Microhydropower Energy Recovery at Wastewater-Treatment Plants: Turbine Selection and Optimization
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 143, Issue 1
Abstract
Recovering energy using microhydropower turbines on the flow of wastewater into or out of treatment plants has been shown to be a viable method of increasing the sustainability of the process. This paper examines the selection and design optimization of turbines at four wastewater-treatment plants in Ireland. Investigations were conducted to examine the impact of variation in flow rate due to storm events and changes in water demands on the optimal design of turbines. Turbine selection was also investigated in this setting, highlighting the optimum design in terms of power output and cost. Low-cost options for this low-head setting were examined through the use of multiple pump-as-turbines in parallel. The result highlights significant differences between power output estimates, using average flow rates and turbine efficiency, and those conducted using detailed design optimization. Underestimates of up to 12% were shown. The optimized systems efficiencies obtained across the sites ranged from 73 to 76%. Turbine costs ranged from 315 to depending on the type. Using pump-as-turbines produced system efficiencies of 58–62%. Using two pump-as-turbines, arranged in parallel, was shown to increase efficiency of these low-cost systems by a further 5%.
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Acknowledgments
This research was part funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG Ireland-Wales Programme (Interreg 4A).
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 143 • Issue 1 • February 2017
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 4, 2016
Accepted: Apr 12, 2016
Published online: Jul 13, 2016
Discussion open until: Dec 13, 2016
Published in print: Feb 1, 2017
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