This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.
the electric side of life giving water
concept
Several centuries B.C. Archimedes the Greek philosopher, developed a turning
spirally wound tube to raise water to a higher level for irrigation purposes.
In more recent times, this method of raising water was adapted by the Dutch to
drain the polders using windmills as the drive unit.
Nowadays this mechanism has been reinvented to produce energy through the
water flow of watercourses like torrents or rivers.
This is possible thanks to the rotation of the archimedean screw due to the force of
water flows.
Like just said, in this mechanism, the task of the archimedean screw is to rotate
because of the water force; not carry liquids or similar materials through rotation
like in past.
source: Spaans Babcock Ltd
applications
Screw generators can be utilised anywhere where suitable flows and heads exist,
such as:
• rivers
• cooling water outlets from power stations
• industrial process water (e.g. paper/steel mills)
• water treatment outfalls
• replacement of waterwheels and other types of generators
and actually anywhere there is a suitable head and flow, might be feasible for
placing an Archimedean screw generator.
The greatest advantage of this mechanism is the chance of getting energy also in
low altitude difference of almost every kind of watercourse.
source: Spaans Babcock Ltd
features
• high efficiency
the efficiency is high in a wide range of flows (in some cases the amount of
produced energy amount to 500KWs). Varying flows and water heads have
a small influence on the efficiency.
• simple and reliable
this mechanism is very simple and consist of a few wear parts. Moreover, the screw
generator has a low rotational frequency resulting in low wear.
• fish friendly
fishes can pass through the screw without obstacles or being injured. Several tests
showed the fish friendliness of the Archimedean screw.
In Holland, Canada, USA and other countries, Archimedean screws are used as a
fish ladder by pumping fish.
• no fine screen is necessary
only a simple 100‐120mm bar screen is used to prevent large items enters the
screw generator. This saves costs, prevent head loss and allow fish passage.
source: Spaans Babcock Ltd
features
• low maintenance
due to the simple and robust design, Archimedean Screw Generator installations
require minimum maintenance with resulting lower costs.
• wide range of flows
the Archimedean Screw Generator is capable of handling flows from
100l/s ‐ 15m³/s each.
• relatively low civil costs
simple foundation with two concrete supports can be sufficient. Units can be
specifically designed to suit existing civil layouts.
source: Spaans Babcock Ltd
our project
Our purpose is to realize a scale model of this profitable mechanism. We
are calculating the parameters of every component that constitutes it, we drawn a
draft on the autoCAD design software and we are going to make it by printing
components through a 3D printer (just a printer capable of printing 3D objects).
The main components of the model are:
• Archimedean screw
• water tanks
• water pumping system (to simulate a continuos water stream)
• engine (to convert rotation into electricity)