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| − | == Introduction ==
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| − |
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| − | <u>disambiguation</u>:<br>
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| − |
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| − | grid connection<br>
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| − |
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| − | island / isolated grids<br>
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| − |
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| − | battery storage / charging stations
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| − |
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| − | == Grid connection for mhp's ==
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| − |
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| − | Hydropower usually operates 24 h / day. Most mhp's are connected by a grid to their consumers. If a connection towards the national or main grid is available, electricity can be fed in there. Often micro or pico hydropower units are installed in remote areas. There they feed an isolated grid. In such grid the mhp is usually the only power source. The power produced has to be leveled equal with the power consumed (see controller).<br> Battery storage is no must like at solar or wind power projects. This is a big advantage as it reduces costs and maintenance significantly. Nevertheless can charging stations extend a mhp's effectiveness by utilising power in times of low demand (late night). So even consumers can be served with are to far from the station to be connected by transmission cable.
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| − |
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| − | == Storage basin or dams ==
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| − |
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| − | Small hydropower plants usually use (part-) river flow as driving force. Storage basins or even dams can buffer water. So demand peaks or (short) periods of water shortage can be bridged. As such infrastructures is costly and sophisticated, it's only used if there is a clear financial revenue; e.g. electricity supply for remote industries.
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| − |
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| | == Ballast or dump load == | | == Ballast or dump load == |
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| | </span>full generating capacity of the microhydro turbine. They're placed in air or water. If there is more electricity produced then consumed the charge controller uses this excess energy to generate heat.<br> | | </span>full generating capacity of the microhydro turbine. They're placed in air or water. If there is more electricity produced then consumed the charge controller uses this excess energy to generate heat.<br> |
| | | | |
| − | Other but not common ballast load may be pumping water or ice production. | + | Other but not common ballast load may be pumping water or ice production. |
| | | | |
| − | == '''Metering''' == | + | == Load factor == |
| | | | |
| − | <span>AKA: | + | <span>The load factor is the amount of |
| − | battery monitor, amp-hour meter, watt-hour meter</span>
| + | power used divided by the amount of power that is available if the |
| | + | turbine were |
| | + | to be used continuously. Unlike technologies relying on costly fuel |
| | + | sources, |
| | + | the 'fuel' for hydropower generation is free and therefore the plant |
| | + | becomes |
| | + | more cost effective if run for a high percentage of the time. If the |
| | + | turbine is |
| | + | only used for domestic lighting in the evenings then the plant factor |
| | + | will be |
| | + | very low. If the turbine provides power for rural industry during the |
| | + | day, |
| | + | meets domestic demand during the evening, and maybe pumps water for |
| | + | irrigation |
| | + | in the evening, then the plant factor will be high. </span> |
| | | | |
| − | <!--{12766841534929}-->[[Image:|Metering]]
| + | <span>It is very important to ensure a |
| − | | + | high plant factor if the scheme is to be cost effective and this should |
| − | <span>System | + | be |
| − | meters measure and display several different aspects of your
| + | taken into account during the planning stage. Many schemes use a 'dump' |
| − | microhydro-electric system´s performance and status—tracking how full
| + | load |
| − | your
| + | (in conjunction with an electronic load controller - see below), which |
| − | battery bank is, how much electricity your turbine is producing or has
| + | |
| − | produced, and how much electricity is being used. Operating your system
| + | |
| − | without
| + | |
| − | metering is like running your car without any gauges—although possible
| + | |
| − | to do, | + | |
| − | it´s always better to know how well the car is operating and how much
| + | |
| − | fuel is
| + | |
| − | in the tank.</span>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − |
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | [[|]]'''<span>Main DC</span>''' Disconnect
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | == '''AKA: Battery/Inverter disconnect''' ==
