Design and Analysis of a Micro-Hydro Distributed Power System

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to improve the standard way of producing electricity in a hydropower plant through the introduction of a more effective method. The aim of installing this Micro-hydro Distributed Power System is to achieve greater results in comparison to those attained with a standard micro-hydro power plant, without depending upon rainfall but upon two stored natural resources, air and water. This air supply will come from solar compressors and the water will be drawn from existing dams or runoff from rivers into storage tanks, which will generate electricity throughout the year at the same rate as the existing micro-hydropower that depends upon rainfall. The Micro-hydro Distributed Power System is a working pressure hydropower plant that generates electricity by compressing fluid into the system, using compressed air and is designed and analyzed in CAD design software and results are calculated to ensure the design is sufficiently durable to withstand the pressure, since the entire power system is dependent upon working pressure and how the power is generated using two major renewable sources, water and air. The Micro-hydro Distributed Power System’s working principle has been adapted from hydropower plants, the system converts H-Head(m) into pressure which is then used in the formula in (P=ρgh) to determine the power of the system. Theoretically, the findings of this study prove that the power to be generated, based upon the calculations, is much higher than expected before commencing the research, the power input needed for the Micro-hydro Distributed Power System based upon the compressor system’s rated power is 11KW to produce the 13 bars of pressure needed to compress fluid for maximum power output. At 13 bars the compressor system is found to be producing 398.3MW of power but at a high rate of flow of water which is found to be 391.907 L/s. A major advantage of the Micro-hydro Distributed Power System is that this water is pumped back into the tank from which it is re-used over and over again. This system depends entirely upon compressed air which is used to compress fluid through pipes, without this compressed air the water does not flow and cannot be pumped back into the system