Design and Study of Hydroelectric Power Plant by Using Overshot and Undershot Waterwheels

International Journal of Energy Optimization and Engineering
Volume 8 • Issue 4 • October-December 2019
Design and Study of Hydroelectric

Power Plant by Using Overshot
and Undershot Waterwheels
Jamal A. Hameed, Tikrit University, Tikrit, Iraq
Amer T Saeed, Tikrit Uinversity, Tikrit, Iraq
Mugdad H. Rajab, Tikrit University, Tikrit, Iraq
ABSTRACT
This article gives an idea about the operative use of waterwheels in a river flow, which offers power
generation with low cost. It also defines the working principle, calculations and design, challenges
and applications beside the future scope of using Overshot and undershot waterwheels. In order to
cover the enlarged demand for power in rural areas of Iraq, generated hydropower from waterwheels
are one of the most promising solutions to produce electricity. Modern water wheels are made from
steel which promising no harmful effects on the environment. In this research, two types of water
wheels (Overshot and Undershot) are used to produce the electricity through fastening the waterwheel
to a generator with the support of a belt and pulley arrangement, so the electrical energy resulted
from mechanical energy. The full bridge rectifier is used to transfer electricity in its most effectual
form while the regulator is used to adjust the current.
Keywords
Hydropower, Overshot, Plant, Renewable Energy, Undershot, Waterwheel
INTRODUCTION
Hydropower refers to the conversion of potential energy of water and kinetic energy into electrical
energy or mechanical energy. The use of hydropower has become a long tradition in Germany because
it is clean and emission-free energy. With the development of different types of turbines and the
construction of hydropower plants, hydroelectric power became an essential part of the energy supply.
Due to the rapid shortage of fossil fuels, regenerative energy sources will in the future provide an
even more significant contribution to the global energy supply.
DOI: 10.4018/IJEOE.2019100103

Copyright © 2019, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.

39
In many developing countries, there is no general supply of electrical energy. The use of renewable
energy “hydropower” is placed in regions with high hydropower potential. The life situation of the
people has improved as well as the sustainability and the protection of the environment; resources are
spared, and emissions avoided. As a result of rapid development in all areas of technology, electricity
is most crucial for human development. Electricity is fundamental for some basic activities such as
cooling, lighting, the operation of household appliances, etc. (Warth, 1984). The recent increase in
the demand for electricity supply in countryside areas of developing countries has given additional
attention to study the using hydroelectric power as a renewable energy source and to study the
possibility of construction waterwheel in a hydroelectric power plant. Those studies aim to meet
the electrical desires of the villages in rural areas of developing countries such as our country Iraq.
The present situation in rural areas of Iraq is ruthless; electricity is still unfortunate, about 45%
of the villages have not realized what electricity is! Iraq is an agricultural state and a community with
a large water wealth. There are two main long rivers in Iraq that are passed through many rural areas,
and 50% of Iraq’s population lives in those areas. It is imperative for us to think about improving the
country’s situation by evolving electric power projects, especially in villages and remote areas where
electricity is still unavailable and there is the fast stream of water (Hameed, Saeed and Rajab, 2018).
The improvement of hydraulic engineering has led to producing a new form of energy by using
new materials, so the effectiveness of waterwheels has dramatically improved. Although the advent
of steam engines and water turbines, waterwheels have developed further, especially in Germany
and Switzerland. In addition to using this technology to produce electricity, it can be used as a water
pump for farming and irrigation without the need for fossil energy or primeval energy. The growth
of technologies in the field of wind and solar energy has been an important focus of research in
engineering for many years. In the field of wind energy, installed capacity has seen considerable
growth in many countries. However, in the field of hydropower, use micro-power plants, further
interdisciplinary research is required.
This paper focuses on design and analysis of two types of waterwheels: undershot and overshot
waterwheels to implement the micro power plant in order to supply electricity with a low-cost power
generation. This is achieved through a waterwheel interleaved with a dynamometer, and getting
electrical energy from mechanical energy, with the support of a belt and reel arrangement. In this
research, waterwheels with modular energy converters are proposed as a micro-hydroelectric power
plant to produce electricity for several villages in Iraq. The technical novelty in our paper is using the
advanced model of waterwheel technology rather than the conventional one, a belt drive rather than the
tradition gear stage, and finally using an automatic control unit that controls the valve at the entrance
of waterwheel. In cases where systems are multiple sources with the network, the control devices
on the waterwheels ensure the flow of energy from the generator to the grid. The plant will produce
around 10 kW, and it does not need a major or public network since it is used in rural settlement area
for private users and small craft businesses. There are currently no suitable economic system solutions
available to supply electricity for this area. In developing countries-Iraq as example-, such systems
may provide for the care of individual families or communities, particularly in rural, undeveloped
or remote areas. With the waterwheel, even small amounts of water and small drop heights can be
used economically with low maintenance. This paper will focus on a medium scale stream with the
output of 10 kW. This waterwheel will be used for domestic electricity and various other general
electrical applications such as lighting in rural and urban areas. The primary object of this research
is to analyze the generated output power from the designed new waterwheels.
The following paper presents hydropower generation systems, the literature review, and explains
the working principle, design, and calculations, applications and challenges along with the future
scope of the undershot and overshot waterwheel.
40
Figure 1. The head of the undershot water wheel
HYDROPOWER GENERATION SYSTEMS
Hydroelectric power is produced from operations of the natural flow of water. The most common is
to convert the flow of water into electrical energy with no emissions directly from this conversion
process; that means it is harmless, environment-friendly, and therefore it is clean energy. The idea
of using waterwheels to produce hydroelectric power is come up recently because the installation
and operation of waterwheels are easy and do not need high costs for maintenance. In addition to the
economic benefits of this system, it has high reliability, efficiency, and low cost. Most hydroelectricity
is generated from dammed water and released to rotate a turbine and generator.
The produced energy (p) from water moving depends on the amount of water flow, the difference
in height between the waterwheel and the water source which is called the head, and the coefficient
of proportionality (gravity factor). The amount of potential energy of water is proportional to the
head (figure 1) (Oliver, 2002).
P = Q * h * 8.5 kN / m 3 (1)
(Müller and Kauppert, 2002)
Q: water flow (in cubic meters per second),

