Low-head hydropower energy resource harvesting: analysis and design of a Venturi turbine

Abstract

The paper provides a low-head hydropower energy resource harvester (HyPER) design of 4-blade impeller with a fixed pitch blade angle. Based on a previous site evaluation and maximum power potential estimated without any modifications to the irrigation structure, the proposed objective of exploiting the estimated power will be met from harvester prototypes with portable, compact modular design. This makes assembly easy, uses off-the-shelf components to produce power. Calculations were carried out for designing guidevanes, Venturi tube, impeller blades and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software then is used in verifying the design. Designed as a self-supporting structure, the configuration offers a scalable hydropower generating system suitable for low-head drops along irrigation canals.