Whether small scale hydroelectric systems have interested you for flood control, irrigation or to provide extra revenue to a business or residential property, Maglev UK can offer industry leading advice on damming and installing hydroelectric systems, installing multiple units where possible to turn your property into a micro-power station.

Hydro is one of the only renewable energy technologies where potential energy can be stored, or dammed, to improve yield. When damming areas to improve flow for one turbine, this opens an opportunity for a second generator to be installed, improving the profitability of that site. Across the UK, old mills usually sit dormant collecting silt & requiring renovation work to become useful energy efficient buildings. Installing renewable energy systems and using your carbon trust loans to improve energy efficiency in a building and is looked favourably on by the Environmental Agency when planning is considered.

Around 20% of the world's electricity is currently powered by hydroelectric. Within the small scale generation side, over half of this is concentrated in China whilst Iceland and Austria produce over 70% of their electricity from small to large scale hydro plants. Due to its reliability and high efficiency, a hydroelectric plant may be added with relatively low construction cost, providing a high income to offset the installation costs. As an example, the sale of electricity from the Three Gorges Dam will cover the construction costs after 5 to 8 years.

Collecting Hydro Electricity

There are three main types of collecting hydro electricity:

 

Each site is different, to design an efficient hydro system we use a range of Hydroelectric Turbines;

Francis Turbine

The Francis turbine is an inward flow reaction turbine which combines the concepts of axial and radial flow. At the moment the Francis turbine is the most common turbine type used around the world. The operational head range is 10 metres to several hundred metres. As it is a reaction turbine the water changes pressure as it moves through the turbine and as a result gives up its energy. Water is directed to the turbine wheel known as the runner by guide vanes causing it to spin. When the water exits the turbine it acts on cup shaped runner features thereby leaving with very little potential or kinetic energy. The exit tube is shaped to recover water pressure.

Axial Flow Turbine

The Axial turbine is suitable for a head range of 2 to 70 metres. Large axial turbines have adjustable runner blades and may or may not have adjustable guide- vanes. If both blades and guide-vanes are adjustable it is described as 'double-regulated', while if the guide-vanes are fixed it is 'single-regulated'. Unregulated propeller turbines are used when both flow and head remain practically constant, and are most common in microhydro applications. The water pressure in larger axial turbines is generally generated through a concrete volute chamber or a metal spiral case, the smaller axial flow turbines can also be supplied by a pressure trough and water trough, this structure is simple and has a low cost.

Impulse Turbine

The water jet passing through a hydro turbine changes velocity within an Impulse turbine. The curved blades of the turbine impinge the jet which changes the direction of the flow. This resulting change in the momentum known as the impulse results in a force on the turbine blades causing them to spin and whereby diminishes the energy from the water. A nozzle converts the water pressure into kinetic energy prior to it hitting the turbine blades. No housing is required for the operation of the turbines and they are often used for high head applications of over 300 metres.

Inclined Jet Turbine

An Inclined Jet turbine is applicable to systems where there is a head height of between 40 and 300 metres. The centre line of the jet flow is with a gyration plane of the runner (turbine) which has a position angled at 22.5°. The runner is heavily pushed by water from a pressure pipe that is switched to a high speed jet flow through a spray nozzle. The runner works by water flow entering one side of a vane and coming out from its other side. This type of turbine will support various different hydro power station designs.

What size could I fit?

Energy available in a body of water depends on the water's flow rate (per second) and the height (or head) that the water falls. This can be supported by a Maglev rubber dam to increase the efficiency of the flow. The scheme's actual output will depend on how efficiently it converts the power of the water into electrical power:

Potential Energy in Water

Power (watts) = Head (meters) x Flow (litres per second) x 9.81 (KN/m³)

Typical water to wire efficiency is approximately 70% so you should multiply the result by 0.7 to calculate the amount of electricity you can expect to produce from your site.

Will it meet my energy needs?

This depends, of course, on your energy needs and the resource available. If you are lucky enough to have access to a watercourse across your property such as a stream or river or you own an old water mill then hydro power is an ideal solution for providing reliable long term renewable energy.

At Maglev UK we have searched the world markets to provide the most innovative equipment available, meeting highest ISO & CE standards. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.