“Greens” around the world are increasingly and increasingly protesting against the development of new deposits of oil, gas, coal, as well as the massive use of internal combustion engines throughout the world, which bring the most heavy pollution our habitat. Celebrities from the world of fashion, theater, and cinema call for living more economically in terms of energy consumption. They install solar panels on the roofs of their mansions, wind generators(like actor Leonardo DiCaprio, for example).
More and more ordinary people also understand that something can depend on their behavior, and if at least one person finds an alternative to the internal combustion engine, then the world will become a little cleaner. Therefore, in villages, towns and in our country, where there is falling or running water, a certain pool of water on a hill, it is possible to make a mini hydroelectric power station with your own hands and, thereby, help both yourself and Her Majesty Nature. This is an alternative to gasoline or diesel generator, which still runs on fuel and produces caustic exhaust into the environment.
What if more than one person, more than one household decided to find an alternative way to obtain electricity? What if it’s a whole town, village, aul? Here the load on Nature will decrease significantly. And it will remain in the consumer’s pocket more money for household needs, because electricity from a mini hydroelectric power station created by the hands and minds of enthusiasts is about three times cheaper than buying it from regular producers (CHP, Atom stations, industrial hydroelectric power stations).
Recently I saw short video, where it was shown how, in an ordinary Indian village, students from one of the Western colleges decided to build a mini hydroelectric power station. There is no electricity in that wilderness, young people are fleeing to the cities, but what will happen if you give the residents electricity? There is no river as such in the village, but there is a reservoir. A natural bowl with a huge amount of water is located slightly above the village level. What did the students come up with?
With their smart heads they realized that since there is no flow from Nature here, it can be created! By the hands of hired workers, a covered long pipe with a diameter of a meter was installed, and one end of it was closed onto a reservoir, and the other, below, went into a small and slow-moving river. Due to the difference in height, water from the reservoir rushed down through the pipe, accelerating more and more, and at the exit a rather powerful flow was already created, which rested against the blades of the mini hydroelectric power station. The pipe in which the water of the reservoir is enclosed runs down the hillside so picturesquely that it seems as if a huge python is slowly crawling from top to bottom and instills terror in the local residents with its size. You want to touch it with your hands, feel it, feel its power.
If something similar is being created in an Indian village, then why not try to do the same in a Russian village? If there is no fast-flowing river nearby, but there is a reservoir, then the construction of a mini hydroelectric power station is also possible. You just need to look at the terrain, but one thing is clear: the reservoir - be it natural or artificial - must be located higher than the place where the hydroelectric power station will be installed. If the height difference is significant, even better! The flow of water will run stronger from top to bottom, which means that the possible power of the generated electricity will increase.
It is not necessary to buy expensive pipes to organize an artificial water flow. You can make a kind of gutter with your own hands, and let the water from the reservoir accelerate through it. To begin with, it is better to generally take any available means, even if not old pipes. large diameter bye, and build trial version draining water from a reservoir located above. This way it will be possible to measure the flow speed (I already wrote how to do this earlier). If there is a fast-flowing river nearby, then there is no need to build either dams, gutters, or artificially create a flow of water. Mini hydroelectric power stations in the form of a garland, propeller, Dardieu rotor or water wheel can be installed in such places without any problems.
It will be important to protect the structure. How? A mini hydroelectric power station should be installed ahead protective screen made of mesh, or a diffuser, so that fragments of trees, or even whole logs, floating along the river, as well as live and dead fish, and all kinds of debris, do not fall on the turbine blades, but float past.
Almost everyone can create their own mini-hydroelectric power station with their own hands. Examples? To obtain lighting during a hike, many tourists use an ordinary bicycle, which they use to get around. On any bicycle wheel, they install jumpers made of pieces of, say, thin iron between the spokes and, first with their hands and then with pliers, bring the edges of the sheet behind the spoke, thereby fixing the jumper. The length of the jumper should correspond to half the diameter of the wheel, that is, cover the distance from the rim to the hub. In fact, it should be equal to the length of the knitting needle. It would be optimal to install four such jumpers according to the cardinal directions: North, South, West, East. Next, you will need a regular bicycle generator and a flashlight connected to it.
It's time to go hiking. You need to stop for the night by the river. Well, let the mosquitoes bite! But you will be able to make a video of the party and take photos around the fire. This is very picturesque! The water in the river must have a noticeable flow and then our camping mini hydroelectric power station will work. “Let there be light!” - said the mechanic and made a short circuit. No, this is not about us.
