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Micro-Hydropower Systems - A Buyer`s Guide

1. Introductory brochure NRCan Dealer Retail store Trade show Renewable energy association Internet Other please specify 0 0 a 2 Did you find this publication informative Yes _ No 3 How much did you know about micro hydropower systems before reading the Buyer s Guide E Everything _ Alot _ A little a Nothing 4 Please rate this guide on the following characteristics Excellent Good Fair Poor Easy to understand Length Clarity Completeness Photography Graphics Format organization Please add comments or suggestions o o o 5 Ifyou were to install a micro hydropower system it would be for a Rural resident Cottage Lodge Farm Park Remote Othe ooo community please specify 6 Would you like to receive more information on micro hydropower systems _ Yes No 7 Would like to receive a list of dealers or installers in your area Yes No Your answers are confidential If you would like to give us your contact details please provide them below please print Name Street City Province Territory Postal code Telephone E mail Please send completed form to Natural Resources Canada Renewable and Electrical Ene
2. Information provided by Scott Davis Yalakom Appropriate Technology British Columbia Despite the presence of high tension power lines along the Lillooet River valley in southwestern British Columbia First Nations settlements along this river have never been connected to the utility grid Water from countless streams falls thousands of feet from the mountains to the valley floor The Peters family lives on a small piece of reserve land about three kilometres from the village of Skookumchuck In the past diesel generators met l the Peters electrical needs but over the years it Figure 27 A 10 kW micro hydropower system proved to be expensive and difficult to operate in action photo courtesy of Scott Davis Yalakom Appropriate Technology British Columbia There are two streams on the Peters property that are well suited for a micro hydropower system but it was the one that is larger and closer to the house that the Peters chose The site is steep and rocky and has about 90 m 300 ft of head above the house Construction took place over a few months A small settling basin was dug beside the creek It took a day of an excavator s time to dig the penstock and a crew installed the 275 m 900 ft of 10 cm 4 in pipe in a few days The intake thrust block and the powerhouse The system requires little maintenance other also took some time to complete than occasionally cleaning the intake and greasing the bear
3. A y 3 3 E dio 3 f T F R ad Natural Resources Ressources naturelles Canada Canada Canada iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Text prepared by the Hydraulic Energy Program Renewable Energy Technology Program CANMET Energy Technology Centre CETC in cooperation with the Renewable and Electrical Energy Division REED Electricity Resources Branch Natural Resources Canada NRCan Review and input from NRCan s Office of Energy Efficiency Energy Systems amp Design Inc Homestead Hydro Systems Morehead Valley Hydro Inc Thompson and Howe Energy Systems Inc Jos e Bonhomme Robert Clark Scott Davis and Stephen Graham Micro Hydropower Systems A Buyer s Guide This guide is distributed for information purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Canada or constitute an endorsement of any commercial product or person Neither Canada nor its ministers officers employees or agents make any warranty with respect to this guide or assumes any liability arising from this guide Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada 2004 Cat No M144 29 2004E ISBN 0 662 35880 5 Aussi disponible en francais sous le titre Microsystemes hydro lectriques Guide de l acheteur About This Guide nnn 2 1 0 What Is Micro Hydropower oon 3 1 1 Why Micro Hydropower sisuarsccose renin sogenmnsonpndysvsnenscensdpanartonsnaiensvansecnyaessbianeshnns solehiupasearnsansh y aatalcangnhinenevontet 4
4. cottages ranches lodges camps parks small communities and First Nations communities that are not connected to an electrical grid Micro hydropower systems can be complicated are site specific require expertise to set up and need some degree of maintenance You will need a qualified person to determine the feasibility of the system and its design and set up Before your final decision consult government agencies and your local utility to ensure that your proposed installation meets required electrical codes building regulations and site regulations 1 0 What Is Micro Hydropower Flowing and falling water have potential energy Hydropower comes from converting energy in flowing water by means of a water wheel or through a turbine into useful mechanical power This power is converted into electricity using an electric gener ator or is used directly to run milling machines Most people in North America understand hydro power as involving big dams and large scale generating facilities Small scale hydropower systems however are receiving a great deal of public interest as a promising renewable source of electrical power for homes parks and remote communities Hydropower technology has been with us for more than a century Many early mills mines and towns in Canada built some form of power generation from small hydropower systems in the late 19th and early 20th centuries Figure 1 A waterwheel in action A BuyYerR s GU
5. flow the float method is useful The principle of all velocity area methods is that flow Q equals the mean velocity V mean Multiplied by the cross sectional area A Q m s A m x Vi m s One way of using this principle is for the cross sectional profile of a streambed to be charted and an average cross section established for a known length of stream A series of floats perhaps pieces of wood are timed over this measured length of stream Results are averaged and a flow velocity is obtained This velocity must then be reduced by a correction factor which estimates the mean velocity as opposed to the surface velocity By multiplying averaged and corrected flow velocity the volume flow rate is estimated This method provides only an approximate estimate of the flow Approximate correction factors to convert measured surface velocity to mean velocity are as follows Concrete channel rectangular smooth 0 85 Large slow clear stream 0 75 Small slow clear stream 0 65 Shallow less than 0 5 m 1 5 ft turbulent stream 0 45 Very shallow rocky stream 0 25 Weir Method A weir is a structure such as a low wall across a stream A flow measurement weir has a notch through which all water in the stream flows The flow rate can be determined from a single reading of the difference in height between the upstream water level and the bottom of the notch For reliable results the crest of the weir must be kept sharp
6. provides detailed information on maintenance procedures and when they should be carried out If possible you should take the opportunity to become properly trained during the installation of the project It is good practice and cost effective to practise preventive maintenance rather than wait for the system to fail A well maintained micro hydropower system can provide an uninterrupted power supply for many years J Figure 31 Headwork structure and screen in Morehead Creek British Columbia photo courtesy of Thomson and Howe Energy Systems Inc MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS 8 0 Further Information Renewable and Electrical Energy Division Electricity Resources Branch Natural Resources Canada 580 Booth Street 17th Floor Ottawa ON KIA OE4 Fax 613 995 0087 Web site www reed nrcan gc ca Renewable Energy Technologies CANMET Energy Technology Centre Ottawa Natural Resources Canada 580 Booth Street 13th Floor Ottawa ON KIA OE4 Fax 613 996 9416 Web sites e The CANMET Energy Technology Centre CETC www nrcan gc ca es etb e Canadian Renewable Energy Network www canren gc ca e International Small Hydro Atlas www simall hydro com To order additional copies of this publication or to order other free publications on renewable energy and energy efficiency call 1 800 387 2000 toll free You can also obtain a copy of this publication by visiting Natural Resources Canada s Canadian Renewable
7. 1 2 How to Komni a PORT iE ag 5 Lo Is Micro Hydropower for You siccsseyecsssanpissneneenseecesnoransnnsadsvinnsptvansieatasennntnaecioutisontaognae Hina cosas 5 2 0 How to Plan for a System e 7 Al How to Measure Potential Power ana Eneias susrsssssn animate 7 Zad How Small a System sirana sianar iiaa mesial araa ISEE Eaa H 10 Uae Assess Power ang Energy ReQuircinen gt gaia A 10 2 4 Manacine Eneias Demo appear 12 pes iso ha SULY AR RR ame RR EO RR RD DR RR 13 2 6 Ie LINE SAS DI cs 14 End Environmental Issues ana APRIOVAIS sanada Gas Uai eda 15 3 0 Basic Components of a Micro Hydropower System 17 3 1 Civil Works COMPONDO as AU A A ai Ea 17 3 2 Powerin e LCOmnpONENTS asia seia 20 3 3 DER si A E ieee ei A 23 3 4 Liec monic Lood CONTOS drsati epea AASE EARE 24 3 5 Transmission Distribution Network si 25 4 0 Choosing a System ri 26 4 1 Daton gals clo Mo prod c s eee eer ee etre E nee oe meee net ese ADE SIRER 26 4 2 DOR RD oa eee en EAE ee eek 28 4 3 POPU I ann ecient nie eee Oe eee 30 5 0 Economics ec esennnnannnnnnnnnnnnannn 31 Jl TAREE CS S E E A 31 5 2 ATUAL CODIE RENNES NR ainor anain aa O aena Raia SEEE 32 Oe Tee O ot a2 6 0 Buying a Micro Hydropower System c 34 6 1 DEDE ADO ns e ao teta eee eee 34 6 2 Secco Gro PMC pagas nda A 34 6 3 Safety and PROLCCHON eniiosisiniaisoaiaiandsrediisiend insana 34 7 0 Installing Operating and Maintaining a System oo 36 Tel Conde qa TS CAAT gauss ig 36 T a CO mm SOR and
8. Energy Network CanRen Web site at www canren gc ca Free Software on Micro Hydropower Systems RETScreen International is a standardized renewable energy project analysis software program that will help you determine whether a micro hydropower system is a good investment for you The software uses spreadsheets and comes with a comprehensive user s manual and supporting databases to help your evaluation You can download the software and user manual free of charge from the Web site at www retscreen net or call Natural Resources Canada at 450 652 4621 or fax your request to 450 652 5177 Manufacturers and Suppliers See the Canadian Renewable Energy Network Web site at www canren gc ca for a list of manufacturers and suppliers of micro hydropower systems Appendix A Determining Head and Flow Rate Measuring Head Head is the vertical distance that water falls from the forebay or intake to the turbine It is measured in metres or feet Measuring the available head is often seen as a task for a surveyor but for many systems much quicker and less costly methods can be used for preliminary determination of head There are several ways to measure the available head including maps the pressure gauge method dumpy levels builders levels and theodolites sighting meters the water filled tube and rod method and altimeters Some measurement methods are more suitable for low head sites but are too tedious and or ina
9. See Section 2 4 for information on load management Figure 21 Electronic load controller 12 kW rated front and inside view photo courtesy of Thompson and Howe Energy Systems Inc There are various types of ELCs on the market that can regulate systems from as small as 1 kW to 100 kW The choice of the controller depends on the type of generator you have ELCs are suitable for synchronous generators If you have an induc tion generator you will need an induction gener ator controller IGC IGCs work on a principle that is similar to that used by ELCs but an IGC monitors the generated voltage and diverts the surplus power to the ballast load Other types of controllers are being introduced to the market that are based on similar principles that may be suitable for your application For example distributed intelligent load controllers DILCs dis tribute the electric power to various loads within the home or the distribution system DILCs are fitted directly to appliances for refrigeration space heating or water heating in prioritized sequence They sense the frequency and the voltage of the generating system and switch the loads accordingly without the risk of overloading the generating system DILCs can be used with other controllers such as the ELC and IGC as part of the load man agement solution or can be used to displace those controllers altogether TTT 2 A Buyer s GUIDE Figure 22 Induction generato
10. These systems are small the turbine and generator are usually integrated into one unit they are easy to install and they have developed a good reputation for reliability over the years One advantage to keep in mind is that a system that has energy stored in batteries can also provide peak power that is many times greater than the installed system For example a 400 W system charging the battery bank can provide peak power as high as 5 kW or more with appropriate inverters so it could be useful in meeting a short term peak load Used batteries should be recycled or disposed of as hazardous waste in order to minimize environmental impacts Figure 23 A 1 kW rated low head battery based system photo courtesy of Energy Systems amp Design A Buyer s GUIDE Equipment for this type of system is available in a Battery based micro hydropower systems are range of voltages of 12 24 36 48 120 or 240 DC available from as small as 100 W to about 1600 W The choice of generating voltage is dictated by the Table 6 lists the various types of systems available capacity of the system and the distance that the electrical power needs to be transmitted The longer the distance the higher the voltage you will need in order to reduce transmission losses An inverter is used to invert DC voltage into standard AC supply voltage to power AC appliances You can also use DC powered appliances that are powered directly from the battery Water curre
11. energy sources such as solar and wind can be used to produce electrical power The choice of energy source depends on several factors including availability economics and energy and power requirements Micro hydropower systems offer a stable inflation proof economical and renewable source of electricity that uses proven and available technologies These technologies can produce as little as 100 W of electricity at low cost and at very competitive rates and appro priately designed and implemented systems can provide inexpensive energy for many years Without hydropower and other renewable energy sources fossil fuel alone would have to meet our electricity needs Diesel and gasoline generators are currently cheaper to buy but the increasing cost of fuel oil and maintenance has made them expensive to operate There is also the effect of their long term environmental impact Small and micro hydropower installations have historically been cheap to run but expensive to build This is now changing with smaller lighter and more efficient higher speed turbine equipment the lower cost of electronic speed and load control systems and inexpensive plastic penstock pipes Capital investments of hydropower systems are still higher than investing in diesel equipment of comparable capacity but their long life low operating costs and emerging renewable energy incentives make such systems an attractive investment for many applications Th
12. government approval of the water licence Generally 10 percent of mean annual discharge flow release is required in fish bearing streams but this could be lowered to 5 percent of mean annual discharge in non fish bearing streams Mean annual discharge may also be different for a coastal stream than for a colder climate with snow and freshet flows Non classified drainages may sometimes have no flow release requirement Most micro hydropower systems may use only a fraction of the available water flow in the stream Whenever possible stream flow data should be measured daily and recorded for at least one year two to three years is ideal If not a few measurements should be made during the low flow season If you are familiar with the stream you might determine the low flow season by keeping track of water levels and making several flow measurements for more than a week when the water level is at its lowest point during the year You may also be able to gather information from neighbours or other sources Watershed area gauged A BuYER S GUIDE Daily stream flow data for your site may be available from the provincial water management branch or Environment Canada EC However most micro hydropower sites are on very small streams or creeks that are not monitored gauged by Environment Canada Use of data from another stream requires multiplying the flow data by the ratio of the watershed area of your site and the environment si
