Inline Pumped Storage Hydropower towards Smart and Flexible Energy Recovery in Water Networks

Helena M Ramos,Mohsen Besharat,Avin Dadfar,Kemi Adeyeye

doi:10.3390/w12082224

Abstract

Energy and climate change are thoroughly linked since fossil energy generation highly affects the environment, and climate change influences the renewable energy generation capacity. Hence, this study gives a new contribution to the energy generation in water infrastructures by means of an inline pumped-storage hydro (IPSH) solution. The selection of the equipment is the first step towards good results. The energy generation through decentralized micro-hydropower facilities can offer a good solution since they are independent of the hydrologic cycle associated with climate change. The current study presents the methodology and analyses to use water level difference between water tanks or reservoirs in a base pumping system (BPS) to transform it into the concept of a pump-storage hydropower solution. The investigation was developed based on an experimental facility and numerical simulations using WaterGEMS in the optimization of the system operation and for the selection of the characteristic curves, both for the pump and turbine modes. The model simulation of the integrated system was calibrated, and the conceptual IPSH that can be installed was then investigated. The achieved energy for different technical scale systems was estimated using proper dimensional analysis applied to different scaled hydraulic circuits, as well as for hydropower response.

Highlights

The increasing need for energy in current societies is inducing more emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere worsening the climate change issues
This study showed that the hydraulic regulation of the pump as turbine (PAT) leads to higher flexibility and efficiency
The current study introduces an inline pumped-storage hydropower (IPSH) solution based on experimental tests, numerical simulations and parametric analysis

Summary

Introduction

The increasing need for energy in current societies is inducing more emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere worsening the climate change issues. The use of renewable energies has received serious attention in recent years. Ensuring a clean environment and a sustainable development of renewable energy sources widely and globally are appointed as future targets There are great interests in wind and solar as green energy sources, the hydropower should not be overlooked with huge given proof. Hydropower is considered as one of the most flexible and preferred sources to produce electricity [2] and for renewable integration. The idea of power production using water based on its available flow energy can contribute to the reduction in significant environmental impacts [3,4]

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Methods

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Discussion

Conclusion