Hydro power is a well known source of "green" power that normally harnesses the potential energy of water whilst it flows from a high region to a lower region. The difference in height is referred to as "head".
Another source of hydro power is from moving water such as in a fast flowing stream or river and in tidal estuaries. .
Few, if any, viable devices are known to be in existence.
As a starting point I decided to fabricate a very simple floating water wheel driving a double acting piston/cylinder arrangement. The size of the pistons and the stroke used give a pumpimg volume of 0.12 litres per revolution. Calculations show that a river flowing at 1m/s should turn the wheel at approximately 20rev/min and pump 144 litres/hr against a head of up to 40m. If the river flows all day, every day then this works out to over a million litres per annum! If it works this would be an ideal low cost and green solution for farmers or communities that live near moving water.
The plan is to test the device later this month....pics to follow!
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