h: head of water (m),
η: the efficiency of the waterwheel, electric generator, and the electric converter,
(
The value (8.5) resulted from ρ ∗ g ∗ · ≈ 8.5 kN / m 3 )
Where g: wheel gravity, and ρ: water density kg/m3
η is efficiency and was calculated roughly about 75% for hydropower stations.
Before conducting the analysis and calculation for the produced energy, it is important to study
the efficiency and types of waterwheels.
Main Types of Waterwheels

Waterwheels have been used to irrigate fields for hundreds of years ago. Today, waterwheels are
used to utilize hydropower in the power range up to approx. 50 kW. There are several types of
waterwheels which are categorized based on different criteria. Based on the mode of operation or
the type of water supply, waterwheels are divided into two categories: undershot waterwheels and
overshot waterwheels (Müller, 2005).
The waterwheel still has significant system advantages even at low head heights and a strongly
fluctuating inflow compared to other hydropower machines. Since waterwheels mainly use the gravity
of the water, only small hydrodynamic losses occur. Also, due to the large inertia of the waterwheel,
41
Figure 2. Usual applications of overshot and undershot waterwheels
the high torque is generated. Other advantages of waterwheels are simple technology and robust
construction.
Selection the type of waterwheels depends on many factors, such as volume flow and the fall
height which are considered the essential factors (Muller and Kauppert, 2003) (Zaman and Khan,
2012). Figure 2 shows the optimum operating range for overshot waterwheels which lies at a drop
height of 2 to 7 meters and a water flow Q of 0.05~ 0.8 m3 / s. However, the optimum operating
range for undershot waterwheels lies at fall heights 0.2 to 2 meters and a water inflow Q of 1/2 ~ 5
m3 / s. In this research, we focus only on those two types, because they are the most commonly used
in rivers and the proposed solutions in this paper target those two types:
Undershot Waterwheels
In undershot waterwheels, the paddles are flat and simply dragged around by the flowing water (figure
3). Although the undershot waterwheel is not the most efficient one, it has an efficiency near to 60-
70%, and this is good especially on the Euphrates or Tigris Rivers –the longest rivers in Iraq-- due
to high water head enterprises (Ibrahim, Haron & Azhari, 2006; Jones, 2006).
Figure 3. Undershot waterwheel
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Figure 4. Overshot Waterwheels model
Overshot Waterwheels
The overshot waterwheel is the most common type, and it uses only the gravity of the water. The
conversion of the potential energy of the position into kinetic energy of motion is based on the
(Galileo) law of free fall. If a mass moves in a time unit contrary to gravity, power will be produced.
This power is transmitted to the wheel axle through the torque. Overshot waterwheel can achieve
an efficiency of 60% with careful design (figure 4). The disadvantage of this type of wheel is that
its diameter must almost equal to the head. This can produce huge wheels; some waterwheels have
a diameter reaches to 125 ft. Variations on the overshot waterwheel worth considering, wheels are
capable of efficiencies of over 70%. The water hits the overshot water wheel higher than on the
undershot wheel and is more efficient.
Literature Review
In this section, several related articles regarding hydropower’s sources and electricity generation are
presented and discussed. The use of hydropower plants to generate electricity became interesting topic
for many researchers and companies. A micro hydropower system and designing of waterwheel have
been studied and analyzed in (Zaman and Khan, 2012). Waterwheels are designed to produce electricity
based on a fixed water source. During the off-peak hour, water is pumped up to the upper pool. Then
water is released from the upper pool, when it is needed, to the waterwheel in order to generate and
supply electricity to a house. The calculations of theoretical output power for a variety of water flow
and graphs were done using the relevant values. Although authors try to come up with a new idea of
producing electricity from fixed water by using waterwheel, their proposal scheme becomes invalid
if the electricity is not available since electricity in their proposed scheme is essential to push water
to the upper tank. Moreover, the approximated value of the produced power is not included in this
paper although it is considered one of the main factors to test the efficiency of the water wheel system.
In this paper (Quaranta & Revelli, 2018), the authors presented a review of gravity waterwheels
focusing on three types of waterwheels: overshot, undershot, and breastshot waterwheels. The
performance of waterwheels and the modern theoretical models are evaluated by investigating
experimental results. The results displayed that the maximum efficiency of undershot and overshot
43
water wheels was around 80%, while the maximum efficiency of breastshot water wheels ranged
from 70% to 75%, depending on inflow configuration. However, the maximum efficiencies of those
types of waterwheels were not measured by implementing them in real life.
The technical feasibility of a small hydropower plant (micro-hydro) and the mechanism of
implementation this plant in Valara waterfall—famous waterfall in India-- are presented in this paper
(Vineesh & Selvakumar, 2016). The paper also presents a background of micro-hydro system, design
and simulation model of the generator and hydraulic turbine. A proposal of the implementation of
small hydropower in the waterfall is given. The proposed solution has a very large potential for power
generation, however, the source of micro-hydro energy stays unused. Although this paper gives a
proposal of the implementation of small hydropower, the proposed solution is suitable only on a
specific environment (waterfalls) that is not available in each country.
A small hydropower plant was developed by the research group for power electronics and electrical
drives, and the research institute for water and environment at the University of Siegen (Oliver,
2002). The cooperation enabled companies to make a substantial contribution to the generation of
electrical energy in the lowest power range of hydropower plants. The optimization and adaptation of
the possible technical solutions in the investigated power range were carried out using modern means
of power electronics and electromagnetic energy conversion. Also, analysis of the various electronic
concepts has given special consideration to the manufacturing and maintenance options available in
countries with low levels of industrialization.
The performance features of overshot waterwheels were analyzed and studied in detail in this
paper (Müller & Kauppert, 2004). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the application of wheels
for power generation. It showed that the design of waterwheels is valid for a given flow rate, head
difference, and future operating system. The efficiency of overshot wheels is about 85% which makes
this type of energy converter suitable for the use of highly variable flows. Waterwheels must, yet, be
worked within certain factor ranges in order to achieve efficiently; they appear to provide an efficient