“Let there be light!” - said the tourist and lowered the wheel with iron jumpers a third into the water of the flowing river. The bicycle itself is placed on a small stand, or suspended from a tree or peg on the shore so that one third of the wheel is immersed in the stream. The water presses on the jumpers, spins the wheel, the generator converts the water energy into current and a mini-flashlight illuminates the parking area.
There is no risk that the batteries will be defective, as in the case of using a conventional flashlight, there is no risk that they will run out, and you do not need to take large quantities of them on a hike. The flow of the river will not disappear anywhere. Tourists most often prefer to stay in proven places. So, once you receive electricity through a mini-velo-hydroelectric power station at the place where they spend the night, they will remember this place and try to while away the dark time of the day here.
However, lighting one candle, figuratively speaking, is one thing, but lighting thousands, giving people light, as Prometheus did, is a completely different matter. A compact hydroelectric power station as a source of electricity, by its appearance in everyday use, can disrupt the established picture and state of affairs.
The largest monopolies are accustomed to the fact that they are the ones who produce electricity for small settlements; sales subsidiaries are accustomed to receiving money for delivering goods - kWh to the consumer. Where to fit mini hydroelectric power stations into this scheme? And not yet controlled by monopolists? I’ll say right away that it will not be easy to coordinate such a project with local authorities in Russia, just like any other new business. But the result is worth the effort.
In general, a compact (mini) hydroelectric power station means a station that produces power up to 100 kW. Craftsmen, working with their hands and heads, they can quite easily build this useful thing in their town or village, even in a private household. But only if there are appropriate natural conditions and the desire to create something NEW, save money, that is, pay less for electricity in the future.
If you watch a video or photo of some mini-hydroelectric power plants, you will see that sometimes they look very strange. But for the contemporaries of Leonardo Da Vinci, his flywheels with huge wings also seemed at least strange, and with his daring experiments and ideas, the great Italian completely terrified many people of his time. So what? We don't remember those people. And Leonardo’s drawings and creations will live on for centuries. Build a mini-hydroelectric power station with your own hands, experiment, dare! Nature and descendants will only say “Thank you” to you!
Mikhail Bersenev
There are also craftsmen in Tajikistan, no worse than Indian ones:
If it is near your country house there is a small river or stream, you can build a hydro generator yourself low power for home. Homemade hydroelectric power station will allow you to receive free electricity.
It may not save a significant amount of money, but realizing that you have your own power source is worth a lot more. There are cases when there is no central power supply to the house. Then even very small amounts of electricity can be very useful.
Sources of electricity for a small hydroelectric power station can be:
Compared to other devices for generating electricity that operate from a renewable source, hydro generators are the most complex. If you decide to build a mini-hydroelectric power station, the first thing you need to do is measure the speed of the river flow. The easiest way to do this is to determine how many seconds it takes for an object to float 10 meters. If the speed is less than 1 meter per second, a productive hydroelectric power station will not work. But if you artificially narrow the channel or make a small dam, the flow speed may increase slightly.
Microhydroelectric power plants require a certain amount of water pressure - the stream, falling on the blades of the hydraulic turbine, starts the generator. Operating on this principle, the installation generates electricity. The power of the water flow depends either on the natural difference in water levels (diversion), or on the artificial narrowing of the channel using a dam.
To generate some electricity, the elevation changes must be approximately 1-2 meters and the water flow must be 90 liters per second. In conditions of hilly terrain, mini-hydroelectric power stations are simply irreplaceable. The installation process is quite simple and does not require special knowledge and skills.
These types of mini-hydroelectric power stations are united by the fact that their construction does not require the construction of a dam. The dam is a high-precision and expensive object, the cost of construction of which is several times higher than the cost of a homemade one. It should be noted that the capacity of mini-hydroelectric power plants must meet the needs of electrical energy.
If your needs require more electrical energy than a home hydroelectric power plant generates, the best option is to install a hybrid power plant and a diesel generator. But this design has several disadvantages, including:
The optimal solution when installing a hybrid power plant is to use diesel generators as a reserve. They will be disabled if the consumer is issued required power. As soon as a homemade hydroelectric power station stops producing energy of the required power, the diesel generator turns on and makes up for the lack of electricity.
If you need to slightly increase the amount of electricity generated, you can increase the flow by creating a height difference. The simplest solution to this problem is to install a drain pipe into the reservoir. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the diameter of the pipe itself, because it will directly affect the flow speed. The smaller it is, the greater the speed. This method allows you to install a mini-hydroelectric power station even if a small stream flows near the house. Using high-quality materials when creating a mini-hydroelectric generator, you can successfully operate this equipment for home needs.
Option #1
A homemade Cable Garland mini-hydroelectric power station is an excellent solution for obtaining affordable and inexpensive electricity if there is a small river near your place of residence.
