Perhaps a smoother screen mounted at ~5 to 10 degrees to the flow so that the water goes through sideways into a collector box while the flow rushing past cleans the surface of the screen. I'm thinking of parallel rods like refrigerator shelf but 1/4 inch apart.
Frank Leslie -----Original Message----- From: Bob Boyce [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 2:12 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [microhydro] MicroHydro question I currently have a small (1.2 KW) PV solar array, and I am wanting to add a homebrew microhydroelectric installation on my property. For a test, I laid about 80 feet of 2" PVC pipe in the creekbed with a small rock dam at the head to collect water, and at the end I have a 90 ell with a couple of feet of pipe sticking straight up to give a bit of back pressure. I need to figure out how to deal with the problem of leaves and twigs and such from plugging up the inlet. If the weather is nice, it lasts a long time between cleanouts, but any strong wind or hard rain and it plugs up rather quickly. During the fall it was getting plugged up almost daily. I tried making a large coarse screen bubble out of lathe mesh to filter the larger stuff while allowing the smaller particles to pass, since they do not plug the pipe, but the screen gets all plastered with leaves and blocks the flow. I was hoping that the flow of the creek past this inlet screen would keep it washed clear, but the pipe suction is so strong that it does not work that way. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to solve this issue. I have not decided yet which is the best homebrew approach to take in order to extract energy from this moving water. I do not have a lot of head to work with so it will have to be something that can work with lower pressure, and won't cost a lot to build. Bob Does your company feature in the microhydro business directory at http://microhydropower.net/directory ? If not, please register free of charge and be exposed to the microhydro community world wide! NOTE: The advertisements in this email are added by Yahoogroups who provides us with free email group services. The microhydro-group does not endorse products or support the advertisements in any way. More information on micro hydropower at http://microhydropower.net To unsubscribe: send empty message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ADVERTISEMENT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Yahoo! Groups Links a.. To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/microhydro/ b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Yahoo! Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70 http://us.click.yahoo.com/Z1wmxD/DREIAA/yQLSAA/FGYolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Does your company feature in the microhydro business directory at http://microhydropower.net/directory ? If not, please register free of charge and be exposed to the microhydro community world wide! NOTE: The advertisements in this email are added by Yahoogroups who provides us with free email group services. The microhydro-group does not endorse products or support the advertisements in any way. More information on micro hydropower at http://microhydropower.net To unsubscribe: send empty message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/microhydro/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
