Project overview:
As part of this project, a compact small hydropower plant for sustainable power generation was realized.
The plant uses the energy of a continuously available water inflow and converts it into electrical energy by means of a Pelton turbine.
The electrical power generated is currently approx. 3.0 kW in continuous operation and is fed into the power grid via a grid-connected 3-phase inverter or made available for self-consumption.
Turbine system:
A Pelton turbine is used, which is especially suitable for applications with high head and comparatively low water throughput.
The turbine is characterized by stable continuous operation and high efficiency in the partial and continuous load range.
The mechanical energy of the turbine is converted into electrical energy via a 3-phase synchronous generator.
Power electronics and grid connection:
A 3-phase inverter from Fronius of the type Symo GEN24 was used to feed it into the grid.
The inverter synchronizes with the public power grid and efficiently converts the generated DC voltage into grid-compliant alternating current.
In addition, a battery storage system was also installed.
The control cabinet of the system contains, among other things:
– Rectifier unit
– DC voltage monitoring
– Voltage filtering and smoothing
– Safety and protection components
– Control and regulation technology
The components were designed for reliable continuous operation with continuous energy generation.
Load management and safety system:
Since the turbine generates energy permanently, a braking resistor was integrated for controlled absorption of excess energy.
This load management serves in particular to protect the electrical components and stabilize the overall system.
Once a day, the inverter performs an automatic grid check. During this test cycle, the inverter switches off for a short time.
The energy that is still generated during this period is automatically diverted to the brake resistor to ensure safe operation of the system.
This behavior corresponds to the grid requirements of modern grid-connected inverter systems.
Advantages of the system:
– Sustainable and emission-free energy generation
– Continuous base load supply from hydropower
– High operational reliability
– Automated load and safety management
– Efficient grid feed-in by means of a 3-phase inverter
– Robust and low-maintenance system architecture
Summary:
The implemented small hydropower plant combines proven turbine technology with modern power electronics and intelligent control technology.
The combination of Pelton turbine, DC link link, automatic load control and grid-connected inverter including battery storage creates a reliable system for sustainable power generation in continuous operation.
Questions about the project?
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