Category Archives: Case Study

Case Study

Ty Cooke

Gross Head:      61 mPB140512

Design Flow:     23 l/s

Rated Power:    9.2 kW

Following client’s brief, this scheme was designed and installed in 2015. A proportion of the flow in a tributary of the river Usk is diverted through a fine screen to a small intake tank. The powerhouse is situated 900 metres downstream near to the lower boundary and buildings. The system employs a fully stainless steel Hydromatch Turbine HF200 with twin motorised spear valves, direct drive 4 pole generator and G59/3 connected via an SCS mk2 control system.   Online energy monitoring enables mobile review of generation, load and export status. Installation  costs were minimised through the development of clear design and construction documents, client appointed building and electrical contractors and close supervision of the works.

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Case Study, Hydropower, Monitoring

Blaenavon

Hydromatch Consulting Case Study 9 Site Name: Dragon’s Teeth
System type: Crossflow Turbine Maximum Power: 20 kW
Manufacturer: Ossberger Typical Generation: 90 MWh p.a.
Client: Torfaen County
Borough Council		 Design Conditions: H = 25.00 m
Q = 0.1 m3/s
Location: Blaenavon, S. Wales Commissioned: September 2011

Live Output

Power: 0  kW
Energy (Since 19/10/11): 0  kWh
CO2 Saving: 0  tonnes
Updated:
Time (min)
Power (kW)
Time (min)
Temp (oC)

Project description:

This scheme was commissioned by the Forgotten Landscapes Partnership; a project celebrating heritage and industry in the landscape around the former colliery town of Blaenavon in South Wales.

Use is made of water channelled into a river diversion originally designed to prevent landscape erosion. The series of cascading concrete weirs controlling the flow are known locally as the ‘Dragon’s Teeth!’ The hydropower scheme diverts water from the top of the channel into a penstock pipe which is connected to a crossflow turbine at the foot of the hill 280 metres away.

The existing channel was adapted to form the intake sump and includes a ‘coanda’ type screen to filter out debris. The scheme is fully automated and designed to minimise maintenance. A data logging system in the powerhouse enables scheme operation can be monitored via the internet (see live output data).

The generator is connected to the national grid via a buried cable to Blaenavon World Heritage Centre 450 metres away. The electricity produced is used directly and reduces the running costs of the building. Income from the Feed in Tariff is used to support further initiatives in the local community.






Case Study, Hydropower

Dean Forest Railway 11 kW Hydropower Scheme

Details of the proposed scheme:

System type: Crossflow Turbine Power output: 11 kW
Developer: Dean Forest Railway Co. Ltd Design Conditions: H = 4.5 m
Q = 0.40 m3/s
Location: Lydney, Gloucestershire Expected Generation: 68 MWh p.a.

 

This micro-hydro scheme is proposed on the site of the Dean Forest Railway at Norchard Drift. The station is run by the volunteers of the Dean Forest Railway Society who’s objective is to preserve the last remaining section of the Severn & Wye Railway.

The scheme is to be constructed at the outfall of a culvert which runs under the railway into the River Lyd. Pico Energy have designed a scheme to fit in with the existing topology and modelled it using 3D CAD, shown in the montage above. Consents are currently under way with abstraction license and planning permission already obtained by Pico Energy.

The scheme is planned to connect with the supply for the station, helping to meet its electricity demand and improve the railways long term viability.

If you have a similar project in mind, then please get in touch for an informal discussion about how we may be able to assist with the scheme implementation info@picoenergy.co.uk

Case Study

Monmouthshire Hydropower Resources

Hydromatch Ltd worked with Monmouthshire County Council to identify potential hydropower sites in the county. There are several stages to this process:

  1. A desktop study of the region incorporating Environment Agency data and OS map data to identify sites with potential combined head and flow resource. Over 60 proposed sites were identified for further investigation.
  2. Meeting with representatives of the council to discuss preferred sites and local considerations.
  3. Site visits to 15 possible sites to take flow and head measurements and identify limiting factors.
  4. Feasibility studies for site worthy of further investigations.

Please get in touch if you are interested in discussing a similar scoping study or know of a potential hydropower opportunity which you think should be considered in Monmouthshire.