Combining Small-Scale Wind and Hydro Generation

Ibrahim Al-Bahadly, Zubair Rehman^*, Joshua Pirihi

1. School of Engineering and Advanced Technology Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Published in The Second NZAAR International Event Series on Natural and Built Environment, Cities, Sustainability and Advanced Engineering, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 8 December 2016, pages 122 to 133. New Zealand Academy of Applied Research. ISSN 2463-5979 (online), 2463-5960 (print).

Abstract

Abstract— Renewable energy is a useful and significant source of electrical power, and its use is only increasing as the availability of fossil fuels dwindles. This work seeks to make renewable energy more reliable, cost effective, and accessible by exploring a different energy combination system to that currently applied to wind and hydro power. Instead of the usual electrical combination of wind and hydro generators, this project involved combining a water and wind turbine mechanically, before driving an electrical generator. This new combination system was modeled and optimized in MATLAB, using a direct combination system commonly found in multi-engine helicopters. The system was found to operate satisfactorily, however it is mechanically more complex than current, electrical combining systems. There is potential for further research in the areas of pump-hydro storage and using a water pump as a turbine, both as an extension of this project. Research was undertaken regarding wind and water resource availability, and the turbines were chosen with these taken into consideration. Various combination systems were explored, including torque and speed split mechanical combinations, conventional electrical combination, and using a modified switched reluctance generator as a method of electro-mechanical combination.

Keywords: Renewable Energy; Wind Turbine; Hydro Turbine

Rights

Copyright © New Zealand Academy of Applied Research Ltd 2016. All rights reserved. Reproduced in the GDI Academy archive from the original proceedings without change to the authors’ text.