Your task is to design a micro hydro installation that has t

Your task is to design a micro hydro installation that has to deliver 2000W of c turbine with iff an efficiency of about 50%. The water is taken 240 ft above the turbin>> 1300ft long pipe. You design objective is to achieve the optimal power delivery. What are the optimal friction losses under the circumstances? What would be the flow rate of water assuming the losses are optimal ? What pipe should you select to achieve the design objective? What would be the flow velocity in this design?e) What could be the power delivered if you use a larger diameter pipe?

Solution

a) Frictional Losses = 2000 / 0.5   - 2000   = 2000 W

b) Power required   = 4000 W

    m * 9.8 * 73.152 = 4000

    mass flow rate = 5.58 kg/s

    volume flow rate = 5.58 / 1000   = 5.58 * 10^-3 m^3/s

c) Steel pipe of diameter 30 mm is suitable

d) Velocity = Q * 4 / pi * d^2    = 5.58 * 10^-3 * 4 / pi * 0.03^2     = 7.894 m/s