Mini-hydro power plants for a private house, cottages

Regular increases in electricity prices make many think about the issue of alternative sources of electricity. One of the best solutions in this case is a hydroelectric power station. The search for a solution to this issue is not just about the size of the country. More and more you can see mini-hydro power plants for the house (dacha). The costs in this case will only be for construction and maintenance. The downside of such a structure is that its erection is possible only under certain conditions. There must be a water flow. In addition, the erection of this design in your yard requires the permission of local authorities.

Scheme of mini-hydroelectric power station

The principle of operation of the hydroelectric power station for the house is quite simple. The structure of the structure is as follows. The water falls on the turbine, causing the blades to rotate. They, in turn, due to the torque or differential pressure drive the hydraulic drive. It transfers the received power to an electric generator, which generates electricity.

Currently, the scheme of hydropower plants is most often manned by a management system. This allows the design to work in automatic mode. If necessary (for example, an accident), it is possible to switch to manual control.

Varieties of mini-hydropower plants

It is worthwhile to understand that mini-hydroelectric power stations allow to receive no more than three thousand kilowatts. This is the maximum capacity of such a structure. The exact value will depend on the type of HPP and the design of the equipment used.

Depending on the type of water flow, the following types of stations are distinguished:

• Streamline, characteristic of the plains. They are installed on rivers with a low flow.
• Stationary use the energy of water rivers with a fast flow of water.
• HYDROELECTRIC POWER STATIONS installed in places of water flow difference. They are most often found in industrial organizations.
• Mobile, which are built using a reinforced hose.

To build a hydroelectric station, even a small stream running through the site is enough. Owners of houses with central water supply should not despair.

One of the American companies has developed a station that can be built into the water supply system at home. A small turbine is built into the water pipe, which is set in motion by the flow of water moving by gravity. This reduces the flow rate of water, but reduces the cost of electricity. In addition, this installation is completely safe.

Even mini-hydroelectric power stations in the sewer pipe are arranged. But their construction requires the creation of certain conditions. Water through the pipe should drain naturally through a slope. The second requirement - the diameter of the pipe should be suitable for the equipment. And this can not be done in a detached house.

Classification of mini-hydropower plants

Mini hydroelectric power plants (the houses in which they are used, in most cases belong to the private sector) most often refer to one of the following types, which differ in the principle of operation:

• The water wheel is a traditional type, which is the simplest in performance.
• Propeller. Used in cases where the river has a channel more than ten meters wide.
• Garland is installed on rivers with a low flow. To enhance the speed of water flow, additional structures are used.
• Rotor Darya is usually installed in industrial enterprises.

The prevalence of these options is due to the fact that they do not require the construction of a dam.

Water wheel

This is a classic type of hydropower plant, which is most popular for the private sector. Mini hydro power plants of this type are a large wheel that can rotate. His blades are lowered into the water. The rest of the structure is above the channel, forcing the whole mechanism to move. The power is transmitted through the hydraulic drive to the generator generating the current.

Propeller station

On the frame in an upright position there is a rotor and an underwater windmill falling under the water. The windmill has blades that rotate under the influence of a stream of water. The best resistance is provided by blades with a width of two centimeters (with a fast flow, the speed of which, nevertheless, does not exceed two meters per second).

In this case, the blades are driven by the resulting lifting force, and not by the water pressure. And the direction of motion of the blades is perpendicular to the flow direction. This process is similar to the work of wind farms, only running under water.

Daisy HEPP

This type of mini-hydroelectric power plant is a cable stretched over a channel and fixed in a supporting bearing. On it, in the form of a garland, turbines of small size and weight (hydro-rotors) are hung and rigidly fixed. They consist of two half-cylinders. Due to the combination of the axes, when they are lowered into water, a torque is created in them. This leads to the fact that the cable bends, stretches and starts to rotate. In this situation, the cable can be compared with the shaft, which serves to transmit power. One end of the cable is connected to the reducer. On it, and transmitted power from the rotation of the cable and gidrovingtorov.

Increase the capacity of the station will help the presence of several "garlands". They can be connected together. Even this does not greatly increase the efficiency of this power plant. This is one of the drawbacks of such a structure.

Another drawback of this type is the danger it creates for others. This kind of station is permissible to use only in deserted places. Presence of warning signs is obligatory.

Rotor Darya

The mini-hydroelectric power plant for a private house of this type is named so in honor of its developer - George Darya. Patented this design was back in 1931. It is a rotor with blades on it. For each of the blades, the required parameters are selected individually. The rotor falls under the water in an upright position. The blades rotate due to the pressure drop that occurs when water flows through their surface. This process is similar to the lifting force that forces planes to take off.

This type of HPP has a good efficiency index. The third advantage - the flow direction does not matter.

From the shortcomings of this type of power plant can be distinguished complex design and difficult installation.

Advantages of a mini hydro power plant

Regardless of the type of construction, mini-hydro power plants have a number of advantages:

• Environmentally safe, do not produce harmful substances for the atmosphere.
• The process of obtaining electricity passes without noise.
• The water remains clean.
• Electricity is produced continuously, regardless of time of day or weather conditions.
• Even a small stream is enough to equip the station.
• Excess electricity can be sold to neighbors.
• You do not need a lot of permission documentation.

Mini hydropower plant with own hands

You can build a water station for generating electricity yourself. For a private house there are twenty kilowatts per day. With this value, even a mini-HPP, assembled with its own hands, will cope. But it should be remembered that this process is characterized by a number of features:

• Exact calculations are difficult to make.
• Dimensions, thickness of the elements is chosen "by eye", only by experimental means.
• Homemade structures do not have protective elements, which leads to frequent breakdowns and associated costs.

Therefore, if there is no experience and certain knowledge in this area, it is better to abandon the idea of this kind. It may be cheaper to purchase an already completed station.

If you still decide to do everything yourself, then you need to start by measuring the speed of water flow in the river. After all, this depends on the power that can be obtained. If the speed is less than one meter per second, then the construction of a mini-hydro power plant in this place will not justify itself.

Another step that can not be omitted is the calculation. It is necessary to carefully calculate the amount of costs that will go into building a station. As a result, it may turn out that a hydroelectric power plant is not the best option. Then it is worth paying attention to other types of alternative electricity.

Mini-hydropower plant can be the optimal solution in the matter of saving energy costs. To build it, you need a river near your home. Depending on the desired characteristics, it is possible to select a suitable variant of the HPP. With the right approach, you can perform such a construction even with your own hands.