2. Alternative Technology Product Development

3. Appropriate Day
Good Friday
Earth Day

4. Needs & Potential Needs
2-5% of rural Sub-Saharan Africa served by electric grids
1.6 billion people in developing
countries currently live without electricity
International Energy Agency (IEA)
estimate that by 2020 developing countries
will need to double their electrical power output
Potential
4 million estimated micro-hydro
locations worldwide
100,000 family size micro-hydro
units in Vietnam
Estimated 100,000 household sites
In Philippines

5. History Invented by Don in Liberia Originally a Surf Model
River Model Adaptation
EMI Involvement
Performance – 178W maximum at 60 RPM

6. Ultimate Goals Ultimate User: Poor rural household in developing World
Desired Characteristics
Affordable – for rural farmer making $400/yr
Reliable & Durable – 24 hours/day for up to 3 years. Debris protection
Simple – easy to install, maintain and replace by poor rural developing world farmer
Safe
Secure – resistant to theft and vandalism
Environmentally Friendly
Modular – for scalability
Technical Requirements:
Stream Flow of 5-20 ft3/sec
Power > 300 watts – enough for lights, cell phone, computer
Ideal Cost < $100 (production model in developing world) Purchase Plans: 3 year loan payback. Business charging cell phone batteries, etc.
Other Potential Models: Backpacker – smaller
Villager – larger or linked household models
Municipal – for North American municipalities: power or lighting for parks

7. Summer 2011 – Wedge 2.0 Refinement Goals
More efficient prototype: > 300 watts
Elegant design for future manufacturing simplicity
Cost < $500 (parts only)
Method:
EMI Design Intensive – this week
Wedge 2.0 Fabrication - till end of May
Summer testing – throughout summer Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) graciously interested
CSU/FMDC requirements –
Household requirements especially safe and environmentally safe
Not interrupt flow, normal operations or cause erosion.
Emergency removal capability.

8. Summer 2011 – Wedge 2.0 Refinement Goals
3 potential CSU test locations:
Test Duration
Purpose
Water Width (ft)
water depth (in)
Average Flow (cu ft / sec)
Avg Vel ( m / s)
Peak Vel (m/s)
JPD WWTP Clean Water Outfall (Public)
4-8 hrs
fine-tuning 4 18
14.1
0.72
1.43
Fountain Mutual Ditch (within CSU Las Vegas WWTP)
1-2 months
durability 10 24 20
0.30
0.61
Ruxton Hydropower Plant (within CSU fence)
flow-range 6 12
0.91
1.83
Glen Eyrie
2 min
proof 15
Test
Purpose
Average Flow
Waterway
water
Avg Vel
Peak Vel
Duration
Cu Ft/sec
Width (ft)
depth (in)
(m/s)
JPD WWTP Clean Water Outfall (Public)
4-8 hrs
fine-tuning
14.1 4 18
0.72
1.43
Fountain Mutual Ditch (within CSU Las Vegas WWTP)
1-2 months
durability 20 10 24
0.30
0.61
Ruxton Hydropower Plant (within CSU fence)
flow-range 6 12
0.91
1.83
Glen Eyrie
2 min
proof 15

9. Existing Wedge

10. Existing Wedge

11. Existing Wedge
Converting velocity to head
Hydraulic Jump Effect
RPM

12. Proposed Wedge

13. Proposed Wedge

14. Proposed Wedge

15. Proposed Wedge

16. Hydrodynamic Modeling

17. Hydrodynamic Modeling

22. Environmental Concerns and Anchoring
Wildlife
Fish – Sediment/ Fish habitat
Emissions
Diverter Design
To divert debris and fish around wedge
Anchoring
Integrated anchoring device with Diverter for additional stability

23. Turbine Design – Turbine Dynamics

24. Turbine Design – Turbine Dynamics
Relative Velocity
Angle of Attack
Variable Pitch
Direct Drive
Eliminate gearing loss and maintenance

25. Turbine Design – Theoretical Torque Vs RPM

26. Turbine Design – Theoretical Power Vs Pitch

27. Turbine Design – Ultimate Design
Prototype vs. Production models
Vast differences in the following 3 areas
Cost
Product Efficiency
Product quality

28. Turbine Design – Ultimate Design
Prototype Costs High due to:
High Material Costs
Buying at consumer prices vs. wholesale for both raw materials and purchased parts
High Labor Costs
Each part is made individually by hand
Manufacturing Costs reduce with volume
Material costs are reduced by volume price negotiations
Labor costs are reduced with tooling and individualized functions (making the same part many times reduces setup time)

29. Turbine Design – Ultimate Design
Product Efficiency
Prototype designs depend largely on commercially available parts and materials
Production model can introduce optimum part dimensions and material selection to enhance performance
Product Quality
Manufacturing tooling increases quality and repeatability
Utilizing mold castings
Specific repeatable tooling setups
Materials and parts
Production designs use custom materials and parts as opposed to consumer dimensioned materials

30. Turbine Design – Ultimate Design
Goals to Lower Costs
Integrate different functions to reduce overall number of parts
Possibly integrate turbine with generator
Integrate the debris guard and anchoring device

31. Electrical Design Challenges
Low Torque (5-15 N-m)
Low Speed ( RPM)
Wet environment
Remote access
Inexpensive
Selected Design
Direct drive
Permanent Magnet Generator
Custom low-speed design

32. Design Process Build computer model
Built next prototype with AC Delco/Blue Wind PMG (shown)
Use test results to validate models and design new PMG

33. Computer Model

34. PMG 4 Pole pair Results

35. PMG 16 Pole pair Results

36. Ultimate Design – Custom PMG

37. Load Matching & Electrical Safety
Need to identify performance characteristics
Can use computer model
Controls to include:
E-stop (switch and cable)
SC protection
Control panel with lights and switches
UPS for controls

38. Management of Intellectual Property
Process stimulated discussion
Management of IP should be:
Retained to make money to gift others
Shared to stimulate and aid other designers

39. Data Collection and Telemetry

40. Q & A