13. if you use 1 kW 1000 W of electricity for one hour you have used 1 kWh of electrical energy A site on a stream or river that has a highly variable flow i e a wide range of flows with many highs and lows may not produce as much energy as a river that has a smaller range of flows but that is more consistent on average A hydrologist or professional consultant can produce a flow duration curve FDC for a river or stream by ordering the recorded water flows from maximum to minimum flow as shown in Figures 6a and 6b This is a way to show the probability in graph form of how many days in a year a particular flow will be exceeded The area below the curve is a measure of the energy potential of the river or stream 20 00 m s 15 00 Flow 10 00 5 00 Figure 6a Flow duration curve for river with a high flow for a short time 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 ao 1 Percent Time Flow Equalled or Exceeded A BuYeER S GUIDE The FDC is used to assess the expected availability of flow over time and the power and energy at a site and to decide on the design flow in order to select the turbine Decisions can also be made on how large a generating unit should be If a system is to be independent of any other energy or utility backup the design flow should be the flow that is available 95 percent of the time or more Therefore a stand alone system such as a micro hydropower system should be designed accor
14. ihis label belore firsi retail purchase ip an offence S C 1802 c 36 Enlever cetie Giquette avant ba premio achal au deta constitua une infraction LC 1082 ch 26 The ENERGY STAR mark on this EnerGuide label signifies thal this ts an anergy elhcienl appliance lis anergy parormande meets or exceeds the Government of Canada s high efficiency levels Use the EnerGuide rating to determina how this appliance compares jo other similar models La marque ENERGY STAR sur cette tiquette EnerGuide signifie que Fapparoil est dconerg tique el que son rendement dnargdbque salistait ou d passe les niveaux haute efficacit du gouvernement ama du Canada Lhiligez la cote EnerGuide afin de comparer la rendement de Fappareil avec colui d autres mod les s milalres Figure 7 EnerGuide label with ENERGY STAR symbol Table 2 Sample Load Analyses Power Ratin Appliance J Four fluorescent lamps 200 Refrigerator Water pump Total energy consumption A BuYER S GUIDE Although Canada s EnerGuide label lets you com pare the energy consumption of various appliances the ENERGY STAR symbol displayed alone or as part of the EnerGuide label see Figure 7 helps you identify those that are the most energy efficient in their class Another way to determine your electrical energy needs is to add up typical household appliance loads and calculate the total energy used by a typical household per month see Ta
15. in Section 4 1 are low maintenance high efficiency and low cost specially designed DC generators are used y or wedge belts and pulleys This is the most common choice for micro hydropower Generator Efficiency systems Belts for this type of system are widely Full load efficiencies of synchronous generators available because they are used extensively in vary from 75 to 90 percent depending on the all kinds of small industrial machinery size of the generator Larger generators are more e Timing belt and sprocket pulley These efficient and three phase generators are generally drives are common on vehicle camshaft drives more efficient than single phase ones The effi and use toothed belts and pulleys They are ciency will be reduced by a few percentage points efficient and clean running and are especially when being used at part load e g at 50 percent worth considering for use in very small system of the load Efficiency of induction generators drives less than 3 kW where efficiency is critical is approximately 75 percent at full load and decreases to as low as 65 percent at part load Permanent magnet DC generators have efficiencies of more than 80 percent at full load It is crucial to take these figures into account when selecting a generator because the overall efficiency of the system will be affected e Gearbox Gearboxes are suitable for use with larger machines when belt drives would be too cumbersome and ineffi
16. level the operator takes a horizontal sight on a staff held by a colleague and needs an unobstructed view A theodolite can measure vertical and horizontal angles A hypsometer similar to a theodolite is used by field foresters to calculate tree heights and can be adapted for measuring head It requires an operator and an assistant to operate a reflection device a clear line of sight is also needed A hypsometer operates on the principle of electronic measuring of the linear distance and includes the angle of the measurement along with the distance It can provide a fairly accurate measurement when used correctly Figure 34 Measuring head using spirit level and plank method Water Filled Tube and Rod Method This method is suitable for low head sites It is reliable reasonably accurate and inexpensive Two or three separate measurements must be made in order to ensure that the results are consistent and reliable Results from this method should be cross checked against measurements made by another method such as the pressure gauge method A carpenter s spirit level and a straight plank of wood can be used for steep slopes instead of a water filled tube and rod see Figure 34 Altimeters Altimeters can be useful when undertaking high head pre feasibility studies Atmospheric pressure variations should be taken into account and this method is generally not recommended except to obtain an approximate reading The best t
17. may be better to ask an experienced professional to make this analysis The economics of a system will be significantly influenced by its technical design hydrology power and size The value of the system is the future benefits it can provide or the costs that can be avoided These costs are primarily associated with alternatives to the micro hydropower system In most cases the alternatives will be diesel gener ation or connection to the local grid In many remote locations diesel generated electricity may already be available Therefore the economic analysis becomes a comparison of the capital and operating costs of the micro hydropower develop ment against those associated with diesel generation or extending the local grid See Section 1 3 for other issues you may need to consider In the event that your site has access to a local electricity grid it may be difficult to justify a micro hydropower system on economic terms unless you are prepared to take a long range view For some people the idea of having a self reliant and self sufficient lifestyle is appealing regardless of economic considerations You should also investigate various government programs to learn about renewable energy sources that provide tax exemptions for material and equipment and to learn what financial incentives may be available MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS 6 0 Buying a Micro Hydropower System 6 1 Expert Assistance A micro hydropow
18. of these loads when the drop length of pipe needed for the head and an micro hydropower system is becoming overloaded approximate flow rate of your micro hydropower and automatically turn them back on when the site These are the first things that you will be asked system has surplus power The apparent capacity of a 10 kW plant can become 20 kW with load management The feasibility study should answer as many of the following questions as possible e How much head is available There are also devices such as distributed intelligent i load controllers DILCs which are fitted directly in appliances such as refrigerators battery chargers water heaters or space heaters to distribute the loads around the system These devices sense How long does the canal pipeline have to be in order to reach the head e What are the minimum and maximum flow rates and when do these occur the frequency and the voltage of the system and e How much power can be generated with the switch the loads accordingly without the risk of available flow rates overloading the system The load management e Who owns the land system should be part of the micro hydropower e Where are the nearest electricity power lines system design It is important to keep these energy saving strategies in mind when considering the size of your micro hydropower system e What would the environmental effects of installing a micro hydropower system be e What is the approva
19. polyethylene HDPE penstock being buried in a steep hill photo courtesy of Thompson and Howe Energy Systems Inc ie h A ta The most commonly used materials for a penstock are HDPE uPVC and mild steel because of their suitability availability and affordability Layout of the penstock pipelines depends on their material the nature of the terrain and environmental consid erations they are generally surface mounted or buried underground Special attention is necessary where a penstock is installed in a very cold envi ronment protection from ice and frost must be considered In severe frost areas penstocks should Table 3 Comparison of Penstock Materials HH tok Kk IKK HA Hd HH A BuyYer s GUIDE ido SR Sah oe ae ae Figure 15 Double 10 cm 4 in HDPE penstock pipe for an 8 kW system always be buried below the frost line Where freezing is not a concern the penstock may be left above ground However it is generally preferable to bury the penstock to provide protection from expansion animals and falling trees Because of changes in the ambient temperature the length of the penstock pipe may be subjected to expansion and contraction Expansion joints are used to com pensate for maximum possible changes in length tO AA tO Ik Hd Adapted from Fraenkel Peter et al Micro Hydro Power A Guide for Development Workers London U K Intermediate Technology Publications in association with the Stockhol
20. the intake e a forebay tank and trash rack to filter debris and prevent it from being drawn into the turbine at the penstock pipe intake e a penstock pipe to convey the water to the powerhouse e a powerhouse in which the turbine and generator convert the power of the water into electricity e a tailrace through which the water is released back to the river or stream MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS LEGEND A Intake weir B Canal pipeline C Forebay tank D Penstock pipe E Powerhouse F Tailrace G Transmission line Figure 2 Principal components of a micro hydropower system Many micro hydropower systems operate run of river which means that neither a large dam or water storage reservoir is built nor is land flooded Only a fraction of the available stream flow at a given time is used to generate power and this has little environmental impact The amount of energy that can be captured depends on the amount of water flowing per second the flow rate and the height from which the water falls the head 1 1 Why Micro Hydropower Depending on individual circumstances many people find that they need to develop their own source of electrical power Canada has thousands of rivers streams and springs that could be used to generate electricity to meet the energy requirements for off grid rural residents cottage owners small communities camp sites parks and remote lodges Other renewable
21. the most expensive Before starting this phase ensure that you have finalized every detail including the final cost of the system water licence land use approval and other local permits Depending on the size of the system you may choose to do much of the work yourself or have the project done under contract Construction and installation of a micro hydropower system requires civil works mechanical and electrical skills and experience working with heavy objects You will need these skills to construct the intake and headrace canal install and align the penstock turbine and generator build the powerhouse and put up the transmission line B e q Figure 28 Powerhouse under construction for a 12 kKW system photo courtesy of Thomson and Howe Energy Systems Inc The time of the year to construct the system can influence the pace and quality of work From November to March most parts of Canada experience high rainfall and snowfall and sub freezing temperatures which will slow down construction There are also fewer daylight hours in winter Access to remote areas may be difficult Planning is key to successful and inexpensive installations Ensure that all equipment and materials will be delivered on time and be aware that the cost of labour could be more than the cost of the materials and equipment Performing some of the unskilled manual labour yourself and working with the contractor during construction can r
22. who can find the best equipment for your system design and advise you on how to apply for approvals and permits 6 2 Selecting a Supplier Manufacturers and suppliers of renewable energy systems are a source of valuable information They can help you evaluate a site set up and install a system and ensure that it works properly If you are contacting manufacturers about a specific site you should first find out at least approximately the head the minimum and maximum flow rates and the amount of power you want to generate Unfortunately unlike other renewable energy sectors in Canada there is no national association to address the needs of micro hydropower users A supplier should have proven experience in designing and installing the type of system you require Different suppliers specialize in different types of systems Some will supply only turbines and others may supply only controllers There are well established small companies that offer turnkey installations and that will provide a full range of services from the pre feasibility study onward In terms of value for money these probably are the best companies to deal with You may wish to request and review catalogues and price lists many catalogues also have useful information about system design Manufacturers hydroelectric equipment in the 1 to 5 kW range may appear to be expensive but such equipment is likely to last longer and work much better than homemade syst
23. wires that distributes electricity from a variety of sources across a large area Head The difference in elevation between two water surfaces measured in metres or feet Gross head The vertical drop between the intake of a pipeline penstock and the outlet location of turbine Net head The usable head after subtracting losses in the penstock pipe Hertz Hz Unit of frequency measurement for AC Equivalent to cycles per second common household utility power is normally 60 Hz in North America Inverter An electronic device used to convert DC electricity into AC usually with an increase in voltage Joule J The international unit of energy The energy produced by a power of one watt flowing for one second Kilowatt kW The commercial unit of electrical power 1000 watts Kilowatt hour kWh A measurement of energy One kilowatt hour is equal to one kilowatt being used for one hour Load The collective appliances and other devices connected to a power source Megawatt MW A measurement of power equal to 1 million watts Net metering A form of buy back agreement in which the grid supplied house electricity meter turns or measures in the utility s favour when grid electric power is consumed by the house and in the house owner s favour when the house s own generation exceeds its needs and electricity flows into the grid At the end of the payment period when the meter is read the system owner pay
24. work on a system while waiting for a licence only when the system will be used solely for domestic purposes Water power projects require a water licence under the Canada Water Act In British Columbia for example Land and Water British Columbia Inc is the one stop access point for all of that province s government requirements for use of land and water Approval under British Columbia s Land Act is required for any project component situated on Crown land including the powerhouse roads and transmission lines Land and Water British Columbia Inc reviews water power projects of less than 50 MW capacity in British Columbia Note that each province and territory has its own legislation Water licences for hydropower projects are generally issued for three categories residential commercial and general The residential category applies to projects that have a capacity of 25 kW or less in British Columbia where the power is used to meet the household requirement of the licensee The commercial category applies where the power is sold to immediate family members employees or tenants of the licensee and the project capacity does not exceed 499 kW or where the project sup plies power to an industrial facility in which the licensee has an interest of more than SO percent The general category applies to projects where the capacity exceeds the licensee s household and commercial needs and includes projects that sell energy to th
25. 10 Intake of micro hydropower system in Seaton Creek British Columbia photo courtesy of Homestead Hydro Systems A Buyer s GUIDE It is illegal to take surface water from a stream without first obtaining a water licence or other approval It is not an offence to use unrecorded water for domestic needs mineral prospecting or firefighting Unrecorded water is water in a stream that is neither licensed nor reserved for other purposes but that is conserved for environmental reasons such as fish habitat and aquatic requirements Before you invest time and money in a hydropower system find out if any regulatory issues need to be resolved There can be institutional and legal considerations when installing a micro hydropower system and your project will proceed more smoothly if any regulatory problems are identified early on It can take some time to obtain permits and licences First contact your provincial or territorial govern ment offices that deal with land and water in order to determine what local permits are needed for your area The appropriate ministry of natural resources can indicate what is required and guide you on how to conduct the assessment and or proceed with the submission The assessment will depend on the nature and scale of your proposed project and in some cases it can be as brief as two or three pages All local permits or requirements must be satisfied before a federal hydropower licence will be issued if re
