Waterwheel Documentary- Harnessing Electricity on the Zambezi River
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2024
- This describes the proof of concept for the deployment of a waterwheel generator on the Zambezi River.
Please note that the video states this installation is less expensive than solar energy. This has changed since the video was first produced 2013. The cost is about comparable, however solar has less maintenance.
Waterwheel Installation - Zambia June 2013
A Seattle University Professionals Without Borders team traveled to Chirundu, Zambia to implement a senior design project. The project was conceived by Father Bert Otten, SJ, Emeritus Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, who now lives in Zambia. With only 21% of the people in developing countries have access to electricity; the project was to test a unique way to deliver power to rural developing countries.
Seattle University students installed a waterwheel electrical generator on the Zambezi River in Chirundu, Zambia. During their senior year, the Electrical and Computer Engineering students designed and completed extensive testing to determine the power characteristics of the generator. A prototype of the generator was constructed to design and test the controls, transmission, and an appropriate way to store the generated power.
The installation uses simple, appropriate technology to deliver renewable electricity to rural communities on larger rivers in Zambia. Using a commonly available washing machine motor and simple electronics to charge batteries, the system is more cost effective source of power than the equivalent solar panels in this rural part of Africa. This electrical system is easy to maintain and can be recreated in other communities. The total cost, including the construction of the waterwheel is less than the solar panel equivalent. The waterwheel platform was developed for a spiral pump by a Seattle University Senior Design team in 2009.
The installed generator system includes a generator, controls, protection, and a battery system. The battery system can be used for a variety of purposes, including charging cell phones, operating pumps and other electrical devices.
This is a good idea, I will be making the same in Togo, West Africa, our project will only be considered a success if the locals copy the idea, and it continues to be copied by locals, not by foreigners with much more money. Appropriate technology is copied, Andy Lee Graham 18 years abroad, in 107 countries. Thanks,
You all have helped many people, don't it feel good?
Very interesting. Similar to the waterwheels we used for crop irrigation about 20 km downstream from Chirundu back in the 1980s--over 30 years ago. Good to see the concept has been re-introduced to the area.
I envision giant waterwheels on the mighty Mississippi River someday.
Proud of my friends at Seattle University.
genial,impresionante ,admirable, por favor continuen con su proyecto
This is the kind of stuff the world needs , we need to teach diy power in school wth!
There is definitely a sweet spot for maximizing power. For us it was around 300 W.
I'm curious who thought up such a difficult means to fish the wire through the conduit. There are FAR easier ways used by electricians world wide wide
Brilliantly simple, perhaps you could explain why the paddle blades move from within the frame to the outside at the end?
Great project and execution. Good work.
great . we African our self we need these thinking so that we can be able to solve daily problems that affect our life.
Hello, where can I find the design plan for this water wheel? I live in a remote area next to a river and would love to install something like this.
Me too
Thank you very much for the videos, thank you and thank you!!!
My pleasure!
and who is sponsor?
wow...the mighty shire river is getting one two.....
Its great jot thank you for change the world .
Can anybody tell or guess what amount of electricity a comparable system could generate when using a waterwheel with a diameter of 5 mtr using 20 blades?
No one .. u need to now Debi and height
Great job.
very nice project .But what amount electricity we get ? please share.
He said 3kw. Which seems like a lot.
Excellent creative work ....
Good on ya, guys ! KUDOS !
how much does it cost to build this ?
Beautiful! Do you have a name or link to the washer motor used?
Thanks
Congratulation!!! Primitive, but every little helps
Steve, a few technical questions please if you don' t mind.
(1.) What is the waterwheel diameter and width?
(2.) Do you bring 3phase AC from the generator to the house, or do you convert it to DC on the float? Although it looks like a 3 phase rectifier against the wall so I presume you bring out 3 phase AC and convert it to DC at the house?
(3.) What are the voltages levels that are generated on the generator on the AC side and on the DC side after rectification?
(4.) What model of charge controllers are you using (looks like Victron manufactured?)
(5.) Did you have to rewire the connections between the coils on the stator of the generator for different voltages?
(6.) What make and model of washing machine is it that you used as donor for the generator?
Thanks!!
Any answers?
very nice project!
Hey ...awesome. ..good work
How do you get less resistance on that genorater? I am using the same one and when under load it hard to turn and I haven't switch it to dc yet
CONGRATULATION .
I love it....
So how much power did you get from that rig? 3 kWh?
It was 300 watts continuous. That would be the equivalent to about 900 W solar because it produces power all day and night.
Whats happens when a fallen tree floats down river and hits the barge?
If no one is there to hear it? Nothing
Nice!!!
An excellent green technology.
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Universities should come up with a basic hydrofoil design.
All that for 3 Kwh a day? I think their design was off... by several orders of magnitude.
I built one using same idea. It's about 4 feet diameter and 3 feet cross section. Best I got was 24 watts. Water flow was about 4 fps
Thanks for the comment. What did you use as the generator?
@@szablya 600 rpm 600w marsrock pmg. I geared to about 40 to 1. Giving me about 200 rpms. Higher gearing ratios dropped it down to less watts.
@@claysmith8839 That's the frustrating part of run of the river installations. The energy is there, but you have covert it to speed to the generator.
power?
прикольно и насос и генератор в одном флаконе!!! ПРОФИ!!
UPDATE!
I tried to get a company to make two major components, and they told me it would cost about $20,000 each.
This puts the minimum price tag to about $50,000!
It is way too expensive to build my generator invention.
Even so, I want to show the world it can be done, so I'm going to build the generator as soon as I get the money to do it.
This is still a great invention.
They will be able to power 50 WATT light bulbs in about 50/60 huts.
+Mickey Smith (SaintlyMic)
Ask your "god" about the money. LOL
❤
So you ran the cable through conduit. Wich is done to keep the cable from getting wet. Then you go and fill the conduit full of water. Lmfao!
We have speedy flow river at land side anyone interested for some investment it can fruitful for the villagers..... See this channel for river site
Типа, днем не успел уроки сделать, сидит по ночам перед компьютером )
way to much work for a home to operate just for power. Can you Imagine thousands of these on the river. It would be like Seattle traffic. probably a Seattle city council idea.
i guess you dont need to follow the turnning order "mechanic->electric->mechanic", its better to design an machnice driven wash machine and fridge for them
taking a little time out to rid yourselves of the crocodiles would have been a good idea too.
@wayne goff Who MUST be an American not I ye heathen sassenach
@wayne goff . Why do you say that? That is not a very nice thing to say at all.. not even to Americans.
Would I be right in saying you are a sassenach?
They should build nuclear power plants. It is infinitely more efficient.
Not a single person has died at Fukushima from the radiation. But on the other hand "mother nature" killed 18,000 people, and did $300 billion in damage to Japan in the earthquake and tsunami that destabilized the nuclear plant. This is the "mother nature" that the 'green' maniacs think is so harmless and lovable.
Nature is the most brutal killer of all. That is why all the world's poor people would come to America if they could, where we use lots of coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power to maintain our high standard of living.
Yes, another leftist/"greenie" expressing himself in the only way he knows how... with vulgarity and profanity. If I were truly wrong he would respond with facts.
I wish now at 2018