Fabrication and Installation of One KW Hydel River Turbine at Northern Areas of Pakistan

Pakistan has been benefited with a great network of flowing rivers nationwide which are capable of producing electricity, yet a very few initiatives have been taken so far from this resource. Rational amount of power can be produced by harnessing the power of flowing rivers using the knowledg

Project Title

Fabrication and Installation of One KW Hydel River Turbine at Northern Areas of Pakistan

Project Area of Specialization

Mechanical Engineering

Project Summary

Pakistan has been benefited with a great network of flowing rivers nationwide which are capable of producing electricity, yet a very few initiatives have been taken so far from this resource.

Rational amount of power can be produced by harnessing the power of flowing rivers using the knowledge of contemporary physics. We aim to fabricate such a hydel power turbine model which is free from the aspects of natural calamities and suits the localities where the instrument needs to be installed.

The aim and focus of this project is to introduce an innovative model with optimum modifications in previous designs and to facilitate the underprivileged areas of Pakistan where there is scarcity of power and resources.

In addition, Pakistan’s hydel resources are mainly in the North. Numerous promising hydel potential sites have been identified in the Northern Areas, but due to the absence of high power transmission lines, these sites have not been developed so far.

The hydel turbine model will be able to produce up to 1kW of energy when the flow of river is adequate. It is designed after careful engineering analysis for maximum cost effective performance, which is why it can prove to be a very efficient product.

This project can fulfill the need for electric power, result in a better standard of living, boost tourism, enhance technological advancement in areas left behind due to unavailability of electricity, as well as serve as an alternate for pumping water using clean energy.

The hydro-electricity turbine consists of a convergent-divergent nozzle with a propeller blade at its throat, which would enhance and utilize the speed of flowing river water to generate electricity with the help of a DC alternator. Although being fabricated from Galvanized Iron and Stainless steel, it will consist of a floating deck made of a less dense material (PVC) which would help keep the turbine afloat under all conditions. Furthermore, it can serve as a pumping alternate if the DC alternator is replaced with a pump, utilizing clean energy to provide river water to desired places.

Project Objectives

The aim of this technology is to improve the quality of life for the Northern rural population. Electricity will reach the remote regions where there was no access despite there being more than enough potential. The change it can bring is immeasurable. There are about 1500 MW [3] of untapped hydropower resources in Pakistan, and this hydrokinetic turbine could pave the way for commercializing newer, innovative hydropower utilization techniques in the future to power all of Pakistan.

The aim of this project is to come up with such a solution which will help our nation to recover the loss in terms of industry, environment and basic necessities of life.

• Allah has blessed Pakistan with a tremendous hydel potential of more than 60,000 MW[4]. which is capable of generating an enormous amount of energy to fulfill the needs of the people. Our objective is to make such a solution that will help improve the living standards of the people living in remote areas.
• According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2019-2020 there is a shortage of 3,000 MW in power demand. Our project can help recover the loss in no time by harnessing the power of the flowing rivers.
• According to World Energy Outlook (2016) statistics [5], 27% of the population of Pakistan has no access to electricity.
• 27% of Pakistan’s total installed power generation capacity is already hydroelectric power but using conventional hydropower technologies. The conventional systems being inefficient are having high chances of tripping down and also taking more and producing less. They are not energy efficient and are not the answer to the contemporary problems of today's world [6].

Our main objectives were divided into three parts as follows:

1. Observe current implementation of hydrokinetic river turbine in Pakistan and evaluate significance and improvements that are needed to be done for an optimum product.
2. Fabricate an efficiently designed model of hydel river turbine in order to effectively generate clean energy from water channel flow.
3. Testing was the final objective post fabrication in order to obtain on-field practical results of hydel river turbine.

