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Energy Recovery in Pressurized Hydraulic Networks

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Abstract

This paper aims to evaluate the possibility of using non-utilized hydraulic energy in urban water distribution systems. For this purpose, the viability and possible alternatives of installing conventional turbines or pumps working as turbines (PATs = Pumps as Turbines) at the head of pressure hydraulic networks in two towns in the province of Huelva have been studied: Cañaveral de León and Aracena (Andalucía, southwest Spain). Sensitivity analyses are carried out for: (a) To study the feasibility and efficiency of installing turbines or PATs in the hydraulic networks; (b) To determine the required hydraulic capacity of the turbines or PATs; (c) To analyse the installation points in the pipeline network; and (d) To evaluate the possible generation of electrical energy. The evaluation of the recoverable amount of hydraulic energy in both water distribution systems requires the application of the energy conservation equation, taking into account the calculation of load losses, the Darcy-Weisbach equation. A diagram energy height-flow rate with different working ranges of commercial turbines/PATs was used for the selection of the appropriate hydraulic machine. The results obtained of the Aracena hydraulic network show that the best solution would be the installation of a 2 kW BANKI that could generate an approximate annual energy of 17,52 MWh/year. In the Cañaveral de León water supply system a 0,75 kW BANKI turbine with an approximate annual energy generation of 6,57 MWh/year is proposed as the best solution.

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Data Availability

The necessary data has been provided by the public company ‘Gestión Integral del Agua Costa de Huelva S.A (Giahsa)’.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the public company ‘Gestión Integral del Agua Costa de Huelva S.A (Giahsa)’ for providing all the necessary data from its facilities. The authors would also like to thank Deryck Barker Fraser for the translation of the manuscript

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ingeniería Minera, Mecánica, Energética y de la Construcción, Área de Ingeniería Mecánica, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad de Huelva, Campus El Carmen, 21007, Huelva, Spain

    Ángel Mariano Rodríguez-Pérez

  2. Departamento de Dirección de Empresas y Marketing, Área de Organización de Empresas, Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales y Turismo, Universidad de Huelva, Campus La Merced, 21002, Huelva, Spain

    Cinta Pérez-Calañas

  3. Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Área de Mecánica de Fluidos, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad de Huelva, Campus El Carmen, 21007, Huelva, Spain

    Inmaculada Pulido-Calvo

Authors
  1. Ángel Mariano Rodríguez-Pérez
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  2. Cinta Pérez-Calañas
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  3. Inmaculada Pulido-Calvo
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Contributions

Conceptualization and methodology: A.M.R.-P., C.P.-C. and I.P.-C.; validation, formal analysis, and investigation: A.M.R.-P., C.P.-C. and I.P.-C.; writing—original draft: A.M.R.-P. and C.P.-C.; writing—review and supervision: I.P.-C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ángel Mariano Rodríguez-Pérez.

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Rodríguez-Pérez, Á.M., Pérez-Calañas, C. & Pulido-Calvo, I. Energy Recovery in Pressurized Hydraulic Networks. Water Resour Manage 35, 1977–1990 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-021-02824-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-021-02824-4

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