and cost-effective solution for the use of low head hydropower sources.
In this paper (Basar, Ahmad, Hasim & Sopian, 2011), the concept and basic theory of pico
hydropower are discussed. Pico hydro converts a small stream to produce electricity without depends
on any sources of non-renewable energy. The reasons for discussing this technology in this paper is
because it considers a new technology in Malaysia, green energy, the ability of pico hydro to increase
the living of residents in rural areas and to see the status of implementation. Based on this study,
the authors believe that they have a better appreciation on this kind of generation system. However,
the authors didn’t discuss the expected power that resulted from this pico hydropower plant or their
novelty proposed solution to improve this power plant.
Three types of hydropower resources: large, mini, small were assessed and identified in this paper
(Mdee, Nielsen, Kimambo & Kihedu, 2018) in order to reach 5.3 GW for power generation in Tanzania.
The technology development studied comprises of hydro turbine classification, manufacturers and
turbine selection. This reviewed paper explained the status of hydropower resources in Tanzania.
Whereas in (Fini, Yousefi & Alhelou, 2016), researchers focused on studying one of the most
important control tasks in power systems operation: load frequency control. In this paper, authors
using a Many-Objective (MO) minimization problem to tune the load frequency controllers rather
than using Single-Objective (SO) evolutionary algorithms in order to avoid the drawbacks of SO
optimization algorithms. They used the MO optimization algorithm with clustering-based selection to
solve SO problem. Comparative simulation is done on two different test systems in order to measure
the efficiency of the proposed MO technique in contrast to numerous newly proposed single-objective
optimization algorithms. Simulation results demonstrated that the controllers designed by the suggested
MO method are far better to the controllers designed by the SO algorithms.
The proficient use of waterwheels in an open channel flow which provides low-cost and low scale
power generation solution is discussed in this research (Yelguntwar, Bhange & Bahadure, 2014). The
mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy by attaching a horizontal axis waterwheel to
44
a Dynamometer. This paper concluded that using waterwheel as renewable energy is very suitable
in the rural area with a water land location. In this paper, the tradition waterwheels system were
used without any improvement, so the produced output power is not at maximum value. While in
(Thompson, 1987), a hydro-electric power plant was proposed and designed to operate in connection
with a water reservoir supplied from an ocean, and which is structured to be at least partially self-
sufficient. Also, at the same time providing excess electrical energy in the operation of an auxiliary
production facility such as an aluminum smelting plant. However, authors have not mentioned the
efficiency of their power plant, and this power plant works only near to the ocean because it depends
on it to work.
The issues of smart grid infrastructure and integrating solar photovoltaic PV-sourced electricity
in the smart grid is present in this chapter (Makdisie, Haidar & Alhelou, 2018). The authors selected a
case study on a photovoltaic active power line conditioner. The purpose of design the line conditioner
is to extract the maximum power of a (PV) system and to reward the unbalanced and nonlinear loads
of the electrical power systems. The performance of the PV conditioner has been evaluated through
a simulation platform. The smart grid has many features, including efficiency, reliability, flexibility
on network topology, sustainability, and market-enabling.
In (Abbasi & Abbasi, 2011), an overview of small hydropower systems (SHS) has been presented.
Also, the authors study SHS in detail to figure out whether the SHS is environment-friendliness or
not. It is concluded that extensive use of SHS is possible to produce several kilowatts of power with
no less meaningfully adverse environmental effects than large hydropower systems. The researchers
believe that if the likely pitfalls are foreseen before SHS are put to widespread use, and remedial
actions are taken consequently, it may save the world from environmental damage and considerable
disillusionment.
According to these references we came to know that small hydropower plants are a very
interesting topic for many researchers and companies, they can offer constant year-round electricity
to remote locations or small villages. Small hydropower plants can be built or designed by using
turbines, water wheels, etc. Many of these papers present the design of waterwheels in a specific
environment with no implementation results in the real environment or conducting improving on
the waterwheel system. Also, most of these references do not contain any studies of the produced
power from these power plants. Therefore, in our research, two types of waterwheels with modular
energy converters are proposed and implemented as a micro-hydroelectric power plant to produce
electricity for several villages in Iraq. The technical novelty in our paper is using the advanced model
of waterwheel technology rather than the conventional one, using a belt drive, which replaces the
tradition gear stage, and finally using an automatic control unit that controls the valve at the entrance
of waterwheel. In cases where systems are multiple sources with the network, the control devices
on the waterwheels ensure the flow of energy from the generator to the grid. There are two main
advantages of the implemented waterwheel, the first one is to water trees and farm, and the second
one is to supply houses by electricity. To best of our knowledge, there is no study on building a small
hydropower plant by using advanced waterwheel in the river.
WORKING PRINCIPLE
Project Description
The construction of the proposed scheme and the hydropower generating unit depends on the specific
details of the site. After constructing the waterwheel, there are many steps that need to be done for
the hydropower generating unit, including:
• The construction turning point for water from a river or the tank. The hydroelectric power depends
on the minimum flow of water available around the year.
45
• Installing a barrier in order to protect our hydro plant and to prevent the entry of fish floating solids
by using a net or a set of rails to avoid the entry of large objects. Also, there must be a gate to
prevent the entry of water and then stop the movement of the wheel, in case there is maintenance.
• Connecting a waterwheel with an electric generator system associated through the gearbox, to
get the most significant electrical energy. The generator system is connected with an electricity
network in order to provide electricity to the number of houses or buildings (figure 6).
• Using mathematical equations to calculate the water capacity of the power plant (P) which
depends on the water flow (in cubic meters per second) and water head (m), the efficiency of
the waterwheel, the electric generator and electric transformer for converting the kinetic energy
into electrical energy.
Improvement of Modern Waterwheels

