Application of low-cost hydrokinetic technology for accelerating electricity access to rural areas in developing economies: field experiment in Kenya
This article presents the design, construction and field test of an experimental prototype of a low-cost hydrokinetic turbine technology made of local materials and e-waste components. The aim of this study is to investigate the performance of the turbine when subjected to field conditions in low fl...
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Communications |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ada8fe |
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| author | Willis Awandu Jens-Uwe Wiesemann Boris Lehmann |
| author_facet | Willis Awandu Jens-Uwe Wiesemann Boris Lehmann |
| author_sort | Willis Awandu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article presents the design, construction and field test of an experimental prototype of a low-cost hydrokinetic turbine technology made of local materials and e-waste components. The aim of this study is to investigate the performance of the turbine when subjected to field conditions in low flow velocity rivers. The research and development (R&D) involve the use of e-waste boat motor and locally available materials to develop a modular hydrokinetic turbine for generation of electricity using kinetic energy of rivers. A decommissioned boat motor with a 0.24 m diameter rotor is operated as a turbine. A shroud for flow acceleration was developed from 1.5 mm thick stainless-steel plates and a support structure constructed using angle lines. The field test results of the prototype generated about 11.543 ± 0.021 W and 37.129 ± 0.021 W or (equivalent of 0.011543 kWh and 0.037129 kWh) when operated at an approach flow velocity of 0.8 m s ^−1 and 1.2 m s ^−1 respectively. The wire to water ratio was determined instead of the C _p and the turbine achieved an overall wire to water efficiency of 0.99 and 0.95 respectively. This prototype technology can sustainably provide 24 h energy, sufficient to charge batteries in the rural areas and also provide opportunities within the community such as mobile charging points. An upscaled version of this low-cost technology can be adaptable in rural off-grid communities to enhance the access to electricity in developing countries. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7eb1cea16a50452aa7464f6c437da43e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2515-7620 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-7eb1cea16a50452aa7464f6c437da43e2025-01-21T23:49:59ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Communications2515-76202025-01-017101502410.1088/2515-7620/ada8feApplication of low-cost hydrokinetic technology for accelerating electricity access to rural areas in developing economies: field experiment in KenyaWillis Awandu0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3075-5298Jens-Uwe Wiesemann1Boris Lehmann2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8323-013XInstitute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, Chair of Hydraulic Engineering and Hydraulics, Technical University of Darmstadt , Franziska-Braun-Straße 7, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany; Department of Civil & Structural Engineering, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology , PO Box 190 – 50100 Kakamega, KenyaInstitute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, Chair of Hydraulic Engineering and Hydraulics, Technical University of Darmstadt , Franziska-Braun-Straße 7, 64287 Darmstadt, GermanyInstitute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, Chair of Hydraulic Engineering and Hydraulics, Technical University of Darmstadt , Franziska-Braun-Straße 7, 64287 Darmstadt, GermanyThis article presents the design, construction and field test of an experimental prototype of a low-cost hydrokinetic turbine technology made of local materials and e-waste components. The aim of this study is to investigate the performance of the turbine when subjected to field conditions in low flow velocity rivers. The research and development (R&D) involve the use of e-waste boat motor and locally available materials to develop a modular hydrokinetic turbine for generation of electricity using kinetic energy of rivers. A decommissioned boat motor with a 0.24 m diameter rotor is operated as a turbine. A shroud for flow acceleration was developed from 1.5 mm thick stainless-steel plates and a support structure constructed using angle lines. The field test results of the prototype generated about 11.543 ± 0.021 W and 37.129 ± 0.021 W or (equivalent of 0.011543 kWh and 0.037129 kWh) when operated at an approach flow velocity of 0.8 m s ^−1 and 1.2 m s ^−1 respectively. The wire to water ratio was determined instead of the C _p and the turbine achieved an overall wire to water efficiency of 0.99 and 0.95 respectively. This prototype technology can sustainably provide 24 h energy, sufficient to charge batteries in the rural areas and also provide opportunities within the community such as mobile charging points. An upscaled version of this low-cost technology can be adaptable in rural off-grid communities to enhance the access to electricity in developing countries.https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ada8fee-wastehydrokinetic turbinelocal materialslow-cost technologyoff-grid communities |
| spellingShingle | Willis Awandu Jens-Uwe Wiesemann Boris Lehmann Application of low-cost hydrokinetic technology for accelerating electricity access to rural areas in developing economies: field experiment in Kenya Environmental Research Communications e-waste hydrokinetic turbine local materials low-cost technology off-grid communities |
| title | Application of low-cost hydrokinetic technology for accelerating electricity access to rural areas in developing economies: field experiment in Kenya |
| title_full | Application of low-cost hydrokinetic technology for accelerating electricity access to rural areas in developing economies: field experiment in Kenya |
| title_fullStr | Application of low-cost hydrokinetic technology for accelerating electricity access to rural areas in developing economies: field experiment in Kenya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of low-cost hydrokinetic technology for accelerating electricity access to rural areas in developing economies: field experiment in Kenya |
| title_short | Application of low-cost hydrokinetic technology for accelerating electricity access to rural areas in developing economies: field experiment in Kenya |
| title_sort | application of low cost hydrokinetic technology for accelerating electricity access to rural areas in developing economies field experiment in kenya |
| topic | e-waste hydrokinetic turbine local materials low-cost technology off-grid communities |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ada8fe |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT willisawandu applicationoflowcosthydrokinetictechnologyforacceleratingelectricityaccesstoruralareasindevelopingeconomiesfieldexperimentinkenya AT jensuwewiesemann applicationoflowcosthydrokinetictechnologyforacceleratingelectricityaccesstoruralareasindevelopingeconomiesfieldexperimentinkenya AT borislehmann applicationoflowcosthydrokinetictechnologyforacceleratingelectricityaccesstoruralareasindevelopingeconomiesfieldexperimentinkenya |