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <!--{127668415349210}-->[[Image:|Main DC Disconnect]]
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <span>In
| + | |
| − | battery-based systems, a disconnect between the batteries and inverter
| + | |
| | is | | is |
| − | required. This disconnect is typically a large, DC-rated breaker mounted
| + | effectively a low priority energy demand that can accept surplus energy |
| − | </span>in a sheet-metal enclosure. It allows the inverter to be disconnected from the batteries for service, and protects the inverter-to-battery wiring against electrical faults.<br>
| + | when an |
| − | | + | excess is produced e.g. water heating, storage heaters or storage |
| − | == '''Inverter''' ==
| + | cookers. </span> |
| − | | + | |
| − | <span>AKA: DC-to-AC
| + | |
| − | converter </span>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <!--{127668415349211}-->[[Image:|Battery-Based Inverter]]<span>Inverters
| + | |
| − | transform
| + | |
| − | </span>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | the DC electricity stored in your battery bank into AC electricity
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | for powering household appliances. Grid-tied inverters synchronize the system´s output with the utility´s AC electricity, allowing the system to feed hydro-electricity to the utility grid. Battery-based inverters for off-grid or grid-tied systems often include a battery charger, which is capable of charging a battery bank from either the grid or a backup generator if your creek isn´t flowing or your system is down for maintenance.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <span>In rare
| + | |
| − | cases, an inverter and battery bank are used with larger, off-grid
| + | |
| − | AC-direct
| + | |
| − | systems to increase power availability. The inverter uses the AC to
| + | |
| − | charge the
| + | |
| − | batteries, and synchronizes with the hydro-electric AC supply to
| + | |
| − | supplement it
| + | |
| − | when demand is greater than the output of the hydro generator.</span>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | [[|]]'''<span>AC</span>''' Breaker Panel
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | AKA: mains panel, breaker box, service entrance
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <!--{127668415349212}-->[[Image:|AC Breaker Panel]]
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <span>The AC
| + | |
| − | breaker panel, or mains panel, is the point at which all of a home´s
| + | |
| − | electrical
| + | |
| − | wiring meets with the provider of the electricity, whether that´s the
| + | |
| − | grid or a
| + | |
| − | microhydro-electric system. This wall-mounted panel or box is usually
| + | |
| − | installed
| + | |
| − | in a utility room, basement, garage, or on the exterior of a building.
| + | |
| − | It
| + | |
| − | contains a number of labeled circuit breakers that route electricity to
| + | |
| − | the various
| + | |
| − | rooms throughout a house. These breakers allow electricity to be
| + | |
| − | disconnected
| + | |
| − | for servicing, and also protect the building´s wiring against electrical fires</span>s. <br>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <span>Just like
| + | |
| − | the electrical circuits in your home or office, a grid-tied inverter´s
| + | |
| − | electrical output needs to be routed through an AC circuit breaker. This
| + | |
| − | breaker is usually mounted inside the building´s mains panel. It enables </span>the inverter to be disconnected from either the grid or from electrical loads if servicing is necessary. The breaker also safeguards the circuit´s electrical wiring.''' '''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | '''Kilowatt-Hour Meter'''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <span>AKA: KWH
| + | |
| − | meter, utility meter</span>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <!--{127668415349213}-->[[Image:|Kilowatt-Hour Meter]]
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <span>Most
| + | |
| − | homes with grid-tied microhydro-electric systems will have AC
| + | |
| − | electricity both
| + | |
| − | coming from and going to the utility grid. A multichannel KWH meter
| + | |
| − | keeps track
| + | |
| − | of how much grid electricity you´re using and how much your RE system is
| + | |
| − | producing. The utility company often provides intertie-capable meters at no costs</span>''' <br>'''
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ''' '''
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | == ''''Turbines'types''' == | + | == Turbine types == |
| | | | |
| | <span><!--{127668415349214}-->[[Image:]]</span> | | <span><!--{127668415349214}-->[[Image:]]</span> |
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| | power - | | power - |
| | the pressure of water leaving the runner is reduced to atmospheric or | | the pressure of water leaving the runner is reduced to atmospheric or |
| − | lower. </span> | + | lower. </span> |
| − | | + | |
| − | == '''Load factor''' ==
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <span>The load factor is the amount of
| + | |
| − | power used divided by the amount of power that is available if the
| + | |
| − | turbine were
| + | |
| − | to be used continuously. Unlike technologies relying on costly fuel
| + | |