26. 11 5 cu ft 300 300 90 Toaster 1200 4 5 Laundry Clothes dryer 35 loads month 5000 28 140 Washing machine 33 loads month 500 26 13 Front loading washer 160 26 4 Iron 1000 12 12 Electric water heaters Family of two 3800 80 304 Family of four 3800 140 532 Comfort and Health Air conditioner 750 74 56 Electric blanket 180 80 14 Electric heating 1000 250 250 Fan portable 120 6 1 Excluding hot water requirements A 45 MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Appliances Power Rating Average Hours Energy Used W per Month kWh per Month Hair dryer hand held 1000 5 5 Lights Incandescent bulb 60 W 60 120 7 Incandescent bulb 100 W 100 90 2 Fluorescent 4 ft 50 240 12 Compact fluorescent lamp 24 W 24 240 6 Portable electric heater 1000 350 350 Telephone portable 3 720 2 Telephone answering machine 6 720 4 Entertainment Computer desktop 250 240 60 Computer laptop 30 240 7 Laptop charger 100 240 24 Laser printer 600 60 36 Radio 5 120 1 Stereo 120 120 14 Television colour 100 125 13 Television black and white 60 120 7 Video cassette recorder 40 100 4 Outdoors Block heater 600 120 Ta Lawn mower 1000 10 10 Workshop tools inch drill 250 4 1 Circular saw 1000 6 6 Table saw 1000 4 4 Lathe 460 2 1 Other Clock 2 720 1 Sewing machine 100 10 1 Vacuum cleaner 800 10 8 Water pump hp 1000 44 44 46 A BuYeER S GUIDE Appendix D Costing Estimate Worksheet Initial Costs No of Cost pe
27. 30 percent for water heating 5 percent for lighting and 15 percent for appliances You can gain significant benefits simply by thinking carefully about when you use various appliances For example do not use your washing machine at the same time that you are ironing both are energy intensive activities Various devices are available off the shelf that can be used for load management applications in a micro hydropower system and that will improve energy use and reduce peak demand Some may come with an electronic load controller Load controllers see Figure 9 with load management features have been performing effectively in off grid larger micro hydropower systems in Canada for many years A BuYeER S GUIDE These controllers allow you to manage your peak 2 5 Feasibi lity Study demand load by using the energy available from the system to its maximum Typically these manage A pre feasibility study is carried out to determine ment systems allow you to connect at least twice whether the site is worth further investigation the amount of load than the capacity of the micro This study could involve visiting a site to measure hydropower system See Section 3 4 for informa head and flow rate or it could simply be a map tion on electronic load controllers study If the site looks promising the next step is to carry out a full scale detailed feasibility study Information collected by this study should be of the highest quality and
28. IDE Micro hydropower systems are relatively small power sources that are appropriate in most cases for individual users or groups of users who are independent of the electricity supply grid Hydro power systems are classified as large medium small mini and micro according to their installed power generation capacity Electrical power is measured in watts W kilowatts kW or megawatts MW A micro hydropower system is generally classified as having a generating capacity of less than 100 kW Systems that have an installation capacity of between 100 kW and 1000 kW 1 0 MW are referred to as mini hydro Small hydro is defined as having a capacity of more than 1 0 MW and up to 10 MW although in Canada small hydro can be defined by provincial and territorial utilities as having a capacity of less than 30 MW or 50 MW Micro hydro systems have the following components e a water turbine that converts the energy of flowing or falling water into mechanical energy that drives a generator which generates electrical power this is the heart of a micro hydropower system e a control mechanism to provide stable electrical power e electrical transmission lines to deliver the power to its destination Depending on the site the following may be needed to develop a micro hydropower system see Figure 2 e an intake or weir to divert stream flow from the water course e a canal pipeline to carry the water flow to the forebay from
29. OD Manual for Survey and Layout Design of Private Micro Hydropower Plants Butwal Nepal DCS Technology Development Kathmandu Nepal ICIMOD 1999 Fraenkel Peter et al Micro Hydro Power A Guide for Development Workers London U K Intermediate Technology Publications in association with the Stockholm Environment Institute 1991 Harvey Adam et al Micro Hydro Design Manual A Guide to Small Scale Water Power Schemes London U K Intermediate Technology Publications 1993 Inversin Allen R Micro Hydropower Sourcebook A Practical Guide to Design and Implementation in Developing Countries Washington DC National Rural Electric Cooperative Association International Foundation 1986 Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Mines and Energy Micro Hydro Power in Newfoundland and Labrador St John s 1984 Ontario Ministry of Energy Micro Hydro Power Energy from Ontario Streams Toronto 1982 Ontario Ministry of Energy Streams of Power Developing Small Scale Hydro Systems Toronto 1986 Penche Celso Layman s Guidebook on How to Develop a Small Hydro Site 2nd edition Brussels Belgium Commission of the European Communities Directorate General for Energy DG XVII European Small Hydropower Association ESHA 1998 Smith Nigel Motors as Generators for Micro Hydro Power London U K Intermediate Technology Publications 1997 Solar Energy Society of Canada Inc The Canadian Renewable En
30. Testing speien EE eai E Eais 36 7 3 Oe a anid TVA TICS sisaan ien aE EEA 37 8 0 Further Information rs 38 Appendix A Determining Head and Flow Rate suada doada cad ad 39 Appendix BE Sample Data SORO iria RD nn taneeduaiees 44 Appendix Typical Household Appliance LOGOS eissii 45 Appendix D Costing Estimate VV OT COU id 47 Glossary Oi Terms and ADDTEVIATIOTS siga Gaia cla Rasa oe sean los 48 E aR pe tet tc ceesst nurs evo ess aso ova E doers eee 50 CRC CR RC ee eee 51 E 3 indi 53 MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS ABOUT HIS GUIDE Micro hydropower systems are receiving increasing interest from homeowners and others who have property that is not served by the electrical grid This buyer s guide will help you decide if micro hydropower is a viable option for you It will e introduce you to the basics of how a micro hydropower system works e offer pointers on how to assess how much energy and power you need e introduce you to the principal components of a micro hydropower system e outline how to determine if a micro hydropower system makes economic sense for your circumstances e offer some practical examples of micro hydropower systems This guide is not an instruction manual on how to install a micro hydropower system it may not provide complete information on whether a micro hydropower system is right for your circumstances Rather it is a helpful introduction when considering micro hydro systems for remote off grid residential homes
31. a larger system that has a capacity range of 15 to 30 kW A well designed system has the potential to entirely replace the need for a fuel based system for electrical generation Even if it does not replace the use of propane for cooking and heating burning propane for heat is much more effective than using it to run a generator The cost of a micro hydropower system is largely related to the peak demand it supplies Therefore it is important to reduce your peak electricity requirement to keep your system costs down However if the output power potential of your site is greater than the demand you may have surplus power for other uses such as space heating or selling power to your neighbours You may choose to build a smaller system to meet only your needs at sites where it is possible to produce more than sufficient power this will obviously be an important decision Determining appropriate sizing requires substantial effort The engineering and hydrology studies will determine the range of feasible options It bears repeating that saving energy is always cheaper than producing more power 2 7 Environmental Issues and Approvals Water is a Crown owned resource in Canada and provincial and territorial ministries of natural resources manage its use A water licence must be obtained from the provincial territorial authority before the water can be used even for non consump tive uses such as a micro hydropower system Figure
32. able of producing power when you need it Wind speeds are low in the summer when the sun shines the brightest and longest winds are strong in the winter when there is less sunlight If you also add a micro hydropower system you are likely to have a completely independent and reliable system because it can provide backup service that is quieter more reliable and cheaper to operate than a diesel generator even if water flow dries up in the summer 5 0 Economics How much will a micro hydropower system cost There is no standard answer to this question because costs depend on site conditions and on how much work you are prepared to do yourself In general with current technologies the total cost can range from 1 500 to 2 500 per kilowatt of installed capacity depending on the system s capacity and location For systems that are less than 5 kW in power output the cost per kW is approximately 2 500 or higher because of the smaller size and the cost of additional components such as a battery bank and inverter Costs for developing a micro hydropower system fall into two categories initial and annual costs A Buyer s GUIDE installation Remember to include all costs calculate the intake headrace forebay penstock powerhouse and electro mechanical equipment including the turbine the generator controllers and the transmis sion distribution network see Appendix D If you do not own the land you will have to add the
33. and sediment must be prevented from accumulating behind the weir Weirs can be timber concrete or metal and must always be oriented at a right angle to the stream flow The weir should be located at a point where the stream is straight and free from eddies It is necessary to estimate the range of flows to be measured before designing the weir in order to ensure that the chosen size of notch will be ade quate to pass the magnitude of the stream flow Rectangular weirs are more suitable for large flows in the range of 1000 Ips and triangular weirs are suitable for small flows that have wide variation A combination triangular rectangular compound weir may be incorporated into one weir to measure higher flows at lower flows the water goes through the triangular notch 42 Hmm Figure 36 Measuring water flow rate using weir method Salt and Conductivity Meter Method Using the salt and conductivity meter method stream flow can be measured in a very short time and has proven easy to do reasonably accurate and reliable for a wide range of stream types It gives better results than other methods for more turbulent streams The main device is a conduc tivity meter The calculation takes a little longer if done manually alternatively calculation can be done automatically with an integrating meter that will provide measurement in litres per second Figure 37 Flow measurement using an integrating meter photo courtesy of Dulas E
34. ates provided by Energy Alternatives Ltd The estimated cost for 50 kW systems see Table 8b is based on using a pump as turbine system the cost of the turbine will be much higher if a tradi tional turbine is used The costs for civil works and CO A 1 MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Table 8b Approximate Micro Hydropower System Costs AC Direct Systems 3 5 kW flow rate 10 kW flow rate of 50 kW flow rate at Component at 14 lps 222 gpm 62 lps 982 gpm 100 lps 1585 gpm la at 50 m 165 ft head at 32 m 100 ft head at 85 m 280 ft Penstock Turbine generator Controller Transmission line Powerhouse Miscellaneous Total cost of equipment 10 950 21 400 55 400 Installations Total amount Cost kW Estimates provided by Thompson and Howe Energy Systems Inc permits are not included All costs given in Tables 5 3 Evaluating a System 8a and 8b are approximate Keep in mind that each micro hydropower system is unique and that costs are site specific Several things may need to be taken into account in order to evaluate whether a micro hydropower system is right for you If a site has sufficient flow rate and head to meet your power and energy requirements the only other factor to consider is 5 2 Annual Costs Although minimal for a hydropower system whether there are alternative energy sources that the most important annual costs are for operation would be feasible and more economical You
35. ation with people who already have a micro hydropower system and to visit these sites if possible You can also contact manufacturers and suppliers for further information see Useful Web Sites on page 51 2 3 Assessing Power and Energy Requirements In assessing the feasibility of developing a micro hydropower system you should carefully examine your power and energy requirements The power you need is the instantaneous intensity of electricity required to power the appliances you use this is measured in kilowatts The more appliances that are used at the same time the more power required Energy is a measure of the length of time you have used a given amount of power It depends on the power required by the appliances and on how long and how often you use them Electrical energy is measured in kilowatt hours You need to know the electrical power and energy requirement for lighting heating cooking and other uses for your home or lodge Does the micro hydropower system potential meet your power and energy needs How large a system do you really require Power requirements are not easy to assess correctly One way to determine electrical energy needs is to look at your current electricity bills which will indicate the number of kilowatt hours that you use per month If you are currently using a fuel based generator for your electricity needs record the amount of fuel the generator used in one month and how long the generato
36. ay have more detailed maps at scales of 1 10 000 or 1 20 000 Pressure Gauge Method This method can be used for high heads and low heads the choice of pressure gauge depends on the head to be measured A 20 m 65 ft length of transparent plastic pipe is good for measuring sites of approximately 60 m 200 ft of head It is probably the best of the simple methods available In this technique the head is measured according to the static pressure of water After the pressure is measured with a gauge it is easily converted into the height of the head A column of water 1 m high exerts a pressure equal to 9 8 kilopascals or 1 42 pounds per square inch PSI If measuring in feet multiply the pressure in PSI by 2 31 e g 100 PSI 100 x 2 31 231 ft MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Sighting Meters Hand held sighting meters also known as inclino meters or Abney levels see Figure 33 measure the slope s angle of inclination They are accurate if used by an experienced operator but it is always best to double check the measurement Sighting meters are compact and some have range finders which saves the trouble of measuring linear distance Figure 33 Measuring head using Abney level method Dumpy Levels and Theodolites A dumpy level builder s level is the conventional tool used for measuring head An experienced oper ator who can check the level s calibration should make the measurement When using a dumpy
37. bine for a site taking into considera tion cost variations in head variations in flow the amount of sediment in the water and overall reliability of the turbine Table 5 Typical Efficiency of Turbines and Water Wheels Impulse turbines Generators Generators convert the mechanical rotational energy produced by the turbine to electrical energy this is the heart of any hydroelectrical power system The principle of generator operation is quite simple when a coil of wire is moved past a magnetic field a voltage is induced in the wire Alternating current AC generators are also referred to as alternators They generate varying voltages which alternate above and below the zero voltage point It is this process that produces AC electricity This same principle is used in all electric generators from large hydro and nuclear plants to the alter nator in your car although the speed will vary depending on the type of generator used There are two types of generators synchronous and asynchronous Synchronous generators see Figure 19 are standard in electrical power generation and are used in most power plants Asynchronous generators are more commonly known as induction generators Both of these generators are available in three phase or single phase systems System capacity type of load and length of the transmission distribution network dictate whether a single or three phase generator should be used Induction gen
