Laboratory development for very low heads MHyLab
(Mini-Hydraulics Laboratory)
Lausanne, 30 June 2005
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Table of contents I.
SHP (Small Hydropower) development & operation areas II. Very-low-head turbines III. Pico-turbines
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I. SHP development & operations areas
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MHyLab - Domaine de recherche sur les mini-turbines 1000.0
Pelton: action turbine, high head: 60 – 600 m
500.0 Pelton
100.0
Diagonale
10.0
Axiale
H (m)
50.0
5.0
Pico + TBCh
R&D 1997 - 2001 (30 turbines) 03/08/2005
1.0 0.01
0.05 0.10
0.50 1.00 TBCh Pico
5.00 10.00
Q (m3/s)
4
Diagonal: reaction turbine, medium head: 25 -100 m
MHyLab - Domaine de recherche sur les mini-turbines 1000.0
500.0 Pelton
100.0
Diagonale
10.0
Axiale
H (m)
50.0
5.0
Pico + TBCh
1.0 0.01
R&D: 2006 - ?
03/08/2005
0.05 0.10
0.50 1.00 TBCh Pico
5.00 10.00
Q (m3/s) 5
MHyLab - Domaine de recherche sur les mini-turbines 1000.0
Kaplan: reaction turbine, low head: 3 -30 m
500.0 Pelton
100.0
Diagonale
10.0
Axiale
H (m)
50.0
5.0
Pico + TBCh
R&D:2001 -2006 2 demonstration sites
03/08/2005
1.0 0.01
0.05 0.10
0.50 1.00 TBCh Pico
5.00 10.00
Q (m3/s) 6
MHyLab - Domaine de recherche sur les mini-turbines 1000.0
Kaplan: Ă Kaplan: turbine reaction rĂŠaction , basse turbine, low head: 3chute -30 m
500.0 Pelton
100.0
Diagonale
10.0
Axiale
H (m)
50.0
5.0
Pico + TBCh
R&D:2001 -2006 2 demonstration sites
03/08/2005
1.0 0.01
0.05 0.10
0.50 1.00 TBCh Pico
5.00 10.00
Q (m3/s) 7
MHyLab's test bench y Tests: y y y y
efficiency torques on blades runaway speed cavitation
y Variables: y y y y y y 03/08/2005
Blades number Blade opening Wicket gates opening Head Discharge Suction height (cavitation) 8
Very-low-head turbines: 1.5 - 5 m
MHyLab - Domaine de recherche sur les mini-turbines 1000.0
500.0 Pelton
100.0
Diagonale
10.0
Axiale
H (m)
50.0
5.0
Pico + TBCh
1.0 0.01
03/08/2005
0.05 0.10
0.50 1.00 TBCh Pico
5.00 10.00
Q (m3/s)
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Pico turbines: very low head: 1.5 - 5 m
MHyLab - Domaine de recherche sur les mini-turbines 1000.0
500.0 Pelton
Vanne-batardeau (tĂŞte d'eau)
100.0
50.0
Diagonale
10.0
Axiale
H (m)
Niveau amont constant
DZ = 2,0 m
Niveau minimum
DZ = 4,0 m
5.0
Pico + TBCh
Niveau minimum
1.0 0.01 PICO-TURBINE De = 300 mm
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0.05 0.10
0.50 1.00 TBCh Pico
5.00 10.00
Q (m3/s)
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II. Very-low-head turbines
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Very-low-head turbine: definition y from 1.5 m to 5 m y power: from 10 to 100 kW (with or without discharge regulation) y With an open water chamber (no penstock) y low cost y standardized setting y good and guaranteed efficiency y very high reliability y very low operation expenses y => we need to reduce the number of specific parts and to propose a limited number of solutions.
