs), 14 - rotor "hydraulic garland" (D600, L1000 , 2 pcs.), 15 disk (from boards 20-40 mm thick knocked down into a shield, 3 pcs); metal fasteners (including extensions, hubs of the outer discs) are not conventionally shown.

Of course, the depth of the river at the installation site of the mini-hydroelectric power station should be less than the height of the support frame. Otherwise, it is very difficult (if not impossible) to avoid water 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 is a high water flow and flow rate that vary greatly throughout the year (which, by the way, is quite typical for snow-fed watercourses), then this design is recommended to be equipped with floats . This will also make it easy to move it when installed on the river.

The support frame of a mini hydroelectric power station is a rectangular frame made of timber, boards and small logs fastened with nails and wire (cables). The metal parts of the structure (nails, bolts, clamps, corners, etc.) should be, if possible, made of stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant alloys.

Well, since the operation of such a mini-hydroelectric power station is often possible in Russia only seasonally (due to the freezing of most rivers), then after the expiration of the operation, the entire structure pulled ashore is subject to a thorough inspection. Timely change rotten wooden elements, rusted, despite the precautions taken, metal parts.

One of the main components of our mini-hydroelectric power station is a "hydropower garland" of two rigidly fixed (and constituting a single unit on the working shaft) rotors. Their discs are easy to make from boards 20-30 mm thick. To do this, having made a shield out of them, using a compass, build a circle with a diameter of 600 mm. After that, each of the boards is cut according to the curve obtained on it. Having knocked the blanks together on two slats (to give the required rigidity), they repeat everything three times - according to the number of required disks.

As for the blades, it is advisable to make them from roofing iron. And better - from cylindrical stainless containers (barrels) of suitable size and cut in half (along the axis), in which agricultural fertilizers and other aggressive materials are usually stored and transported. In extreme cases, the blades can also be made of wood. But their weight (especially after a long stay in the water) will greatly increase. And this should be remembered when creating a mini-hydroelectric power station on floats.

Spike supports are attached to the ends of the "hydroenergy garland". In fact, these are short cylinders with a wide flange and an end slot for a key. The flange is attached to the respective rotor disc with four bolts.

To reduce friction, bearings are provided located on the middle crossbars. And since ordinary ball or roller bearings are unsuitable for working in water, they use ... home-made wooden ones. The design of each of them consists of two clamps and insert plates with a hole for the passage of the spike support. Moreover, the middle bearing shells are positioned so that the wood fibers here run parallel to the shaft. In addition, special measures are taken to ensure that the insert plates are firmly fixed against lateral displacements. Do this with the help of tightening bolts.

Fig.3 Plain bearing assembly:

1 - crimping bracket (St3, strip 50x8, 4 pcs.), 2 - middle frame cross member, 3 - crimping insert (made of hard wood, 2 pcs.), 4 replaceable insert (made of hard wood, 2 pcs.) , 5 - M10 bolt with Grover's nut and washer (4 sets), 6 - M8 stud with two nuts and washers (2 pcs.).

As an electric generator in the considered micro-hydroelectric power station, any of the automobile ones is used. They give out 12-14 V DC and easily dock with both the battery and electrical appliances. The power of these machines is about 300 watts.

The design of a portable mini-hydroelectric power station with a vertical arrangement of a "garland" and a generator is quite acceptable for self-production. Such a hydroelectric station, according to the author of the development, is the least material-intensive. The supporting structure of the installation, which fixes its position in the river bed, is a hollow steel rod (for example, from pipe sections). Its length is chosen based on the nature of the bottom of the watercourse and the speed of the current. Moreover, such that the sharp end of the rod, driven into the bottom, would guarantee the stability of the mini-hydroelectric power station and its inseparable flow. It is also possible to use additional stretch marks.

Having determined the active surface of the rotor by formula (1) and measuring the depth of the river at the installation site of the mini-hydroelectric power station, it is easy to calculate the diameter of the Savonius rotors used here. To make the design simple and self-starting, it is advisable to make a "hydraulic garland" of two rotors connected so that the blades of the first are shifted by 90 ° relative to the second (along the axis of rotation). Moreover, to increase the efficiency of work, the structure on the side of the oncoming flow is equipped with a shield that plays the role of a guide vane. Well, the working shaft is mounted in plain bearings of the upper and lower supports. In principle, with a short operating time of a mini-hydroelectric power station (for example, on a hiking trip), large-diameter ball bearings can also be used. However, if there is sand or silt in the water, after each use, these units will have to be washed in clean water.

Rice. 4 mini-hydroelectric power plants with a vertical arrangement of end-type rotors:

1 - support rod, 2 - lower bearing assembly, 3 - hydropower garland disk (3 pcs.), 4 - rotor (D600, 2 pcs.), 5 - upper bearing assembly, 6 - working shaft, 7 - transmission, 8 - electric generator, 9 - "gander" with a porcelain roller and a two-core insulated wire, 10 - a generator mounting clamp, 11 - a movable shield-guide; a, b - blades: extensions at the upper end of the support rod are conventionally not shown.

The fastening of the supports to the rod is bolted and welded, depending on the weight of the “hydraulic garland” and the need to disassemble it into parts. The upper end of the working shaft of the hydraulic machine is also the input shaft of the multiplier, which (as the most simple and technological) can be used as a belt.

The electric generator is taken again by a car. It is easy to attach it to the support rod with a clamp. And the wires themselves coming from the generator must have reliable waterproofing. In the illustrations, the exact geometric proportions of the intermediate transmission are not conventionally shown, since they depend on the parameters of the particular generator you have. Well, transmission belts can be made from an old car camera by cutting it into tapes 20 mm wide, followed by twisting into bundles.

For the power supply of small villages, a daisy-chain mini-hydroelectric power station designed by V. Blinov is suitable, which is 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 a hinged support, and the other through a simple multiplier to the generator shaft. At a flow rate of 1.5-2.0 m/s, the chain of rotors makes up to 90 rpm. And the small size of the elements of the “hydropower garland” makes it possible to operate this micro-hydroelectric power station on rivers with a depth of less than one meter.

I must say that before 1964 V. Blinov managed to create several portable and stationary mini-hydroelectric power stations of his design, the largest of which was a hydroelectric power station built near the village of Porozhki (Tver region). A pair of garlands here drove two standard autotractor generators with a total power of 3.5 kW.

MK 10 1997 I. Dokunin

Option number 3

Homemade hydroelectric power station (HPP) on a small river without a dam.

It is known that electricity is generated by a generator, the shaft of which rotates the engine. The HPP engine has a simple design: racks with two crankshafts A and B are fixed on a frame made of logs (see Fig. 3).

