Cm-scale axial flow water turbines for autonomous flowmeters: an experimental study

Abstract

This paper reports on the performances and the optimization of a 40 mm diameter water flow energy harvester based on an axial turbine (horizontal axis propeller) coupled to a customized permanent magnet generator. To the best of our knowledge, this work is one of the first comprehensive studies in the low dimensional and flow velocities ranges. The parameters of the propeller have been empirically optimized ( D l =1, B=4 blades) by the means of experiments in a test-bench pipe at various flow rates from 1 to 9 m 3 h −1 . The best propeller design has been selected for its performances in terms of electrical power and pressure drop. A customized permanent magnet converter with ferromagnetic elements has been modeled, optimized with finite elements simulations and fabricated.

Study and design of a retrofitted smart water meter solution with energy harvesting integration

“…Energy-saving technologies can present significant advances in extending battery life, reducing battery volumes and associated waste. Recent research in this field has been focused on renewable energy sources and energy harvesting [13][14][15][16][17]. In water distribution systems, particularly in the water meter surrounding environment, there exist several possibilities to harvest energy, such as light, kinetic energy from the water flow, temperature differences, mechanical vibrations, and electromagnetic radiations [24].…”

“…Water flow is the most obvious source of energy. Although water turbines are commonly associated with large installations and high-power systems, several state-of-the-art micro-turbines designed to harvest energy from a water flow have been reported [14][15][16][17]. Various types of fluid-to-mechanical conversions have been tested, indicating that a water micro-turbine can provide a considerable amount of power, ranging from a few to several hundreds of milliwatts [15], which is more than sufficient to power the SWM unit.…”

“…Notably, the existing commercial smart water meters still rely exclusively on the use of internal batteries rather than benefit from energy harvesting technologies and, to the best of our knowledge, no commercial water meter incorporates or explores energy harvesting technologies. Recently, motivating research has been carried out in this area, mainly related to the study of small-sized micro-turbines designed to collect energy from a water stream [14][15][16][17]. These studies have presented interesting results proving that a small water turbine can provide a considerable amount of power, which could result in a self-powered system.…”

Innovative Technologies for District Heating and Cooling: InDeal Project

“…This study [12,13] is the first to propose the optimization of a centimeter-scale water flow harvester, as well as its long-term characterization in a real application case. It shows high output power at high flow rates (490 mW@9 m 3 •h −1 ) in both cold and hot water with very low-pressure losses (<50 mbars).…”

Design and Experimental Performance Characterization of a Three-Blade Horizontal-Axis Hydrokinetic Water Turbine in a Low-Velocity Channel

“…In such a context, the global electricity demand is expected to grow by approximately 5% in 2021 and 4% in 2022, driven by global economic recovery [2]. This is why, currently, several researchers are investigating micro-hydrokinetic turbines to perform an alternative for renewable energy production, especially at locations where conventional hydropower cannot provide a feasible solution [3][4][5][6][7][8]. Hydrokinetic turbines are devices that transform the kinetic energy of water flow into mechanical energy in a shaft and, finally, into electrical energy in a generator.…”