Project Implementation Method

After careful study of multiple methodologies on the implementation of hydro-kinetic turbines in developed countries, a more optimal design for the turbine was designed. An isometric and orthographic model of the suggested design with weight reduction and floating deck modification was presented on drawing sheets, utilizing the knowledge gained from Engineering Drawing course. After careful study, a physical study of the present model was also made as the starting point. After the review, a flaw in the selection of alternator, in the sizing of pulley and in the filter at the inlet was observed. The current model could not be used for optimization and installation as the selected alternator was capable enough for the required power generation. We are fabricating and will be testing a smart turbine which requires zero head, no reservoir, no external flow by any artificial means and produces electricity using natural flow of water. It requires less space to install and about 4-5 feet of water with flow between 0.7m/s-3m/s to operate. This technology can provide electricity to regions where large projects cannot be constructed and the regions that are not connected to the national grid. The Hydel turbine model will be able to produce 0.8kW-1kW of energy when the flow of the river is adequate. Our product is designed after careful engineering analysis for maximum cost effective performance. This project can fulfill the need for electric power, result in a better standard of living, boost tourism, enhance technological advancement in areas left behind due to unavailability of electricity, as well as serve as an alternative for pumping water using clean energy. During installation and operation, it will cause no harm to the environment and marine life. We were facilitated with 3 different alternators among which all three underperformed therefore we bought another alternator for desirable output. Servicing and Testing of selected Alternators was done at Workshop (PIB Colony) to check the performance and power output. Also, after the review, a flaw in the buoyancy calculations was observed which was resolved before moving forward. The new alternator (24V/50A) was selected for further work with proper specifications. To carry out the alternator testing process, the alternator was coupled with 2 horsepower motor using a belt/pulley system and the results were recorded which were satisfactory enough to be installed on the turbine. To ensure the alternator selection problem was solved, market survey was done for the purchasing of pulley (3:1). After completion of fabrication the turbine was assembled and tested at Karachi Water and Sewerage Board C.O.D Water Treatment Plant in a flowing channel to obtain working characteristics of the model.

Benefits of the Project

The goal and emphasis of this project is to present a unique model with optimal improvements to earlier designs in order to assist Pakistan's disadvantaged communities where power and resources are scarce. Furthermore, Pakistan's hydel resources are concentrated in the north. Several attractive hydel potential sites have been located in the Northern Areas, but they have yet to be developed due to the lack of high-power transmission lines. It is built for optimal cost-effective performance after extensive engineering research, which is why it can be a very efficient product. This project can meet the demand for electricity, improve living standards, stimulate tourism, accelerate technical growth in areas that have been left behind owing to a lack of electricity, and act as a clean energy alternative for pumping water. Hydrokinetic turbines may be commercialised in the future, and installation in northern places near rivers may be conceivable. The populace in rural areas of North America who are cut off from the electrical grid due to the difficult terrain would be the target market for this product. Restaurants in the north are also a target market, as their use of micro turbines to meet their electrical and communication needs would enhance tourism. NGO donors (AKRSP, SRSP) working to bring power to Pakistan's rural areas will benefit from this product as well, since they will be able to set up several systems of these turbines to offer electricity to rural populations.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

The technical details are as follows: 

1. Galvanized Iron Shell:

The convergent divergent nozzle to be used in the formation of turbine was made of Stainless Steel by the previous batch. After careful study of the design parameters and weight analysis, it was decided to change the shell due to weight issues and a Galvanized Iron shell was fabricated and Galvanized Iron Nozzle was selected for the turbine due to its weight saving.

2. Blade Geometry:

After the designing of the propellar. The propeller was imported from China for 3-D modeling using FARO ARM technique and determining its parameters. This blade was studied and later on casted in Silver to be used in our model.

3. Power Transmission System:

The power transmission system being used previously consisted of a 1:1 Bevel gearbox connected to the propeller via a shaft, which in turn was connected to a vertical shaft and into another 1:1 Bevel gearbox. Lastly, a 3rd shaft connected the bevel gearbox to the Dynamo and transmitted the RPM received on the blade to the dynamo for power generation.

Modification in the design was needed as the RPM of river flow might not always be enough for adequate power to be generated. Thus, a 2:1 bevel Gearbox was introduced to be connected with the DC Alternator (replacing the Dynamo) and a belt and pulley system was introduced where the pulleys were also in a 3.2:1 ratio, enabling the configuration to run at approximately a 6:1 configuration after accounting for the rotational losses and increased torque acting on the system.

 4. Alternator:

The aim of our project is to come up with such a model that could be useful for the underprivileged areas in the northern part of Pakistan. The power produced by the alternator is DC in nature so the first strategy is to directly consume the DC power by the DC appliances instead of converting into AC, which would definitely save some initial investment but would be limited to certain applications.  

5. Floating Deck Supports:

The floating deck consisted of a stainless steel frame combined with a stainless steel sheet and PVC pipes of 8” diameter to accommodate for the buoyant force and keep the turbine afloat.

6. CAD Model: 

The isometric View:

The cross sectional view:

Final Deliverable of the Project

Hardware System

Core Industry

Energy

Other Industries

Core Technology

Clean Tech

Other Technologies

Sustainable Development Goals

Affordable and Clean Energy, Sustainable Cities and Communities

Required Resources

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