38. ble 2 and Appendix C It is important to work out your total energy consumption and peak power consumption because a situation may arise in which the system could meet one need but not the other Compare your power needs with what is available from your water resource calculate using the head and flow rate If your monthly energy requirements are greater than the micro hydropower system can generate in a month see where you can reduce consumption so that it at least matches the available energy To estimate your peak power requirement add the wattage rating of all appliances that might be used simultaneously Peak power is the maximum amount of electricity that will be needed at any given moment and this requirement normally occurs when most of the largest appliances are running at the same time In many micro hydropower systems the peak power demand is more likely to define the design capacity of the turbine rather than the system energy requirements When analysing and optimizing a micro hydropower system remember that conservation is the most powerful factor ask yourself if you can make some adjustments in how and when you use electricity Hours per Month 12 90 45 72 26 Power Demand kW MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS By lowering your peak demand you can decrease the design capacity requirement of your system and significantly reduce its initial cost You may have to adapt to new patterns and habits in
39. ccurate for high head sites If possible it is wise to take several separate measurements of the head at each site It is best not to leave the site before analysing the results because any mistakes will be easier to check on site The head must be measured accur ately because it is one of the most important con siderations in the hydropower system s design and costing The proposed location of the powerhouse British Columbia A Buyer s GUIDE and penstock intake structure should be used as reference points in measuring the head Several methodologies for measuring head are explained briefly in the following adapted from Micro Hydro Design Manual A Guide to Small Scale Water Power Schemes Maps Detailed topographic maps are useful for locating potential sites and for obtaining a rough estimate of head levels at the proposed intake tailrace water levels the length of the pipelines the size of the drainage area and the origin and destination of the stream However maps may not always be available or entirely reliable For high head sites with more than 100 m 330 ft of head 1 50 000 maps are useful Smaller scale maps are better because they have a higher contour resolution 10 m about 30 ft is typical Topographic maps can be obtained from Natural Resources Canada through its Web site at maps nrcan gc ca Provincial and territorial ministries for natural resources land and water or your local forestry office m
40. cient Gearboxes have problems regarding specification alignment maintenance and cost and this rules them out for micro hydropower systems except where they are specified as part of a turbine generator set CO DEF 25 Generator MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Electric Electronic Load Electronic Controller Switch Ballast Load Figure 20 Single line diagram of generator electronic load controller and main loads 3 4 Electronic Load Controllers Water turbines like petrol or diesel engines will vary in speed as load is applied or disconnected Although not a great problem with machinery that uses direct shaft power this speed variation will seriously affect the frequency and voltage output from a generator It could damage the generator by overloading it because of high power demand or over speeding under light or no load conditions Traditionally complex and costly hydraulic or mechanical speed governors similar to larger hydro systems have been used to regulate the water flow into the turbine as the load demand varied Over the last two decades electronic load controllers ELCs have been developed that have increased the simplicity and reliability of modern micro hydropower systems An ELC is a solid state electronic device designed to regulate output power of a micro hydropower system Maintaining a near constant load on the turbine generates stable voltage and frequency The controller compensates for variat
41. cost of buying or leasing it If you are leasing this will fall under the category of annual costs There are also soft costs to consider these depending on the size and complexity of the system can add considerably to initial costs Soft costs include pre feasibility and feasibility studies the water licence application obtaining land rights and local permits and transportation and construction At some sites the equipment may need to be transported by helicopter which will increase costs and could be significant for remote locations You Initial costs are those that occur at the beginning of the project before any electricity is generated and include costs to carry out a feasibility study purchase and install equipment and obtain permits Recurring annual costs are for operating and main tenance Generally micro hydropower systems have high initial costs but relatively low annual costs compared with traditional fossil fuel based sources In fact hydroelectric maintenance costs are the lowest of all energy producing technologies High head low flow system costs are less than low head high flow systems because all com ponents of low flow systems e g penstock turbine intake and spillway will be smaller If some part of the system already exists e g a dam or an intake this will lower the total cost should also include a small percentage of the initial costs for contingencies or for unforeseen costs It is a goo
42. cy factor is generally from 60 to 70 percent Therefore to determine a realistic power output the theoretical power must be multiplied by an efficiency factor of 0 5 to 0 7 depending on the capacity and type of system P QxHxgxe e efficiency factor 0 5 to 0 7 Example 2 A turbine generator set to operate at a head of 10 m 33 ft with flow of 0 3 m s 636 cfm will deliver approximately 15 kW of electricity This is given by P Q 0 3 x H 10 x g 9 8 x e 0 5 14 7 kW assuming an overall system efficiency of 50 percent These calculations will give you an idea of how much power you can obtain from your water resource Table 1 shows how much electrical power you can expect with various heads and water flow rates Power output in watts Q ips X H m X g X e Table 1 Typical Power Output in Watts With Various Head and Water Flow Rates ic MES gpm 49 74 HERE ba WW p N O Ww O A W _ Oo N pa O O Ta a a 70560 94080 79380 105 840 7040 58800 882001 117600 Flow Duration Curve and Energy Calculations As an owner developer of a potential hydro site you may wonder how much power your site will produce A more exact question is how much energy it will produce it is energy in kilowatt hours kWh that we buy from or sell to the electricity supplier Energy is a measure of the length of time we have used or produced a given amount of power For example
43. d idea to obtain the services of an energy expert to make these calculations for you and costs should be estimated at the time of the feasibility study For smaller systems you could list the com ponents and obtain a quote by calling suppliers and checking catalogues and price lists Table 8a Approximate Micro Hydropower System Costs Battery Based Systems 100 W flow rate of 4 lps 63 gpm head at 5 m 16 ft 400 W flow rate 4 lps 63 gpm head at 25 m 80 ft Component Penstock The cost of a system will vary depending on what kind of equipment is used how much material and equipment are needed the cost of civil works and other factors If you hire a contractor to build an intake a long headrace canal powerhouse and tailrace your cost will be higher than doing it yourself Each hydro site is unique because about 75 percent of the development cost is determined by the location and site conditions Only about 25 percent of the cost is relatively fixed which is the cost of the electro mechanical equipment 5 1 Initial Costs At this stage you should have a good idea of the basic configuration of the kind of system you require The best sources of information are manufacturers and suppliers It is possible to obtain a complete system price for your proposed Turbine generator Controller Batteries Inverter Transmission line Powerhouse Miscellaneous Total cost of equipment Installations Estim
44. d loss of 5 to 10 percent or less of the gross head and keep the length as short as possible Several options for sizes and types of materials may need to be cal culated and evaluated in order to find a suitable penstock pipe A smaller penstock may save on capital costs but the extra head loss may account for lost energy and revenue from generated elec tricity if you are selling the power In smaller systems the allowable head loss can be as much as 33 percent This is particularly relevant to devel opers who combine domestic water supply and penstock in the same pipe Several factors should be considered when deciding which material to use for a particular penstock design pressure the roughness of the pipe s interior surface method of joining weight and ease of installation accessibility to the site design life and maintenance weather conditions availability relative cost and likelihood of structural damage The pressure rating of the penstock is critical because the pipe wall must be thick enough to withstand the maximum water pressure otherwise there will be a risk of bursting The pressure of the water in the penstock depends on the head the higher the head the higher the pressure Pressure ratings are normally given in bar units or PSI 10 2 m of head will exert a pressure of 1 bar or 14 5 PSI The penstock becomes more expensive as the pressure rating increases ma fg DR aA Figure 14 High density
45. d power systems The advantage of battery based systems is that they require far less water flow than AC direct systems they are usually less expensive and they use the maximum energy This section briefly describes the types of systems available from your system that are available For remote sites there are generally two types of micro hydropower systems battery based and AC direct For grid connection only AC direct systems are appropriate but there Turbine are other issues that should be considered More and Battery Bank Inverter information can be obtained from manufacturers Generator and suppliers Controller 4 1 Battery Based Systems If the micro hydropower system is not able to generate sufficient power to meet the peak load requirement batteries are used to store electricity for use at night and or for meeting loads during the The type of micro hydropower system you choose will depend on the capacity you need the anticipated power demand and the profile of your site A major consideration is whether the site is a remote stand alone or grid connected system Figure 24 Balance of system for a battery based system day If your power requirement is for lighting and to Several specialized companies offer their own run some efficient appliances battery based systems designs at competitive rates Shop around until may be suitable These systems use deep cycle you find a system that suits your needs and budget
46. demand if the river or stream has sufficient flow over the drier months of the year There will be downtime to maintain the system By using basic energy conservation practices such as using energy efficient appliances you will consume much less energy This can easily cut your use of electricity in half to 400 kWh per month 5000 kWh per year Studies on energy use patterns in off grid houses have found that the average energy reduction is about 44 percent com pared with houses that are supplied by the grid and this is achieved through energy conservation Many household appliances use a small amount of power when in standby mode e g televisions cordless phones computer monitors These loads commonly known as phantom loads or standby power can easily add up to 100 W of continuous power It is best to unplug these devices as often as possible when not in use to help reduce total electrical energy demand The use of energy efficient appliances and the elimination of phantom loads are much more critical with small battery based micro hydropower systems Load Management Peak electricity demand can be reduced by applying energy efficiency and load management techniques and by choosing energy sources other than electric ity for energy intensive activities such as heating and cooking Studies of energy consumption in residential homes have shown that on average about 50 percent of home energy use is for space heating
47. design flow All turbines tend to run most efficiently at a particular combination of speed head and flow In order to suit a variety of head and flow conditions turbines are broadly divided into four groups high medium low and ultra low head and into two categories impulse and reaction Pelton and Turgo turbines are the most commonly used impulse type turbines in micro hydropower systems in Canada These turbines are simple to manufacture are relatively cheap and have good efficiency and reliability To adjust for variations in stream flow water flow to these turbines is easily controlled by changing nozzle sizes or by using adjustable nozzles Pelton turbines are used for sites that have low flows and high heads Most small reaction turbines are not easy to adjust to accommodate for variable water flow and those that are adjustable are expensive because of these units variable guide vanes and blades An advantage of reaction turbines is that they can use a site s full available head This is possible because the draft tube used with the turbine recovers some of the pressure head after the water exits the turbine Some of this type of turbine are now being manu factured that can generate power at head as low as 1 m 3 ft High Head Medium Head Low Head Ultra Low Head Turbine Runner more than 20 to 100 m 5to20m less than 5 m 100 m 325 ft 60 to 325 ft 16 to 60 ft 16 ft ao Pelton a om Cross fl
48. ding to the flow that is available year round this is usually the flow during the dry season It is possible that some streams could dry up completely at that time Remember that for any water source be it a river stream or creek there will be a difference in flow between winter and summer and this will affect the power output produced by a micro hydropower system Flow in the stream changes continually sometimes daily if precipitation has occurred however some generalizations can be made In southern Ontario rivers and streams are at their highest levels in early spring and are at their lowest levels in late summer In northern Ontario and Quebec smaller rivers and streams are usually at their lowest levels in mid winter and at their 35 00 30 00 N 25 00 20 00 15 00 Flow m s 10 00 10 20 40 50 60 70 80 Percent Time Flow Equalled or Exceeded Figure 6b Flow duration curve for river with more steady flow MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS highest in spring British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador generally have low flows in late winter and high flows in the spring except for the south coast of British Columbia which has low flows in summer and high flows in winter These variations must be considered in the estimated total energy generation expected from a site Ideally minimum flow over the year should be taken to calculate the design flow to ens
49. e a lodge owner it may be very attractive to use electrical power to meet as many of your energy needs as possible and reduce your dependency on fossil fuel based generators For a typical residential home in a town or city the total energy requirement is approximately 10 000 kWh per year For an off grid home it could be much lower because people who live off grid tend to conserve energy In theory you could supply all your electrical energy needs for lighting and appliances with a battery based system of less than 1 kW which will generate 8760 kWh of energy per year assuming a 100 percent capacity factor If the water heating load were also included the energy requirement would easily exceed 13 000 kWh per year A 2 kW system may meet your needs provided that the peak load will not be more than 2 kW Assuming a capacity factor of 70 percent this will produce approximately 12 260 kWh of energy per year If you do not wish to include battery storage you may need a system in the range of 3 to 5 kW There are systems that generate 200 to 400 W which when coupled with good inverters are found to be satisfactory for many off grid residents However you still need to have a good load management system to ensure that peak demand is kept below the maximum generation capacity of the system see Case Study 1 in Section 4 1 For a small community and for lodges depending on the number of cabins and energy needs you may plan for