| − | sources,
| + | |
| − | the 'fuel' for hydropower generation is free and therefore the plant
| + | |
| − | becomes
| + | |
| − | more cost effective if run for a high percentage of the time. If the
| + | |
| − | turbine is
| + | |
| − | only used for domestic lighting in the evenings then the plant factor
| + | |
| − | will be
| + | |
| − | very low. If the turbine provides power for rural industry during the
| + | |
| − | day,
| + | |
| − | meets domestic demand during the evening, and maybe pumps water for
| + | |
| − | irrigation
| + | |
| − | in the evening, then the plant factor will be high. </span>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | <span>It is very important to ensure a
| + | |
| − | high plant factor if the scheme is to be cost effective and this should
| + | |
| − | be
| + | |
| − | taken into account during the planning stage. Many schemes use a 'dump'
| + | |
| − | load
| + | |
| − | (in conjunction with an electronic load controller - see below), which
| + | |
| − | is
| + | |
| − | effectively a low priority energy demand that can accept surplus energy
| + | |
| − | when an
| + | |
| − | excess is produced e.g. water heating, storage heaters or storage
| + | |
| − | cookers. </span>
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | == '''Load control governors''' == | + | == Load control governors == |
| | | | |
| | <span>Water turbines, like petrol or | | <span>Water turbines, like petrol or |
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| | <!--{12766848790530}--><!--{12766848790531}--> <!--{12766848790532}--> | | <!--{12766848790530}--><!--{12766848790531}--> <!--{12766848790532}--> |
| | | | |
| − | <span id="1274973221030S" style="display: none;"> </span> | + | <span style="display: none;" id="1274973221030S"> </span> |
| | | | |
| | <!--{12766848790533}--><!--{12766848790534}--><!--{12766848790535}--><span lang="DE" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Tahoma; color: black;">Function </span><span lang="DE" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Tahoma; color: black;">[[Image:Mhp-scheme.jpg|right|560x386px|Elements of a Micro Hydro Power Scheme]]principles</span><br> | | <!--{12766848790533}--><!--{12766848790534}--><!--{12766848790535}--><span lang="DE" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Tahoma; color: black;">Function </span><span lang="DE" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Tahoma; color: black;">[[Image:Mhp-scheme.jpg|right|560x386px|Elements of a Micro Hydro Power Scheme]]principles</span><br> |
| | | | |
| − | Load- or Flow- controller ensure that the power output does not exceed the power demand (e.g. 230V, 50 Hz). <br> If flow of water in a MHP-station is constant the energy output of a turbine/generator is constant as well. Power demand is usually fluctuating over the time (e.g. day/night). If supply is higher than demand, excess energy must be diverted, dumped. alternatively the water flow can be reduced which results in less power output. <br> In case of more power demand than supply the controller cuts of the of demand line. <br> Load controller are placed between generator output and the consumer line.<!--{12766848790536}--> <span lang="DE" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Tahoma; color: black;"> | + | Load- or Flow- controller ensure that the power output does not exceed the power demand (e.g. 230V, 50 Hz). <br> If flow of water in a MHP-station is constant the energy output of a turbine/generator is constant as well. Power demand is usually fluctuating over the time (e.g. day/night). If supply is higher than demand, excess energy must be diverted / dumped. Alternatively the water flow can be reduced which results also in less power output. <br> In case of more power demand than supply the controller cuts of the of single users (clusters) in order to keep voltage and frequency constant. <br> Load controller are placed between generator output and the consumer line.<!--{12766848790536}--> <span lang="DE" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Tahoma; color: black;"> |
| | </span> | | </span> |
| | | | |
Other but not common ballast load may be pumping water or ice production.
Load- or Flow- controller ensure that the power output does not exceed the power demand (e.g. 230V, 50 Hz).
If flow of water in a MHP-station is constant the energy output of a turbine/generator is constant as well. Power demand is usually fluctuating over the time (e.g. day/night). If supply is higher than demand, excess energy must be diverted / dumped. Alternatively the water flow can be reduced which results also in less power output.
In case of more power demand than supply the controller cuts of the of single users (clusters) in order to keep voltage and frequency constant.
Load controller are placed between generator output and the consumer line.
Electronic circuit, which keeps output power constant in Frequency- and Voltage- parameters.
Fluctuating energy demand requires a mechanism which either regulates the water input into the turbine (= flow control) or by diverting excess energy from the consumer connection (= ballast load).
usually electrical heaters in water or air. If energy demand is temporarily low the excess energy is converted into heat.
regulates the amount of water into the turbine in order to match power output and power demand.