The design of a garland cable mini-hydroelectric power station is based on the rotation of the cable in the river bed.
The first designs of an autonomous simple hydroelectric power station were implemented long ago by individual craftsmen half a century ago. Back in the 50s, Radio magazine published information about a garland hydroelectric power station, made in tin cans and with a generator from a car!
Fig.1. Appearance DIY rope garland of a mini-hydroelectric power station.
How to make a cable garland hydroelectric power station with your own hands?
The figure below shows a diagram of the design of a simple cable garland mini-hydroelectric power station with a turbine-cable hydraulic drive, which rotates from the flow of the river.
Fig. 2 Scheme and principle of operation of the Garlyandnaya mini-hydroelectric power station
1. Bearing, 2. Support, 3. Metal cable, 4. Hydrowheel (turbine),
5. Electric generator, 6. Upper river level, 7. River bed.
As hydraulic wheels (rotors), in a cable hydraulic drive of a mini-hydroelectric power station, you can use several “impellers” made of a thin metal sheet, about half a meter in diameter, similar to a children’s toy - a propeller made of a square sheet of paper. It is advisable to use a regular steel cable with a diameter of 10...15 mm as a flexible shaft.
Approximate calculations show that from such a cable hydroelectric power station, you can get up to 1.5...2.0 kW from one hydrowheel, with a river flow of about 2.5 meters/sec!
If supports 2 with bearings 1 and an electric generator 5 are installed on the bottom of the river, and the bearings with the generator are raised above the river level, and this entire structure is placed along the flow axis, then the result will be practically the same. This scheme is appropriately used for very “narrow rivers” but with a depth of more than 0.5 meters. Thermal energy in such a hydroelectric power station can be obtained by connecting electric heaters to an electric generator.
The rotors of a hydroelectric power plant garland are, as a rule, located in the core of the flow (at 0.2 depths from the surface in summer and 0.5 depths from the ice surface in winter). The depth of the river at the site where the hydroelectric garland is installed does not exceed 1.5 m. If the river depth is more than 1.5 m, it is quite possible to use rotors arranged in two rows.
The appearance of dachas and even farms In abandoned lands remote from the power grid, the galloping rise in prices for fuel and electricity has brought to life the old ideas of autonomous power supply with the widespread use of natural energy from the sun, wind and water. In particular, interest in mini- and micro-hydroelectric power stations has increased.
Two of these hydroelectric power stations are acceptable for building on your own: a micro-hydroelectric power station with your own hands and a floating, dam-free mini-hydroelectric power station. Next in line are designs, the prototype of which was the free-flow (model 1964) garland hydroelectric power station of V. Blinov.
Dudyshev V.D.
Option No. 2
The hydroelectric power plants that will be discussed are free-flow, with a rather original turbine made of so-called Savonius rotors, strung on a common (maybe flexible, composite) working shaft. Dams and other large-scale hydraulic structures they do not require for their installation. They are able to work with full efficiency even in shallow water, which, combined with the simplicity, compactness and reliability of the design, make these hydroelectric power stations very promising for those farmers and gardeners whose plots of land are located near small watercourses (rivers, streams and ditches).
Unlike dams, free-flow hydropower plants are known to use only kinetic energy flowing water. To determine power there is a formula:
N=0.5*p*V3*F*n (1),
N - power on the working shaft (W),
- p - density of water (1000 kt/m3),
- V - river flow speed (m/s),
- F - cross-sectional area of the active (submersible) part of the working body of the hydraulic machine (m2),
- n - energy conversion efficiency.
As can be seen from formula 1, at a river speed of 1 m/s per one square meter The cross section of the active part of the hydraulic machine ideally (when n=1) has a power equal to only 500 W. This value is clearly small for industrial use, but quite sufficient for a farmer’s or summer resident’s subsidiary plot. Moreover, it can be increased through the parallel operation of several “hydroenergy garlands”.
And one more subtlety. The speed of the river in its different sections is different. Therefore, before starting the construction of a mini-hydroelectric power station, it is necessary to determine the energy potential of your river using a simple method. Let us only recall that the distance covered by the measuring float and divided by the time it passes will correspond to the average flow speed in this area. It should also be noted: this parameter will change depending on the time of year.
Therefore, design calculations should be made based on the average (over the planned period of operation of the mini-hydroelectric power station) river flow speed.
Fig.1 Savonius rotors for homemade garland mini-hydroelectric power plants:
a, b - blades; 1 - transverse, 2 - end.
