Modular Low-Pressure River Power Plant Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small-scale low-pressure river power plants face high installation and operating costs due to complex engineering requirements and the need for custom-designed turbines and generators, making them unprofitable despite potential for energy generation from slow-flowing rivers with low fall heights.
Innovation Solution
A modular low-pressure river power plant comprising prefabricated turbine and draft tube modules arranged in a row, with adjustable barriers to control water flow and selective module closure, using standardized components and prefabricated concrete elements to reduce engineering and production costs, and featuring a control system for electricity distribution and excess management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom-designed turbines and generators are used for small-scale low-pressure power plants, then the power plant can be tailored to specific site requirements, but the installation and operating costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The power plant is divided into multiple identical modular units, each comprising a turbine module, generator module, and associated components. These modules can be replicated and arranged in parallel to meet different power requirements, eliminating the need for custom design while maintaining adaptability through simple scaling.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design creates universal building blocks that can serve multiple functions and be deployed in various configurations. The same standard module can be used across different low-pressure power plant applications, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs while maintaining site-specific adaptability through numerical replication rather than design customization.
2Manufacturing precision
If extensive engineering activity is conducted for single-order production, then the power plant can be optimized for specific conditions, but the production time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
All engineering design, optimization, and preparation work is completed in advance during the development of the standard modular units. The modules are designed once with built-in optimization for low-pressure applications, then replicated without requiring repeated engineering analysis, significantly reducing production time while maintaining optimization quality.
3Ease of manufacture
If standardized modules are used, then manufacturing and installation costs are reduced, but the ability to handle load variations and regulate power output is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The power plant is segmented into multiple independent modular units that can be operated individually or in combination. This segmentation enables flexible power output regulation by selectively activating or deactivating specific modules based on load requirements, providing adaptability without compromising the benefits of standardized manufacturing.
4Reliability
If a comprehensive engineering effort is required to house electromechanical delivery, then the power plant can be properly integrated, but the complexity and cost of the project increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each module integrates the turbine, generator, and associated electromechanical components into a single unified unit. This merging of functions within each module simplifies the overall system integration, as complete functional units are installed rather than separate components requiring complex assembly, reducing project complexity while maintaining integration quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modular design significantly reduces installation and operating costs while maintaining or exceeding power output of traditional solutions, enabling cost-effective and efficient energy production from low-pressure river systems with simplified maintenance and reduced engineering efforts.
Implementation Method 1
The power plant can comprise a series of identical turbine modules and identical draft tube modules
Implementation Method 2
Each turbine module can be coupled to an identical generator module
Data Source
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AI summary
A low pressure river power plant (10) is described, comprising several prefabricated turbine and draft tube modules (12) arranged in a row, where a number of side-by-side arranged barriers (18), that can be raised and lowered, are arranged upstream of the modules (12), and arranged to control the amount of water via an inlet channel (16) to the turbine and draft tube modules (12), and where each turbine and draft tube module (12) is equipped for selective closing of respective modules (12).