Demonstration experiment for developing a microhydraulic turbine resistant to snow and ice

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12433
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 64050:Sound material-cycle social systems-related
• Research Institution: Niigata Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Satou Eiichi 新潟工科大学, 工学部, 教授 (00288250)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 岡山 朋子 大正大学, 人間学部, 教授 (20418734) ; 池田 敏彦 信州大学, 工学部, 特任教授 (60021010) ; 内山 知実 名古屋大学, 未来材料・システム研究所, 教授 (90193911)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 小水力発電 / 再生可能エネルギー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of the present study is to develop a microhydraulic turbine that can stably and efficiently generate electricity even in canals where snow and ice masses frequently flow down. An undershot hydraulic turbine was selected as the target for development, and experiments were conducted in an irrigation canal in a heavy snowfall area. Spherical snowballs were made to flow down to the turbine from the upstream direction. The behavior of the snowballs and the power generation performance were investigated as these snowballs passed through the rotor. The effects of the number of rotor blades, i.e., blade interval, and snowball diameter of the entrained snowballs are clarified. As a result, some design guidelines are developed for an undershot hydraulic turbine that is highly adaptable to irrigation canal where snow and ice masses flow down.

Free Research Field

情報工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

全国の農業用水路には水力エネルギーが豊富に賦存する。とくに豊富な水路は降雪量が多い、いわゆる雪国にあり、冬期には水路を雪氷塊が流下する。よって全国の水路の水力エネルギーを通年で最大限利用するには、雪氷塊を含む水流に対しても安定して稼働する小型水車を開発・実用化することは意義深い。また、中山間地では現在も電力が確保できず、防災対策や農作物などの鳥獣被害対策が十分に実施されていない地域も存在する。年間を通じて安定した電源が確保できれば、再生可能エネルギーの有効利用の意義と重要性を啓発することができ、地域活性化にもつながる。