Next, you need to determine the size of the active part of the hydraulic machine and its type. Since the entire mini-hydroelectric power station should be as simple and uncomplicated to manufacture as possible, the most suitable type The converter is a Savonius rotor of end-end design. When working with complete immersion in water, the value F can be taken equal to the product rotor diameter D by its length L, and n=0.5. The rotation frequency f is determined with an accuracy acceptable for practice using the formula:
f=48V/3.14D (rpm) (2).
To make the hydroelectric power plant as compact as possible, the power specified in the calculation should be correlated with the actual load, the power supply of which should be provided by a mini-hydroelectric power station (since, unlike a wind turbine, the current will be continuously supplied to the consumer network). As a rule, this electricity is used for lighting, powering the TV, radio, and refrigerator. Moreover, only the latter is constantly put into operation throughout the day. The rest of the electrical appliances work mainly in the evening. Based on this, it is advisable to focus on the maximum power from one “hydroenergy garland” of about 250-300 W, covering the peak load with a battery charged from a mini-hydroelectric power station.
The transmission of torque from the working shaft of a hydraulic power plant to the pulley of an electric generator is usually carried out using an intermediate transmission. However, this element, strictly speaking, can be excluded if the generator used in the micro-hydroelectric power station design has an operating rotation speed of less than 750 rpm. However, you often have to refuse direct communication. Indeed, for the vast majority of domestically produced generators, the operating rotation speed at the start of power output lies in the range of 1500-3000 rpm. This means that additional coordination is needed between the shafts of the hydropower plant and the electric generator.
Well, now that the preliminary theoretical part is behind us, let’s look at specific designs. Each of them has its own advantages.
Here, for example, is a semi-stationary free-flow mini-hydroelectric power station with a horizontal arrangement of two coaxial, rotated 90° relative to each other (to facilitate self-starting) and rigidly coupled Savonius rotors transverse type. Moreover, the main parts and components of this homemade hydropower plant are made of wood as the most affordable and “obedient” building material.
The proposed mini-hydroelectric power station is submersible. That is, its supporting frame is located across the watercourse at the bottom and is strengthened with guy ropes or poles (if, for example, there are walkways, a boat dock, etc. nearby). This is done in order to avoid the structure being carried away by the watercourse itself.
Fig.2 Submersible mini-hydroelectric power station with horizontal transverse rotors:
1 - base spar (beam 150x100, 2 pcs.), 2 - lower cross member (board 150x45, 2 pcs.), 3 - middle cross member (beam 150x120, 2 pcs.), 4 - riser (round timber with a diameter of 100, 4 pcs. .), 5 upper spar (board 150x45, 2 pcs.), 6 - upper cross member (board 100x40, 4 pcs.), 7 - intermediate shaft (stainless steel, rod with a diameter of 30), 8 - pulley block, 9 - constant generator current, 10 - “gander” with a porcelain roller and a two-core insulated wire, 11 - base plate (200x40 board), 12 - drive pulley, 13 - wooden bearing assembly (2 pcs), 14 - “hydroenergy garland” rotor (D600, L1000 , 2 pcs.), 15 disk (from boards 20-40 mm thick knocked into a shield, 3 pcs.); metal elements fastenings (including braces, hubs of outer discs) are not shown.
Of course, the depth of the river at the installation site of the mini-hydroelectric power station should be less than the height of the support frame. Otherwise, it is very difficult (if not impossible) to avoid water getting into the electric generator. Well, if the place where the mini-hydroelectric power station is supposed to be located has a depth of more than 1.5 m or there is a large amount of water and flow speed that varies greatly throughout the year (which, by the way, is quite typical for snow-fed watercourses), then it is recommended to equip this design with floats . This will also allow it to be easily moved when installed on a river.
The supporting frame of a mini-hydroelectric power station is a rectangular frame made of timber, boards and small logs, fastened with nails and wire (cables). Metal parts of the structure (nails, bolts, clamps, angles, etc.) should, if possible, be made of of stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant alloys.
Well, since the operation of such a mini-hydroelectric power station is often possible in Russian conditions only seasonally (due to the freezing of most rivers), then after the expiration of the operation period, the entire structure pulled ashore is subject to thorough inspection. Rotten wooden elements and metal parts that have rusted, despite the precautions taken, are promptly replaced.
One of the main components of our mini-hydroelectric power station is a “hydroenergy garland” of two rigidly fixed (and forming a single unit on the working shaft) rotors. Their disks can be easily made from boards 20-30 mm thick. To do this, making a shield out of them, use a compass to build a circle with a diameter of 600 mm. After which, each of the boards is cut according to the curve obtained on it. Having knocked the workpieces together on two strips (to give the required rigidity), they repeat everything three times - according to the number of required disks.
