Micro Power Plant 1.1kW

grabcad

Human: A compact "powerplant" will generate 1.1 kW of electricity. A 9 1/4"x7" propeller from a Yamaha outboard motor will be mounted in a 250mm OD PVC tube. The propeller is connected to a 1.5kW asynchronous motor running at 1600rpm. Water flow will reach approximately 200L/s, with only 1.2m of available head. This installation uses a siphon design, requiring no holes in dams or walls. To start the siphon, the motor is connected to the grid, and the turbine acts as a pump until it reaches synchronous speed. At this point, it begins to work as a generator. To stop the flow, a vent hole is opened to allow air into the siphon. The motor/generator will be coupled to the power grid via a "Reverse Power Relay," which disconnects the motor/generator when its speed drops below 1500rpm and it starts pulling current from the grid. Calculating the water's velocity involves multiplying rpm by pitch (rpm/60*pitch(m)), giving the speed of the water in m/s. Multiplying this by the tube's surface area gives the flow (m³/s), which is used to calculate pressure drop. The available head minus the pressure drop multiplied by the flow and 9.81(m/s²) plus an estimated efficiency yields the hydraulic power driving the generator. Using a "pressure drop calculator" at http://www.pressure-drop.com/Online-Calculator, one can perform these calculations. Asynchronous generators have lower efficiencies than synchronous ones but eliminate synchronization needs. A standard single or three-phase motor can be used, provided it's larger than the net hydraulic power to avoid overloading. Standard PVC piping (OD 250mm x 4.9mm) and a welded structure with a 90° PVC bend and 5mm thick PVC plates are used for the motor mounting. Welding PVC requires a hot air blower with adjustable airflow and temperature, as well as PVC welding rods. The existing 8-spline shaft and propeller design are incorrect, along with their dimensions and shape except for the OD.