DESMHC bilateral research project on SHPP (Ulg & UTCB)

Hydropower unprofitable due to very high investment in civil works A lot of existing sites which do not produce electricity

Low head dams

New types of turbines were developed: VLH S & D Archimedes Screw

Characteristics of turbines: Minor civil works Fish friendly Suitable for very low head Retractable/ movable free pass of floods*

1. VLH turbine MJ2 Technologies

Kaplan runner with 8 adjustable blades
Fix distributor with 18 blades Integrated generating set Trash rack

Generator directly coupled to the runner shaft

Automatic trash rack cleaner

Drunner : H: Qinst : P:

3.15 5.00 1.4 3.2 10 30 100 500

(m) (m) (mc/s) (kW)

VLH turbine (2)

Mobile module it can be raised from the water in order to let the flood to pass and for inspection/ maintenance purpose Double regulated adjustable blades and variable speed Water speed throw turbine smaller than 2m/s The module can be used as a gate Fish Friendly turbine 100% surviving

VLH Turbine example (1)

Millau France (pilot site)

Head: Installed flow: Installed power: Energy: Runner diameter: In function:

2.5 m 22.5 mc/s 410 kW 2 GWh/ year 4.5 m March 2007

VLH Turbine example (2)

Marcinelle Belgium (navigation dam)

Head: 3m Installed flow: 2 x 15 mc/s Installed power: 650 kW Energy: 2 GWh/year Runner diameter: 3.55 m instalation: Novembre 2011 Price: 1.000.000 Euros Time needed for up/ down 20 min

Head: 3 m 3 Siphon turbine S (Des Grosses Battes, Liege) Installed flow: 27,5 m /s Installed power: 486 kW Energy: 2,6 GWh/year (2 years) Runner diameter: 3,25 m (92 rot/min) 4 adjustable blades (Kaplan) Weight turbinated water

2. Floated turbines - Rutten

Floated turbines Rutten (2)

Turbine D

Power plant realized from modules Recommended for low head navigation dams No civil works Without regulation ON / OFF H: 1.80 4.00 m Q : 10 18 mc/s P : 120 560 kW Downstream min level : 2.5 4 m Fish Friendly

Floated turbines Rutten (3)

Turbina D (Hun - HauteMeuse) - testing

Power plant realized from 6 modules Head: 2.8 m Installed flow: 6 x 17 m3/s Installed power: 6 x 400 kW Energy: 10 GWh/year Investment: 6 mil Euros Weight: 350 t Height of the metal structure: 8 m

3. Archimedes' screw turbine

Used in ancient times as a water pump. For the last years the screw was used as a turbine Fish Friendly Turbine (the screw was used for movement of the fish from a lake to another)

Rotation speed : Head : Qinst : P ower:

28 30 1 10 0.1 15 max 200

(rpm) (m) (mc/s) (kW)

Archimedes' screw turbine (2)

The screw has an efficiency of 87% for low heads [ 1 10 m]. Robustness it is given by the simple working and construction principles, and also the waste tolerance In Europe are installed more than 200 Archimedes screws.

Conclusions

Europe still has an important hydropower potential ( 50% from technical feasible) and existing very low head sites (built for other purposes than hydropower) represents an important part of it. Low head sites unprofitable due to major construction works needed for the classic power station turbines which dont need major civil works.

The paper presents the state of the art regarding Very low head fish friendly turbines:
VLH Omega S and Omega D Archimedes screw

Thank you for your attention