As for the blades, it is advisable to make them from roofing iron. Or better yet, from suitable sized and cut in half (along the axis) cylindrical stainless containers (barrels), in which agricultural fertilizers are usually stored and transported, others aggressive materials. In extreme cases, the blades can be made of wood. But their weight (especially after a long stay in water) will increase significantly. And this should be remembered when creating mini-hydroelectric power stations on floats.
Spiked supports are attached to the ends of the “hydroenergy garland”. Essentially, these are short cylinders with a wide flange and an end slot for a key. The flange is attached to the corresponding rotor disk with four bolts.
To reduce friction, there are bearings located on the middle crossbars. And since ordinary ball or roller bearings are unsuitable for working in water, they use... homemade wooden ones. The design of each of them consists of two clamps and insert boards with a hole for the passage of a tenon support. Moreover, the middle bearing shells are positioned so that the wood fibers run parallel to the shaft. In addition, special measures are taken to ensure that the insert boards are firmly fixed against lateral movement. This is done using tightening bolts.
Fig.3 Sliding bearing assembly:
1 - crimp bracket (St3, strip 50x8, 4 pcs.), 2 - middle frame cross member, 3 - crimp insert (made of hard wood, 2 pcs.), 4 replaceable insert (made of hard wood, 2 pcs.) , 5 - M10 bolt with Grover nut and washer (4 sets), 6 - M8 stud with two nuts and washers (2 pcs.).
Any automobile generator is used as an electric generator in the micro-hydroelectric power station under consideration. They produce 12-14 V DC and can be easily connected to both battery and electrical appliances. The power of these machines is about 300 W.
Quite acceptable for self-made and the design of a portable mini-hydroelectric power station with a vertical arrangement of a “garland” and a generator. Such a hydroelectric station, according to the author of the development, is the least material-intensive. Support structure The installation that fixes its position in the river bed is a hollow steel rod (for example, from pipe sections). Its length is chosen based on the nature of the bottom of the watercourse and the speed of the flow. Moreover, such that the sharp end of the rod, driven into the bottom, would guarantee the stability of the mini-hydroelectric power station and its non-disruption by the current. Additional use of stretch marks is also possible.
Having determined the active surface of the rotor using formula (1) and measuring the depth of the river at the installation site of the mini-hydroelectric power station, it is easy to calculate the diameter of the Savonius rotors used here. To make the design simple and self-starting, it is advisable to make a “hydroenergy garland” of two rotors connected so that the blades of the first are offset by 90° relative to the second (along the axis of rotation). Moreover, to increase operating efficiency, the structure on the side of the oncoming flow is equipped with a shield that plays the role of a guide vane. Well, the working shaft is mounted in the sliding bearings of the upper and lower supports. In principle, for a short period of operation of a mini-hydroelectric power station (for example, on a hiking trip), large-diameter ball bearings can be used. However, if there is sand or silt in the water, these units will have to be washed in clean water after each use.
Rice. 4 Mini-hydroelectric power stations with vertical arrangement end-type rotors:
1 - support rod, 2 - lower bearing assembly, 3 - "hydroenergy garland" disk (3 pcs.), 4 - rotor (D600, 2 pcs.), 5 - upper bearing assembly, 6 - working shaft, 7 - transmission, 8 - electric generator, 9 - “gander” with a porcelain roller and two-core insulated wire, 10 - generator mounting clamp, 11 - movable guide panel; a, b - blades: the braces at the upper end of the support rod are not shown.
The supports are bolted and welded to the rod, depending on the weight of the “hydroenergy garland” and the need to disassemble it into parts. The upper end of the working shaft of the hydraulic machine is also the input shaft of the multiplier, for which (as the simplest and most technologically advanced) a belt can be used.
The electric generator is again taken from a car. It is easy to attach it to the support rod with a clamp. And the wires themselves coming from the generator must have reliable waterproofing. In the illustrations, the exact geometric proportions of the intermediate transmission are not shown, as they depend on the parameters of the specific generator you have. Well, transmission belts can be made from an old car inner tube, cutting it into strips 20 mm wide and then twisting it into bundles.
For power supply to small villages, a garland mini-hydroelectric power station designed by V. Blinov is suitable, which is nothing more than a chain of barrel-shaped Savonius rotors with a diameter of 300-400 mm, attached to a flexible cable stretched across the river. One end of the cable is attached to the hinged support, and the other through a simple multiplier to the generator shaft. At a flow speed of 1.5-2.0 m/s, the chain of rotors makes up to 90 rpm. And the small size of the elements of the “hydroenergy garland” makes it possible to operate this micro-hydroelectric power station on rivers with a depth of less than one meter.