Water wheels are still considered as an alternative experimental technology that belongs to an era
before steam energy (Quaranta, Fontan, Cavagnero & Revelli, 2015). Scientists and engineers have
a great deal of attention to the conversion of hydraulic power to hydro electrical power. This has
led to the development of more waterwheels inefficient energy conversion and very low cost. The
growth of hydraulic engineering in combination with new materials, such as wrought iron instead of
wood, allows more suitable hydraulic shapes. The use of power generation systems from waterwheels
is very flexible and can be used in different environments. The power generation depends on the
amount of water flow from the source (river or stream) and speed. This system can be designed to
reduce potential damage caused by large dams or other large hydroelectric sites. Competition has
begun to develop the efficiency of power generation devices associated with water wheels, as it will
be explained in the next section.
The Tasks
This section introduces the tasks, objects, and operations of the study briefly. The object of this study
is to describe the technical and social feasibility of a hydroelectric plant to supply the villages at the
rivers in Iraq by power. To be able to assess its feasibility, it was necessary to examine the conditions
on the ground in Iraq, especially on the Euphrates and Tigris rivers based on a field study. The crucial
goal is the realization of the hydroelectric plant and the feasibility confirmation.
Hydropower is Economical
• This technique can work 24 hours a day, without having to first energy or fossil fuels.
• It is clean energy, renewable, constant and economic, and can be used in all the nearby rivers.
• It has aesthetic benefits to provide an attraction to encourage visitors to these sites.
• This technique is entirely free of emissions and no negative impact on animals and plants.
• It has many advantages; such as low operating costs and very long life.
• It is considered high operating safety and low maintenance.
• Highest harvesting factor for all regenerative energies
Power characteristic curves