50. e provincial territorial power grid Annual water rental fees for hydro projects depend on the category of the power use residential commercial or general the capacity of the system and the actual annual energy output of the system Another permit will be required from your local electrical safety authority in order to install the generator control panels and all other electrical equipment and these must comply with the Canadian Electrical Code All electrical equipment must be approved and certified by CSA International The lead time for the construction of a micro hydro project from the time of the original enquiry is about one to two years Approval for small systems especially using existing pipes can be much faster You may decide to follow up on everything yourself but depending on the situation it might be helpful to hire a professional consultant to speed up the process The approval process is important it is a search for an acceptable approach that gives the optimum use of a stretch of river or stream We all want to protect the environment and to make the best use of our natural resources For more information contact your nearest provincial or territorial regional offices of the appropriate ministry that deals with land and water related to water power projects You can also visit their Web sites 3 0 Basic Components of a Micro Hydropower System Basic components of a typical micro hydro system are as fol
51. ects the channel and the penstock The tank allows fine silt particles to settle before the water enters the penstock A fine trash rack is used to cover the intake of the penstock to prevent debris and ice from entering and damaging the turbine and valves N a 1 ATA Gh Dr ss Figure 13 Wooden screen for a 24 kW micro hydropower system photo courtesy of Thompson and Howe Energy Systems Inc Penstock Pipe The penstock pipe transports water under pressure from the forebay tank to the turbine where the potential energy of the water is converted into kinetic energy in order to rotate the turbine The penstock is often the most expensive item in the project budget as much as 40 percent is not uncommon in high head installations It is therefore worthwhile to optimize its design in order to minimize its cost The choice of size and type of penstock depends on several factors that are explained briefly in this section Basically the trade off is between head loss and capital cost Head loss due to friction in the penstock pipe depends principally on the velocity of the water the roughness of the pipe wall and the length and diameter of the pipe The losses decrease substan tially with increased pipe diameter Conversely pipe costs increase steeply with diameter Therefore a compromise between cost and performance is required The design philosophy is to first identify available pipe options select a target hea
52. ed To ensure that safety protection devices are set correctly the tests may need to be repeated several times Figure 30 Equipment inside a powerhouse photo courtesy of Thomson and Howe Energy Systems Inc The commissioning procedure becomes much more complex as the system becomes larger in capacity For larger systems commissioning should be done in cooperation with the micro hydropower system expert A BuyYer s GUIDE 7 3 Operation and Maintenance Operation and maintenance of micro hydropower systems generally takes little time It may be necessary in extreme cases to check the system daily to make sure that the intake is not becoming clogged and that the system is in good working order Weekly or monthly inspection is much more common Depending on the design of the system you may also need to adjust the intake valve nozzle or guide vane occasionally to match the water flow into the turbine with the amount of power you are using or to conserve the amount of water you have in the stream especially in the dry season More extensive maintenance such as greasing the machinery and bearings tightening of belts and checking the water level in the batteries for battery based systems should be done every month It may also be necessary to clean out silt weeds and so forth in the civil works and to repair any leaks or deterioration This is usually done about once a year or as often as needed The manufacturer normally
53. educe labour costs substantially and provide invaluable experience in every aspect of the con struction After all when construction is complete and the system is in operation you will be left to maintain and operate it F n a j J Fa f a E s i Figure 29 Burying a 20 cm 8 in Penstock pipe photo courtesy of Thomson and Howe Energy Systems Inc If you decide to build a system yourself smaller battery based systems are manageable with some guidance from the manufacturer For larger systems however consult the experts 7 2 Commissioning and Testing The important final stage in installing a micro hydropower system involves performance tests The purpose is to check the performance of each component to ensure that it functions as it should and to measure overall performance to verify that it functions according to the design specification and parameters The commissioning process will check 36 M for example not only the amount of water flowing from the intake but also the overload protection of the generator The tests include the total electrical power generation at design flow penstock pressure tests penstock losses the turbine at rated and over speed voltage and frequency protection trips response time of the electronic load controller to load changes and automatic safety features under abnormal conditions such as short circuit and emergency shutdowns All components must be fully test
54. ems Many manufacturers have useful Web sites and other information is available through the Internet Finding a local supplier or manufacturer is ideal because it makes it easier to transport the equip ment access spare parts and get advice Remember to determine the price warranty and conditions before committing to a purchase In other words shop around 6 3 Safety and Protection Many potential hazards can cause serious injury or be deadly when you are installing and operating a micro hydropower system e g falling off the intake being struck by the rotating shaft or electro cution Follow the manufacturer s safety instruc tions and precautions to the letter when handling any equipment It is all too easy to think that safety is someone else s responsibility It s not it s yours Whatever regulations and systems are in place it ultimately comes down to you to follow them Electrical Protection All micro hydropower systems that generate electricity will have some form of switchgear The purpose of the switchgear is to isolate the generating unit when necessary have control over the electrical power flow and protect the system Some common switchgears are isolators switches fuses and circuit breakers Switchgears are designed to protect against overloading and short circuiting They are crucial for the safety of persons and property and should never be neglected even for low voltage systems The generating sy
55. ent this particular system has resisted months of sub zero temperatures and has worked well year round over the last few years With a net pressure of about 15 pounds per Eo ME square inch PSI this system has about 10 5 m Figure 25 4 200 W micro hydropower system 35 ft of head a permanent magnet generator in action photo courtesy of Scott Davis Yalakom unit generates about 200 W at 24 V of continuous Appropriate Technology British Columbia MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS This system provides the owner with a level of power consumption that is close to the European average of 200 to 300 kWh per month as opposed to the Canadian average of 850 to 1000 kWh per month It brings generous amounts of energy for By using other technologies such as wood burning for space heating and propane for cooking this system provides a high level of clean renewable energy without extensive civil works Required maintenance has been limited to cleaning the efficient lighting electronics such a VCR and stereo numerous shop tools and an electric refrigerator and freezer to this remote area for the first time intake This system could be replaced today for about 7 500 Table 7 Integrated Micro Hydropower Systems Power Output ie m in o lps Voltage System Minimum Minimum W Maximum Maximum V maximum 2 5 Type of Turbine and Generator Propeller permanent magnet AC generator Propeller Turgo Medi
56. er system is complex Many factors need to be considered including the techni cal design approvals and economics You will need to consult an energy expert to design and optimize a system for your site The sizing of the turbines and penstock and selecting the type of generator is technical and beyond the scope of this guide but experienced energy experts will be able to evaluate your power requirements and the features of your site and provide the most appropriate solution to meet your energy requirements Smaller systems in the range of 5 KW or less may not take as much design time as larger systems Smaller systems are available as integrated units and the manufacturer and supplier can provide information to select an optimum sized penstock pipe turbine and generator With this information in hand you may be able to construct the civil works yourself However it is best to seek help if you are uncertain about any aspect of a micro hydropower system or project For larger systems designing and sizing each component is required for optimum operation and performance Optimum design and sizing of civil works the penstock the turbine the generator the transmission distribution network and load management is not only important for reliability it is just as important in economic terms because the total cost of the system is directly affected For systems that are larger than 5 kW seek the services of an experienced energy expert
57. erators are generally appropriate for smaller systems They have the advantage of being rugged and cheaper than synchronous generators The induction generator is a standard three phase induction motor wired to operate as a generator Capacitors are used for excitation and are popular for smaller systems that generate less than 10 to 15 kW All generators must be driven at a constant speed to generate steady power at the frequency of 60 Hz The number of poles in the generator determines the speed commonly stated in revolutions per minute rpm The more pairs of poles the slower the speed The 2 pole generator with a speed of 3600 rpm is too high for practical use with a micro hydropower system The 1800 rpm 4 pole generator is the most commonly used The cost of the gener ator is more or less inversely proportional to the speed the lower the speed the larger the frame size needs to be for equivalent power output For this reason generators that operate at less than 1200 rpm become costly and bulky In order to match the speed of the generator to the low speed of the turbine a speed increaser such as belt and or gearbox might be needed e E A Buyer s GUIDE There are other factors to consider when selecting a generator for your system such as capacity of the system types of loads availability of spare parts voltage regulation and cost If high portions of the loads are likely to be inductive loads such as motor a
58. ere can be several reasons for wanting to build a micro hydropower system You may simply wish to generate electricity to fulfil your basic needs for lighting electronic devices computers small appliances tools washing machines dryers 4 A Buyer s GUIDE refrigerators freezers hot water space heating 1 2 How to Identify a Potential Site or cooking Over the long term it may be more economical for you to invest in your own system rather than pay your local electricity utility for the energy you need especially if you face a significant connection charge Other reasons may be that you are interested in helping to protect the environment by avoiding the use of fossil fuels or that you wish to be independent of the power grid The best geographical areas for micro hydropower systems are those where there are steep rivers streams creeks or springs flowing year round such as in hilly areas with high year round rainfall There is micro hydropower potential in almost all of Canada s provinces and territories although most potential is in British Columbia Newfoundland and Labrador Ontario and Quebec This guide has been prepared specifically for people who are considering off grid power generation Applying micro hydropower technology in remote locations where electricity is provided by diesel generators offers an opportunity to replace a conventional fuel with a renewable energy source If you have a stream fl
59. ere is presently no electrical service e They may want to generate their own power instead of buying power from an electrical utility or they may wish to sell the power to the local utility In the case where there is no electrical service you will need to compare the cost of extending the existing electrical grid to your home or area with the cost of generating power locally If there are only one or two homes that are quite a distance from the grid it may be worthwhile to consider local generation The cost of connecting to the grid depends on the distance involved an electrical utility could charge between 10 000 and 50 000 or more per kilometre of transmission line required to extend the lines to connect to your home It pays to get a quote from your local utility before deciding The potentially high cost of connecting to the grid is one of the reasons that most stand alone power supply systems are installed in rural areas There will also be ongoing electricity charges if you connect to the grid If you wish to be independent of the power grid check the price that you will have to pay for elec trical power and the approximate cost of developing a micro hydropower system Compare the rate of return on your investment with investing in other kinds of generating systems or consider investing elsewhere hydropower system S If there is no electrical service in your area the prin cipal alternative to developi
60. ergy Guide 2nd edition Regina 1999 Williams Arthur Pumps as Turbines A User s Guide London U K Intermediate Technology Publications 1995 Manuals BC Hydro Handbook for Developing Micro Hydro in British Columbia Draft 2002 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Energy Use Patterns in Off Grid Houses Research Highlights Technical Series 01 103 Energy Mines and Resources Canada Efficiency and Alternative Energy Technology Branch Canadian Small Hydropower Handbook British Columbia Region Ottawa 1989 Mathews Robert Micro hydro course Appropriate Energy Systems British Columbia 2000 National Centre for Appropriate Technology Micro Hydro Power Reviewing an Old Concept Butte Montana 1979 Natural Resources Canada CANMET Energy Technology Centre CETC RETScreen International Background Small Hydro Project Varennes Natural Resources Canada Renewable and Electrical Energy Division Energy Resources Branch Stand Alone Wind Energy Systems A Buyer s Guide Ottawa 2000 Technical Papers Cunningham Paul and Atkinson Barbara Micro Hydro Power in the Nineties Homepower No 44 December 1994 January 1995 pp 24 29 Intermediate Technology Development Group ITDG Micro Hydro Power technical brief U S Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory Small Hydropower Systems DOE GO 102001 1173 FS217 July 2001 U S Department of Energy Of
61. fice of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Consumer Energy Information EREC Reference Briefs Is a Micro Hydroelectric System Feasible for You November 2002 Weaver Christopher S Understanding Micro Hydroelectric Generation Technical Paper No 18 Volunteers in Technical Assistance VITA 1985 Weaver Christopher S Understanding Mini Hydroelectric Generation Technical Paper No 19 Volunteers in Technical Assistance VITA 1985 DO M A BuYER S GUIDE Useful Web Sites Companies Asia Phoenix Resources Ltd Organi zations www powerpal com Canadian Hydro Components Ltd BC Hydro www canadianhydro com www bchydro com environment greenpower greenpower1751 html Canyon Industries Inc ae www canyonindustriesinc com British Hydropower Association www british hydro org Dependable Turbines Ltd www dtlhydro com David Suzuki Foundation www davidsuzuki org Dulas Engineering Ltd www dulas org uk EnerGuide Office of Energy Efficiency Mini Grid Systems Econnect Ltd Natural Resources Canada www mini grid com oee nrcan gc ca energuide home cfm Energy Alternatives Friends of Renewable Energy BC www energyalternatives ca www forebc com Energy Systems amp Design Green Empowerment Www microhydropower com www greenempowerment org resources htm Evans Engineering Ltd Intermediate Technology Development www microhydro com Group ITDG Harris Hydroelectric www itdg org www harrishyd
