A hydroelectric generator is the best
thing to build to produce electricity
if you have a stream flowing nearby.
We all know that scientists are in a
constant search for alternative
energy sources and this happens
because in recent years
conventional energy sources have
started to decrease significantly.
They have developed various
systems that convert the energy
from nature in electricity and many
of these systems could be built at
home, on a smaller scale, in order
to reduce electricity consumption.
After we saw how to produce
electricity using magnets or wind
power, it is time to talk about those
people who live near a river.
Often called as a low-impact hydro,
micro-hydro or run-of-stream
hydroelectric generator, this system
is not very hard to build.
To build a hydroelectric generator
you must follow these steps:
1. Preparing the Disks
Our hydroelectric generator will
consist of two main parts:
-The stator (this part is not moving
and it is equipped with coils of wire
to collect electricity)
-The rotor (the rotor is the part that
moves and has some powerful
magnets that will induce electricity
in the coils)
First you need some templates and
a cardboard. The two templates that
contain the rotor and stator scheme
must be cut and attached to the
front and back of the cardboard.
After these templates are well glued
to cardboard make a hole (1 cm) at
the center of the stator disk.
2. Attaching the Stator
Now, you have to make 4 coils that
will be attached on the cardboard.
This requires you to use a
cardboard with an oval section.
Then, start winding the wires on this
cardboard to form a tight coil (200
turns). Remove carefully the coil
from the oval section and then,
repeat this procedure to make three
more coils.
Arrange the coils on the cardboard
according to the template scheme
(their windings have to alternate
between clockwise and counter
clockwise). You must be sure that
an electron would follow the path
shown by the arrows in the
template, begining from the left
counterclockwise coil.
Connect the ends of coils and use
insulation tape to prevent any
errors. Use a multi-meter to cehck
electrical resistance (ohms). If the
wires are properly connected the
meter should produce a reading of
about 10 ohms.
3. Attaching the Rotor
At this stage you need 4 strong
magnets to be attached on the
stator template. Check the magnets,
mark the south pole on two of them
and the north pole of the remaining
two. The magnets should be
arranged on the template so that
their polarity alternates (N-S-N-S).
Then you need a cork and 8 plastic
spoons. You have to shorten the
spoons so that the handle will not
measure more than 1cm. Look at
the rotor template and insert the
spoons into the cork (1cm depth).
4. The Turbine
Make a 6mm hole through the cork
(make sure the hole is centered), fix
again the geometrical position of
the spoons and add some hot glue
to each spoon to secure it.
5. Generator body and Final
Assembly
Find a plastic tank or a bottle to
attach the rotor, the stator and the
small turbine. After you find the
center of the tank, make a hole in
that place (6mm) and fix the stator
with its coils just above the hole.
Then, attach on the same shaft the
turbine and rotor (the spoons have
to face the neck of the bottle and
the magnets should be close to the
coils (3mm between the coils and
magnets)).
It seems that our small
hydroelectric generator is almost
ready to use. All we need now is a
stream of water so that the turbine
to spin continuously as long as
there is water to drive it. If the
turbine is properly connected to the
generator this stream should
produce enough hydroelectric
power to provide juice to our
utilities or charging batteries.
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