Building my own Hydro Generator

trikkonceptz · 10-13-11, 12:52 PM

The other day I was looking at my fish tank and thought it would be cool to build a hydro power generator from the return line that goes into my refugium.

Currently it is a 1-1/2" pipe that carries the water from the tank to the refugium. My current pump circulates about 90 gpm. I was wondering if I built something to generate power if it would be enough to power any part of the fish tank?

Any idea on where to begin with this? Or am I just crazy.

Daox · 10-13-11, 01:28 PM

How much power you can generate from a hydro generator is mainly dependant upon two factors, flow rate and pressure head. From that its pretty easy to calculate the power you can generate. In this case I'm guessing the head is only a few feet at most. From just a few feet you really can't pull any reasonable power out of it.

Ryland · 10-13-11, 08:03 PM

So what you are thinking is the water version of this, right?

Piwoslaw · 10-13-11, 11:40 PM

M.C. Escher got it covered:

trikkonceptz · 10-20-11, 01:47 PM

OK so that's 2 votes for crazy ...lol
And here I thought I was gonna be able to get off the grid .. lol

10-13-11, 12:52 PM	#1
trikkonceptz Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 44 Thanks: 3 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Building my own Hydro Generator The other day I was looking at my fish tank and thought it would be cool to build a hydro power generator from the return line that goes into my refugium. Currently it is a 1-1/2" pipe that carries the water from the tank to the refugium. My current pump circulates about 90 gpm. I was wondering if I built something to generate power if it would be enough to power any part of the fish tank? Any idea on where to begin with this? Or am I just crazy.

10-13-11, 01:28 PM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	How much power you can generate from a hydro generator is mainly dependant upon two factors, flow rate and pressure head. From that its pretty easy to calculate the power you can generate. In this case I'm guessing the head is only a few feet at most. From just a few feet you really can't pull any reasonable power out of it. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-13-11, 11:40 PM	#4
Piwoslaw Super Moderator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 961 Thanks: 188 Thanked 110 Times in 86 Posts	M.C. Escher got it covered: __________________ Ecorenovation - the bottomless piggy bank that tries to tame the energy hog.

10-13-11, 08:03 PM	#3
Ryland Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Western Wisconsin. Posts: 913 Thanks: 127 Thanked 82 Times in 71 Posts	So what you are thinking is the water version of this, right?

10-20-11, 01:47 PM	#5
trikkonceptz Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 44 Thanks: 3 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	OK so that's 2 votes for crazy ...lol And here I thought I was gonna be able to get off the grid .. lol