Each shaft has three knees, the angles between which are equal to 120°. The crankshafts are connected by rods to which the blades are attached. In Figure 1, you can see that at the moment all the blades of rod B are at the bottom, they are immersed in water and, under its pressure, move back (to the right). The blades move the rod, and the rod, in turn, turns the crankshafts. As soon as the knees connected by this bar begin to rise up, the blades of the bar G are immersed in the water. Now they are already starting to work. Then the blades of bar D will begin to work. By this time, the blades of the first bar B will pass over the surface of the water and again descend into the water. This is how the engine of Login's power plant will work.

If you put a pulley on the end of one of the crankshafts and connect it with a belt drive to the pulley of the DC generator, the generator will begin to generate electricity. And if you attach a connecting rod to the drive pulley and connect it to the pump, the engine will pump water to the school site, to your garden.

Engine power depends not only on the speed of the water flow, but also on the number and area of ​​the blades, that is, on the geometric dimensions of the engine itself. And it can be made of any size, respectively, proportionally increasing or decreasing the size of its parts.

Rice. 1 The main dimensions of the parts of a mini hydroelectric power station without a dam.

We give drawings of an engine that, at a water flow rate of 0.8-1 meter per second, will rotate a generator from a car. The voltage generated by the generator is 12 V, and the power is up to 150 watts.

Fig. 2 The main components of a home-made hydroelectric power station without a dam.

Before you start building a hydro station, in a workshop or in a store that sells spare parts for cars, pick up a generator. Prepare materials: boards, logs of small diameter, steel wire, fasteners. Select the location where the power plant will be located. It is desirable that it be a straight section of the river. Here it is necessary to determine the speed of the current. It is done like this. On the selected section 15-20 meters long, mark two transverse alignments. After that, using a small float, such as wood chips, determine the speed of the water flow. The float should be thrown into the water a little higher than the upper alignment and, following it, count the time the float passed from the upper alignment to the bottom one using a stopwatch. It is necessary to make 10-15 such measurements, throwing the float either further or closer to the shore, and, based on the results of the measurements, calculate the average speed of the river. If it lies within 0.8-1 m / s, feel free to proceed with construction.

Fig.3. Crankshafts of a mini hydroelectric power station without a dam.

How to make the most complex parts of a mini hydroelectric power station without a dam. Crankshaft mini ges without dam.

It can be made from a solid steel bar with a diameter of 16-20 mm. But it is easier to make it prefabricated (Fig. 3). First, cut the blanks of parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 from the rod. Make the cheeks of the knees from a steel strip 5 mm thick. Saw squares at the ends of the rods, and square holes in the cheeks. After connecting the parts, the squares are riveted. First you need to assemble the parts of the crankshaft "a" and "b" (see Fig. 3). Then you need to mark and cut out the squares at the free ends of the rods 2 and 3 so that the middle knee (after assembly) is located at an angle of 120 ° with respect to the extreme ones.

Bars with blades of a mini hydroelectric power station without a dam.

Transmission device of a mini-hydro power plant without a dam.

The crankshaft, and hence the drive pulley, will rotate at a rate of about one revolution every two seconds. The generator can produce electric current at 1000-1500 rpm. To get this number of revolutions on the generator, you need a transmission from pulleys of different diameters (see. Fig.).

Grooved pulleys are made from 5 mm thick plywood. For each pulley, five circles should be cut. They are knocked down with nails or tightened with screws. The drive pulley, which is firmly attached to the end of the crankshaft, must have a diameter of at least 700 mm. Two intermediate ones are nailed to each other and freely put on the axle. They should rotate easily on this axis. If the rotation speed of the drive pulley is 30 rpm, then the diameter of the small intermediate pulley can be taken equal to 140 mm, and the large one - 600 mm. Then the alternator pulley (diameter 60 mm) will rotate at a speed of 1500 rpm. At other speeds of the drive pulley, the diameters of the intermediate pulleys will be different. The labor teacher will help you calculate their sizes.

Drive belts of a mini-hydro power plant without a dam.

The transmission pulleys are connected by drive belts. To ensure that the belts are always well tensioned, make them from a rubber band. Cut the old car camera into long strips. Twist each ribbon into a bundle, glue the ends with rubber glue and tie tightly with twine.

Adjustment of a mini-hydro power plant without a dam.

After assembling the mechanism, check if the rods rotate freely. Turning the drive pulley by hand, notice which of the rods is preventing the rotation of the crankshafts. After that, remove the bar and enlarge one of the holes for the neck of the knee so that it becomes a little oblong.

V. Kivonosov, V. Slashchilina

Option number 4

On most rivers, it is possible to build small, inexpensive, damless hydroelectric power plants (HPPs). The power of such power plants is small, but sufficient to electrify a house and even a small village.

On rivers with a flow rate of 0.8 meters per second or more, a new type of damless hydraulic motor can be installed. The principle of operation of this engine is clear from the attached drawings and diagrams.

Under the pressure of water, the blades move the rods, the movement of which causes the crank to rotate. A pulley sits on its shaft.

The rotation of the pulley is transmitted to the generator. Engine power depends on the speed of the water flow.

In places where the speed of the current is small, it is necessary to narrow the riverbed. The design of a hydraulic motor, for example, 3.5 kilowatts, is so simple that it can be made in any school club or workshop.

M. Login

The power of the water flow is a renewable natural resource, the use of which will allow you to receive almost free electricity, save on utilities or solve the problem of recharging equipment.

If a stream or a river flows near your house, a do-it-yourself hydroelectric power plant from improvised materials is a real way out. But first, let's look at what options for mini-hydroelectric power plants can be and how they work.

Hydroelectric power plants for non-industrial purposes

Hydroelectric power plants are structures that can convert the energy of the movement of water into electricity. These can be dams on large rivers, generating from a dozen to several hundred megawatts, or mini-hydroelectric power stations with a maximum capacity of 100 kW, which are quite enough for the needs of a private house. Let's find out more about the latter.

Garland station with hydraulic propellers

The design consists of a chain of rotors attached to a flexible steel cable pulled across the river. The cable itself plays the role of a rotational shaft, one end of which is fixed on a support bearing, and the other one activates the generator shaft.

Each hydrorotor of the "garland" is capable of generating about 2 kW of energy, however, the speed of the water flow for this must be at least 2.5 meters per second, and the depth of the reservoir should not exceed 1.5 m.

The principle of operation of a daisy-chain hydroelectric power station is simple: the pressure of water spins the hydraulic screws, and they rotate the cable and force the generator to generate energy.

Garland stations were successfully used as early as the middle of the last century, but homemade propellers and even tin cans then played the role of propellers. Today, manufacturers offer several types of rotors for various operating conditions. They are equipped with blades of different sizes, made of sheet metal, and allow you to get the maximum efficiency from the operation of the station.

