Comparing Efficiency between Dual and Single-Axis Vertical Turbine for Electrical Generating System

Kanisorn Thanutwutthikorn; Ratchaphol Suntivarakorn

doi:10.14456/nujst.2023.22

Authors

Kanisorn Thanutwutthikorn Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
Ratchaphol Suntivarakorn Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14456/nujst.2023.22

Keywords:

vertical turbine, cross-flow turbine, electrical generating system

Abstract

This article reports an efficient comparison between 500W dual and single vertical axis cross-flow turbine for electrical generating systems. The studied parameters were the influence of the distance between dual vertical axes, then, comparing the efficiency with the single cross-flow turbine. From the designation of the L/D ratio as equal to 1, the diameter and height of the dual-axis vertical turbine was 0.3 m while the single-axis vertical turbine was 0.6 m. A chain was used for power transmission with a gear ratio of 1:18 and an induction generator was used as the electrical generating system. The results were that a dual-axis vertical turbine with a 0.8 m water head and at various distances of 3, 6, 9 and 12 cm had an efficiency of 32.36, 28.06, 20.44, and 14.44%, respectively. However, the efficiency decreased with increasing distance between the axes which resulted in a loss of water energy flowing through the axes. The water energy loss was variously 74, 150, 243 and 364 W. In the case of the single-axis vertical turbine, the efficiency was 20.73% which was closes to the dual-axis vertical turbine at a distance of 9 cm. The economic viability of dual-axis vertical turbines is 6.5 years but is 14.77 years for single-axis vertical turbines.

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