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Potentials y In Europe: sites with very low heads have been deserted, due to: y Current available equipments not suited for such heads (too high investment) y Regulations were not adapted (no obligations to buy renewable electricity)
ÆRehabilitation potentials y In emerging countries: important potentials
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Base: low-head development SEARCH LHT project y Laboratory development on low-head axial turbine: y from 3 to 30 m, y tests on 4, 6 and 8 blades (currently: 7 blades)
y Especially from 4-blade turbine development
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Very-low-head turbine's design y Objective: cost reduction and good efficiencies Æ Simplification of the equipments Æ Limited number of hydraulic profiles => limited runner diameters Æ Exact adaptation to the characteristics of the site (discharge and head) y Two parameters can be adjusted for a given runner diameter : y the positioning of runner blades y the rotation speed of the group
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Electrical output vs gross head for D = 600 m
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Very-low-head turbine: example Runner radius Gross head Nominal discharge Rotation speed Generator speed Electrical output
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m m m3/s
0.30 2.50 0.85
rpm rpm kW
357 1000 16
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Very-low-head site design with strong flow variations Global efficiency vs discharge 0.850
Global efficiency, ΡG (-)
0.800
0.750
1st group moveable blades
0.700
3rd group fixed blades
2nd group fixed blades
0.650
For example: Qmax = 2.220 m3/s Setting of 3 similar groups: y 2 fixed-blades turbines y 1 adjustable-blades turbine
0.600
0.550
0.500 0.000
0.200
0.400
0.600
0.800
1.000
1.200
1.400
1.600
1.800
2.000
2.200
2.400
3
Global discharge, Q (m /s) 03/08/2005
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Very-low-head site design with strong flow variations Electrical output vs discharge 50
45
Electrical output Pe (kW)
40
3 groups
35
30
25
2 groups
20
15
10
1st group 5
0 0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3
Discharge: Q (m /s) 03/08/2005
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III. Pico turbines
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Pico turbines: definition y a few-meter head (1.5 – 5 m) y a steady power, from 1 to 10 kW (no discharge regulation) y low cost y good efficiencies y very high reliability y isolated network operation y => we need to reduce the number of specific parts and to propose a limited number of solutions.
Vanne-batardeau (tĂŞte d'eau)
Niveau amont constant
DZ = 2,0 m
Niveau minimum
DZ = 4,0 m
Niveau minimum
PICO-TURBINE De = 300 mm 03/08/2005
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Potentials y Especially in emerging countries: circa 600'000 units in Asia (China, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Burma)
Niveau amont constant
DZ = 2,0 m
y The market is difficult as buyers have really small budgets
Niveau minimum
PICO-TURBINE De = 300 mm
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Objectives y to reduce costs while guaranteeing a good level of performances y Measure: mass production of standard machine components Pico-turbine MHyLab - De = 300 mm
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Pico-turbine's design 2 parameters to be adapted to the site specifications: y the opening of the runner blades y the rotation speed of the group Æ a limited number of turbine geometries Æ mass-built turbines (1'000 copies) Æ adapted exactly to the characteristics of all the sites included in a large range of head and electrical power
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Row head ΔZ (m)
Example of operation range electrical output vs. gross head for D = 300 mm (runner diameter)
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Electrical output P (kW)
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Remaining questions y Could a unique generator be designed for the whole pico-turbines area? synchronous generator? poles number? frequency conversion? • Frequency stabilisation in an isolated grid? y Minimal security system? Overspeed control, voltage control, temperature control? y Best material for the turbine? stainless steel, plastic?
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Conclusions • Small hydropower keeps on improving itself, especially so as to decrease cost and environmental impacts. • Thanks to SEARCH LHT laboratory development, small verylow-head turbines characterized by their diameter and their operation range (ΔZ vs. P) that are standard, multipurpose & affordable, can be achieved. • Such simple turbines, with a good efficiency & reliability, allow to refurbish old power plants and develop the very-lowhead area. • A joint development programme is going on with a first industrial partner : AZ Ingénierie SA
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