DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF LOW-HEAD HYDROKINETIC WATER TURBINE

Abstract

In general, there are two means to harness energy from water. One is the hydrostatic method that uses the potential head of incoming flow. The other one is a hydrokinetic method that utilizes the kinetic energy of incoming flow to rotate the incoming flow water turbine. Hydrokinetic turbines (HKTs) have become the primary source of hydrokinetic energy in the past few years because of increased global warming, urbanization, excessive use of non-renewable energies, world energy consumption, drastic climate change, etc. The most significant advantage we have that it requires less or no civil work, unlike the hydrostatic approach. This work presented here describes the design and analysis of a low head hydrokinetic turbine capable of providing 1KW of power used in open channel water flow with low flow velocities. The purpose is to make a turbine that could provide for the general public's varying power requirements capable of powering a small house or a small-scale power requirement in a forest or areas with springs or rivers passing nearby. Experiments are done to determine whether setting up such a system in open channel water flow will be successful. A small-capacity power generation system aims to discover a new way of providing electricity to needy people. To design such a system, a detailed study of different types of turbines is conducted. Vertical axis drag-type turbines are most suited for small capacity generation systems. Therefore, a Savonius type water turbine is designed using helical blades to give the best possible results. Varying some parameters give the improved power output. The mathematical modeling of the turbine is completed after the design is finalized. The turbine is portable and can be taken anywhere quickly.