12 kW Micro-Hydro Turbines - Algonquin Eco-Lodge

[SuperOffgrid]

Are the generators producing a.c. or d.c.? If d.c., are you inverting to a.c. or is the entire electrical system d.c.? If gens. are a.c., how is the frequency controlled?

[lilydipper]

@SuperOffgrid They are AC, and get stepped up to 640V for transmission, then another transformer tpo step down to 240 V as it enters the Lodge. The control mechanism (electronic) keeps it at 60 Hz.

[Janigut]

How many meters is the difference in height between the intake and outlet?

Looks very nice and it's a clean source of power.

Sorry for my bad english if i made any mistakes.

[lilydipper]

@Janigut The vertical distance (the "head") is 18m. The horizontal run is 150m.

[B4119812B]

@lilydipper

how many gallons per minute is used to run your 4kw or your 8kw?

Thank you

[lilydipper]

@B4119812B  The 8kw turbine take 75 l/s, while the 4 kW turbine use 43 l/s.

[TheHundrethmonkey]

Is there a battery bank in this install or is everything regulated through the controllers on the wall? also just trying to figure out how you regulate the 60 hz with a system like this. Ive seen some setups that use heaters in the penstock to regulate the extra power not used. Very tight install!!! Just awesome!

[lilydipper]

@TheHundrethmonkey There are no batteries - we produce too much power for batteries. The extra power go to the "dump loads" which are electric heaters. During winter that's great as it heats up the Lodge. During summer we have another bank of heaters outside and we just "blow off" the excess power when not needed.

[enticed2zeitgeist]

@lilydipper Consider taking that excess power and using it for grid computations!

[lilydipper]

@enticed2zeitgeist We are too far in "the bush" to be connected to the grid.  2.5 km away. So we have to use all of our power ourselves.

[exclamation3mark]

how much was it t o buy and maitain for the yrs per year you hve had it

[lilydipper]

@exclamation3mark The turbines and pipes and electrical work cost about C$80,000.  Maintenance is very cheap - just a bit of hydraulic fluid and greasing a few nipples on the turbines. We'll probably have to replace a few pipe support cribs as the years go by, but that's not too much either.

[arkivx1]

Wow nice place I wish i lived some where like this.

[AriBenDavid]

Minor hydro is the finest source of electricity. How much potential is there in your stream if you wanted to divert all of the water for power generation? I presume 8KW was all you needed to run the lodge.

[lilydipper]

@AriBenDavid If we were to block off the entire river we could probably get about 100 kW. But we are only allowed to divert 10% of the flow. That gives us nearly 11kW in the winter (when the water levels are higher). That is enough for a hot tub, some electric heat, lights, and electric appliances. You can always use more power for heat in the winter, but you don't need that much in the summer.

[PigeonTech]

Does the water heat up by the time it's expelled from the generator shed? If so, have you thought about rerouting it through passive floor heating or something similar before letting it back into the river?

[lilydipper]

@PigeonTech The water seems to be about the same temperature as the river it came from, so not much advantage to be gained. Also, if you put the discharge pipe back into the river (underwater) you get suction forming which increases the flow rate and therefore more electricity.

[AlexRyteuBart]

85.000 $ seems to be a lot of money, but you got 12Kw. Do you think it would be possible to make smaller one, lets say 2-3kW, for less than 10.000$

[lilydipper]

@AlexRyteuBart Yes, you can make a smaller system for much less money. There is a company in New Brunswick that makes the Stream Engine, which can produce up to 1.2 kW I believe.

[AlexRyteuBart]

I just came with my own idea of hydrogenerator like this which could be instaled in wild somewhere in Canada few weeks ago and I was looking for some data online and it come whith your video. It is nice to know that it works and keep working even in cold winter time. I want to move to north Canada and instal smaller version of your powerplant, I will need max 2-3kWh to run my home or even less.

[1967gal]

This is good stuff. Did you instal this?

[lilydipper]

@1967gal

Yes, we installed it. Had some volunteer helpers, rented a backhoe one day, and a local contractor to build the powerhouse and a few more cribs.

[AlternativePowerMan]

I've lived in northern Ontario....its gets real cold in the winter, -25C is easy in late Jan early Feb....I was on your web site looking at pictures...how do you keep the pipes from freezing up?

[lilydipper]

@AlternativePowerMan 1 day ago

Last winter it dipped down to -32C in January and the pipe kept flowing. The diameter of the pipe is big enough and the flow fast enough that it didn't freeze up. Now, if we get a -44C cold snap (like we did a few years ago) I don't know how they'll perform. We want to insulate the pipes with styrofoam but that will have to wait till next summer (and some volunteers!).

[markojablanovic31]

very well done, visit the face book link - Micro hydro power plant -

and exchange of good experiences

[piestrak]

awesome.

[joeblackman100]

Nice job, something i'd like to do, where 'd you get the audience?......rent a crowd!

[cad6789]

Great video Robin. I will send the links around to other people so the word can be spread.

[michael970]

very nice place.Great hydro system.Keep up the good work