But although this hydrogenerator is quite simple to manufacture, its operation involves a number of special conditions that are not always feasible in real life. Such structures block the riverbed, and it is unlikely that neighbors along the coast, not to mention representatives of environmental services, will allow you to use the energy of the stream for your purposes.

In addition, during the winter period, the installation can only be used on non-freezing water bodies, and in harsh climate conditions, it can be mothballed or dismantled. Therefore, garland stations are built temporarily and mainly in deserted areas (for example, near summer pastures).

Rotary stations with a capacity of 1 to 15 kW / h generate up to 9.3 MW per month and allow you to independently solve the problem of electrification in regions remote from centralized highways

The modern analogue of the daisy chain installation is submersible or floating frame stations with transverse rotors. Unlike their garland predecessor, these structures do not block the entire river, but only use part of the channel, and they can be installed on a pontoon / raft or even lowered to the bottom of the reservoir.

Vertical Rotor Dariaer

The Darrieus rotor is a turbine device that was named after its inventor in 1931. The system consists of several aerodynamic blades fixed on radial beams and works by pressure difference according to the “lifting wing” principle, which is widely used in shipbuilding and aviation.

Although such installations are more used to create wind turbines, they can also work with water. But in this case, precise calculations are needed to select the thickness and width of the blades in accordance with the strength of the water flow.

Darya's rotor resembles a "windmill", only installed under water, and it can work regardless of seasonal fluctuations in flow rate

Vertical rotors are rarely used to create local hydropower plants. Despite the good efficiency indicators and the apparent simplicity of the design, the equipment is quite difficult to operate, since the system needs to be “untwisted” before starting work, but only freezing of the reservoir can stop the running station. Therefore, the Darrieus rotor is used mainly in industrial enterprises.

Underwater propeller-windmill

In fact, this is the simplest air windmill, only it is installed under water. The dimensions of the blades, in order to provide maximum rotation speed and minimum resistance, are calculated depending on the strength of the flow. For example, if the flow velocity does not exceed 2 m/s, then the width of the blade should be within 2-3 cm.

An underwater propeller is easy to make with your own hands, but it is only suitable for deep and fast rivers - in a shallow body of water, rotating blades can injure fishermen, bathers, waterfowl and animals

Such a windmill is installed "towards" the flow, but its blades do not work due to the pressure of the water pressure, but due to the appearance of a lifting force (similar to the principle of an airplane wing or a ship's propeller).

Water wheel with paddles

The water wheel is one of the simplest variants of a hydraulic engine, known since the time of the Roman Empire. The efficiency of its work largely depends on the type of source on which it is installed.

The pouring wheel can rotate only due to the speed of the flow, and the filling wheel - with the help of pressure and the weight of the water falling from above onto the blades

Depending on the depth and channel of the watercourse, various types of wheels can be installed:

• Gravy (or bottom) - suitable for shallow rivers with a fast current.
• Medium-cut - are located in channels with natural cascades so that the flow falls approximately in the middle of a rotating drum.
• Bulk (or overhead) - are installed under a dam, a pipe or at the bottom of a natural threshold so that the falling water continues its way over the top of the wheel.

But the principle of operation for all options is the same: water enters the blades and drives the wheel, which makes the generator for the mini-power plant rotate.

Manufacturers of hydraulic equipment offer ready-made turbines, the blades of which are specially adapted to a certain speed of the water flow. But home craftsmen make drum structures the old fashioned way - from improvised materials.

Arranging your own hydroelectric station is one of the most budgetary and environmentally friendly ways to provide energy resources to a summer house, farm or tourist base

Perhaps the lack of optimization will affect the efficiency indicators, but the cost of home-made equipment will cost several times cheaper than the purchased counterpart. Therefore, the water wheel is the most popular option for organizing your own mini-hydroelectric power station.

Conditions for the installation of a hydroelectric power plant

Despite the tempting cheapness of energy generated by a hydroelectric generator, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the water source, the resources of which you plan to use for your own needs. After all, not every watercourse is suitable for the operation of a mini-hydroelectric power station, especially year-round, so it does not hurt to have the ability to connect to a centralized main in reserve.

A few pros and cons

The main advantages of an individual hydroelectric power station are obvious: inexpensive equipment that generates cheap electricity, and even does not harm nature (unlike dams that block the flow of a river). Although the system cannot be called absolutely safe, the rotating elements of the turbines can still injure the inhabitants of the underwater world and even people.

To prevent accidents, the hydroelectric plant must be fenced off, and if the system is completely hidden by water, a warning sign should be installed on the shore.

Advantages of a mini hydroelectric power station:

1. Unlike other "free" energy sources (solar panels, wind turbines), hydro systems can work regardless of the time of day and weather. The only thing that can stop them is the freezing of the reservoir.
2. To install a hydro generator, it is not necessary to have a large river - the same water wheels can be successfully used even in small (but fast!) Streams.
3. Installations do not emit harmful substances, do not pollute water and work almost silently.
4. For the installation of mini-hydro power plants with a capacity of up to 100 kW, no permits are required (although everything depends on local authorities and the type of installation).
5. Surplus electricity can be sold to neighboring houses.

As for the shortcomings, insufficient current strength can become a serious obstacle to the productive operation of the equipment. In this case, it will be necessary to build auxiliary structures, which is associated with additional costs.

Measuring the strength of the water flow

The first thing to do in order to think about the type and method of installing the station is to measure the speed of the water flow at the chosen source. The easiest way is to lower any light object (for example, a tennis ball, a piece of foam plastic or a fishing float) onto the rapids and note the time it takes for it to swim the distance to some landmark with a stopwatch. The standard distance for the "swim" is 10 meters.

If the reservoir is far from home, you can build a diversion channel or pipeline, and at the same time take care of the height differences

Now you need to divide the distance traveled in meters by the number of seconds - this will be the speed of the current. But if the value obtained is less than 1 m / s, it will be necessary to erect artificial structures in order to accelerate the flow by height differences. This can be done with the help of a collapsible dam or a narrow drain pipe. But without a good current, the idea of ​​​​a hydroelectric station will have to be abandoned.

Production of hydroelectric power station based on a water wheel

Of course, to assemble "on the knee" and build a colossus designed to serve an enterprise or a settlement even from a dozen houses is an idea from the realm of fantasy. But building a mini-hydroelectric power station with your own hands to save electricity is quite realistic. Moreover, you can use both ready-made components and improvised materials.

Therefore, we will consider step by step the manufacture of the simplest structure - a water wheel.

Necessary materials and tools

To make a mini-hydroelectric power station with your own hands, you need to prepare a welding machine, a grinder, a drill and a set of auxiliary tools - a hammer, a screwdriver, a ruler.

From the materials you will need:

• Corners and sheet metal at least 5 mm thick.
• Pipes made of PVC or galvanized steel for the manufacture of blades.
• Generator (you can use a ready-made purchased one or make it yourself, as in this example).
• Brake discs.
• Shaft and bearings.
• Plywood.
• Polystyrene resin for casting the rotor and stator.
• 15 mm copper wire for a homemade generator.
• Neodymium magnets.

