Optimal location of micro-turbines in water supply network (original) (raw)
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Optimal Location of Microturbines in a Water Supply Network
2015
Micro-hydropower is currently expanding as a solution to improve the efficiency of water systems by using energy excesses which are typically lost. In the particular case of water supply systems, often excessive pressure exists in zones of the network connected to other areas situated at higher altitudes. Pressure reducing valves are commonly used as a mean for dissipation of this excess energy. In this work, the installation of micro-turbines in a closed water supply network is analyzed as a way to recover the existing surplus of energy by converting it into electricity. The flow in water supply systems is highly variable, with a direct impact on the efficiency of the turbine and, as most water-supply networks are meshed, the optimal location of the energy converters is not straightforward and needs assessment by simulation processes. For this purpose, an optimization tool based on the application of an evolutionary algorithm was developed to select the best location, model and run...
Water, 2016
Water supply systems (WWSs) are one of the main manmade water infrastructures presenting potential for micro-hydropower. Within urban networks, local decentralized micro-hydropower plants (MHPs) may be inserted in the regional electricity grid or used for self-consumption at the local grid level. Nevertheless, such networks are complex and the quantification of the potential for micro-hydropower other than that achieved by replacing pressure reducing valves (PRVs) is difficult. In this work, a methodology to quantify the potential for hydropower based on the excess energy in a network is proposed and applied to a real case. A constructive solution is presented based on the use of a novel micro-turbine for energy conversion, the five blade tubular propeller (5BTP). The location of the MHP within the network is defined with an optimization algorithm that maximizes the net present value after 20 years of operation. These concepts are tested for the WSS in the city of Fribourg, Switzerland. The proposed solution captures 10% of the city's energy potential and represents an economic interest. The results confirm the location of PRVs as potential sites for energy recovery and stress the need for careful sensitivity analysis of the consumption. Finally, an expedited method is derived to estimate the costs and energy that one 5BTP can produce in a given network.
An Optimization Model for the Design of an Off-Grid Micro-Hydro Power Plant
2019
It is estimated that around 1.3 billion people globally still have either limited or no access at all to electricity. These, in turn, have directed greater focus on affordable, accessible, and environmental-friendly renewable energy systems. In countries like the Philippines with numerous unelectrified remote communities, there is even greater need to incorporate affordable renewable energy technologies because the cost of investing in national grid extensions proves to be very costly. Micro hydroelectric power is a clean and efficient source of energy that has been used for the electrification of rural off-grid communities around the world. In this paper, an optimization model for the design of an off grid micro hydro power plant is developed. The proposed model is able to provide the necessary technical specifications given certain parameters such as details on the site location and requirements of the small rural community. Additionally, the model is also able to provide the mini...
Energy optimization and micro-hydro solution in WSS: a case study
The use of renewable energy to generate electricity in water supply systems is innovative and has many advantages for the system itself and for the environment. The technical and financial evaluation of the implementation of generators with renewable energy are only part of the solution, once the optimization of the system operation also involves a reduction in costs of the water consumption and ensures a greater financial return to the authority administration. In this study the authors intend to demonstrate the gain in the energy efficiency applied to water supply systems (WSS) with the use of optimization algorithms in the operational pumping systems having the objective to minimize the costs due to the electricity tariff ensuring, at the same time, the hydraulic behaviour, the existing water demand and the installation of a micro-hydro solution for power generation. A case study was developed in a small WSS in Portugal, in the district of Ourém, where a micro-turbine is considered upstream of a reservoir and the payback, the net present value (NPV) and the internal rate of return (IRR) were estimated. For the optimization of the pumping system genetic algorithms (GA) are used, ensuring a less number of start-ups for the pumps' operation. Great savings are obtained when compared to the original system, also ensuring a good return of the investment with the implementation of a micro-hydro solution.
Optimal Design of Water Pipeline and Micro-Hydro Turbine by Genetic Algorithm
The economic value of the potential energy hidden in water resources is becoming more and more relevant for pipe design. In this work a new way to design drinking main waterlines, embedding also the potential hydroelectric production as pipeline benefit, is presented. The optimum design of a cross-flow turbine, on the basis of the available head jump and discharge is first outlined; the description of a genetic algorithm to minimize the total cost (pipeline plus machinery) minus the net benefit (hydropower production) is then presented. Finally, a comparison is carried out among the costs of a case study pipeline assuming a) no hydropower production and traditional design criteria and b) two different scenarios with different values of benefits per unit energy production. The two scenarios lead to hydropower production with constant impeller rotational velocity in one case and with variable impeller rotational velocity in the other one.
