Digital twinning of an innovative low head, low cost hydro mini grid generator

Vienga正在开发一种创新的低水头、低成本水轮机，目标是面向世界各地的离网和微型电网市场，并将滩头市场确定为撒哈拉以南非洲地区。国际能源署和世界银行估计，在该地区，不到一半的人口能用上电：这被视为改善教育和生计的必要条件。我们的目标是提供一种低碳足迹的可再生能源，利用当地可用的材料和能力，并且不需要通过在“脏”的河阶或现有的堰上“湿”地筑坝来筑坝河流。电价的目标是略低于带有电池存储的太阳能发电机组，并消除了对柴油发电机组的需求，每台设备每年可节省40吨二氧化碳。这个由Innovate UK资助的项目专注于开发水轮机及其系统的虚拟模型(数字孪生兄弟)，该模型通过虚拟测试来展示其能力，而无需实际构建一系列物理模型。对于中小企业来说，这是一个创新的发展过程，与产品创新相结合，应该会产生一种英国开发的产品，可以出口到全球，为那些无法获得电力或不得不使用化石燃料发电机的人提供负担得起的电力。

Vienga is developing an innovative low head, low-cost hydro turbine destined for off grid and mini grid markets around the world with a beachhead market identified as sub-Saharan Africa. In this region the IEA and World Bank estimate that under half the population have access to electricity: seen as a necessity for improved education and livelihoods. Our goal is to provide a renewable energy source that has a low carbon footprint, utilizes locally available materials and capabilities, and does not require damming of rivers through 'wet' siting at 'dirty' river steps or on existing weirs. The price of electricity is targeted as being slightly lower than solar with battery storage and removes the need for a diesel genset saving 40 tons of CO2 per year per deviceThis Innovate UK funded project is focused on developing a virtual model of the hydro turbine and its systems (a digital twin') that is tested virtually to demonstrate its capabilities without actually building a series of physical models. This is an innovative development process for an SME and when combined with the product innovations should lead to a UK developed product that can be exported globally providing affordable electricity to those who have access to none or are having to use fossil fuelled generators.