Accurate design tools for archimedes screw generators

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Archimedes screw generators (ASGs) are an emerging microhydro electricity generation technology. ASGs areefficient, cost competitive and have low environmental impact. Supportive policy, public support forenvironmentally sustainable power generation, and the availability of many potential installation sites allsupport continued growth of the North American market for ASGs. This project builds on six years of researchcollaboration between the PI and Bluestreak on ASGs, supported by NSERC Engage and CRD programs,including a current CRD project that ends in Dec. 2018. This work has produced two generations of operationalmodels that predict Archimedes screw performance which have been incorporated into Bluestreak's operationaldesign tools, however, there is still potential and need to improve the accuracy of the ASG models. This newproject will improve the accuracy of practical ASG design tools, reducing uncertainty by increasing ourdetailed knowledge of loss mechanisms in an ASG. This research will also determine methods to accuratelyscale measurements from laboratory scale ASGs to full-size grid connected units, which has emerged as a keyissue. In practice, it is common to need to design installations with multiple ASGs at a single site. New modelswill be extended to include systems of multiple screws, including the reservoir, dam, supply channels andreceiving basin. This research will continue to utilize laboratory and theoretical studies, and will makeextensive use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to investigate phenomena that cannot be directlymeasured. Detailed field studies of four to six full scale ASGs are an integral part of this project. There is noinformation currently available from full-scale ASGs that can be practically used for detailed validation ofmodels and CFD. This research will provide the basis for an accurate site-specific design process that canprovide site-optimized ASG systems. Improved understanding of ASG technology, potentially positioningBluestreak and Canada as global leaders in ASG technology while helping provide needed HQP with deepexpertise in sustainable energy technologies.