Please note that the wheel structure will be in constant contact with water, so metal and wooden elements must be selected with moisture protection (or take care of their impregnation and painting yourself). Ideally, plywood can be replaced with plastic, but wooden parts are easier to get and shape into the desired shape.

Wheel assembly and nozzle manufacturing

The basis for the wheel itself can be two steel disks of the same diameter (if it is possible to get the steel drum from the cable - excellent, this will greatly speed up the assembly process).

But if metal was not found in improvised materials, circles can also be cut from waterproof plywood, although the strength and service life of even processed wood cannot be compared with steel. Then, on one of the disks, you need to cut a round hole for installing the generator.

After that, the blades are made, and they will need at least 16 pieces. To do this, galvanized pipes are cut lengthwise into two or four parts (depending on the diameter). Then the cutting points and the very surface of the blades need to be polished to reduce energy losses during friction.

The blades are set at an angle of approximately 40-45 degrees - this will help increase the surface area that will be affected by the flow force

The distance between the two side discs should be as close as possible to the length of the blades. To mark a place for the location of future hubs, it is recommended to make a plywood template, which will indicate the place for each part and holes for fixing the wheel to the generator. Ready markup can be attached to the outside of one of the disks.

The wheels are then set parallel to each other with solid threaded rods, and the blades are welded or bolted into position. The drum will rotate on bearings, and a frame made of corners or pipes of small diameter is used as a support.

The nozzle is designed for cascade-type water sources - such an installation will allow you to use the flow energy to the maximum. This auxiliary element is made by bending sheet metal, followed by welding, and then mounted on the pipe.

However, if a flat river flows in your area without rapids and other high-altitude obstacles, this detail is not necessary.

It is important that the width of the nozzle outlet corresponds to the width of the wheel itself, otherwise part of the flow will go "idle", not falling on the blades

Now the wheel must be mounted on the axle and mounted on a support of welded or bolted corners. It remains to make a generator (or install a ready-made one) and you can go to the river.

DIY generator

To make a homemade generator, you need to wind and fill the stator, for which you need coils with 125 turns of copper wire on each. After their connection, the entire structure is filled with polyester resin.

Each phase consists of three coils attached in series, so the connection can be made in the form of a star or a triangle with several external leads.

Now you need to prepare a plywood template that matches the size of the brake disc. Marking is carried out on the wooden ring and slots are made for installing magnets (in this case, neodymium magnets 1.3 cm thick, 2.5 cm wide and 5 cm long were used). Then the resulting rotor is also filled with resin, and after drying, it is attached to the wheel drum.

Water wheel with brake disc rotor and copper wire generator - painted, presentable and ready for use

The last to be mounted is an aluminum casing with an ammeter that covers the rectifiers. The task of these elements is to convert three-phase current into direct current.

After installing the wheel in the stream of a small river with a cascade or a bypass pipe, you can count on the performance of a mini-hydroelectric power station of 1.9A * 12V at 110 rpm

To prevent leaves, sand and other debris brought with the stream from getting into the wheel, it is advisable to place a protective net in front of the device.

You can also experiment with the gaps between the magnets and coils with an increased number of turns to increase the efficiency of the hydro station.

Useful video on the topic

An example of a working hydraulic installation with a homemade generator based on a three-phase engine:

Mini-hydroelectric power station, designed on the principle of a water wheel:

A station based on a bicycle wheel is an interesting solution to the problem of energy supply on vacation far from civilization:

As you can see, building a water mini-power plant with your own hands is not so difficult. But since most of the calculations and parameters for its components are determined “by eye”, you should be prepared for possible breakdowns and associated costs.

If you feel a lack of knowledge and experience in this area, you should trust the specialists who will perform all the necessary calculations, advise the equipment that is optimal for your case and install it in a quality manner.

sovet-ingenera.com

Mini hydroelectric power plants for a private house, dacha

The regular increase in electricity prices makes many people think about the issue of alternative sources of electricity. One of the best solutions in this case is a hydroelectric power plant. The search for a solution to this issue concerns not only the scale of the country. Increasingly, you can see mini-hydroelectric power plants for the home (cottage). The costs in this case will be only for construction and maintenance. The disadvantage of such a structure is that its construction is possible only under certain conditions. Water flow is required. In addition, the construction of this structure in your yard requires the permission of local authorities.

Scheme of a mini hydroelectric power plant

The principle of operation of a hydroelectric power plant for a home is quite simple. The structure diagram is as follows. Water falls on the turbine, causing the blades to rotate. They, in turn, due to the torque or pressure drop, drive the hydraulic actuator. From it, the received power is transferred to an electric generator, which generates electricity.

At present, the hydroelectric power plant scheme is most often equipped with a control system. This allows the design to work in automatic mode. In case of need (for example, an accident), it is possible to switch to manual control.

Varieties of mini-hydroelectric power stations

It should be understood that mini-hydroelectric power plants can produce no more than three thousand kilowatts. This is the maximum power of such a structure. The exact value will depend on the type of HPP and the design of the equipment used.

Depending on the type of water flow, the following types of stations are distinguished:

• Channel, characteristic of the plains. They are installed on rivers with a slight flow.
• Stationary use the energy of water rivers with a fast flow of water.
• Hydroelectric power plants installed in places where the water flow drops. They are most often found in industrial organizations.
• Mobile, which are built using a reinforced sleeve.

For the construction of a hydroelectric power station, even a small stream flowing through the site is enough. Owners of houses with central water supply should not despair.

One of the American companies has developed a station that can be built into the water supply system at home. A small turbine is built into the water supply system, which is set in motion by the flow of water moving by gravity. This reduces the flow rate of water, but reduces the cost of electricity. In addition, this installation is completely safe.

Even mini-hydroelectric power plants are being built in the sewer pipe. But their construction requires the creation of certain conditions. Water through the pipe should flow naturally due to the slope. The second requirement is that the pipe diameter must be suitable for the equipment. And this cannot be done in a detached house.

Classification of mini hydroelectric power plants

Mini hydroelectric power plants (the houses in which they are used are mostly private sector) are most often one of the following types, which differ in the principle of operation:

• The water wheel is the traditional type and is the easiest to make.
• Propeller. Used in cases where the river has a channel with a width of more than ten meters.
• The garland is installed on rivers with a slight flow. To increase the speed of the flow of water, additional structures are used.
• The Darrieus rotor is usually installed in industrial plants.

The prevalence of these options is due to the fact that they do not require the construction of a dam.

