Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Hydro Electricity: Need help calculating water

We are starting the process of generating electricity for our whole property by using our water from our lake. Our 25 acre lake sits up on a hill and we have a big 12" siphon that can release water at the bottom of the hill 36' down from the level of the lake. I got the siphon running this weekend to see how much the water would drop by running it full bore and figured it would be much easier if someone much smarter than I could help me calculate approximately how many gallons of water would flow through this pipe per day? 12" pipe, 36 feet elevation drop from the lake.

Every Spring our lake is approximately 24" inches higher than I usually keep the level all summer long, so I have tons of extra water available to generate the electricity with. Basically 50 acre feet of water (16,292,500 gallons) that get wasted through this siphon every spring.

The electric converting generator would not use all 12 inches of water, but would actually be reduced down to about a 6 inch pipe.

This link will give you the flow rate of a pipe.

http://www.sahra.arizona.edu/programs/water_cons/resources/pipeToFlow.htm

Nate, another good site.
http://www.homepower.com/basics/hydro/

Anybody here have a hydro system installed? Pictures?

No, but I'd like to as I run water through my trout pond 7 months of the year and out. 45 gpms 24/7 for 7 months. I plan to use the flwo it to irrigate a large garden but wouldn't mind getting some electricty out of it too. Even if it was just enough to run the well or the diffusers I'd be happy as it's going to waste right now.

N8LY can you fill us in a little?

Thanks Fellas for the web links, looks like my pipe at maximum flow is 700,000 gallons per hour, but that seems like an awful lot of water? Could be though.

Anyhow my uncles run an electric company and have been getting into the reneweable energy stuff big time. They have been installing quite a few windmills for clients that virtually send the electricity back to the local electric company (the meter runs in reverse) for credit on electric bills.

We had plans of installing one of these systems, because we get tons of wind up on our hill, but when they saw all that water flowing out of the siphon they were litterally licking their chops at the electricity potential.

We currently use quite a bit of electricity at our property with future plans electrical costs will be well over $1500 per month during the summer. Also I had plans of running electricity to the other side of the lake anyway.

Well anyhow with our new plan we are formulating, the 2500' of wire necessary to run electricity back to the electrical meter from the hydro-generator can also be used to split off at various strategic locations around the lake for the waterslides, fish holding tanks, etc. We would need to run wire that far anyway, only we would have to actually pay for the electricity used.

My uncles are putting together all of the necessary info, specs, costs, etc over the next week or two. Right now there is a 30% tax credit or rebate or something that can be used for renewable energy projects like ours and that definitely helps. That can also be used for running the electrical wires needed too! Right now the entire project is rough estimated at $30,000 but $1500 per month savings on electrical bills wont take long to pay that off.

I have 16,292,500 extra gallons of water to use every spring, plus it wouldnt be a problem at all to use another 8,000,000 gallons of water and drop the lake another foot throughout the summer if needed.

That's 11,666.6 gpm. Sounds pretty high for even a 12 inch pipe at full load but I could be wrong.

Thanks for the info!

Nate,

If your generator turbine uses a 6" outlet, use that in your calculatons, not the 12" pipe. That would probably give you months of free electricity. You will probably get around 8000w output. I recon a 12" turbine could generate 3x more wattage than a 6", but drain your lake down in no time flat with the massive 30' head.

put me in skeptical camp

dont think you are going to be getting 1500$/mo generated from your installation

i would want you to have large level variation to spread production thru year.

post up link to generator you are looking into.

i am much more positive on creek capture schemes. and have 1 target i am looking at. i am also positive on the water pumping water uphill.

call your power provider (uncles?), maybe they will help with the running of wires... power providers probly want to get involved in your project

have your uncles done any hydro projects?

I was just curious about the 12" pipe water flow, it is just tons of water! The generator I am sure will only use 6" of flow or maybe less.

I dont do anything with electricity or electrical stuff except occasionally throw some DC current into the water for fish sampling. My Uncles are electrical geniusses and have installed quite a few wind turbines for private land owners, and have been experimenting lately with the hydro stuff. They will install everything and have all the exact specs including the amount of electricity to be generated. The cool thing is that the electric company actually gives us a credit for the electricity we produce and the meter actually spins backwards.

I may be able to bank up enough electricity in 3 months to supply the whole year? I may not be able to either??? Will find out in the next few days, and keep yall posted on the results and specs and equipment.

more than you ever wanted to know about small hydro

http://www.esha.be/fileadmin/esha_files/...lant-_Final.pdf

http://www.esha.be/fileadmin/esha_files/...nt-_Final-2.pdf

I have been researching micro Hydro for the past few years and since Maryland decided to raise our electricity rates by 75% I am thinking now is the time. I won't bore you with all the calculations I had to do but the main thing you need is PLENTY of head. ( drop in the water)

N8ly,
What you are referring to is called "Net Metering" and every state seems to have different rules. Maryland gives you full credit per KwH. buit you can only bank it for 12 months and then it starts over. They don't actually pay the micro hydro owners.
Some states will pay you a percentage of what you banked. It all depends on where you live. here is a link to a guy that will build you a custom turbine specially made just for your site and site conditions. http://www.apmhydro.com/

As always, thanks for the info!