Some Aspects Regarding Torque Study and Elaboration of the Blades Orientation Mechanism for Microhydropower Plant

Abstract

The analysis of hydraulic energy conversion systems has demonstrated the opportunity for the development of water kinetic energy conversion systems compared to potential energy conversion systems. Insistent searches of authors have led to the design and licensing of some advanced technical solutions for outflow micro hydroelectric power plants. They are based on the hydrodynamic effect, generated by the hydrodynamic profile of blades and by the optimal blades' orientation towards water streams with account of energy conversion at each rotation phase of the turbine rotor. The basic advantage of the flow microhydropower plant is the increase of the conversion efficiency by the simultaneous use of the pressure effects of water streams on the blade surface and of the hydrodynamic effect generated by the hydrodynamic profile of the blade with continuous blade orientation. The most important nodes of the microhydropower plant are the hydrodynamic rotor with vertical axis and the mechanism of continuous orientation of the blades depending on the direction of water currents. The paper makes an analysis of the brief torque and of the forces applied on the hydrodynamic blades located in the transition zone from the upstream area to the downstream area, by positioning the blades according to the flow velocity of the water flow which leads to increased hydrodynamics forces developed by each blade and the simultaneous reduction of the hydraulic resistance forces to the rotation of the blades, based on which the mechanism of orienting the blades in optimal positions against water currents was designed, developed, and manufactured.