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Hydro Turbine On-Line Calculator

User Input

Step 1: Applicant & Site Input

Select Validate to validate form is complete. Once validated, proceed to the Resource section.
Validate
Please ensure all the contact information is accurate.

Step 2: Resource Input

Specify two sets of flow rate and head/pressure for a low flow season and a high flow season. You can keep the high and low values the same for constant flow.
Select Validate for comments on the values provided for this Resource section. Once validated, proceed to the Piping section.
Validate
The total of the low and high flow period can not exceed 12 months, but could be less if a no generation period is relevant.

Step 3: Piping Input

Provide a head / pressure distribution as a factor of the total pressure to improve the accuracy of the piping budget. This is especially required when the slope changes significantly over the length. Provide percentage of total head / pressure at the pipe lengths specified below.
%
%
%
Select Validate for comments on the values provided for this Piping section.
Validate
Piping schedule (thickness) calculation will assume a linear head / pressure distribution between points provided.

Step 4: Configuration

Adjust Design parameters and Select Calculate to update turbine design.
Calculate
Basic design calculation will assume information provided above and override head and flow if required.

Program Output

About Calculator

WD Home This online calculator is compiled by WD Power to assist with the development of a micro hydro site.Users are provided with basic guide lines to assist with the input parameters.

WD Home The EnergyPedia web site has valuable supporting documentation that will assist users to collect the relevant information on a site. You can vist the page on EnergyPedia or download theMicro Hydro Scout guide PDF document.

The calculator will allow the user to print a summary document with budget prices. This is not a quotation and purely a guide as it is recommended that all sites are inspected prior to design finalisation.

How To Use this calculator

Please ensure you have an understanding of the head and flow concepts. Read the reference documentation if this is not familiar to you.

All input parameters are on the left side with explanation on the right. Summary of output is also on the right. Please read these notes in the Output - Configuration tab to corect the paramaters as recommended.

Select the "Validate" button in each input section to ensure the input is correct.

Hover with the mouse over a field to get additional information on the purpouse of the field. You can always go back to a previous tab to correct information.

  1. Input - Site: Complete all the relevant site information. The email is important as this will be used to email a copy of the final design report.
  2. Input - Resource: Complete the required information to define the resources available on the site. Note that the flow and pressure units selected here will be used consistently in the rest of the calculator.
  3. Input - Piping: Provide the required pipe material and length. The pressure distribution assist in sizing of the pipe pressure rating. As the pipe cost copuld be significant, try and get this as accurate as possible.
  4. Input - Config: If all the steps above were completed correctly, an initial value would be provided for the calculator. This will now provide an initial turbine calculation. Select Calculate to perform the first design, based on these parameters.
  5. Fine tuning: Read the notes provided in COnfiguration output and correct the input parameters in the Configuration tab. Select "Calculate" each time to adjust the output.

Resource - Flow

Obtain accurate flow rates for the high and low flow seasons. Accuracy of flow rates are critical in ensuring correct turbine sizing.

Please refer to the Scout Document pages 13 & 14 for flow measurement options.

Resource - Head

Obtain accurate water head for the high and low flow seasons. Similar to the flow rates, head is critical in ensuring correct turbine sizing.

Please refer to the Scout Document pages 20 to 26 for head measurement options.

Piping

The pressure in the pipe increases as the elevation drops. Pipe line thickness (schedule) must be increased as the pressure increase.

As the pipe schedule has a large contribution in the budgeted price, this model will adapt the pipe thickness as the pressure increase.

Invrease is very seldom linear. Some pipelines may start at a dam wall with an initial pressure. Othe lines might have an initial slope that differs from the slope in the rest of the pipeline.

For the purpouse of this simulation, the start value is required as well as two intermediate values. Using conservative (higher) pressure percentages would be recommended in cases where the slope change is significant.

Configuration

Calculated results will be shown here.
No notes to display