Assessment of an innovative floating hydro generator prototype through experiments and modelling Online publication date: Tue, 16-Feb-2021
by Abhishek Asthana; Sanjay Mukherjee
International Journal of Design Engineering (IJDE), Vol. 9, No. 2, 2020
Abstract: This work involves developing and testing a prototype of new design of a floating undershot waterwheel. The design uses linkage mechanism between paddles and shaft to always keep the paddles normal to the water-flow to maximise power transmission and efficiency, and to allow using the waterwheel in very low water flow conditions. The prototype was tested in two different field trials: 1) in a swimming pool with jets of water to replicate low flow conditions; 2) in a millstream to replicate normal flow conditions to experimentally measure the mechanical power outputs. The experiments showed 55%-69% efficiency, close to the best performances for undershot water wheels recorded in literature. The floating design also allows aquatics to move freely under the wheel and does not require disruptive construction of barrages or other permanent structures. The findings are promising and encourage further optimisation of the current design and target even higher efficiencies.
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Design Engineering (IJDE):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:
Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.
If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com
Our Blog 
Follow us on Twitter 
Visit us on Facebook