Hydro?

smalltruck
smalltruck Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
So I know that this is not really general solar but it is general so I thought this was the best place. I am hoping that someone would be able to help me find info on micro hydro. I am looking to use a well that flows 24/7. Not sure on the rate but it pushes through a 3/4 pipe at ground level. If need be I could hook up there or I could run it out a ways and I would be able to get about ten feet of head.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #2
    Re: Hydro?

    From another thread where a person asked about pumped storage hydro with a 5,000 gallon tank: You can use a site like this:

    http://www.oregon.gov/ENERGY/RENEW/H...ro_index.shtml

    To figure out how much power you can generate for 5,000 gallons of water with a ~47 foot head flowing at ~7.48 gallons per second:
    Gross Head x Flow x System Efficiency (in decimal equivalent) x C = Power (kW)
    C is a constant (the value is different in English and metric units).
    • 100 psi / 2.13 psi per foot * 1 cf/s * 0.55 turbine eff * 0.085 = 2.19 kWatts
    • 5,000 gallons * 1/7.48 gallons per cuft * 1/1cf per sec = 668 seconds = 11 minutes of power
    Looks like a lot of "work" for little "work"... 2kWatts for 11 minutes.

    Play with the numbers so they match your flows/head.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Hydro?

    A while back someone here posted this link. It's not exactly micro, but it's really worth a read for anyone interested in home brew hydro:

    http://ludens.cl/paradise/turbine/turbine.html
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #4
    Re: Hydro?

    wow that first really isn't (Micro) you could power 3 average american houses with that much power. (If I'm reading it correctly) nice job, that's quite an accomplishment out in the boonies!
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