The hydraulic power (PF ) depends on their kinetic energy which resulted from: the speed of the
river flow (vF ) in m/s, the influence of the waterwheel cross-sectional area (A) and water density
(ρ) in kg / m3, and can be calculated as follows (Tyagi, 2012):
46
1
PF = * A * ρ * vF 3 (2)
2
The performance of a deep blade waterwheel can be calculated from the dynamic pressure of
the flow on the blade:
1
F = * A * cω * ρ * vd 2 (3)
2
F : Force on the blades in Newton.

A : The cross-sectional area in m2.
cÉ : The drag coefficient, it is a dimensionless number has the coefficient ≈1.35.
v d : Effective for the dynamic speed
vd : Can be calculated from below equation:
vd = vF − vW (4)
v W : Surface speed of the waterwheel
The produced power of the waterwheel (in watts) is related to the above equations and is calculated
through the product of the force by the surface speed of the waterwheel vW .
PW = F * vW (5)
When substituting Eq. (3) in (5), PW become
1
PW = * A * cω * ρ * vd 2 * vW . (6)
2
When we substitute Eq. (4) in (6), we get Eq. (7)
1
PW = * A * cω * ρ * (vF −vW )2 * vW .
2
1
PW =
2
( )
* A * cω * ρ * (vF )2 − 2vF vW + vW 2 * vW
1
PW =
2
( )
* A * cω * ρ * (vF )2 − 2vF vW + vW 2 * vW
1
PW =
2
( )
* A * cω * ρ * (vF )2 vW − 2vF vW 2 + vW 3 (7)
47
Alternatively, Power can be produced through the production of the force with the angular velocity
of the water wheel (ωW ) and the radius of the water wheel (r)
PW = F * ωW * r (8)
If we compare Eq. (5) with Eq. (8)

