If one were to use a "big enough" motor and use the "ideal" (size,strengh,number and placement) magnets, and at the same time put aside the issues of "weight-size-cogging". Has anyone already head down this trail? And if someone has, anyword back from them? (oh, I see I forgot to mention "ideal copper coils")
Paddle wheel driven I'm hoping the constant torque will negate cogging as an issue?
Mounted on the river bank, the gen would be shaft driven. Wheel on a "floating" structure.
YES I know I've left out a few minor details. (and been around long enough to know that the devil is lurking there).
Wheel about 12 to 16 ft. di. Paddles somewhere around 21 in wide and 32 in tall.
River depth min about 24 inches, I'm making a wild guess that average is 28.
The bottom of the river drops about 18 inches in a about 4 feet. (yeah, lots of abouts).
At the "chosen" location with the river at it's normal low, the current is still fairly strong. During high water you had better have on a life vest (and I had better have more than one spare sump pump).
What do I expect to get out of it? Heck, it's fun already!
ps. this river gets mighty hard in the winter months.