62. g water to electrical power is less than 100 percent efficient To calculate the most realistic power output from your site you must take into account the friction losses in the penstock pipes and the efficiency of the turbine and generator When determining the head you will need to consider gross head and net head Gross head is the vertical distance between the top of the penstock that conveys the water under pressure and the point where the water discharges from the turbine Net head is the available head after subtracting the head loss due to friction in the penstock from the total gross head net head gross head losses in the penstock Small water turbines rarely have efficiencies better than 80 percent Potential power will also be lost in the penstock pipe that carries the water to the turbine because of frictional losses Through careful design however this loss can be reduced to a small percentage normally the losses can be kept to 5 to 10 percent Typically overall efficiencies for electrical generation systems can vary from 50 to a O 7 MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS 70 percent with higher overall efficiencies occur ring in high head systems Generally overall effi ciencies are also lower for smaller systems As a rule the water to wire efficiency factor for small systems for example up to 10 kW could be taken as approximately 50 percent for larger systems larger than 10 kW the efficien
63. hompson and Howe Energy Systems Inc Water Wheels Water wheels are the traditional means of conver ting useful energy from flowing and falling water into mechanical power Although not as efficient as turbines they are still a viable option for pro ducing electricity for domestic purposes They are simple to control lend themselves to do it yourself projects and are aesthetically pleasing There are three basic types of water wheels undershot breastshot and overshot Variations are Poncelet and pitchback types The major disadvantage is that they run relatively slowly and require a high ratio gearbox or other means of increasing the speed if they are to drive a generator However for low power for example less than 5 kW and heads less than 3 m 10 ft they are worth considering In most parts of Canada however water wheels are generally not recommended for winter operation because it is almost impossible to prevent freezing and ice buildup which could damage the wheel MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Turbine Efficiency Typical efficiency ranges of turbines and water wheels are given in Table 5 For more precise figures contact turbine manufacturers Turbines are chosen or are sometimes tailor made according to site conditions Selecting the right turbine is one of the most important parts of designing a micro hydropower system and the skills of an engineer are needed in order to choose the most effective tur
64. ime to use this method is at midday when there is the least atmospheric variation Conventional altimeters are difficult to use new digital ones are easier The principle of the altimeter is that it measures atmospheric pressure as indicated by a change in head of mercury of 9 mm for every 100 m change in elevation 40 a Measuring Water Flow Flow Data Flow rate is the quantity of water available in a stream or river and may vary widely over the course of a day week month and year In order to adequately assess the minimum continuous power output to be expected from the micro hydropower system the minimum quantity of water available must be determined The purpose of a hydrology study is to predict the variation in the flow during the year It is important to know the mean stream flow and the extreme high and low flow rates Environmental and climatic factors and human activities in the watershed determine the amount and characteristics of stream flow on a day to day and seasonal basis Generally unless you are considering a storage reservoir you should use the lowest mean annual flow as the basis for the system design There may be legal restrictions on the amount of water you can divert from a stream at certain times of the year in such a case you will have to use this amount of available flow as the basis of the design The percentage of the maximum flow that may be diverted for power generation is defined during
65. ings A submerged intake with a stainless steel screen has proven satisfactory for several years The system has run well since it was commissioned in 1998 Replacing this system today would cost about 25 000 in addition to labour costs The system which is governed by a Canadian designed electronic load controller provides generous amounts of electricity for lights and appliances and it operates a well pump that the diesel unit could not It provides year round electric heated hot water for two households and significant space heating in the winter Propane is used for cooking The system uses a direct coupled Pelton turbine that drives a 12 kW alternator It features a flywheel for improved surge capacity and has an adjustable needle nozzle to provide efficient operation at a wide range of flows It usually produces about 10 kW from a flow rate of 22 lps 350 gpm It can use much less water and still provide good service for the two households that are now using the power TTT 29 MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS 4 3 Grid Connected Systems There is no reason you cannot install a system near or where you already have a grid supply and obtain electrical power from both your micro hydropower system and the grid You may even be able to offset your electric bill by supplying the surplus power to the grid at the same time through net metering also known as net billing If you want to sell your power to the utility or to your
66. ion in the main load by automatically varying the amount of power dissipated in a resistive load generally known as the ballast or dump load in order to keep the total load on the generator and turbine constant Water heaters are generally used as ballast loads An ELC constantly senses and regulates the generated frequency The frequency is directly proportional to the speed of the turbine Voltage control is not required for synchronous generators because they have a built in automatic voltage regulator Without an ELC the frequency will vary as the load changes and under no load conditions will be much higher than rated frequency ELCs react so fast to load changes that speed changes are not even noticeable unless a very large load is applied The major benefit of ELCs is that they have no moving parts are reliable and are virtually maintenance free The advent of ELCs has allowed the introduction of simple and efficient multi jet turbines for micro hydropower systems that are no longer burdened by expensive hydraulic governors ELCs can also be used as a load management system by assigning a predetermined prioritized secondary load such as water heating space heating or other loads In this way you can use the available power rather than dumping it into the ballast load It can be used to connect loads by priority sequence and can thus control loads that total four to five times the actual output of the micro hydropower system
67. ken evenly throughout a stream cross section an average velocity can be determined Current meters use a formula that relates rotational speed of the propeller to the speed of the water current the formula is supplied with the meter MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Appendix B Sample Data Sheet Project name A Stream Characteristics Site location Available flow rate Design flow rate Head gross static Length of penstock Diameter of penstock Existing intake Yes B Electrical Characteristics 8 Voltage required V AC DC 9 Frequency Hz 10 Phases 11 Expected output power kW 12 Length of transmission line m 13 Control method desired Automatic List electrical needs C Contact Information Name Address City Province territory Postal code Telephone Fax E mail Gd Appendix C Typical Household Appliance Loads A BuyYer s GUIDE Appliances Power Rating Average Hours Energy Used W per Month kWh per Month Kitchen Blender 350 3 1 Coffee maker 900 12 11 Deep fryer 1500 8 12 Dishwasher 1300 20 26 Exhaust fan 250 30 8 Electric kettle 1500 10 15 Food freezer 15 cu ft 350 240 84 Hot plate one burner 1250 14 18 Microwave oven 0 5 cu ft 900 10 9 Microwave oven 0 8 to 1 5 cu ft 1500 10 15 Mixer 175 6 1 Range 4000 25 100 Range and oven 3500 25 90 Refrigerator freezer Frost free 17 cu ft 500 300 150 Non frost free
68. l process to install the micro hydropower system CEs 15 MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS e What financial incentives are available that encourage renewable energy and how can you apply for them e How much will it cost to develop the micro hydropower system Finding answers to as many questions as possible will enable you to identify any major problems before you invest a lot of time and money in the project During the feasibility study all relevant tech nical and non technical information needs to be collected This includes the location of the intake forebay tank and powerhouse the length of the diversion canal pipeline the penstock and the transmission distribution network The feasibility report should contain detailed technical informa tion Design of the system includes civil works the penstock generating equipment and an estimate for the total cost of the system It is helpful to keep in mind that the cost per kilowatt increases for low head systems low flow systems and for systems where a great deal of civil works components need to be constructed 2 6 Sizing the System The most important question in planning a micro hydropower system is how much energy can be expected from the site and whether or not the site will produce enough power to meet your energy needs For a stand alone micro hydropower system it must be large enough to meet peak power consumption if you are to be energy independent In orde
69. lows e civil works components headwork intake gravel trap with spillway headrace canal forebay and desilting basin penstock pipe powerhouse and tailrace e powerhouse components turbines generators drive systems and controllers e transmission distribution network 3 1 Civil Works Components Civil works structures control the water that runs through a micro hydropower system and convey ances are a large part of the project work It is important that civil structures are located in suitable sites and designed for optimum perfor mance and stability Other factors should be considered in order to reduce cost and ensure a reliable system including the use of appropriate technology the best use of local materials and local labour selection of cost effective and environmen tally friendly structures landslide area treatment and drainage area treatment E O H pa E e A 2 g Es hae me aa 2 Figure 11 An intake weir for a 7 kW system photo courtesy of Thompson and Howe Energy Systems Inc A BuvER S GUIDE Headworks Headworks consist of the weir see Figure 11 the water intake and protection works at the intake to safely divert water to the headrace canal At some sites you may be able to install the penstock directly in the intake with no need for a canal Figure 12 Intake for a 2 XKW micro hydropower system photo courtesy of Homestead Hydro Systems Intake The i
70. m Environment Institute 1991 Poor k xx xx xx xx Excellent HDPE High density polyethylene uPVC Unplastified polyvinyl chroride o M 1 MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Powerhouse and Tailrace The powerhouse see Figure 16 is a building that houses the turbine generator and controller units Although the powerhouse can be a simple structure its foundation must be solid The tailrace is a channel that allows the water to flow back to the stream after it has passed through the turbine Figure 16 Powerhouse for an 8 kW system photo courtesy of Thompson and Howe Energy Systems Inc 3 2 Powerhouse Components Turbines A turbine unit consists of a runner connected to a shaft that converts the potential energy in falling water into mechanical or shaft power The turbine is connected either directly to the generator or is Table 4 Groups of Water Turbines connected by means of gears or belts and pulleys depending on the speed required for the generator see Section 3 3 for information on drive systems The choice of turbine depends mainly on the head and the design flow for the proposed micro hydropower installation The selection also depends on the desired running speed of the generator Other considerations such as whether the turbine is expected to produce power under part flow conditions also play an important role in choosing a turbine Part flow is where the water flow is less than the
71. may and maintenance These costs include labour have options such as solar wind or diesel powered and materials for clearing the intake trash rack generators or even extending the local grid If you equipment servicing spare parts and general and do have such options there are various ways to transmission line maintenance Others costs include accurately compare the cost of generating energy land leases property taxes water rental and general from alternative sources administration A contingency allowance should be included to account for unforeseen annual expenses For a battery based system you should include the cost of replacing the batteries every 5 to 10 years depending on the quality and cycling patterns anticipated One indicator of the cost of your system is that of dollars per installed kilowatt To calculate this divide the total initial cost by the system s capacity in kilowatts A drawback of this approach is that it does not include operating costs and so does not realistically compare a micro hydro system with alternatives such as wind or diesel generation A more accurate comparative indicator is the energy output cost in dollars per kilowatt hour The unit cost of energy is calculated based on energy gener ated by the system over its lifetime The fuel for micro hydropower generation is almost free and therefore the system becomes more effective if it runs most of the time because development costs are
72. nd fluorescent lights a synchronous generator will be better than an induction generator Induction generators in stand alone application mode cannot supply the high surge power required by motor loads during start up Selecting and sizing the generator is very technical and an energy expert should make the selection during the feasibility study 3 3 Drive Systems In order to generate electrical power at a stable voltage and frequency the drive system needs to transmit power from the turbine to the generator shaft in the required direction and at the required visite Figure 19 A directly coupled Pelton turbine with synchronous generator 8 kKW system Electrical power can be generated in either AC or speed Typical drive systems in micro hydropower direct current DC AC has the advantage of allow systems are as follows ing the use of common household appliances and e Direct drive A direct drive system is one in tools and is much more economical for transmitting which the turbine shaft is connected directly power to homes DC current can be used in two to the generator shaft Direct drive systems are ways either directly as DC or converted to AC used only for cases where the shaft speed of the through the use of an inverter The main advantage generator shaft and the speed of the turbine are of DC is ease of battery storage For DC systems compatible The advantages of this type of system which are described in more detail
73. neighbours there are a few regulations and approvals that must be met Net Metering Net metering allows a small power producer such as a residence or farm with a micro hydropower wind turbine or photovoltaic system to connect to the power grid to offset the purchase of electrical energy from the utility with the surplus energy generated by the on site generating facility Net metering does away with the need to install costly backup generators or batteries to supplement a small renewable system A single meter measures the electricity purchased from the utility and turns backward when the small power producer feeds electricity into the grid The net meter measurement determines the amount of electricity charged to the user Net metering programs are in various stages of development in British Columbia Alberta Manitoba and Ontario Each utility has its own policy for grid connections For further information contact the customer relations office of your local utility Hybrid System A hybrid system is where two or more generation sources such as a micro hydropower wind or photovoltaic system or small petrol diesel generator are combined to provide electrical power Such a system offers several advantages over a single type of generation and can be set up depending on your power requirement Because the peak operation times for wind and solar power occur at different times of the day and year a hybrid system is more cap
74. ng a micro hydropower system is usually to build some other kind of gener ating system Your choice of technology will depend on many factors including the long term cost of generating electricity using each technology and appropriate consideration of their respective social and environmental costs and benefits If planned and designed properly a micro hydropower system has many advantages over most conven tional means of electricity generation Some of the most important advantages are as follows e The energy to run hydropower systems is almost free once they are built even though they usually cost more to build than systems that generate electricity using fossil fuel or natural gas e Hydropower systems are inflation proof because the cost of using the water in the river and stream is not likely to increase and the cost of fuel for other systems could increase over the years e Hydropower systems last 20 to 30 years longer than most other kinds of generating systems e Smaller projects such as micro hydro systems can be built relatively quickly e As a renewable resource a micro hydropower system does not depend on oil coal or other fossil fuel in order to operate It promotes self sufficiency because its development occurs on a much smaller scale and most adverse environmental and social effects of large energy development projects are eliminated e There is no need for long transmission lines because output is co
