Duct water current turbine and extremely low head helical turbine

Abstract

This research introduces the Duct Water Current Turbine Triple Helix with very low head less than 2m and water current at river or in the ocean, economical ecological use for small hydro power rating between 100 to 1000 kW still represents an unsolved problem. Unlike conventional hydro installation, water current turbine in open flow and generate power from flowing water with almost zero in environmental impact. Developments in water current turbine design are reviewed and some potential advantages of duct or "diffuser augmented" current turbine and extremely low head turbine will be explored. For the output expected from the project is helical turbine with control flow on duct. The research aims to apply the helical turbine inside the duct to find the parameter of the power coefficient against tip speed ratio λ, pitch angle and twist angle y which is also the optimum parameter to design a helical cross flow turbine with duct. Parameters are obtained from numerical simulation and through the experimental result. For ducted turbines the theoretical limit depends on (i) the pressure difference that can be created between duct inlet and outlet, and (ii) the volumetric flow through the duct. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.