Water wheel

This is a classic type of hydroelectric power plant, which is most popular for the private sector. Mini hydroelectric power plants of this type are a large wheel that can rotate. Its blades are lowered into the water. The rest of the structure is above the channel, forcing the whole mechanism to move. Power is transmitted through a hydraulic drive to a generator that generates current.

propeller station

On the frame in a vertical position there is a rotor and an underwater windmill, which is lowered under water. The windmill has blades that rotate under the influence of the flow of water. The best resistance is provided by blades two centimeters wide (with a fast flow, the speed of which, however, does not exceed two meters per second).

In this case, the blades are set in motion due to the emerging lift force, and not due to water pressure. Moreover, the direction of movement of the blades is perpendicular to the direction of flow. This process is similar to how wind farms work, only it works underwater.

Garland hydroelectric power station

This type of mini-hydroelectric power station is a cable stretched over the channel and fixed in a support bearing. Turbines of small size and weight (hydraulic rotors) are hung and rigidly fixed on it in the form of a garland. They consist of two semi-cylinders. Due to the alignment of the axes, when lowered into the water, a torque is created in them. This leads to the fact that the cable bends, stretches and begins to rotate. In this situation, the cable can be compared to a shaft that serves to transmit power. One end of the rope is connected to the gearbox. Power is transferred to it from the rotation of the cable and hydraulic torches.

The presence of several "garlands" will help to increase the power of the station. They can be connected to each other. Even this does not greatly increase the efficiency of this HPP. This is one of the disadvantages of such a structure.

Another disadvantage of this type is the danger it creates for others. This kind of station can only be used in deserted places. Warning signs are mandatory.

Rotor Daria

A mini-hydroelectric power plant for a private house of this type is named after its developer, Georges Darier. This design was patented in 1931. It is a rotor with blades on it. For each of the blades, the necessary parameters are selected individually. The rotor is lowered under water in a vertical position. The blades rotate due to the pressure drop that occurs under the action of water flowing over their surface. This process is similar to the lift force that makes airplanes take off.

This type of HPP has a good efficiency index. The second advantage is that the direction of the flow does not matter.

Among the shortcomings of this type of power plant, one can single out a complex design and difficult installation.

Advantages of a mini hydroelectric power station

Regardless of the type of construction, mini-hydro power plants have a number of advantages:

• Environmentally friendly, do not produce substances harmful to the atmosphere.
• The process of obtaining electricity takes place without the formation of noise.
• The water stays clean.
• Electricity is generated constantly, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions.
• Even a small stream is enough to equip the station.
• Surplus electricity can be sold to neighbors.
• You don't need a lot of permissive documentation.

Do-it-yourself mini hydroelectric power station

You can build a water station to generate electricity yourself. For a private house, twenty kilowatts per day is enough. Even a do-it-yourself mini-hydroelectric power station can handle this value. But it should be remembered that this process is characterized by a number of features:

• Precise calculations are difficult to make.
• The dimensions, thickness of the elements are selected "by eye", only empirically.
• Homemade structures do not have protective elements, which leads to frequent breakdowns and associated costs.

Therefore, if there is no experience and certain knowledge in this area, it is better to abandon this kind of idea. It may be cheaper to purchase a ready-made station.

If you still decide to do everything with your own hands, then you need to start by measuring the speed of the flow of water in the river. After all, it depends on the power that can be obtained. If the speed is less than one meter per second, then the construction of a mini-hydroelectric power station in this place will not justify itself.

Another step that should not be omitted is the calculations. It is necessary to carefully calculate the amount of costs that will be spent on the construction of the station. As a result, it may turn out that hydroelectric power is not the best option. Then you should pay attention to other types of alternative electricity.

A mini-hydro power plant can be the best solution for saving energy costs. For its construction, it is necessary to have a river near the house. Depending on the desired characteristics, you can choose the appropriate version of the hydroelectric power station. With the right approach, you can even make such a structure with your own hands.

fb.ru

Free electricity - do-it-yourself mini hydroelectric power station

If a river or even a small stream flows near your home, then with the help of a home-made mini hydroelectric power station you can get free electricity. It may not be a very big budget replenishment, but the realization that you have your own electricity costs much more. Well, if, for example, in a country house, there is no central power supply, then even small power capacities will be simply necessary. And so, to create a home-made hydroelectric power station, at least two conditions are necessary - the presence of a water resource and desire.

If both are present, then the first thing to do is to measure the flow rate of the river. It is very simple to do this - throw a twig into the river and measure the time during which it swims 10 meters. By dividing meters by seconds, you get the speed of the current in m/s. If the speed is less than 1 m / s, then a productive mini hydroelectric power station will not work. In this case, you can try to increase the flow rate by artificially narrowing the channel or by making a small dam if you are dealing with a small stream.

As a guide, you can use the ratio between the flow velocity in m/s and the power of the electricity removed from the propeller shaft in kW (propeller diameter 1 meter). These are experimental data, in reality the received power depends on many factors, but it is suitable for evaluation. So:

0.5 m/s - 0.03 kW, 0.7 m/s - 0.07 kW, 1 m/s - 0.14 kW, 1.5 m/s - 0.31 kW, 2 m/s - 0.55 kW, 2.5 m/s - 0.86 kW, 3 m / s -1.24 kW, 4 m / s - 2.2 kW, etc.

The power of a homemade mini hydroelectric power station is proportional to the cube of the flow rate. As already mentioned, if the flow rate is insufficient, try to artificially increase it, if this is of course possible.

Types of mini hydroelectric power plants

There are several basic options for homemade mini hydroelectric power plants.

Water wheel

This is a wheel with blades mounted perpendicular to the surface of the water. The wheel is less than half immersed in the stream. Water presses on the blades and rotates the wheel. There are also turbine wheels with special blades optimized for the liquid jet. But these are rather complex designs, rather factory-made than home-made.

Rotor Daria

It is a vertical axis rotor used to generate electrical energy. A vertical rotor that rotates due to the pressure difference on its blades. The pressure difference is created due to the fluid flow around complex surfaces. The effect is similar to the lift of a hydrofoil or the lift of an airplane wing. This design was patented by Georges Jean-Marie Darier, a French aeronautical engineer, in 1931. It is also often used in the construction of wind turbines.

Garland hydroelectric power station

The hydroelectric power plant consists of light turbines - hydro vingrotors, strung and rigidly fixed in the form of a garland on a cable thrown across the river. One end of the cable is fixed in the support bearing, the other end rotates the generator rotor. The cable in this case plays the role of a kind of shaft, the rotational movement of which is transmitted to the generator. The flow of water rotates the rotors, the rotors rotate the cable.

Propeller

Also borrowed from the designs of wind farms, such a "underwater windmill" with a vertical rotor. Unlike an air propeller, an underwater propeller has blades of a minimum width. For water, a blade width of only 2 cm is sufficient. With this width, there will be a minimum resistance and a maximum rotation speed. This width of the blades was chosen for a flow velocity of 0.8-2 meters per second. At high speeds, other sizes may be optimal. The propeller does not move due to water pressure, but due to the occurrence of lift. Just like an airplane wing. The propeller blades move across the flow rather than being carried along by the flow in the direction of the flow.