ωW * r = vW
The optimum surface speed is 1/3 of the flow rate of the river (Wasserrad, 2018), so a modern
waterwheel should have speed control in order to operate it with the optimum speed.
ωW * r vW 1
= = (9)
vF vF 3
1
vW .= v (10)
3 F
When Eq. (10) is substituted in Eq. (7)
 1  1 
2
 1  
3
1 
PW = * A * cω * ρ * (vF )2  vF  − 2vF  vF  +  vF  
2   3   3   3  

1 1 1 1 3

* A * cω * ρ *  (vF )3 − 2vF   (vF ) +   (vF ) 
2
PW =
2  3  9   27  
1 1 2 1 3
* A * cω * ρ *  (vF )3 − (vF ) +  (vF ) 
3
PW =
2 
3 9  
 27  
1 4
* A * cω * ρ * ( ) (vF )
3
PW =
2 27
Therefore, the maximum possible power can then be calculated as:
2
PW _Opt = * A * c ω * ρ * vF 3 (11)
27
The efficiency of the waterwheel is the ratio of the produced power of the waterwheel (PW ) to
the hydraulic power (PF ) , it can be calculated based on eq. (2) and (7) as follows:
1
PW 2
(
* A * cω * ρ * (vF )2 vW − 2vF vW 2 + vW 3 )
η= =
PF 1 3
* A * ρ * vF
2
48
(
cω (vF )2 vW − 2vF vW 2 + vW 3 )

vF 3
 ((v )2 v 2v v 2 v 3  v v 2 v 3 
 
= cω  F 3 W − F 3W + W 3  = cω  W − 2 W 2 + W 3  .
 v vF vF   vF vF vF 
F
  v 
2
 v  
3
 v  
= cw  − 2   +   
w w  w  (12)
  v   v  
 v f f f

The efficiency of water deep bad wheel is the ratio (θ) . of the surface speed of the waterwheel
and the surface speed of the river when the θ = vW vF .
 3
η = cw θ − 2 (θ) + (θ)  = cw θ (1 − θ)
2 2
(13)
 
This relationship among the parameters in Eq. (13) is shown in figure 5.

Although the efficiency appears to be relatively small in related to an underwater propeller
(underwater wind turbine), the achievable efficiency is about ≈ 60% according to the law of Betz
(Müller, 2005) and (Capecchi, 2013).
Characteristics of UnderShot Water Wheel (Design water wheel model)

Our design of a waterwheel system includes building a prototype model with an energy converter of
diameter = 1.5 m which can deliver power up to (10 KW). To get an optimal method of prototype
manufacturing, the design must satisfy the strongest terms. The Finite Element Methods modeling
software is used since it is reliable to check the strength of design results. The waterwheel consists of
several prefabricated components that can be assembled on site of a waterwheel system. The individual
components are shown in figure 6. The prototype of a fully functioning power plant waterwheel was
installed with the generator, gearbox, power converter and measurement group.
The power plants use waterwheels with energy converters in the modular principle is dedicated
to a particular area of generating electrical energy from renewable energy sources. The economic
Figure 5. The efficiency of the undershot water wheel as a function of Ѳ speed ratio and independence on the parameters
49
use of electric power for stand-alone grids in the power range below 10kW shall be substantially in
the rural settlement area for the home and small craft.
The Efficiencies of Undershot Waterwheels

In order to study the efficiencies of undershot waterwheels, some measurements were conducted. In
this paper, waterwheel type undershot was designed and placed directly into the fast-flowing river.
In this type of waterwheel, the movement of water pushes the bottom of the wheel and then leads to
rotate waterwheel in only one direction for water flow. Compared this type of waterwheel with the
others, it is the simplest, cheapest and easiest wheel to construct. The wheel was originally designed
for a head of 1.5-2 m and a flow rate of 1.0 m3/s. In figure 7, efficiency is drawn as a function of the
flow rate. The efficiency of the designed wheel reached 70% for a broad range of flows.
The efficiency against the flow rate curve is one of the main characteristics of any waterwheel
as shown in figure 7. Where the Qmax is the river’s maximum flow rate, and Q is the river’s varies
flow rate. The efficiency reached around 75% when the ratio Q/ Qmax is 0.42 and remained at this
level until Q/ Qmax become one since it is the maximum ratio of Q/Qmax.
Organization and method of work