It must be said that before 1964, V. Blinov managed to create several portable and stationary mini-hydroelectric power plants of his own design, the largest of which was a hydroelectric power station built near the village of Porozhki (Tver region). A pair of garlands here drove two standard automobile and tractor generators with a total power of 3.5 kW.
MK 10 1997 I. Dokunin
Option No. 3
Homemade hydroelectric power station (HPP) on a small river without a dam.
It is known that electricity is generated by a generator whose shaft rotates the engine. The hydroelectric power plant engine is designed simply: racks with two crankshafts A and B are mounted on a frame made of logs (see Fig. 3).
Each shaft has three elbows, the angles between which are 120°. The crankshafts are connected by rods to which the blades are attached. In Figure 1 you see that at the moment all the blades of rod B are at the bottom, they are immersed in water and under its pressure they move back (to the right). The blades move the rod, and the rod, in turn, turns the crankshafts. As soon as the knees connected by this rod begin to rise up, the blades of the rod G are immersed in the water. Now they begin to work. Then the blades of rod D will begin to work. By this time, the blades of the first rod B will pass above the surface of the water and sink into the water again. This is how the engine of the Login power plant will work.
If you attach a pulley to the end of one of the crankshafts and connect it with a belt drive to the pulley of a DC generator, the generator will begin to produce electricity. And if you attach a connecting rod to the drive pulley and connect it to the pump, the engine will pump water to the school plot, to your garden.
Engine power depends not only on the speed of water flow, but also on the number and area of the blades, that is, on geometric dimensions the engine itself. And it can be made of any size, proportionally increasing or decreasing the size of its parts.
Rice. 1 Basic dimensions of parts of a mini hydroelectric power station without a dam.
We provide drawings of an engine that, at a water flow speed of 0.8-1 meter per second, will rotate the generator from passenger car. The voltage generated by the generator is 12 V, and the power is up to 150 W.
Fig.2 The main components of a homemade hydroelectric power station without a dam.
Before you start building a hydroelectric power station, pick up a generator in a workshop or store that sells car parts. Prepare materials: boards, small diameter logs, steel wire, fasteners. Select the location where the power plant will be located. It is advisable that this be a straight section of the river. Here you need to determine the flow speed. It's done like this. On a selected area 15-20 meters long, mark two transverse sections. After this, using a small float, such as a piece of wood, determine the speed of the water flow. The float should be thrown into the water slightly above the upper target and, watching it, use a stopwatch to count the time the float passes from the upper target to the lower one. You need to make 10-15 such measurements, throwing the float further or closer to the shore, and based on the measurement results, calculate average speed river flows. If it lies within 0.8-1 m/s, feel free to start construction.
Fig.3. Crankshafts of mini hydroelectric power stations without a dam.
How to make the most complex parts of a mini hydroelectric power station without a dam. Mini Gas crankshaft without dam.
It can be made from a solid steel rod with a diameter of 16-20 mm. But it is easier to make it prefabricated (Fig. 3). First, cut parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 from the rod. Make the cheeks of the knees from a steel strip 5 mm thick. Saw squares at the ends of the rods, and at the cheeks - square holes. After connecting the parts, the squares are riveted. First, assemble parts of the crankshaft “a” and “b” (see Fig. 3). Then you need to mark and cut out squares on the free ends of rods 2 and 3 so that the middle bend (after assembly) is located at an angle of 120° with respect to the outer ones.
Rods with mini-hydroelectric blades without a dam.
Transmission device for mini-hydroelectric power station without a dam.
The crankshaft, and therefore the drive pulley, will rotate at a speed of approximately one revolution every two seconds. The generator can generate electric current at 1000-1500 rpm. To obtain such a number of revolutions on the generator, you need a transmission of pulleys of different diameters (see figure).
Grooved pulleys are made of 5 mm thick plywood. For each pulley, cut out five circles. They are knocked down with nails or tightened with screws. The drive pulley, which is firmly attached to the end of the crankshaft, must have a diameter of at least 700 mm. Two intermediate ones are nailed to each other and loosely put on the axle. They should rotate easily on this axis. If the rotation speed of the drive pulley is 30 revolutions per minute, then the diameter of the small intermediate pulley can be taken equal to 140 mm, and the large one - 600 mm. Then the generator pulley (60 mm in diameter) will rotate at a speed of 1500 rpm. At other speeds of the drive pulley, the diameters of the intermediate pulleys will be different. A labor teacher will help you calculate their sizes.
Drive belts for mini-hydroelectric power plants without a dam.
