Autonomous hydroelectric plant using limited water volume - uses water column height to provide drive pressure for turbines at base

摘要

The hydroelectric plant has a number of turbines driving respective alternators and supplied from a distribution chamber via narrow conduits each containing a flow control valve. The distribution chamber has a horizontal floor and communicates with a vertical or identical shaft of limited dia. which is open to the atmosphere. The cross sectional area of the shaft is at least equal to the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the outlets from the distribution chamber leading to each turbine conduit to maintain a normal water flow. Pref. the water is recovered and returned to the top of the shaft via a pumping system, so that the plant is autonomous. The plant uses the water press due to its height, not its vol. allowing its use in a wide range of geographical locations.