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CFD simulation data of a pico-hydro turbine
Libia Cenith Alvear Pérez1, Manuel José Anaya Acosta1, Cristian Antonio Pedraza Yepes1
1Faculty of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Program, Research Group CONFORMAT, Universidad del Atlántico, Puerto Colombia, Colombia.
Data in Brief
|December 14, 2020
Summary
This study simulates pico-hydraulic turbines for residential electricity generation using CFD analysis. The findings support further research and development of clean energy solutions from small water sources.
Area of Science:
- Renewable Energy Engineering
- Fluid Dynamics
- Computational Mechanics
Background:
- Pico-hydro turbine systems offer a sustainable solution for decentralized electricity generation.
- Residential units can benefit from harnessing small waterfalls and streams for clean power.
- Accurate simulation data is crucial for the design and optimization of pico-hydro turbines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present CFD simulation data for a pico-hydraulic turbine designed for residential electric power generation.
- To analyze the operational parameters of the turbine under specific boundary conditions.
- To provide data supporting the potential manufacture of pico-hydro prototypes.
Main Methods:
- 3D modeling of the pico-hydraulic turbine using SolidWorks.
- Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations performed with ANSYS CFX software.
- Solver configuration aligned with ANSYS manuals and boundary conditions based on Colombian drinking water standards.
Main Results:
- Simulation data acquired for three distinct operating points.
- Analysis of output pressure, turbine fall, and utilized hydraulic power.
- Validation of simulation methodology for pico-hydro turbine performance assessment.
Conclusions:
- The acquired simulation data can guide future research and prototype development for pico-hydraulic turbines.
- CFD simulations provide a valuable tool for evaluating geometric factors and operating conditions.
- This research encourages further investigation into small-scale hydrokinetic energy generation systems.
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