75. ngineering Ltd A BuyYeR sS GUIDE A bucket of heavily salted water is poured into the stream The cloud of salty water in the stream starts to spread out while travelling downstream At a certain point it will fill the width of the stream The cloud will have a leading part which is weak in salt a middle part which is strong in salt and a lagging part which is weak The salinity of the water is measured with an electrical conductivity meter A low flow stream will not dilute the salt very much so the electrical conductivity of the cloud will be high Therefore low flows are indi cated by high conductivity and vice versa The flow rate is therefore inversely proportional to the degree of conductivity of the cloud The slower the flow the longer the cloud takes to pass the probe of the meter Therefore flow is also inversely proportional to the time it takes for the cloud to travel It is recommended to use about 100 g of salt for every 100 lps of flow As with all methods the measurements should be made at least twice to confirm the accuracy of the measurement Current Meter Method A current meter is essentially a shaft with a propeller or wheel of revolving cups at one end When submersed the propeller rotates at the speed of the water current A mechanical counter records the number of revolutions of the propeller when placed at a desired depth indicated by a marker on the propeller handle By averaging readings ta
76. nsumed near the source e Under favourable circumstances micro hydropower is one of the most cost effective forms of renewable energy There are other important factors you should address when deciding if a micro hydropower system would work at a specific site e the potential for hydropower at the site e your requirements for energy and power e environmental impact and approvals e equipment options e costs and economics Keep in mind that each micro hydropower system s cost approvals layout and other factors are site specific and unique in each case 2 0 How to Plan for a System If you are thinking seriously about installing a micro hydropower system you will want to plan a system that is sure to meet your energy and power needs There are also various planning stages that you will need to consider Once these initial steps are completed you can begin preliminary system design Many factors contribute to a successful micro hydropower system 2 1 How to Measure Potential Power and Energy The first step is to determine the hydro potential of water flowing from the river or stream You will need to know the flow rate of the water and the head through which the water can fall as defined in the following e The flow rate is the quantity of water flowing past a point at a given time Typical units used for flow rate are cubic metres per second m s litres per second Ips gallons per minute gpm and cubic feet
77. nt turbines convert the kinetic energy of moving water and can be used in rivers and streams that have a high volume of water and that are slow moving These turbines are different from conventional hydropower turbines that harness the potential energy available in a head difference of the water flow Table 6 Battery Based Micro Hydropower Systems Head m Flow lps Vol Type of t System dd dida Minimum Minimum oe Turbine and W Maximum Maximum Generator Ultra low head Low and medium head 50 1600 High head 100 1500 Cale ae ae ae PEAS F eee ae Pro re submersible Water current 100 Water flow 0 25 m s 2 24 o ae ubmersible Direct current voltage Case Study 1 power from 6 lps 100 gpm of water flow The 200 Watt Micro Hydropower System power is transmitted about 60 m 200 ft to in Lillooet British Columbia a 900 amp hour deep cycle battery bank and 2 5 kW rated inverter Installation took about Information provided by Scott Davis Yalakom Appropriate Technology British Columbia four days Micro hydropower systems do not need to be elaborate in order to give good service In 1997 the owner of a homestead west of Lillooet British Columbia brought electrical power to his household with a simple system A couple of hundred yards 180 m of 2 inch S cm polyethelene pipe was unreeled in the mountain stream that flowed near the house Although not all streams may be suitable for this kind of arrangem
78. ntake see Figure 12 conveys the required flow of water from the source stream and diverts it into the headrace of the micro hydropower system It is designed and located precisely to ensure that the full design flow rate goes to the turbine Because many micro hydropower systems are run of river systems a low head dam or weir could be used to hold back the water in order to provide a steadier flow of water depending on the site Gravel Trap With Spillway The gravel trap and screen are constructed close to the intake in order to prevent debris gravel and sand from getting into the penstock Gravel traps often have a mechanism to divert excess water back to the river and to flush sediments back to the river downstream of the intake The spillway is designed to handle floodwater and protects the intake during heavy floods MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Headrace Canal The headrace canal carries the design flow from the intake to the forebay Generally the canal runs parallel to the river at an ever increasing difference in elevation which gives the micro hydropower system its head The canal cross section and align ment should be designed for optimum performance and economy in order to reduce losses due to leak age You could use an open channel or pipeline to transport the water into the forebay Forebay and Desilting Basin The desilting basin is designed to settle suspended silt and flush the basin The forebay tank conn
79. o another or to electrically isolate the individual circuits Turbine A device that converts kinetic energy of flowing water to mechanical energy Often used to drive generators or pumps Voltage V Measure of electrical potential the electrical pressure that forces an electrical current to flow through a closed circuit Watt W The scientific unit of electrical power a rate of doing work at the rate of one joule per second Commonly used to define the rate of electricity consumption of an electric appliance A BuYER S GUIDE Abbreviations Ah ampere hour AC alternating current CEL compact fluorescent lamp cfm cubic feet per minute D direct current DILC distributed intelligent load controller e efficiency EC Environment Canada EC electronic load controller FDC flow duration curve ft foot feet gpm gallons per minute H gross head h net head Hz hertz IGC induction generator controller in inch kW kilowatt kWh kilowatt hour Ips litres per second m metre MAD mean annual discharge P power PSL pounds per square inch Q flow rate rpm revolutions per minute V voltage W watt MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Bibliography Books Davis Scott Microhydro Clean Power from Water draft British Columbia New Society Publishers 2003 DCS Technology Development and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development ICIM
80. order to use energy more efficiently Remember saving energy is always cheaper than producing more power Typical Power Demand for a Day Average Power Demand for a Day Typical Power Demand with Load Management 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 15 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Time of Day Figure 8 Load variation and effect of load management Adapted from Micro Hydro Power Energy from Ontario Streams 2 4 Managing Energy Demand How much electricity is enough For an average house that draws electricity from the grid typical energy consumption is about 800 kWh per month approximately 10 000 kWh per year This does not include electricity used for space heating and cooling and for cooking If this were included electricity usage would be much higher Electrical load varies throughout the day see Figure 8 If you look at a typical residential pattern of peak load of electricity use in a home supplied by a local grid you will see that it occurs primarily between 4 00 p m and 8 00 p m while the least demand period is between midnight and 6 00 a m There is a large variation in power demand during these periods Average power consumption demand is the number of kilowatt hours used over a given period an average power demand for a day can be calcu lated by dividing the total energy consumption by the total number of hours in a day i e 24 Micro hydropower systems can generally meet electrical
81. ow o mputse Sac yee Multi iet Turdo Water wheel Turgo Mulet Pelton Multi jet Turgo i Francis Propeller Propeller Beacon Pump as turbine Kaplan Kaplan Figure 17 A 20 cm 8 in pitch diameter Pelton turbine runner photo courtesy of Thompson and Howe Energy Systems Inc Pump as Turbine For a number of years there has been wide interest in reverse engineered conventional pumps that can be used as hydraulic turbines The action of a centrifugal pump operates like a water turbine when it is run in reverse Because the pumps are mass produced they are more readily available and less expensive than turbines It is estimated that the cost of a pump as turbine PAT is at least 50 percent less or even lower than that of a comparable turbine However for adequate performance a micro hydropower site must have a fairly constant head and flow because PATs have very poor partial flow efficiency It is possible to obtain full efficiency from PATs by installing multiple units where they can be turned on or off depending on the availability of water in the stream PATs are most efficient in the range of 13 to 75 m 40 to 250 ft of gross head The higher the head the less expensive the cost per kilowatt this is generally the case with all turbines A Buyer s GUIDE UR E pi or 7 ed E a P ua Figure 18 Pump as turbine with 12 kW output using twin 10 cm 4 in penstock photo courtesy of T
82. ower generating system Common units used are kilowatts or megawatts Capacity factor The ratio of the energy that a power generating system produces to the energy that would be produced if it were operated at full capacity throughout a given period usually one year Compact fluorescent light CFL A modern light bulb with integral ballast using a fraction of the electricity used by a regular incandescent light bulb Current The rate of flow of electricity measured in amperes or amps Analogous to the rate of flow of water measured in litres per second Direct current DC Electricity that flows continuously in one direction such as from a battery Efficiency The ratio of the output to the input of energy or power expressed as a percentage Energy The ability to do work the quantity of electricity delivered over a period of time The electrical energy term commonly used is kilowatt hours kWh which represents the power kW operating over some period of time hours 1 kWh 3600 kilojoules Flow The quantity of water being used to produce power This is usually measured in units of cubic metres per second cubic feet per minute litres per second or gallons per minute Frequency The number of cycles through which an alternating current passes in a second measured in Hertz Hz Generator A rotating machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy Grid A utility term for the network of
83. owing through or near your property and wonder if you could use a hydro electric system to power your home and or sell electricity to your neighbours this guide is for you It has been demonstrated that water power can produce many times more power and energy than several other sources for the same capital invest ment A micro hydropower system is a non depleting and non polluting energy source that has provided reliable power in the past and is one of the most promising renewable energy sources for the future To assess the suitability of a site for a micro hydropower system a pre feasibility study should be made This involves surveying the site to determine the water flow rate and the head through which the water can fall Methodologies for measuring water flow rate and making head measurements are outlined in Section 2 and Appendix A The best place to start is your nearest stream or you can refer to topographical maps and hydrological records of the area you are considering If you are new to the area local residents are the best source of information on the nature of the stream flow variations during the year and any abnormal flows in the past This will give an overall picture of annual river flow fluctuations over the seasons If possible flow data should be gathered over a period of at least one full year although two to five years is ideal Your local utility may also have an inventory listing of potential micro hydropower
84. per minute cfm e The head is the vertical height in metres m or feet ft from the level where the water enters the intake pipe penstock to the level where the water leaves the turbine housing see Figure 5 See Appendix A for ways to measure the head and stream flow rate Forebay Figure 5 Head of a micro hydropower system A BUYER S GUIDE Power Calculation The amount of power available from a micro hydropower system is directly related to the flow rate head and the force of gravity Once you have determined the usable flow rate the amount of flow you can divert for power generation and the available head for your particular site you can calculate the amount of electrical power you can expect to generate This is calculated using the following equation P QxHXg Pin Theoretical power output in kW O Usable flow rate in m s H Gross head in m g Gravitational constant 9 8 m s Example 1 A site has a head of 10 m 33 ft with flow of 0 3 m s 636 cfm or 4755 gpm therefore the potential power output is given by Q x H x g 0 3 x 10 x 9 8 which is 29 4 kW This is only the theoretical available power assuming that 100 percent of the power available in the water can be usefully converted Efficiency of the system also needs to be taken into account Energy is always lost when converted from one form to another and all of the equipment used to convert the power available in the flowin
85. quired Permits and approvals that you will need when constructing a micro hydropower system include environmental approvals provincial territorial and federal an agreement regarding the use of water provincial territorial an operating agree ment provincial territorial land lease agreements provincial territorial permits for the use of navigable waters federal and building permits provincial territorial Under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act an environmental impact assessment is required if the project receives federal funding or if it involves federal land and is considered by the approving agency to have a potentially significant environmental impact It is unlikely however that you will need any federal permits for the capacity of systems covered in this guide Installing a generating facility on the developer s property should present few problems The water licence is issued on a first come first served basis and the amount of water you can divert for power generation is regulated at the time of issuing the licence There may be conditions for example it may be required that 10 percent of MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS mean annual discharge be flowing in the stream or river at all times Fisheries and Oceans Canada has an interest in fish and fish habitats where there is cross border migration such as with salmon Applications can take one to two or even three years to process Owners can begin
86. r Total Cost Units Unit intake ee ee Headrace canal o O Forebay EE EE S Penstock pipe o rr S Powerhouse and tailrace o O Total civil works cost E O Electro mechanical equipment S O ee Turbine and generator set oo O Controller o ee eee Electrical switchgear O ee Transmission line cables and gears O ee Transmission line poles ee Battery bank and inverter es es E Total electro mechanical equipment S ee ee Planning and development costs ee O ee pre feasibility study rr rs o Feasibility study o ee ee Permit and approvals o O Engincering O Transportation o O Construction and installation E O a Contingency o re S o Total planning and development costs E ee ee Total initial costs o PR S Miscellaneous Total annual costs ME RR Applies only to battery based systems CO E 7 MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations Terms Alternating current AC Electric current that flows in one direction and then in the reverse direction In North America the standard cycle frequency is 60 Hz in Europe it is 50 Hz Alternating current is used universally in power systems because it can be transmitted and distributed much more economically than direct current Base load The amount of electrical power that needs to be delivered at all times and during all seasons Capacitor A dielectric device that momentarily absorbs and stores electric energy Capacity The maximum power capability of a p
