Lynx Hydroelectric turbine GuideBook

V1.0a. 15/06/12 1

Summary • Turbiwatt Lynx turbine ……………………………………………...p3 • What you need to start ….………………………………………....p4 • A 3 steps installation………………………………………………….p5 • I. Build the loading water tank…………..…………………......p6 • II. Make the electrical connections….……………..……….p11 • Case of a turbine connected to the public grid……..…p16 • How does the regulation case work?...……………….…..p17 • III. Turbine + drawing pipe installation …......................p18 • Switch on the turbine power production………….….…..…p23 • Maintenance and after sale services…………………………..p24 • Appendix1 : Nominal performance of the Lynx turbine.p25 • Appendix2 : Overall scheme……………………………………….p26

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The Lynx turbine is made of 3 main composants :

- Turbine body with its generator

-Propeller made of reinforced PEHD

-Reinforced PEHD drawing up pipe

The turbine is delivered connected to the regulation

case

Turbiwatt Lynx Turbine

To install a Lynx turbine, you need your water fall to be between

1 and 2 meters high and a flow rate between 50 and 60 liters

par second.

To measure a flow rate:

http://www.risques-meteo.ac-versailles.fr/Calculer-le-debit-d-

une-riviere,202

Lynx Turbine Regulation casing

Water fall

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At the top of the fall you have to build a loading tank that

can be made of wood, reinforced plastic, concrete or

metal. Cf p6 build the loading water tank. Minimum size =

100 x 60 x 80 cm

Drawing pipe: standard plastic pipe (PVC, PEHD, etc) of

diameter 250 mm with a waterproof seal. Cf p18 Turbine +

drawing pipe installation

The loading case have to be covered by a filtration drain,

made of stainless steal for example. This drain will any leaf,

branch, or other solid elements from damaging the propeller.

What you need to start

80 cm

100 cm

60 cm

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Loading water tank

Filtration drain

The drawing pipe

A 3 steps installation

I. Build the loading water tank

II. Make the electrical connections

III. Turbine + drawing pipe installation

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• The water stream has to provide at least 50 to 70 litres per second for one Lynx turbine.

• The water fall height has to be between 1 and 2 meters.

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I. Build the loading water tank 1/5

• The water fall height is always measured between the top of the upstream point (A) and the top of the downstream point (B).

• The water can enter into the loading water tank from the top or from the side of the tank.

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Loading water tank

Lynx Turbine

Drawing pipe

Water fall height

I. Build the loading water tank 2/5

• The loading water tank can be made of wood, reinforced plastic, concrete or steal. During the installation the tank must be dried out.

• For 1 turbine, the minimum tank size must be 100 cm long, 80 cm large and 60 cm height.

• The loading tank is installed at the top of the fall.

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I. Build the loading water tank 3/5

• The turbine could be installed in the loading water tank either in a vertical position, a horizontal position, or with a 45 ° angle.

• To do so, pierce a 250 mm diameter hole in the loading water tank, at the place where the turbine will be inserted.

80 cm

150 cm

60 cm

Hole for a turbine in a horizontal position

Hole for a turbine in a vertical position

Hole for a turbine in a 45° angle position

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I. Build the loading water tank 4/5

• Here are two examples of loading water tanks

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I. Build the loading water tank 5/5

Reinforced plastic tank Capacity of 600 Litres

Metal loading water tank beside a Lynx Turbine Capacity of 600 Litres

II. Make the electrical connections 1/5

Caution : Turbiwatt advises to make a chartered electrician do the electrical installation, in order to follow the security rules.

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The Lynx turbine is delivered connected to the regulation casing. Unscrew the casing screw top to make the following connections: -> the resistance electrical connection cf p13 -> the consumption connection cf p14

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II. Make the electrical connections 2/5

View of the regulation casing

On the black and red wires, plug the ballast resistance (example: heater) >Between 1 meter and 1,5 meters high, the resistance must be at least of 600 watts >Between 1,5 meters and 2 meters, the resistance must be at least of 900 Watts

Warning : The resistance must be permanently plugged to the casing. It allows the regulation of the turbine. The absence of resistance will dramatically and irrevocably damage the regulation casing and the turbine.

Exit resistance

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II. Make the electrical connections 3/5

On the blue and brown wires, plug the connection cable to electric devices in the limit of the turbine energy production. This power depends on your waterfall height. (see annexe 1 p25 Nominal performance of the Lynx Turbine)

Exit electric devices

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II. Make the electrical connection 4/5

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II. Make the electrical connections 5/5

Lynx Turbine

Connection to devices

Complete scheme of the Lynx turbine electrical connection, for a local use.