Advantages and disadvantages of various homemade mini hydroelectric systems

The disadvantages of a stringed hydroelectric power station are obvious: high material consumption, danger to others (a long underwater cable, rotors hidden in the water, river blocking), low efficiency. Garland HPP is a kind of small dam. It is advisable to use in deserted, remote places with appropriate warning signs. You may need permission from the authorities and environmentalists. The second option is a small stream in your garden. Rotor Daria - difficult to calculate and manufacture. At the beginning of work, it needs to be untwisted. But it is attractive in that the rotor axis is located vertically and the power take-off can be made above the water, without additional gears. Such a rotor will rotate with any change in the direction of flow - this is a plus.

The most widespread in the construction of home-made hydroelectric power plants were propeller and water wheel schemes. Since these options are relatively easy to manufacture, require minimal calculations and are implemented at minimal cost, have high efficiency, are easy to set up and operate.

If you do not have a water energy resource, you can independently make a home wind farm.

An example of the simplest mini-hydroelectric power station

The simplest hydroelectric power station can be quickly built from an ordinary bicycle with a dynamometer for a bicycle headlight. Several blades (2-3) must be prepared from galvanized iron or not thick sheet aluminum. The blades should be 2-4 cm long from the wheel rim to the hub, and 2-4 cm wide. These blades are installed between the spokes in any improvised way or pre-prepared mounts. If you are using two blades, then set them opposite each other. If you want to add more blades, then divide the circumference of the wheel by the number of blades and install them at regular intervals. You can experiment with the depth of immersion of a wheel with blades in water. Usually it is immersed from one third to half. The option of a camping wind farm was considered earlier.

Such a micro hydroelectric power station does not take up much space and will serve cyclists well - the main thing is the presence of a stream or river - which is usually the case at the campsite. A mini hydropower plant from a bicycle will be able to light a tent and charge cell phones or other gadgets.

bazila.net

Do-it-yourself hydroelectric power plant on a personal plot

Homemade mini hydroelectric power station, made by hand: a photo with a description, as well as several videos showing the operation of a mini hydroelectric power station.

The author has a small stream flowing near the house plot, which prompted him to build a mini hydroelectric power station in order to be able to get additional electricity to light the house and operate low-power household appliances.

The turbine was made independently from moisture-resistant plywood 13 mm thick.

The result was a wheel with a diameter of 1200 mm and a width of 600 mm, the structure was additionally covered with a water-repellent coating.

The mount for the turbine is made of oak timber, the entire unit is anchored to a concrete base cast at the bottom of the stream.

This homemade mini hydroelectric power station uses a Wind blue Power Permanent Magnet Generator, it is able to generate 12 V already at 130 rpm. A regular car alternator is not suitable here, as it produces 12 V at more than 1000 rpm. Torque is transmitted from the turbine to the generator by a chain drive.

At first, the turbine did not rotate fast enough, and the author decided to make an additional stage under the dam, on which water collected in a narrow vent and fell with greater force onto the wheel blades.

A pair of 12V 110A car batteries and an inverter are connected to the generator.

The output power of a mini hydroelectric power station is 50 W, at the peak it produces up to 500 W.

In my opinion, the idea is not bad, the installation can be improved, of course, its power is not enough for a full-fledged energy supply at home, but as an additional source of free electricity it is quite suitable.

Turbine wheel for generator.

Homemade mini hydroelectric power station in operation.

Video: Hydroelectric turbine at full load.

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sam-builder.com

Do-it-yourself mini-hydroelectric power station - is it real?

Since electricity tariffs have recently begun to rise, renewable sources of electricity are becoming increasingly important among the population, allowing them to receive electricity almost free of charge. Among such sources known to mankind, it is worth highlighting solar panels, wind turbines, as well as home hydroelectric power plants. But the latter are quite complex, because they have to work in very aggressive conditions. Although this does not mean at all that it is impossible to build a mini-hydroelectric power station with your own hands.

To do everything correctly and efficiently, the main thing is to choose the right materials. They should ensure maximum durability of the station. Homemade hydro generators, which are comparable in power to those of solar panels and windmills, can produce much more energy. But although a lot depends on the materials, everything does not end there.

Varieties of mini hydroelectric power plants

There are a large number of different variations of mini-hydroelectric power plants, each of which has its own advantages, features and disadvantages. There are the following types of these devices:

• garland;
• propeller;
• rotor Daria;
• water wheel with blades.

The garland hydroelectric power station consists of a cable on which the rotors are fixed. Such a cable is pulled across the river and immersed in water. The flow of water in the river begins to rotate the rotors, which in turn turn the cable, at one end of which there is a bearing, and at the other - a generator.

The next type is a water wheel with blades. It is installed perpendicular to the water surface, immersing less than half. Since the flow of water acts on the wheel, it rotates, and makes the generator for the mini-hydroelectric power station spin, on which this wheel is fixed.

Classic water wheel - well forgotten old

As for the propeller hydroelectric power station, it is a windmill located under water with a vertical rotor. The width of the blades of such a windmill does not exceed 2 centimeters. This width is enough for water, because it is this value that allows you to produce the maximum amount of electricity with minimal resistance. True, this width is optimal only for flow rates up to 2 meters per second.

As for other conditions, the parameters of the rotor blades are calculated separately. And the Darrieus rotor is a vertically positioned rotor, which operates on the principle of differential pressure. Everything happens similarly with the wing of the aircraft, which is affected by the lifting force.

Advantages and disadvantages

If we consider the garland hydroelectric power station, then it has a number of obvious shortcomings. Firstly, the long cable used in the construction is a danger to others. Rotors hidden under water also pose a great danger. Well, in addition, it is worth noting the low efficiency and high material consumption.

As for the disadvantages of the Darier rotor, in order for the device to start generating electricity, it must first be untwisted. True, in this case, the power is taken directly above the water, so no matter how the flow of water changes, the generator will generate electricity.

All of the above are factors that make the hydro turbine for mini-hydro power plants and water wheels more popular. If we consider the manual construction of such devices, then they are not so complicated. And in addition, at minimal cost, such mini-hydroelectric power stations are able to produce maximum efficiency indicators. So the criteria for popularity are obvious.

Where to start building

The construction of a mini-hydroelectric power station with your own hands should begin with measuring the speed indicators of the flow of rivers. This is done very simply: just mark a distance of 10 meters upstream, pick up a stopwatch, throw a chip into the water, and note the time it takes for it to cover the measured distance.

