Learn How To Use A Water Pump As A Generator
A low cost alternative to using traditional water
Micro Hydro turbines is to use a water pump as a hydro electricity
generating turbine.
Single phase and three phase induction / synchronous motors can be
used to generate single and three phase electricity to provide low
cost power generation in remote locations of the world.
Micro-Hydro is a valuable source of power generation in rural
industries and remote village electrification schemes.
What typical applications can Micro-Hydro be utilized for?
Typically Micro-Hydro power can be used for projects demanding power
in the range of 200W up to 30KW when using a water pump as a
generator.
A Typical C2C Capacitor Arrangement For A Pump As A
Generator Below
Pump as Turbine
At the outlet from the PAT, it is advisable to use an expanding
pipe, known as a draft tube, or a reducer in reverse to increase the
diameter of the pipe where it discharges into the outlet channel.
The water in the outlet channel is at atmospheric pressure, and
therefore the channel must be large enough and with a great enough
slope to take away the full flow from the PAT. If a pipe is used to
return the water from the outlet channel to the stream, this pipe
must be at least twice the diameter of the penstock to take the
water away without causing the outlet channel to overflow.
The science is pretty simple. Take a water pump and run a head of
water through it and providing you get the flow rate and head
correct then the pump will generate electricity. Some modifications
may be required to let the motor produce AC electricity but in
theory it can be done and is a simple and proven method of low cost
power generation.