a new low head turbine
TRANSCRIPT
A New Low Head Turbine
Northwest Hydroelectric Association:
Low Impact Hydropower Workshop
September 22-23, 2010
The Riverhouse, Bend, Oregon
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Why low head hydropower?
1,200 cfs through 10 feet is 1 MW
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Why low head hydropower in canals / conduits?
Minimal environmental impacts
Multiple benefits
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Significant conduit potential compared to in-stream low head
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1,153
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California Navigant study concluded 255 MW of in-conduit potential in CA that is
not reflected in any of the DOE resource assessments
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However:
Scant development of 100’s of GW potential
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Why?
Cost.
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Conventional hydro technology:
high cost at low head
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SLH: Simple, Low cost, Highly scaleable
Water intake
Outlet to draft tube
Housing
Lid
(removable to lift out cassette)
SLH cassette
Output shaft
(drives generator)
Idler shaft
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Filling a competitive voidturbine type
impulse reaction
(simple, low mfg cost) (complex, costly blades)
head
low Kaplan, propeller
medium crossflow, Turgo Kaplan, Francis
high Pelton
SLH
better for low-head
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Strong performance over wide range of flows…
…without blade or wicket gate servos
… at fixed shaft speed
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intake/penstock
draft tube
gearing
generator
SLH
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intake/penstock
draft tube
gearing
SLH lid
removable
SLH
cassette
module
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tainter gate
bypass/chute gatetrash rack
XY gantry crane
SLH
intake
SLH draft tube
Scenario:
SLH-50, 4 m head
106 kW, 129 cfs
No cavitation
(reduce excavation cost & uncertainty)
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Example bypass or run of river layout
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SLH-10
25 kW
SLH-50
106 kW
SLH-100
212 kW
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SLH-500
1.06 MW
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Buckeye South Extension Project
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Old irrigation drop Construction completed winter 2009 Grid-connected
April 2010
from an old irrigation drop…
…to a grid-connected pilot plant
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Pilot Plant: Buckeye, AZ
Irrigation drop owned by Buckeye Water Conservation & Drainage District.
Power sold to Arizona Public Service.
Project uses an SLH-10 unit, with a rating of 25 kW at 4 m head.
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From left, Abe Schneider, Ed Gerak
(District General Manager), Joe
Blankenship and Ken Saline standing
downstream of site
The old South Extension
drop structure
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Pilot Plant: Buckeye, AZ, continued
December 2008: Buckeye completed work on drop and canal. Project required
an “exemption from licensing” from FERC before it can connect to the grid.
April 19, 2009: Public comment period closed with no comments raised.
September 2, 2009: Letter granting FERC Exemption issued
December 2009: SLH engine installed
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View looking along intake out
towards draft tube
Dan Schneider and Ed Gerak
View looking down on the
SLH from above
SLH
Generator
Intake
Switchgear
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Water back on: December 12, 2009
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Running in off-grid mode prior to grid-connection
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Security fence installed
around powerhouse
Installation of the pole
and transformer
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Grid-connected April 23, 2010
Commissioning event held on May 4, 2010
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Buckeye South Extension Recap
2008 2009 2010
Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Draft application filed with FERC
Supplemental information (publication of public notice) filed with FERC
Final application filed with FERC containing results of first consultation process and waivers of second consultation process
Notice of application accepted for filing by FERC starting 45 day comment period
45 day comment period closes; no comments; application moved to FERC internal review process
FERC internal review
Exemption granted
Final site drawings filed with regional FERC office
All drawings approved
Installation of SLH
Interconnect application filed with APS
Off-grid operation of SLH
Interconnect
Commission event
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Experience at Buckeye
FERC Exemption
Integrated Civil – Machine Design
Programming for PLC and SCADA
Construction and Installation
Interconnection
Operating Data
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Natel Pilot Program
Canal Diversion
5 – 20 Ft Drop
Variable Flow is Acceptable
Potential for cost participation on project
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Summary Points
• Primary barriers to new low-head hydro development are 1) cost and 2)
environmental, particularly fish passage
• Our product cuts the cost of the water-to-wire package by as much as 50%
over competing technology for low-head applications
• Our product is fish friendly (downstream passage)
• Product line will have 5 unit sizes 20 kW, 100kW, 200 kW, 400 kW and
1 MW targeting sites with heads (dam height) between 5 and 30 feet and
per-unit flows ranging from 20 to 1,500 cfs
• Demonstrated technology tested in lab and field settings; 10,000 hours
of field test operation; pilot commercial project installed in December 2009
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Thank You
Gia Schneider
office 510 984 3644
cell 917 558 2718
www.natelenergy.com