Ultimately, if 10 meters is divided by the number of seconds elapsed, you get the speed of the river in meters per second. It should be borne in mind that there is no point in building mini-hydroelectric power stations in places where the flow velocity does not exceed 1 m / s.

If the reservoir is far away, you can build a bypass channel

If you need to figure out how mini-hydroelectric power stations are made in an area where the river speed is low, then you can try to increase the flow by organizing a height difference. This can be done by installing a drain pipe into the pond. In this case, the diameter of the pipe will directly affect the rate of water flow. The smaller the diameter, the faster the flow.

This approach allows you to organize a mini-hydroelectric power station even if a small stream passes near the house. That is, a collapsible dam is organized on it, below which a mini-hydroelectric power station is directly installed to power the house and household appliances.

energomir.biz

Water generator from air

The device, the principle of operation of the water generatorThe water generator is a pyramidal frame with a moisture-absorbing filler. The pyramidal frame is formed by four posts pos. 3, welded to the base pos. 4, made of a metal corner. A metal mesh pos. 15: from below to the base with the help of overlays pos. 6 a polyethylene pallet pos. 5 with a hole in the middle. The inner space of the mesh frame is tightly (but without deformation of the walls) filled with a moisture-absorbing material. Outside, a transparent dome, pos. 1, which is fixed with four stretch marks pos. 8 and shock absorber pos. fourteen.

The water generator has two working cycles: absorption of moisture from the air by the filler; evaporation of moisture from the filler with its subsequent condensation on the walls of the dome. At sunset, the transparent dome is raised to provide air access to the filler; The filling absorbs moisture all night. In the morning, the dome is lowered and sealed with a shock absorber; the sun evaporates moisture from the filler, the steam collects in the upper part of the pyramid, the condensate flows down the walls of the dome onto the tray and fills the container with water through the hole in it.

Making the Water GeneratorPreparation for the manufacture of the water generator begins with the collection of the filler. As a filler, scraps of newsprint are used; paper from newspapers should be taken free from typographic font in order to avoid contamination of the resulting water with lead compounds. The work of collecting paper will take a lot of time, but during this time the remaining elements of the water generator are made. The base is welded from metal corners with shelf dimensions of 35x35 mm, four supports pos. 10 of the same corners and eight brackets pos. 13. The brackets are interconnected with steel bars pos. 17 length 930 mm; diameter 10 mm. From above, a metal mesh with a mesh size of 15x15 mm is welded onto the shelves of the corners. mesh wire diameter 1.5-2 mm. Four overlays pos. are cut out of the steel tape. 6. Holes with a diameter of 4.5 mm are drilled through the holes in the overlays in the corners of the base and threads are cut for the BM 5 screws. The place must be chosen so that the GW is not obscured by trees and buildings.

After choosing the place of support, the base is fixed in the ground with cement mortar. It is allowed to weld support nickels with a diameter of 100 mm from a steel sheet 2 mm thick to the supports. After that, four posts are welded alternately into the corners of the base square so that sections of the posts 30 mm long are in the center of the base at a height of about 1.5 m. The posts are reinforced with crossbars that are welded to the posts from the inside.

The material of the cross members is the same as that of the racks. Then, a pallet pos. five; the edges of the pallet, which will be under the overlays, are tucked to strengthen the attachment point. A round hole with a diameter of 70 mm is cut out in the center of the pallet - for water drainage. The edges of the holes can also be reinforced by welding on an additional polyethylene overlay. Next, a mesh frame is fixed on the racks, which is a fine-meshed fishing net with a mesh size of 15x15 mm. The net is tied to the uprights and the edges of the metal mesh pallet with cotton tape so that the net is taut between the uprights. It is also desirable to tie the net to the crossbars, dividing the internal volume of the pyramid into two compartments. Before tying the net to the A-pillar, the compartments (starting from the top) of the resulting mesh frame are densely filled with crumpled scraps of newsprint. Filling should be done in such a way that there is no free space inside the pyramid and the protrusion of the mesh walls is minimal. Then proceed to the manufacture of a transparent dome. It is made of a polyethylene film, the cutting of which is carried out according to the drawing, pos. 1 and welded with a soldering iron along planes A, A1. The seam should be performed without overheating so that the polyethylene does not become brittle at the welding site. To prevent violation of the integrity of the dome at the top of the pyramid, it is covered with a kind of polyethylene “cap” - fragment B according to the drawing, pos. 1. Then, after putting fragment B on the pyramid, carefully put the dome on the frame. Having straightened the dome, the edges of the planes C are welded together: a kind of “skirt” is obtained. A ring pos. is made from a rubber tube. 9, which is put on the pyramid. Four stretch marks with hooks are tied to the ring, pos. 11. The bottom of the transparent dome (“skirt”) is tightly pressed against the corners of the base with a shock absorber. Shock absorber - a ring made of rubber band 5000 mm long, 50 mm wide, made of rubber bandage. In the absence of polyethylene of the required area for the dome, it is welded from several fragments of polyethylene. For welding polyethylene, it is recommended to use a soldering iron with a power of 40-65 W, in the tip of which a groove is made, a metal disk 3-5 mm thick is fixed in the groove on the axis.

Operation of the water generator At sunset, the transparent dome is tucked up to the level of the crossbars and fixed in this position with braces, putting hooks on the rods pos. 17. During the night, the paper absorbs moisture and, in the morning, the dome is lowered, fixing its lower edge on the base with a shock absorber. During the day, the sun will heat the pyramid, the moisture from the paper will evaporate, the steam, as it cools, condenses on the walls into water, which flows down. Water is collected by substituting a container under a hole in a plastic pan. At sunset, the cycle is repeated. It is recommended to change the paper in GV every season, for the winter the dome should be stored indoors. It is also recommended to change the dome after the loss of transparency of its walls. During operation, it is necessary to monitor the integrity of the dome.

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How to make a mini hydroelectric power station with your own hands / Sustainable products and designs ...

If there is a small river near your house, you can use such a generator to generate clean energy. This scheme was developed by one American innovator and assembled a mini-hydroelectric power station in just three days.

Describe in detail what you might need micro-hydro, it makes no sense - the answers to this question are obvious. Briefly, we will only say that of the well-known alternative energy sources - solar generators, wind and hydroelectric power stations - the latter are potentially the most powerful at a lower cost. In addition, you do not depend on weather factors - wind or sun.

A significant advantage of a home-made micro-hydroelectric power station is also the relative cheapness and availability of materials. Buying a factory hydroelectric power station can cost you $1000-10000,

However, it is mini-hydroelectric power plants that are the most difficult to design and manufacture, especially for an unprepared person. For example, enthusiast Lukmon Akhmedov (Tajikistan) took about 2 years to make his own version of the power plant. When writing this article, we tried to set out in sufficient detail and clearly the whole process, step by step. We hope that with our help it will take you much less time.