87. r controller 3 kW rated photo courtesy of Homestead Hydro Systems Be aware that these controllers can cause some radio frequency interference These controllers are usually supplied in weatherproof cabinets that also contain the electrical meters safety protection devices and switchgear and all connections for power cables 3 5 Transmission Distribution Network The most common way of transporting electricity from the powerhouse to homes is via overhead lines The size and type of electric conductor cables required depends on the amount of electrical power to be transmitted and the length of the power line to the home For most micro hydropower systems power lines would be single phase systems For larger systems the voltage may need to be stepped up using a transformer or a standard three phase system in order to reduce transmission losses Depending on the environment and geographical conditions you may even need to consider an underground power line which generally costs considerably more than overhead lines but may be safer All electrical works must follow national and local electrical codes and should be undertaken only by qualified and certified professionals MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS 4 0 Choosi nga System batteries that are designed to gradually discharge and charge 50 percent of their capacity hundreds of times There are many off grid homes that use battery based systems including those that use solar and win
88. r operated over the same period Keep in mind that your electricity consumption will vary depending on the season Therefore you will need to calculate the total energy requirement in kWh for the whole year To estimate how much electricity you need e List all your electrical appliances and lights and note when and how long they are used e Note the power that each appliance consumes An appliance s power rating is usually written on the back of the appliance and is measured in watts or kilowatts The EnerGuide label found on new appliances such as refrigerators washing machines and dishwashers also provides energy consumption ratings in kWh per month or year e Record the number of hours each appliance is used in a typical day e For each appliance multiply the power rating in watts by the number of hours used each day to obtain the number of watt hours or kWh that the appliance uses per day e Energy use patterns change with the seasons e g lighting is generally used more in winter e Add up the watt hours for all your appliances This total is an estimate of your electrical energy consumption per day Then you can calculate how much energy you would need per month 200 kWh 1032 kWh Uses least energy Uses most energy Consomme le moins Consomme le plus d nergie d nergie Similar modes Standard Ordinaire mod les similaires compared compares Model number ABC123 Num ro du mod le Removal of
89. r to determine the size of the system you need two types of energy estimates should be evaluated peak demand and total energy consumption One way to determine the size of the generating system is to design it to meet the peak power consumption and to divert excess power at off peak times using an electronic load controller into the ballast loads The other option is to size the generator to meet or slightly exceed the average power consumption and use battery storage and an inverter to meet peak power consumption However if the site potential is so small that its power output cannot meet consumption peaks you may have no alternative but to use storage batteries Remember that the site s available head and flow rate are the major factors that limit the size of the installation and economics dictate the size of the development of any hydropower site If the site has a flow of less than 1 Ips or head that is a less than 1 m it may be best to consider an alternative power source because it may not be able to provide you with sufficient power However if you have a site with sufficient flow and head you have the option of investing in a system that will supply your entire electrical power requirement and may be able to meet your peak demand If there are other residential homes or lodges near your site that need electricity you may consider sizing the system to take into account the option of selling surplus power If you ar
90. rgy Division 580 Booth Street 17th Floor Ottawa ON K1A OE4 Fax 613 995 0087 pa Thank you O o
91. ro com International Small Hydro Atlas IT Power www itpower co uk www small hydro com Morehead Valley Hydro Inc Micro Hydro Centre www smallhydropower com www eee ntu ac uk research microhydro Ottawa Engineering Limited Micro hydro Web portal www ottawaengineering com www microhydropower net Powerbase Automation Systems Inc MicroPower Connect www powerbase com www micropower connect org Sustainable Control Systems Ltd Natural Resources Canada topographic maps WWW SCS WWW com maps nrcan gc ca Thomson and Howe Energy Systems Inc Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy www smallhydropower com thes html U S Department of Energy www eren doe gov consumerinfo refbriefs ab2 html Yalakom Appropriate Technology www yalatech com RETScreen International WWww retscreen net Tax incentive for businesses Micro Hydropower Systems in Action www canren gc ca app filerepository General tax_incentives pdf CADDET Centre for Renewable Energy www caddet re org Volunteers in Technical Assistance VITA www vita org Homepower www homepower ca Micro hydropower course on line www energyalternatives ca Reader Survey Thank you for your interest in NRCan s Micro Hydropower Systems A Buyer s Guide To help us improve this guide please take a few minutes to complete this questionnaire 1 Where did you receive your copy of the Buyer s Guide
92. s the utility the difference between what the house consumed and what was supplied to the grid 48 Off grid Not connected to power lines electrical self sufficiency Output The amount of power delivered by a system Over speed The speed of the turbine runner when under design conditions all external loads are removed Peak load The electric load at the time of maximum demand Penstock A pipe that conveys water under pressure from the forebay to the turbine Phantom loads Appliances that draw power 24 hours a day even when turned off Televisions VCRs microwave ovens with clocks and computers all contain phantom loads Power The rate of doing work or more generally the rate of converting energy from one form to another Measured in joules second or watts 1 W 1 J s Electrical power is measured in kilowatts Power factor The ratio of an appliance s actual power in watts to the apparent power measured in volt amps VA As an example a 400 W appliance with a power factor of 0 8 would require a power source of 500 VA to drive it properly This is why loads with poor power factors need larger than expected generators to power them Run of river Hydropower systems where water is used at a rate no greater than that which runs down the river Transformer A device consisting of two or more insulated coils of wire wound around a magnetic material such as iron used to convert one AC voltage t
93. should be accurate enough to permit a full technical design of the project without a further visit A feasibility study includes a site survey and investigation a hydrological assessment an environmental assessment the project design a detailed cost estimate and the final report The depth of study will depend largely on the size and Hydro Electric Electronic Load complexity of the system For a small system such Mireng dad Sse Controller as a battery based system the feasibility study can be less rigorous than for a larger system Carrying out a feasibility study is highly technical Non Essential Loads Unless you have a strong background and exper ience in the area it is best left to professional consultants or energy experts Such expertise may be expensive but the project could become much more expensive without professional help If a Figure 9 Basic set up of load management controller in a micro hydropower system For example non essential loads such as domestic consultant prevents only one serious mistake in hot water tanks baseboard heaters and any other the project that person will have earned his or loads that could be automatically interrupted her fee many times over If you are going to call without causing inconvenience to the consumer a consultant or manufacturer make sure that you can be controlled by a load management controller have at least a rough estimate of the head vertical It will turn off some or all
94. sites in your area A site survey is carried out for promising sites in order to gather information that is detailed enough to make power calculations and start design work 1 3 Is Micro Hydropower for You You may have wondered whether the stream flowing through or near your property can be used to generate electrical power using a hydropower system to power your home Is a micro hydropower system feasible for you Many factors will determine the viability of such a system e local provincial territorial and federal legal restrictions on the development of the hydro electric site and the use of the water e the amount of power available from the stream and its ability to meet energy and power requirements eee iy Figure 3 A typical micro hydropower weir i Cherry Creek British Columbia e the availability of turbines and generators of the type or capacity required e the cost of developing the site and operating the system TTT 5 MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Before deciding to build a micro hydropower system or any other kind of electricity generating system it is wise to carefully evaluate all alternatives Those available will depend on your situation and why you are interested in hydropower In general people who are interested in such systems fall into one of two categories e They may have a site that has good hydro potential and want to develop it for their own power requirements in an area where th
95. stem and the load are also protected against over or under voltage and frequency These protection systems are also linked to automatically activate a shutdown of the water flow into the turbine and power generation in the event of a critical malfunction Lightning protection must also be installed where power from a micro hydropower system is trans mitted from the powerhouse to a load by means A BuYeER S GUIDE of a transmission line The transmission line must be protected against direct and indirect lightning strikes The installation of the generator control panels and all other electrical equipment must comply with the Canadian Electrical Code and should be undertaken only by a qualified and certified person All electrical equipment should be grounded to protect against electric shock due to electric leakage or faulty wiring of the equipment Wiring and grounding should meet national standards and be tested thoroughly Ground fault interrupters com monly used in homes will disconnect the power if faults such as metal parts in the equipment become live or if there is a leakage of power to ground due to faulty insulation Adequate guards for the turbine and all moving mechanical equipment must be provided and should be checked before starting the turbine MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS 7 0 Installing Operating and Maintaining a System 7 1 Construction and Installation The construction phase of the project is
96. te The ratio should not be greater than 1 2 or less than 0 8 Watershed area ungauged your site x daily flow EC daily flow your site EC site To delineate the watershed area of your site topographic maps at 1 50 000 scale and assistance in watershed delineation are available from the following Web sites e maps nrcan gc ca e www nh nrcs usda gov technical WS_delineation html Flow Rate Measurement Methods There are a variety of techniques for measuring stream flow rate the most commonly used are briefly explained in this section For more information on these methods consult the bibliography e container method e float method e weir method e salt and conductivity meter method e current meter method MICRO HYDROPOWER ENERGY SYSTEMS Container Method For very small streams a common method for measuring flow is the container method This involves diverting the whole flow into a container such as a bucket or barrel by damming the stream and recording the time it takes for the container to fill The rate that the container fills is the flow rate which is calculated simply by dividing the volume of the container by the filling time Flows of up to 20 Ips can be measured using a 200 litre container such as an oil drum Figure 35 Measuring water flow rate using container method Float Method For larger streams where the construction of a weir may not be practical or for a quick estimate of the
97. the same whether SO or 100 percent of its potential power is used The unit price of energy will be quite different depending on what percentage of potential power is generated Some of the commonly used financial analyses to evaluate a system and to compare the cost of energy from alternative sources are net present value NPV and simple payback The NPV of project investment is the present value of future cash inflows minus the present discounted value of the investment and any future cash outflows such as start up and operating costs over its lifetime This analysis compares the value of money now with the value of money in the future after taking inflation and return into account The NPV of a project that has positive value is attractive Simple payback is a measure of the number of years it would take to have your annual energy savings pay for the initial and annual costs of operating the micro hydropower system i e the length of time required to recover the cost of your investment These financial analyses are complex They may involve issues such as the time value of money life cycle costing and tax savings A thorough analysis may not be necessary for smaller systems but as A BUYER S GUIDE the system gets larger a full financial and economic analysis is valuable If you need information on how to make the analysis consult the bibliography at the end of this guide Depending on the size and cost of the system it
98. um head 200 500 5 12 6 10 permanent magnet AC generator Turgo z 1 ndue Medium head 600 2 000 20 30 induction generator Pelton Medium head 300 5 500 12 34 5 28 oe induction generator Turgo synchronous Medium head 9 000 16 000 24 34 66 80 High head 110 110 110 110 110 110 10 10 Turgo synchronous 1 generator 1 Turgo synchronous 1 500 5 000 20 90 8 30 or induction generator 4 2 AC Direct Systems AC direct systems are similar to those used by utili ties to power our homes in towns and cities A micro hydropower AC direct system does not have battery storage so the system is designed to supply the load directly This system is appropriate for grid connected sites and for remote stand alone sites The AC direct systems listed in Table 7 are available off the shelf are fully integrated for water to wire installation and are generally much more economical than custom made designs There are larger integrated systems available for low head applications 2 q Figure 26 4 double jet Turgo induction generator system 5 kW rated A BuYeER S GUIDE The smallest fully integrated system available is and assembled according to the site profile s a 200 W unit which can work with a head as low requirements and the generating capacity needed as 1 m 3 ft Many larger units are manufactured See Section 3 2 for descriptions of turbines Case Study 2 Remote 10 kW Micro Hydropower System
99. ure that power is available year round Normally only a fraction of the available flow in the stream is used for power generation Therefore FDC is less important as the size of system decreases If the system s generating capacity is less than 10 kW or so FDC may not be relevant at all 2 2 How Small a System It is important to note that there is a head and a flow rate below which there is presently no economic advantage in trying to obtain electrical power These minimum heads and flow rates are difficult to specify because a combination of high values of one with low values of the other can give some useful power For practical purposes however any head less than 1 m 3 ft is probably going to be uneconomical to develop Similarly 0 60 Ips 10 gpm can be considered the lower limit for the flow rate The following examples illustrate how different flow rates and heads of two sites generate similar amounts of energy e A flow rate of 0 6 lps 10 gpm at 35 m 100 ft of head will generate 100 W of useful power e A flow rate of 20 Ips 317 gpm at 1 m 3 ft of head will also deliver about 100 W of useful power Both of these systems would produce enough energy to light a 100 W light bulb continuously equivalent to about 72 kWh of energy per month If a site has more head less water flow is required The more head and flow there is the more potential power can be generated It is helpful to discuss your situ

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