Small Scale Hydropower: Generator Analysis and Optimization for Water Supply Systems
Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings, 2011
This work focuses on the analysis of the power generation feasibility of both a pump as turbine (PAT) and an experimental propeller turbine, when applied to water supply systems. This is done through an analysis of the electrical generation aspects of the PAT's induction motor and of a permanent magnet DC motor, which was connected to the propeller turbine. The collected data allows for parameter optimization, adequate generator choice and computational modeling. These tests constitute a good sample of the range of applicability of small scale turbines as valid solutions for micro-hydro. It is also possible to consider multiple scenarios, such as rescaling/resizing, for larger turbines and systems, and the use of power electronics for further efficiency enhancing.
A Complete Study of Micro-Hydro Power Plants
2021
Abstract: Hydropower plays a crucial role within the development of the country because it provides power at cheaper rate being perpetual and renewable sources of energy. In hydroelectric power station, the energy of water is employed for generating electricity. It is a well-known incontrovertible fact that the rain falling upon earth’s surface features a P.E. relative to oceans toward it flows. Most of the tiny hydro power plants are supported Run of River scheme, implying that they are doing not have any water storage capability. The power is generated only enough water is out there from the river. When the stream flow reduces below the planning flow value, the generation will reduce because the water doesn't flow through the intake structure into the turbine. Small hydro plants may stand alone system in isolated areas but could also be grid connected. The paper presents the study of potential selection of turbine and generator for micro hydro power plants.
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 2021
In recent years, many researchers recognized pressure reducing valves (PRVs) as potential microhydropower sites, aiming to improve the efficiency of the water networks. Pump as Turbines (PATs) have been pointed out as the most suitable technology because of their favourable cost. Most of the methodologies available in the literature for selection of a PAT to replace a PRV follow a traditional approach that is based on scaling a prototype data using the affinity curves, thus restricting the solution space only to these curves. The optimization based methodology presented in this paper employs the classical hydraulic regulation scheme with the Nedler-Mead simplex direct search algorithm to search for the optimal solution within space that is constrained only by the boundaries of available centrifugal PATs on the market. The methodology also defines the PAT's operation limits based on the PAT's relative mechanical power. Improvements gained by using the novel methodology have been demonstrated on real-world case studies from Ireland and Italy that were previously used in the literature. The results of the considered sites also suggest that the maximal global plant's efficiency is around 80% of the maximal efficiency of the theoretically optimal PAT. The paper also examines effects of different objective functions and different PAT's operation limits on the selection of the optimal PAT.
Cost-Benefit Analysis for Hydropower Production in Water Distribution Networks by a Pump as Turbine
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 2013
The use of micro hydroelectric plant in urban pipe networks, based on the combination of a 5 PAT (Pump as Turbine), two regulating valves and two pressure meters, is proposed along with 6 simple automation rules. Its economic benefit is tested on a small pipe network, where the net-7 work geometry, as well as the demand coefficient variation in time and space have been inferred 8 from previously collected data and existing analysis. A similar analysis has been also carried out 9 for different scenarios, where the reduction of pipe installation cost due to a diameter reduction is 10 compared with the increased benefit in energy production. The case study shows that a small in-11 crement of the pipe installation cost, with respect to the minimum required by the nodes minimum 12 pressure, can lead to a larger benefit for energy production.
Optimization of Electrical Efficiency of Micro-Hydro Power Plants
The study intends to find energy efficiency and optimization system for Cameron, with better political and social ability to overcome such mega projects on need basis. Cameroon boasts of a huge hydropower potential pegged at 115,000 GWh/year, and only 4% of it has been harnessed so far. Study investigates more efficient and reliable plan for another 10 to 15 years. Micro Hydro-Power plans are in more need and required energy can be met with production efficiency to build and expedite the procedure. Cameron, 6,000 mega watts hydropower potential has been identified through the country's rivers and waterfalls. Micro-hydroelectric power is both an efficient and reliable form of clean source of renewable energy. It can be an excellent method of harnessing renewable energy from small rivers and streams. The researcher used SIMULINK to study the electrical efficiency of the micro hydro power plant that was designed. SIMULINK allows the researcher to build the simulation model in a systematic way starting from simple sub-models.