Water Turbines

Our micro hydro power systems are scaled down versions of large scale systems. Each turbine infrastructure has to be individually designed as no two locations are similar, making each project cost a premium.

The main considerations to take into account when deciding if a turbine is for you are: What head of water is available for the turbine? What environmental impact will the project have on the water course to be used?

One of the water turbines we use is based around a polymer moulded rotor and stator unit. The complex geometrical shapes typical of any turbine are ideal for polymer moulding. A finished turbine rotor or stator can be produced relatively quickly, using low-cost materials. The turbine itself is a ‘back-to-back reaction turbine’. The water enters at the centre of the rotor and is discharged in equal quantities from the two ends. This means that there is zero net axial thrust on the rotor which minimises bearing wear. The flexible but tough material used for the rotor and stator also absorb the energy of waterborne particles (they effectively ‘bounce off’), minimising erosion. The whole design is ‘modular’ which reduces the amount of site-specific design work that has to done, and the level of local expertise required.

Head
Rotor diameter
(m)
 
200 mm
300 mm
400 mm
600 mm
2
Power output (kW)
@ flow rate (l/s)
-
-
1.9
170
4.9
430
11
980
3
Power output (kW)
@ flow rate (l/s)
1.6
95
3.5
210
8.9
520
20
1200
4
Power output (kW)
@ flow rate (l/s)
2.5
110
5.5
240
14
600
31
1355
6
Power output (kW)
@ flow rate (l/s)
4.5
130
10
290
25
740
58
1700
8
Power output (kW)
@ flow rate (l/s)
7.0
155
15
340
39
850
-
-
10
Power output (kW)
@ flow rate (l/s)
9.8
170
21
380
-
-
-
-

The minimum head of water that a turbine will operate with is 1.8mts.
Go sustainable can assist with all aspects of a micro-hydro system;
A feasibility study to establish if a site it suitable for a micro-hydro system and generate an outline budget and expected energy generation.
Applications for an abstract licence to the Environment Agency to obtain permission to use the water flow for micro generation.
Go sustainable can provide a compete service for all aspects of a micro-hydro system design

Project management of all stages of the installation and commissioning of a project.
If you wish further information then please contact us and we will assist you where ever possible.

Head
The head is the height difference between where the water would enter the hydro power system and it would leave it, measured in metres. Typically this could be the height of a weir or the vertical drop of water from the hydro intake screen would be and where the water discharged from the turbine would return to the watercourse.
With hydro it is very important to get as much head as you possibly can, as more head means more power for not much more cost. Depending on how much flow you have, the minimum amount of head required for a viable hydro system varies. If you have low head and low flow, then installing a hydro system won’t be very cost effective. Typically a head in excess of 1m is the minimum requirement.

Flow
This the amount of water that can be passed through the turbine, measured in cubic meters per second. You need to estimate the average annual flow, and not the flow on the wettest day of the year.

Minimum Head Needed
1

Very small stream
0.01 m3/s to 0.05 m3/s
10m - 50m
2

Small Stream
0.05 m3/s to 0.25 m3/s
2.5m - 10m
3

Stream
0.25 m3/s to 1.00 m3/s
2 - 2.5m
4

Small River
1.00 m3/s to 2.00 m3/s
1.5m - 2m
5

River
2.00 m3/s and greater

The maximum power of the hydro system can be roughly estimated as:
Head X Flow X 5 = kW