Most waterpower systems require that you concentrate most of the practical head (fall) between the entry (high) point and the exit back to the stream (low point). i.e. one is attempting to harness the potential energy of the water falling from high point to low point. [Harnessing the kinetic (speed) energy is a different and less used approach]
Power available is then: Power (kW) = flow (m3/s) x head (m) x g (m/s^2) x overall efficiency where g is the acceleration due to gravity. or say power (kW) = flow (m3/s) x head (m) x 7 The units one buys and sells electricity are kWh (i.e. the number of kW times the hours of operation at that power level). Cost effective systems will usually have a 30-40% capacity factor (i.e. the power output in an average year would be nameplate power x hours in the year x 0.4). You need to measure the head, and the more (financial/time) risk you take the more confident you need to be about the accuracy of the head and flow you measure! Regards, Martin -----Original Message----- From: Mohammad Jahangir Khan [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 01 November 2004 14:08 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [microhydro] Newbie question: energy estimation from flow rate Hi Is it possible to measure the energy/power available from a free- flowing water stream ? The flow-rate is given in m3/s. Thanks. J. Khan Does your company feature in the microhydro business directory at http://microhydropower.net/directory ? If not, please register free of charge and be exposed to the microhydro community world wide! NOTE: The advertisements in this email are added by Yahoogroups who provides us with free email group services. The microhydro-group does not endorse products or support the advertisements in any way. More information on micro hydropower at http://microhydropower.net To unsubscribe: send empty message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/FGYolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Does your company feature in the microhydro business directory at http://microhydropower.net/directory ? If not, please register free of charge and be exposed to the microhydro community world wide! NOTE: The advertisements in this email are added by Yahoogroups who provides us with free email group services. The microhydro-group does not endorse products or support the advertisements in any way. More information on micro hydropower at http://microhydropower.net To unsubscribe: send empty message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/microhydro/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