Isolated grid Not connected to the public grid

Regulation casing

Turbine Lynx

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Case of a turbine connected to the public grid

Complete scheme of the Lynx turbine electrical connections, in the case of a turbine connected to the public grid.

Warning : to connect a turbine to the public grid, a water level sensor must be installed in the loading water tank. This sensor has to be connected in series between the regulation casing and the public grid connecting relay. The sensor open this relay if the water level in the loading water tank is less than 30 cm height. Without this water level sensor, as soon as there is not enough water in the loading tank to feed the turbine, the turbine would be used as a motor fed by the public grid. That would consume electricity and damage dramatically the turbine.

Case of a connection to the public grid Il faut installer un capteur de

niveau dans le bassin de mise en charge

Regulation casing

Water security level contact

Automatic electric coupling at the right intensity : once the turbine on,

the regulation casing adjust the electric current to supply electric devices and/or connect to network. The electric current is an alternative single-phased current of 230 V in 50 Hz.

Automatic regulation of the consumed energy : if the produced energy is

not entirely consumed, the regulation casing drives the energy surplus on the ballast resistance to transform the excess into heat.

Intelligent reconnecting in case of over consumption and security switch on: if the electric consumption is over the energy production, the electronic casing

will shut down the energy supply. The energy will be driven up to the ballast resistance. In this case, unplugged device(s) in order to reduce the consumption at the production level and come back to normal. The electronic casing tries automatically to reconnect the devices to the turbine every 10 minutes. After 4 trials the energy is driven to the resistance permanently, for security reason.

If the 4 trials have not succeed in reconnecting the devices to the turbine energy, to restart the casing you need to stop the water flow in order to stop the turbine. Wait for 60 seconds, the casing memory will be erased. Let the water flows to restart the turbine.

How does the regulation casing work?

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III. Turbine + Drawing pipe installation 1/5

Once the electrical connection made, the turbine must be inserted in the loading tank hole from the outside. Warning! The regulation casing must not be watered. If needed protect it with a plastic wrap during the installation. The turbine is made to be immersed and is waterproof.

80 cm

100 cm

60 cm

Insert the turbine in the loading tank from the outside

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Install the filtration drain at the top of the loading tank in order to protect the turbine from leafs, branches and other waste that could damage the turbine and its propeller. NB: at this point the turbine cannot produce any power. You still have to create a water drawing up.

Regulation casing

Filtration drain

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III. 2/5

Resistance

III. Turbine + Drawing pipe installation

Cut the 250 mm drawing pipe at the right length. To know the right length report to next slide. Insert the 250 mm drawing pipe with the waterproof connection in the turbine cone. (see example) The drawing pipe must be fixed to the wall or on the ground to hold the turbine up.

Insert the drawing pipe

Water proof connection

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III. 3/5

III. Drawing pipe + Turbine installation

Regulation casing

Resistance

The pipe exit must be at least 10 cm dipped in the water

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III. 4/5

Résistance

Warning! The energy is produced by the drawing pipe aspiration. It is mandatory that the water loading is correctly made in the tank to prevent from air back up: - The drawing pipe must be at least 10 cm dipped in the water - At the pipe exit, there must be enough space to let the water goes out without much eddies. If the space between the exit and the ground is too tight the pipe can be pierced to facilitate the water exit.

III. Turbine + Drawing pipe installation et de son tube d’aspiration

Regulation casing

Waterproof junction aspiration pipe + turbine (the turbine is not shown on this picture)

Piercing the dipped part of the drawing pipe helps the water outflow.

III. 5/5 Drawing pipe example

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Switch on the turbine power production

Once the turbine installed, drive the water up to the loading tank. The water will be filling up the tank and the drawing pipe which will load the turbine and create power. The turbine will draw the water up as a hoover. It’s on!

The propeller can take some minute to turn perfectly in the cone.

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Installation is over, the turbine can be switched on by letting the water poor into the tank.

Maintenance and aftersale service

Because of the quality of the water or a wrong use of the turbine the propeller is a component that can be damaged in a shorter time (turbine plugged as a motor on the electric network).

The propeller is easily replaceable and cost no more than 25 euros.

If you come across any problem please contact us at: sav@turbiwatt.com

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Appendix 1 : Lynx turbine nominal performances

For an average rate of flow of 55 L/s Depending on the water fall height

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Appendix 2 : General scheme

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