The transmission pulleys are connected by drive belts. To ensure that the belts are always well tensioned, make them from a rubber band. Cut an old car inner tube into long strips. Twist each ribbon into a rope and glue the ends together rubber glue and tie tightly with twine.
Adjustment of mini-hydroelectric power station without a dam.
After assembling the mechanism, check whether the rods rotate freely. While turning the drive pulley by hand, notice which rod is preventing the crankshafts from rotating. After this, remove the barbell and enlarge one of the holes for the neck of the knee so that it becomes slightly oblong.
V. Kivonosov, V. Slashilina
Option No. 4
Small, inexpensive, damless hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) can be built on most rivers. The power of such power plants is small, but sufficient to electrify a home or even a small village.
On rivers with a flow speed of 0.8 meters per second or more, a new type of damless hydraulic motor can be installed. The operating principle of this engine is clear from the attached drawings and diagrams.
Under the pressure of water, the blades move the rods, the movement of which causes the crank to rotate. A pulley sits on its shaft.
The rotation of the pulley is transmitted to the generator. Engine power depends on the speed of water flow.
In places where the flow speed is low, it is necessary to narrow the river bed. The design of a hydraulic motor, for example 3.5 kilowatts, is so simple that it can be made in any school club or workshop.
M. Login
Ecology of consumption. Science and technology: Do-it-yourself home hydro generators are comparable in power to solar panels and wind turbines, but produce a much larger volume of electricity.
Since electricity tariffs in Lately began to grow, renewable sources of electricity are becoming increasingly important among the population, making it possible to obtain electricity almost free of charge. Among such sources known to mankind, it is worth highlighting solar panels, wind generators, and home hydroelectric power plants. But the latter are quite complex, because they have to work in very aggressive conditions. Although this does not mean that it is impossible to build a mini-hydroelectric power station with your own hands.
To do everything correctly and efficiently, the main thing is to choose the right materials. They must ensure maximum durability of the station. Do-it-yourself home hydro generators, the power of which is comparable to that of solar panels and wind turbines can produce much more energy. But although a lot depends on the materials, everything does not end there.
Exists a large number of various variations of mini-hydroelectric power stations, each of which has its own advantages, features and disadvantages. Highlight the following types these devices:
A garland hydroelectric power station consists of a cable on which rotors are attached. Such a cable is pulled across the river and immersed in water. The flow of water in the river begins to rotate the rotors, which in turn rotate the cable, at one end of which there is a bearing, and at the other - a generator.
The next type is a water wheel with blades. It is installed perpendicular to the water surface, submerging less than half. As the flow of water acts on the wheel, it rotates and causes the generator for the mini-hydroelectric power station on which this wheel is attached to rotate.
As for the propeller hydroelectric power station, it is a wind turbine located under water with a vertical rotor. The width of the blades of such a windmill does not exceed 2 centimeters. This width is enough for water, because it is this rating that allows you to produce the maximum amount of electricity with minimal resistance. True, this width is optimal only for flow speeds up to 2 meters per second.
As for other conditions, the parameters of the rotor blades are calculated separately. And the Darrieus rotor is a vertically positioned rotor that operates on the principle of differential pressure. Everything happens similarly with an airplane wing, which is affected by lift.
If we consider a garland hydroelectric power station, then it has a number of obvious shortcomings. Firstly, the long cable used in the design poses a danger to others. Rotors hidden under water also pose a great danger. Well, in addition, it is worth noting the low efficiency indicators and high material consumption.
As for the disadvantages of the Darrieus rotor, in order for the device to start generating electricity, it must first be spun up. True, in this case, power is taken directly above the water, so no matter how the water flow changes, the generator will generate electricity.
All of the above are factors that make hydraulic turbines for mini-hydroelectric power plants and water wheels more popular. If we consider the manual construction of such devices, they are not so complicated. And in addition, at minimal costs, such mini-hydroelectric power plants are capable of delivering maximum efficiency indicators. So the criteria for popularity are obvious.
The construction of a mini-hydroelectric power station with your own hands should begin with measuring the speed indicators of river flows. This is done very simply: just mark a distance of 10 meters upstream, pick up a stopwatch, throw a chip into the water, and note the time it takes for it to cover the measured distance.
Ultimately, if you divide 10 meters by the number of seconds taken, you get the speed of the river in meters per second. It is worth considering that there is no point in building mini-hydroelectric power stations in places where the flow speed does not exceed 1 m/s.
If you need to figure out how mini-hydroelectric power stations are made in areas where the river speed is low, then you can try to increase the flow by organizing a height difference. This can be done by installing a drain pipe into the reservoir. In this case, the diameter of the pipe will directly affect the speed of water flow. The smaller the diameter, the faster the flow.
