PowerPoint Presentation€¦ · Demo site n.1 in Wales (10/10) •3.68 kW of power, grid connected (G98) •Total investment 25,700 GBP (incl. VAT) •Expected output 19,000 kWh per

Field demonstration of Pumps as Turbines for Micro-HydropowerGlasgow, 14/11/2019

Daniele Novara & Aonghus McNabolaTrinity College Dublin

1. Who we are

2. Pumps as Turbines (PAT)

3. PAT Applications

4. Barriers to large-scale PAT adoption

5. PAT selection software

6. Demo site n.1 in Wales

7. Demo site n.2 in Ireland

8. Conclusions2

Index

The Dŵr Uisce Project aims at reducing

the energy consumption and CO2

emissions of the water industry, and to

decrease the associated costs of water

supply and treatment.

Part-funded by the Interreg Ireland Wales

Co-operation programme 2014-2020.

3

Who we are

• Low purchase cost (5-10 times less expensive

than a conventional hydro turbine)

• Compact dimensions

• Mass manufactured, short delivery time

• Easy maintenance

• Work within a pressurized pipeline

4

• Low part-load efficiency

• Design uncertainties due to the unavailability of

performance curves given by producers

• Absence of sound design guidelines

Pumps As Turbines (PAT)

5

PAT Applications• Traditional run-off-river hydropower for private or public users

• Particular interest in rural electrification (South-East Asia, Latin

America...)

• Energy recovery devices from pressurized water networks:

• Drinking water networks

• Irrigation networks

• Skiing resorts relying on artificial snow

• Mining sector

• Industrial cooling systems

• Upgrade of non-powered dams

• Integration of pre-existing hydropower schemes

Insight: lack of proven design guidelines and a lack of awareness by potential

users/customers.

6

Barriers to large-scale PAT adoptionPump manufacturers

Not interested in investigating PAT use or promoting sales due to the

marginality of the sector respect to their core market

Potential PAT users

Not informed about PAT, risk averse (e.g. water utilities)

Hydro design firms and consultants

Unaware of the PAT potential, unexperienced, not willing to take on

project liability, concerned by the lack of design guidelines and existing field

applications

7

PAT selection software (1/2)A comprehensive PAT design software has been developed and validated through a laboratory testing campaign.

8

PAT selection software (2/2)

PAT lab test rig

9

10

Demo site n.1 in Wales (1/10)4 kW run-off-river hydropower scheme at Ty Mawr Wybrnant, Wales

11

Demo site n.1 in Wales (2/10)Electric scheme

12

Demo site n.1 in Wales (3/10)Intake construction

13

Demo site n.1 in Wales (4/10)Powerhouse construction

14

Demo site n.1 in Wales (5/10)Turbine and generator

15

Demo site n.1 in Wales (6/10)Electric components

Demo site n.1 in Wales (6/8)

16

17

Demo site n.1 in Wales (8/10)

Comparison

with other

turbine types

18

Demo site n.1 in Wales (9/10)

19

Demo site n.1 in Wales (10/10)

• 3.68 kW of power, grid connected (G98)

• Total investment 25,700 GBP (incl. VAT)

• Expected output 19,000 kWh per year

• Expected revenues 2,900 GBP per year

• Predicted payback between 8 and 9 years

• Electricity cost ≈ 0.13 GBP/kW

Key figures:

Official opening on

21/11/2019!

20

Demo site n.2 in Ireland (1/10)4 kW hydropower scheme at Blackstairs Water Treatment Plant

21

Demo site n.2 in Ireland (2/10)

Source river Settling tank

Raw water tank

22

Demo site n.2 in Ireland (3/10)Gross head 60 m, measured flow rate in the range 8-33 l/s

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Flo

w r

ate

(l/s

)

23

Demo site n.2 in Ireland (4/10)

Results

from the

PAT

selection

software

24

Demo site n.2 in Ireland (5/10)Preliminary

design

25

Demo site n.2 in Ireland (/)4.3 kW hydropower scheme at Blackstairs Water Treatment Plant

Demo site n.2 in Ireland (7/8)

26

27

Demo site n.2 in Ireland (8/10)Official opening on 2/5/2019

28

Demo site n.2 in Ireland (9/10)Performance monitoring since startup

0

1

2

3

4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

P (

kW)

Q (

m3

/h)

Q (m3/h) P (kW)

29

Demo site n.2 in Ireland (10/10)

• 4 kW of nominal power, grid connected

• Total investment 25,300 GBP (incl. VAT)

• Expected output 25-35,000 kWh per year

• Expected revenues 3,400-5,200 GBP per year, given to charity

• Ideally, payback between 4 and 7 years

• Electricity cost ≈ 0.07 GBP/kWh (!)

Key figures:

30

The developed PAT selection algorithm can be utilised to select the

appropriate PAT family and system configuration for any given potential

site in order to meet the existing constraints and satisfy the stakeholder’s

expectations.

The novelty of the two built pilot plants lies in the proof of the applicability of

PAT technology to both run-of-river and in-pipe hydropower schemes, as

well as proving the validity of the design guidance developed.

The adoption of PATs has the potential to achieve the economic feasibility of

schemes down to the "pico" scale (e.g. less than 5 kW of installed power).

Conclusions

Thank you!

Daniele NovaraTrinity College DublinEmail: novarad@tcd.ie

31