In order to maintain a constant speed when the load on the generator changes, an automatic control
unit that controls the valve at the entrance of waterwheel was used. In cases where systems are multiple
sources with the network, the control devices on the waterwheels ensure the flow of energy from
the generator to the grid. The pulse power must commensurate with the pulse main network stream
generated by the caller. The generator always works on the first pulse network regardless of the speed
of rotation. In these days where modern electronic control devices are available, the energy it is often
easier to run the generator at any random frequency and feed production through the network adapter
that produces a pulse. The modern electronic control devices now allow the use of permanent magnets.
This method allows the use of low-speed waterwheel / low pressure to be able to compete, but can also
Figure 6. The prototype of a fully functioning power plant water wheel
50
be run in the best speed for power generation, and is controlled by pulse current electronic devices
instead of the generator (Simoes & Farret, 2004; Gorla & Khan, 2003; Amrt, 2005).
Modular gearless waterwheel without drive shaft with integrated AC generator.

The conventional waterwheel technology contains a large number of moving parts (transmission, belt
drive, generator, etc.), so it is necessary to look for alternative technology that has less moving parts
and better features. The advanced model of waterwheel technology is used since it requires slower
waterwheel rotation, inexpensive maintenance cost, and more spaces compared with the conventional
method (Figure 8).
Characteristic of the invention of this modular is the integrative arrangement of the modular rotor
in the support structure of a waterwheel, wherein the degree of overlap of the pole with (stationary)
stator segments is adapted to the hydraulic-mechanical potential of each waterwheel location. The
advantages of this invention are the cost-effective and accurate prefabrication of bend-welded thin-
walled stainless steel bodies, less wear, and approximately 10% more than increase efficiency. In
this case, identical pole-wheel segments are used with permanently watertight cladding, which is
produced as standard and thus inexpensive to manufacture, easy to transport and easy to assemble.
This also applies to the stator segments, which are likewise identical among one another. Since the
invention dispenses with concentric energy dissipation, the drive shaft is dispensed with axle pins are
Figure 7. Efficiency curves for an undershot water wheel
Figure 8. Modular gearless waterwheel without drive shaft and with the integrated alternating current generator
51
required, and the entire wheel body is very delicate. The invention optimizes the mass-power ratio
of the machine with a positive effect on efficiency and production cost, also no mechanical contact
in the energy coupling between the rotor and stator.
The number of the segment that we need to build the generator can be calculated by knowing
the number of cells on the stator as follow (Figure 9):
A water wheel is optimized for the water quantity Q = 250 l/sec: It works with water volumes
(Vw) of 25 l/sec to approx. 500 l/sec (Yelguntwar, Bhange, Lilhare & Bahadure, 2014).
Wheel Head Hw = 4200 mm, Diameter (D) = 4000 mm, Q = 250 l/sec (about 200 days / year)
Filling ratio = 0.45, and Speed = 1.35 m/sec
Wheel rim depth (radial) = 0.45 x 1.35 = 330 mm = 0.33 m
0.250 m ³ / s
Wheel rim width = = 1.25 m
0.33 m *1.35 m / s * 0.45
Number of cells: 10 x (4.00 - 0.33) = 36.7
Chosen = 40 cells = 20 segments
Characteristics of OverShot Water Wheel (Design water wheel model)

The implantation of overshot waterwheels with modular energy converters represents a very
considerable contribution to the use of regenerative energies (Pacas, 2012; PACER, 2003). It shows
how the consistent application of theoretical knowledge from the participating disciplines and the
practical realization of laboratory samples can lead to valuable solutions for individual system
components. So far, a prototype with a diameter D = 2.40 m, and a power of about P = 1.0 kW
realized. The results show, however, that the triangular cells waterwheel technology with energy
converter for wheel diameter of up to D = 5.0 m and power up to about P = 9.5 KW is possible.
The Overshot waterwheel consists of several prefabricated parts that can be mounted on site. The
individual components are:
• Cells made of sheet metal

• Spokes made of steel bars
• Car rims as inner rings
• Steel shaft with washers for mounting the rims, angle steel
Figure 9. Induction distance = Arc length of the stator segment
52
• Nuts, cap nuts, washers, screws

