Sustainable innovation: decentralized hydroelectric power microgeneration in a rural Amazon community

Abstract

Hydroelectric microgeneration is characterized by low environmental degradation and low production and transmission costs. In this sense, this work investigates the production and storage of electrical energy by gravitational accretion in a rural Amazonian community. Thus, the gutter was used to capture water in a river, directing the flow to a hydraulic ram which pumps the water to a 200-liter reservoir at a height of 3.35 meters. At the bottom of the reservoir was placed a 1/2” register, a hydraulic tube, a flow sensor (Arduino Platform) and a microgenerator (10W). After that, the record was opened for hydroelectric production, and the electrical voltage (Arduino Platform) was monitored by a voltage sensor connected to the poles of the microgenerator. From the results, about the calibration of the sensors, a scale factor was obtained for the voltage and flow sensor equal to 1.27 and 1.458, respectively. With the association of the microgenerators in series, it is possible to produce with 3 microgenerators a voltage of 22 volts at a flow of 2.45 L/min at a height of 3.35 meters. Regarding the adjustment of the system flow model, a speed reduction coefficient of 0.75 was obtained. By storing the energy in a 12 volts battery using 3 microgenerators in series it was possible to charge at a rate of 0.0071 volts per minute. Finally, the prototype has enough voltage to power devices such as batteries, in addition to producing clean, renewable energy from a decentralized source that is commonly wasted.