This approach makes it possible to organize a mini-hydroelectric power station even if there is a small stream passing near the house. That is, a collapsible dam is organized on it, below which a mini-hydroelectric power station is installed directly to power the house and household appliances. published
Regular increases in electricity prices make many people think about the issue of alternative sources of electricity. One of best solutions V in this case- hydroelectric power station. The search for a solution to this issue concerns not only the scale of the country. More and more often you can see mini-hydroelectric power plants for the home (dacha). The costs in this case will only be for construction and Maintenance. The disadvantage of such a structure is that its construction is possible only under certain conditions. A water flow is required. In addition, the construction of this structure in your yard requires permission from local authorities.
For the construction of a hydroelectric power station, even a small stream flowing through the site is sufficient. Owners of houses with central water supply should not despair.
One of the American companies has developed a station that can be built into the water supply system of a home. A small turbine is built into the water supply system, which is driven by the flow of water moving by gravity. This reduces the flow rate of water, but reduces the cost of electricity. In addition, this installation is completely safe.
Even mini-hydroelectric power stations are being built in sewer pipe. But their construction requires the creation of certain conditions. Water through the pipe should flow naturally due to the slope. The second requirement is that the pipe diameter must be suitable for the installation of the equipment. And this cannot be done in a separate house.
Mini-hydroelectric power plants (the houses in which they are used are mostly in the private sector) most often belong to one of the following types, which differ in the principle of operation:
The prevalence of these options is due to the fact that they do not require the construction of a dam.
This classic look Hydroelectric power station, which is most popular for the private sector. Mini-hydroelectric power plants of this type are a large wheel that can rotate. Its blades descend into the water. The rest of the structure is above the riverbed, causing the entire mechanism to move. The power is transmitted through a hydraulic drive to a generator that produces current.
On the frame in a vertical position there is a rotor and an underwater windmill, lowered under water. A windmill has blades that rotate under the influence of water flow. The best resistance is provided by blades two centimeters wide (with a fast flow, the speed of which, however, does not exceed two meters per second).
In this case, the blades are driven by the resulting water pressure rather than by it. Moreover, the direction of movement of the blades is perpendicular to the direction of flow. This process is similar to wind power plants, only it works underwater.
This type of mini-hydroelectric power station consists of a cable stretched over a river bed and secured in a support bearing. Turbines of small size and weight (hydraulic rotors) are hung and rigidly fixed on it in the form of a garland. They consist of two half-cylinders. Due to the alignment of the axes when lowered into the water, a torque is created in them. This causes the cable to bend, stretch and begin to rotate. In this situation, the cable can be compared to a shaft that serves to transmit power. One of the ends of the cable is connected to the gearbox. The power from the rotation of the cable and hydraulic propellers is transmitted to it.
The presence of several “garlands” will help increase the power of the station. They can be connected to each other. Even this does not greatly increase the efficiency of this hydroelectric power station. This is one of the disadvantages of such a structure.
Another disadvantage of this species is the danger it creates for others. This kind of station can only be used in deserted places. Warning signs are required.
A mini-hydroelectric power station for a private house of this type is named after its developer, Georges Darrieus. This design was patented back in 1931. It is a rotor on which the blades are located. The required parameters are selected individually for each blade. The rotor is lowered under water in a vertical position. The blades rotate due to the pressure difference resulting from water flowing over their surface. This process is similar lift force, causing planes to take off.
This type of hydroelectric power station has a good efficiency indicator. Threefold advantage - the direction of flow does not matter.
The disadvantages of this include a complex design and difficult installation.
Regardless of the type of design, mini-hydroelectric power plants have a number of advantages:
You can build it yourself to generate electricity. For a private home, twenty kilowatts per day is enough. Even a mini-hydroelectric power station assembled with your own hands can cope with this value. But it should be remembered that this process is characterized by a number of features:
Therefore, if you do not have experience and certain knowledge in this area, it is better to abandon this kind of idea. It may be cheaper to purchase a ready-made station.
If you still decide to do everything yourself, then you need to start by measuring the speed of water flow in the river. After all, the power that can be obtained depends on this. If the speed is less than one meter per second, then the construction of a mini-hydroelectric power station in this location will not be justified.
Another stage that cannot be omitted is calculations. It is necessary to carefully calculate the amount of costs that will go into building the station. As a result, it may turn out that the hydroelectric power plant is not the best option. Then you should pay attention to other types of alternative electricity.
A mini-hydroelectric power plant can be the optimal solution for saving energy costs. For its construction, there must be a river near the house. Depending on the desired characteristics, you can select suitable option Hydroelectric power station. At the right approach You can even make a similar construction with your own hands.
