Author Topic: Centrifugal pump as a hydro turbine?  (Read 3219 times)

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MIgardener

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Centrifugal pump as a hydro turbine?
« on: June 07, 2014, 02:40:00 PM »

    I had this thought and wondered what you guys think of it.

  I was wondering if it would be possible to take one of those induction motors with a centrifugal pump attached to it,
 and convert the motor to a PMA, and then use the pump in reverse, as a turbine. 

 Do you know of anyone who has done this?
 
,Jake

Flux

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Re: Centrifugal pump as a hydro turbine?
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2014, 03:41:12 PM »
The usual method is to use the induction motor as a self excited induction generator. If you want to put the extra effort into the job then doing a motor conversion would probably get you a bit better efficiency and a scheme easier to control.

If you search pump as turbine you should find information on it, including how to select the best pump for the head you have. I think it is ITDG that has done a lot of this in 3rd world countries.

Flux

Flux

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Re: Centrifugal pump as a hydro turbine?
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2014, 04:14:30 PM »
I think it is a publication by Nigel Smith you need or at least that should get you there. If Smith did the induction generator bit there will be a link to the pump information although it may be a separate book.

Flux

MIgardener

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Re: Centrifugal pump as a hydro turbine?
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2014, 10:05:47 PM »
 Thanks
,Jake

joestue

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Re: Centrifugal pump as a hydro turbine?
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2014, 11:53:00 PM »
A friend of mine has had a number of mechanical gizmos printed from Shapeways, and I would venture a guess and say you could get the shell of an engineered impeller 3-d printed, and then fill it with glass fiber and epoxy for less than 100$

I would try and cast my own impeller, by printing and cutting out templates for carving the lost wax casting, but that's a lot of work.

if the motor you have is larger than 5 hp i recommend a wound rotor, not magnets.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2014, 12:00:12 AM by joestue »
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