Developing of reversible pumps / hydroturbines with optimized hydrodynamic and environmental design for high energy efficiency & safe passage of fish fauna.

• Project, Co‐financed by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation (Budget: 1.000.000 €)
• 8 International Publications in scientific journals and conferences
• Cooperation the Laboratory of Hydraulic Turbomachines (LHT) at National Technical University of Athens, one of the largest in Europe, with significant experience and know-how in the analysis of operation and optimal design of hydrodynamic machines
• Development of important innovative tools to support this new product and to enhance the know-how of the two Institutions (DP PUMPS & LHT)
• 2 concurrent goals of the design optimization procedure:
  • Maximize efficiency.
  • Minimize impact on passing fish fauna in both directions.

• Parametrically design and optimization using advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and numerical optimization tools
• Connection with PAT (pump as turbine) machines selection, method of parametrically design & optimization (Axial & Mixed Flow)
• Assessing hydropower fish friendliness and development of an impact index for fish passing à Development of a comprehensive impact index for evaluating the friendliness of hydropower turbines towards fish species
• Mechanical Study and complete design of the new PAT machines based on the results of the numerical optimization techniques.
• Precision Pattern Making through CAM-CAD and CNC-Router technology.
• Development of a manufacturing methodology and efficient processes for the construction of machines with quality control ensuring high quality and performance
• New innovative method for cavitation diagnosis on hydrodynamic machinery
• New telemetry philosophy using IoT in order to monitor remotely essential measurements in hydro turbines.

During this research program (“Hydrovalys”) the performance improvement and optimization of a typical pump, operated as a turbine was accomplished.

Motivation:

• Minimizing the specific cost per kW of small and mini hydroelectric plants, which is still relatively large.
• Presenting the utilization of a centrifugal pump as turbine as an alternative solution to lower these costs.

Ideas:

• Pump works as a turbine when liquid flows in reverse mode.
• The system can be inserted in pipelines transferring water or other fluids, exploiting the surplus, or rejected kinetic and dynamic energy of the flow.

Key Advantages:

• Simple construction
• Αbility to use standard of the shelve components with minimal modifications
• Βenefit from decentralized electricity generation
• Cost effective solution for low output applications, such as energy recovery.
• Apply to a wide range of useful applications:
  • Industrial
  • Building
  • Reverse Osmosis
  • Retrofitting
  • Residual Water Utilization
• Fast Initial Capital Return
• Decrease of emissions

• Hydraulic parts parametric design (e.g., impeller, casing)
• Impeller modeling and numerical analysis of flow in impellers of various designs.
• Hydroelectric system design
• Mechanical Design and installation ofsystems (PAT)
• Maintenance of small hydropower plants
• Techno economical evaluation, installation and operation (PAT)