MOTHER'S ELECTRIC HYDROELECTRIC PLANT

(Page 3 of 3)

November/December 1980
 
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POWER

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With its net head of about 12 feet and an average flow of about 3 cubic feet per second, our hydroplant should be capable of producing as much as 2.8 KW every hour for about 350 days of each year (allowing time off for intake cleaning, bearing lubrication, etc.). As of this writing, we have not had occasion to load it with more than about 1,200 watts, but we hope to make additional tests in the near future.

The setup that we've installed at the Eco-Village could be duplicated — including all the equipment and the materials for mounting and housing the plant — for about $7,000. Since our plant should produce at least $500 worth of electricity its first year, and since — depending upon the rate of inflation — the power will be even more dollar-valuable in subsequent years, a system of this design should be able to pay off its initial investment in under ten years! After that point the water-produced electricity will be free for the using until the system is worn out (and such installations can be expected to last between 20 and 50 years with regular maintenance).

As you can well imagine, we're pretty pleased with our hydropower plant. Its design has solved a couple of nagging problems for folks who have low-head streams, and the reliability and cost of the electricity the system produces are hard to match. But perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the installation is the thought that the electric power we're generating comes from the natural movement of water downhill. Nothing was burned — and no atoms were split — to make the power . . . we're just capturing energy that otherwise would have kept on flowing along!

EDITOR'S NOTE: You'll be happy to know that we've prepared a set of detailed plans for the construction of a crossflow turbine and nozzle to help you develop your land's water power potential. You can obtain a set of the plans by sending $15 to Mother's Plans, Hydroplant, P.O. Box A, East Flat Rock, North Carolina 28726.

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Comments

  • Tawn 9/4/2008 5:48:14 PM

    I am looking for a turbine system to run in a river with constant flow (major WA river with plenty of flow). My concern is something small enough to remove or move during heavy rains since the river floods almost every year and I don't want it damaged or swept downstream.

    what do you recommend?

  • Jeff Grebe 7/29/2008 9:30:05 AM

    I don't think your "totally new" speed controller will work. In a hydro plant you need to balance the energy not just the speed. If electric load is removed from the alternator the energy of the incoming water increases the speed of the alternator until the outgoing energy is in balance (adding Hz and voltage until the kw out = kw in. Adding a variable pitch pulley will attempt to reduce the speed of the alternator but in doing so multiplies the incoming energy - causing the alternator to speed up! You have a cross - control - your attempt to limit speed will have the opposite effect. And no it won't work the other way either. You need to scrub or add energy not mechanical advantage.

  • Jeff Grebe 7/29/2008 9:25:36 AM

    I don't think your "totally new" speed controller will work. In a hydro plant you need to balance the energy not just the speed. If electric load is removed from the alternator the energy of the incoming water increases the speed of the alternator until the outgoing energy is in balance (adding Hz and voltage until the kw out = kw in. Adding a variable pitch pulley will attempt to reduce the speed of the alternator but in doing so multiplies the incoming energy - causing the alternator to speed up! You have a cross - control - your attempt to limit speed will have the opposite effect. And no it won't work the other way either. You need to scrub or add energy not mechanical advantage.

  • Pete 11/18/2007 7:47:40 PM

    I live on the Mississippi river and have a dock that sticks out in
    the channel the river current averages about 5 miles per hour is
    there anyway I can produce electricity using these resources, the
    water is flat.

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