Types of micro hydroelectric power plants

We note right away that in this article we will talk about the manufacture of damless micro-hydroelectric power plants with our own hands. Building a dam is a complex and expensive task, and you will also have to spend a lot of time getting approval from the authorities. With damless hydroelectric power plants, everything is much simpler: they are more environmentally friendly, and their main drawback - lower power - is not critical, because we need energy for private, relatively small, needs.

Separately, we note that by "micro-hydro" we mean a unit with a capacity of up to 100 kW.

So, damless hydroelectric power stations are of 4 types: "garland" hydroelectric power station, "water wheel", Darier rotor and "propeller". Also, damless hydroelectric power plants are often called "flow" or "free-flow".

• Garland hydroelectric power station was developed by the Soviet engineer Blinov in the middle of the 20th century. It consists of small turbines - hydro vingrotors, strung in the form of beads on a cable that is thrown across the river. One end of the cable is attached to the support bearing, and the other end rotates the generator shaft. The cable in this unit performs the task of a shaft, whose rotation is transmitted to the generator shaft. The disadvantages of a stringed hydroelectric power station include relative high cost, danger to others (it is likely that such a project will have to be coordinated with the authorities, neighbors) and low output power.
• The water wheel is installed perpendicular to the water surface and is less than half submerged in water. It can be powered in two ways: either the flow of water presses on the blades at the bottom of the wheel, causing it to rotate, or the flow of water falls on the wheel from above (see photo below). The efficiency of the latter option is much higher. In the manufacture of this type of turbine, the main issue is the competent choice of the shape of the blades, which will allow the most efficient use of water energy.
• The Darrieus rotor is a vertical rotor with specially designed blades. Thanks to her, the flow of water presses on the blades with different forces, due to which rotation occurs. This effect can be compared to the lift force of an aircraft wing, which occurs due to the difference in pressure above and below the wing.
• The propeller in its design is similar to the propeller of a wind turbine (hence, in fact, the name) or the propeller of a ship. However, the blades of an underwater propeller are usually much narrower, which allows the energy of the flow to be used more efficiently. For example, for a river with a flow rate of 1-2 m / s, a width of 2 centimeters is sufficient. This design is well suited for fast and deep rivers. An important point: for the safety of bathers and tourists, be sure to install a fence and a warning buoy. The unit spins fast enough to cause serious injury.

In our opinion, for the manufacture do-it-yourself micro hydroelectric power station it is optimal to use a propeller or water wheel design. It should be noted that both types of turbines in factory-produced units have a rather complex shape (the so-called “Kaplan turbine”, “Pelton turbine”, etc.), which makes it possible to obtain maximum efficiency for various types of flow. However, it is difficult to manufacture such turbines in "home" production.

A little theory about micro hydroelectric power plants and basic calculations.

The next step is to calculate and measure the flow rate. It is very risky to determine it by eye - it is very easy to make a mistake, so measure 10-20 meters along the coast, throw a float (a chip, a small ball) into the water and measure the time it takes the chip to swim the distance. Divide the distance by the time to get the speed of the current. As practice shows, if it is less than 1 m / s, the installation of a micro-hydroelectric power station in this stream may be unjustified. If we plan to receive energy due to the height difference, then the power can be roughly calculated using the following formula:

Power N=k*9.81*1000*Q*H,

where k is the efficiency of the system (usually 20%-50%); 9.81 (m/sec2) is the free fall acceleration; H - height difference;

Q is water consumption (m3/sec); 1000 is the density of water (kg/m3).

As can be seen from the formula, power is directly proportional to speed. If the river has several branches, then it is worth measuring the speed in all and choosing the stream that has the highest speed and depth. Please note that measurements must be taken in calm weather.

Find the width and depth of the river in meters. Simplistically, we assume that the flow in the cross section has the shape of a rectangle, then multiplying the cross-sectional area by its speed, we obtain the flow rate:

Q = a*b*v. Because in fact, the cross section of the water flow has a smaller area, then the resulting value should be multiplied by 70% -80%.

If we already have a ready-made generator, then we can estimate the possible working radius of the wheel and the required multiplication factor.

Wheel radius (m) = Flow velocity (m/s) / Wheel speed (Hz). We can estimate the wheel speed by knowing the operating frequency of the generator (usually in "rpm") and the expected reduction ratio.

Practice: we build micro-hydro power plants ourselves

Now it's the turn to design and manufacture the turbine. Below we describe the features of the construction of a micro-hydropower plant of the "water wheel" type. It is advantageous to use this design if we have the opportunity to organize a height difference for the flow (or such a difference already exists, for example, it is a sewer from a pond). As mentioned above, special attention should be paid to the shape of the blades. If you use a wheel with blades in the form of dies (see photo below, in this case the blades are set at an angle of 45 degrees), then the efficiency of such an installation will be very small.

It is better to use concave blades, which can be obtained, for example, from PVC or a metal pipe by cutting it lengthwise into 2 or 4 parts. As practice shows, there should be at least 16 blades. To cut the pipe as straight as possible, draw marking lines along the surface. You can also attach 2 parallel wooden blocks and use them as guides. The surface of the blades should be polished, otherwise part of the energy of the water will be spent on friction.

As the wheel itself, you can use an empty cable reel, or simply make discs of the appropriate diameter. The distance between the discs corresponds to the length of the blades. We connect the disks together and cut out semicircular grooves for installing the blades. Alternatively, the blades can be welded on. If the design is small, then a mesh attached in front of the wheel can be used to protect against debris. In the case when water falls onto the blades from above, but the flow is wide enough, it makes sense to make a nozzle (see photo below), thanks to which all the energy of the flow will be used. In the photo above, you can see that the sewer is narrow in itself, so there is no need to use a nozzle. In any case, the flow should fall on the water wheel from above, at about 10 o'clock, if you think of the wheel as a clock face.

A welded metal frame can be used as a supporting structure. To increase efficiency, try, if possible, to vary the location of the wheel: closer or further, higher or lower relative to the incoming flow.

Now we need to mount the step-up gearbox (multiplier). Suitable for both gear and chain. Which multiplier to apply and what reduction factor is needed depends on the flow rate, the performance of the wheel and the generator. Calculating the coefficient is very simple - we divide the working number of revolutions of the generator by the number of revolutions of the wheel per minute. Sometimes you have to use 2 gearboxes of different types. To transfer rotation from the wheel to the gearbox or generator, a pipe, cardan shaft or other similar element is used.

Any suitable motor is selected as a generator, and it is desirable that it be synchronous. For asynchronous, you will have to add capacitors that work according to the "star" or "triangle" scheme. The characteristics of the capacitors depend on the mains voltage and motor parameters. The main problem when using an induction motor will be to maintain a constant number of revolutions. If it changes, you will have to change the capacitors, which can be very troublesome.