The Complete Buying Guide: Small Hydro Turbines

So you want to generate your own electricity? But you don’t want to build a large dam or you are not located near a large water body. Which is the best option to consider? Simply get small hydro turbines for sale.

So, which small water turbine should I get? In this guide, we are going to enlighten you on how to buy the best small hydro turbine.

Classifications of small scale hydro power

First things first, let’s look at the different classes of small hydro powers. From these classes, you will know which hydro turbine to get.

Small-hydro

This hydro power generates energy ranging between 1-15MW. The energy from this small hydro power plant is usually fed into the grid system. This small hydro power plant usually generates enough energy to meet the small town’s needs.

It is important to state that small hydro power is not small in every sense of the word. Small hydro power plants can produce up to 100MW of electricity and cost as much as $2 billion for building them. 

Micro Hydro Power (MHP)

This small hydro turbines are small water turbines that generate 0.01-1 kilowatts of electricity at a time. In other words, it produces enough energy that can meet your domestic energy requirements. 

 The size of this turbine ranges from few meters tall and wide but they are specially designed to fit most streams, rivers, or other natural bodies with sufficient flow. Such small hydro turbines are small in stature but can generate enough electricity to power a small house.

To get the most out of this small hydro power, you will have to build a micro-hydro system that includes reservoir, penstock and turbine. So, look and analyze whether the turbine that you want to buy will be suitable for your micro hydropower system.

Mini-hydro power

This small hydro power plant generates electricity ranging between a few kW to 1MW. One of the common mini small water turbines is Pelton Wheel Turbine which uses impulse energy from water flowing over paddles.

These small hydro power plants are small in stature but they can produce considerable amount of energy.

Pico hydro power

The output of this power system ranges between a few hundreds to 5 KW. This small hydro turbine is small in size and can be mounted on small streams or rivers. These small hydro power plants are usually less than a meter in width due to limited space.

It is mainly used for domestic and small-scale commercial applications.

Types of small hydroelectric  turbine generators

Small hydro turbines are divided into different categories. These are:

Pelton turbines:

Pelton small water turbines are the most common small hydro turbines. They use impulse energy from water flowing over paddles to generate electricity. The efficiency of this small turbine is between 30-50%. 

It produces more power than a Francis small water turbines but it has the same advantage and disadvantage as Francis small hydro power.

Francis turbines

These small hydro turbines use a high-pressure water to rotate their blades and produce electricity. The rotational speed of these small water turbines range between 30-35 rpm.

 They are also known as impulse turbines since they create impulse energy that in turn spins the rotor blades. This small turbine is more efficient than Pelton small hydro power and can reach up to 60% efficiency depending on the design.

Unlike Pelton small hydro turbines, Francis  small water turbines do not require large reservoir or penstock which makes them more adaptable for micro grid development project.

Kaplan turbine

This small hydro power is the most efficient small water turbines. It can reach up to 75% efficiency. This small turbine utilizes pressure head energy, unlike Pelton and Francis small small hydro turbines that use impulse energy from flowing water.

Kaplan small turbine uses hydraulic head (pressure head) created by a dam or other human-made structures to generate electricity through jet propulsion of water via a nozzle outlet in the runner’s leading edge, similar to an aircraft jet engine.

 The reaction force imparted by the pressurized fluid acts on the blade, causing it to rotate and power a generator or pump>

Factors to consider when buying small hydro turbines

*Electricity generation:   The voltage produced will determine if you want single or three-phase small hydro turbines. If you want to light one bulb, then your small hydro turbine will need single-phase electricity. 

 But if you are buying small hydropower for commercial applications such as charging batteries or running a small generator, then it should be three phase small water turbines.

*Head:   Small hydro turbines with small heads can generate a small amount of energy while small turbines with high head can produce maximum electricity.

*Speed:   The rotational speed of small water turbines vary depending on the type of small turbine that you will choose. There are some that has quite higher rotational speed than other small hydropower plants.

*Penstock size:  The penstock is a pipe used to channel water from the stream or river where the water passes through pressure regulator, valves and surge tanks before it reaches the nozzle attached to your small hydro turbine.

So, make sure to buy one according to the length of your penstock or else, your mini small hydro system won’t be able to reach its full potential.

*Support structure:   It is vital to ensure that small hydro turbines are supported by a strong and secure foundation in order for it to withstand harsh weather conditions.

*Efficiency:   Small l hydro turbines are said to be efficient in terms of the percentage of power generated from the head. Water turbines with higher efficiency rates cost more money but can generate more electricity than those small water turbines that have less efficiency rate.

*Small hydro turbine price:   You should also determine the cost of small hydro turbines and installation which includes transportation fees, any fees required for a third party to install small water turbine systems.

*Maintenance:   Determine how much money you are willing to spend in visiting small hydro plants on a regular basis or contract someone to do it.

*Warranty:  You may want to ensure that your small water turbines come with a comprehensive warranty because some can last as long as 20 years while others can have a life span of only 2-5 years.

Where to buy small hydro turbines?

It is always advisable to buy from reliable small hydro turbine manufacturers and suppliers in China. They offer small hydro power plant package with complete installation guide. The small turbines offered by these manufacturers are of high quality and have a reasonable price tag.

In conclusion, small hydro turbines can be a viable source of renewable energy. They are small water turbines that run on water pressure head and they requires very little maintenance if not properly maintained then small water turbine lifespan won’t last long.