[cudabachi]

Story

It's a mechanical problem that's troubled scientists since Archimedes and the ancient Greeks but now an electrician has come up with a new invention that could help save consumers thousands of pounds in energy bills.

Scotsman Ian Gilmartin, 60, and his friend Bob Cattley, 58, both from Kendal, Cumbria have invented a mini-waterwheel capable of supplying enough electricity to power a house - for free.

[steam_cannon]

Interesting sounding technology. But it would be nice if he had some plans available, some people like to build their own things... The story doesn't seem to say how it works so I am wondering if he solved this problem using a conveyor belt for water, instead of a wheel. The problem they mentioned with low flow sources is that the water wheel doesn't hold onto the water long enough to get all the energy out of it. So perhaps he is using a linked series of water wheels geared together or a conveyor belt like system to hold the water all the way to the bottom of the drop. Or perhaps an Archimedes Screw that widens as it gets to a choked outlet. It would be interesting to know...

[kanman]

Not much info out there. There is a pic here: (pdf).

http://lec.lancs.ac.uk/ebp/Case%20studies/4.pdf

Doesn't look very revolutionary to me.

Hi btw.

[Cobra_Strike]

This seems in no way shape or form like new technology...In fact I think there is a significant history of water wheel use.

When old tech is brought out to replace new, its time to acknowledge your way of life is backpedaling.

[coyote]

Welcome to the boards kanman. Thanks for the pdf.

[shortonoil]

steam_cannon said:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')o perhaps he is using a linked series of water wheels geared together or a conveyor belt like system to hold the water all the way to the bottom of the drop. Or perhaps an Archimedes Screw that widens as it gets to a choked outlet. It would be interesting to know...

[steam_cannon]

Well, I like it! The materials and tools for making this did not exist when water wheels were used and there is nothing wrong with improving on old technologies.

Here is a picture of his solution for those who don't want to download the pdf.
http://www.tohearmore.com/notes/water_w ... mbnail.jpg

Most methods for generating electricity with water require lots of pressure (even for a small turbine) or big water wheels with lots of energy loss.This reminds me a little of the high torque Savonius Rotor Wind Mills.
http://www.angelfire.com/ak5/energy21/microsavonius.htm
http://www.solener.com/savonius2.jpg

It is going back in time technology wise, but it is taking what we learned with it. Welcome to the high/low tech future...
http://www.southcom.com.au/~jamesb/Whee ... 20Mill.jpg

[morph]

good find, i like it, to power a house from a stream is quite a challange for £2000, wuld be great in a kit/plan form

[kanman]

Thanks for the welcome Coyote.

I don't think this is an invention that is going to change the world but the thinking behind it is definitely to be encouraged. It caught my attention because although I don't have a handy stream, I collect rain water for the garden and I quite like electricity and that got me thinking about putting a collection tank above one.

Sadly, 1 cubic metre of water at a height of 1 metre has a potential energy of 9800 Joules which equates to 2.75 watt hours. Might make sense to put one on the Boeing factory but I think I can find more productive things to tinker with in the shed.

Happy new year to those that have experienced it already, I'm just off to get my judgement temporarily impaired in preparation for 2007.

[gg3]

Well, happy 2007, we survived another rather difficult year.

OK...

From the photos what we have is a conveyor-like device using a chain and sprocket drive system. And while the chain and sprocket system can be a maintenance headache, a) modern materials may help somewhat, b) deliberately overbuilding the chain and the sprockets may help somewhat, and c) there may be other ways of extracting energy from the falling flights without using chain and sprocket systems.

As for the issue of fish, that's simple, just divert a portion of the stream through the generator, and let the rest run through the streambed as normal. While this creates a narrower stream at the point of the diversion, that does not seem fatal to fish migrations.

[Bleep]

The article says:$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he waterwheel produces one to two kilowatts of power and generates at least 24 kilowatt hours of sustainable green energy in a day, just under the average household's daily consumption of around 28 kilowatt hours.

[morph]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Bleep', 'T')he article says:$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he waterwheel produces one to two kilowatts of power and generates at least 24 kilowatt hours of sustainable green energy in a day, just under the average household's daily consumption of around 28 kilowatt hours.

[grabby]

20 grams of polonium 210 with regular thermocouples can produce 4000 watts electric power continuously for 60 years.
Each house can have their own supply of power for the life of the house, no wind no nothing.

sealed self contained. never runs out.
could be abused though

[cudabachi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('grabby', 'c')ould be abused though

[Cobra_Strike]

Bah! they will run out of ex-KGB guys to poison eventually *smirk*

[gg3]

Any source of energy is potentially dangerous in one way or another. Mechanical inertia (e.g. in a wind or water power system) or electricity can kill you as surely as polonium.

Household nuclear reactors would be fantastic, and it would not surprise me if an alternative design was possible using thorium. However humans are not mature enough to handle that yet, and probably won't be any time soon.