Imagine a hydro power plant which you can take to wherever you want. The portable hydro power plants are this post’s subject.
Working principle
The working principle is the same of a conventional hydro power plant, but in smaller scale. To know this principle, click in the button below.
Applications
These portable hydro power plants can be used in places far away from civilization, where there isn’t a distribution energy system. Can serve as emergency energetic source. It is a good alternative to who lives next to a stream.
Portable hydro power plants with mini turbines
A mini turbine moves a generator and produce energy to recharge the battery and other device with USB. This is the Estream, a portable generator used to charge smartphones.
Inside the Estream below. The turbine rotates with a water flow, moving a gear set and a generator. The later produces alternate current (AC) which is converted to direct (DC) by a rectifier. The DC voltage goes to a rechargeable battery.
Produces from 2.5 W to 5 W, takes 4.5 hours to completely recharge battery. With full battery can recharge until 3 smartphones. This video shows Estream`s operation.
Another portable power plant with a mini turbine is Blue Freedom. Works in a similar way.
Has a 5000 mAh (mili-ampère hour), provides 5 W, 1 A and has 2 USB ports to recharge devices. The blue mini turbine stays in stream receiving water flux.
Power plant with Archimedes screw
Some portable hydropower plants has an Archimedes screw like this one of HydroCoil. Flux spins the screw.
Weights 18 kg, can provide until 1.5 kW, has 85 cm length and 15 cm diameter. According to the company, has an efficiency between 79 % and 83 %. Many power plants can be assembled to produce more power, forming modules.
Other types
This is another type of power plant, has a float. According to Bourne Energy company, produces 500 W, weights 30 pounds (13 kg) and can be put in any stream deeper than 4 feet (1.22 meters).
Showing how this power plant can be transported. Has the civilian version (BPP-1) and military (BPP-2), the later is lighter and can produce 600 W.
This is the Cappa hydroelectric generator produced by Isabei, can produce 250 W with a flow of 6.5 feet/second (1.98 meters/second).
