Parallel Water Column Technique for Obtaining a Smooth Output Power of the Pump as a Turbine at a Variable Water Flow Rate

Abstract

Hydro generation is the simplest and oldest method of electricity generation, with a century of successful operation. Using a pump as a turbine (PAT) is an optimal solution for minimizing the cost, particularly in low-head and small-scale hydro plants. Commercially available centrifugal pumps have become a popular solution for small-scale hydro and pumped-hydro facilities owing to their simple geometry, ease of operation, maintenance, and abundant availability in local markets. Variations in the water flow in hydro facilities, such as pumped-hydro and small-scale hydro facilities, are common; however, a PAT is unable to respond to variable flows because it is a fixed-speed device. To overcome this problem, different techniques have been suggested by researchers: (a) a system of parallel PATs; (b) geometrical modifications in the impeller of the PAT; and (c) power electronics-based variable frequency drives. All the aforementioned techniques have limitations, such as low output, high cost, complexity, transportation, and operation and maintenance. In this study, a simple and economical technique is proposed to smooth the output of a PAT on variable/decreasing water flow profiles. In the proposed technique, water columns connected in parallel (PWCs) are used to produce a pressurized water flow, as they have a convergent nozzle at the outlet. The PWC creates more space for water, and this additional mass of water boosts the water flow at the outlet. In this manner, the PWC technique maintains the flow at the inlet of the turbine. A serial integration of five PWCs with the same dimensions was conducted to inject the additional flow into the existing PAT penstock, governing a 37-kW generator. The design flow was maintained at 192.1 L/s without any additional power usage at the inlet of the PAT, and the output was smoothed even at the minimum water flow/head. Pump design and computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed using ANSYS software, whereas generator simulations were performed using MATLAB/Simulink software.