Hydro power potentials of water distribution networks in public universities: A case study

摘要

Public Universities in Southwestern Nigeria are densely populated student-residentcampuses, so that provision of regular potable water and electricity are important, butpower supply is not optimally available for all the necessary activities. This studyassesses the hydropower potential of the water distribution networks in the Universities,with the view to augmenting the inadequate power supplies. The institutions with waterdistribution configuration capable of accommodating in-pipe turbine are identified; thehydropower parameters, such as the flow characteristics and the pipe geometry aredetermined to estimate the water power. Global positioning device is used in estimatingthe elevations of the distribution reservoirs and the nodal points. The hydropowerpotential of each location is computed incorporating Lucid? Lift-based spherical turbinein the pipeline. From the analysis, the lean and the peak water power are between 1.92– 3.30 kW and 3.95 – 7.24 kW, respectively, for reservoir-fed distribution networks;while, a minimum of 0.72 kW is got for pipelines associated with borehole-fed overheadtanks. Possible applications of electricity generation from the water distributionnetworks of the public universities are recommended.