• Ring made of angle steel as running surface for the drive belt
The simple design of the waterwheel requires an equally simple design so that in a few steps a
sufficiently accurate estimate of the planning can be made. The main advantage of this new water
wheel design is the small number of different components that can be produced with the most
straightforward means even in small workshops. The entire supporting structure consists only of
blades and traction then. It can be produced at a meager cost. The assembly takes place exclusively
with releasable connection means. The recovered mechanical energy is transmitted to the spur gear
generator by an external belt drive. The use of a belt drive, which replaces the previously required
first gear stage, is also a technical novelty about water wheels. The old waterwheel technology was
newly adapted with innovative ideas of power electronics and integrated into a micro power plant
--waterwheel with energy converter.--. The micro-power plant can thus make an essential contribution
to solving the issue of supplying electricity. Due to the design, the overshot waterwheel reaches its
maximum efficiency already at a 20% load and retains it almost loss-free up to the maximum volume
flow. The upcoming hydropower is thus optimally utilized in a wide range. Figure 10 graphically
illustrates this relationship between loading and efficiency.
At low load, the waterwheel has the best efficiency of all hydraulic power engines. The power
P generated by the water wheel or by the generator depends on the water flow Q, the head H and the
efficiency · of the entire system waterwheel generator and can be calculated according to the next
formula:
ρ*Q *H *g *·
P= [kW] (14)
1000
With P = power, ρ = density of the pumped liquid in kg / m3, Q = wastewater flow in m3 / s, H

= head in m, g = 9.81 m / s2, · = efficiency of the unit (water wheel)
The removal water Q gives the characteristic values for a water wheel, the head H and the wheel
diameter D. The amount of water removed Q can be deduced from the calculated water duration line.
Figure 10. Efficiency depends on the application of an overshot Waterwheel (MÜLLER & KAUPPERT, 2003)
53
In addition to the amount of removal water, the existing drop height is important for the design. This
is defined as the distance between the upper and lower water levels.
For the further design of a waterwheel suitable for operation, the diameter D is determined first.
From this, the performances shown in Table 1 can be calculated as a function of the effluent volume
flow Q and the efficiency η (Pinnekamp, 2007). The above table can serve as an aid to estimating the
performance potential. For example, given a wastewater volume Q = 0.1 [m3 / s] and an Efficiency η
= 0.7 a power potential of 0.69 [kW / m]. Related to one Drop height of h = 4 [m] is the achievable
power P = 4 x 0.69 = 2.76 [kW].
Power can be measured at any time while energy is being measured over a period of time, e.g.
a second, an hour or a year. Electrical power is typically measured in watts (W), kilowatts (kW),
megawatts (MW), etc. The energy is expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh) for a given period, e.g., per
hour. Power is energy per unit time.
Parameters of the Overshot Water Wheel

Diameter
According to (Müller & Kauppert, 2002), 9-12% of the drop height H can be deducted for overshot
water wheels in order to obtain a first value for the diameter. (Muller & Kauppert, 2003) makes it
more precise based on below formula:
4u 2
D =H − (15)
2 g
Where u is the peripheral speed [m / s] and is ideally 1.3 m / s or slightly higher. It is recommended
to choose the wheel diameter as large as possible in order to make optimum use of the potential because
the water behaves more favorably regarding flow both in entry and exit than in smaller wheels. In
contrast, the higher the price for a larger bike.
Geometric Sizes
The relation among loading Q [m3 / s], the wheel width B [m], the wheel arch depth an [m] and the
peripheral velocities at the blade center of gravity u1 [m / s] are linked as follows:
Table 1. Achievable outputs per m fall height as a function of the wastewater volume flow Q and the efficiency η
Q [m3/s] Power P pro m fall height [kW/m]

wastewater
η = 0,3 η = 0,4 η = 0,5 η = 0,6 η = 0,7 η = 0,8 η = 0,9 η = 1,0
volume
0,10 0,29 0,39 0,49 0,59 0,69 0,78 0,88 0,98
0,20 0,59 0,78 0,98 1,18 1,37 1,57 1,77 1,96
0,30 0,88 1,18 1,47 1,77 2,06 2,35 2,65 2,94
0,40 1,18 1,57 1,96 2,35 2,75 3,14 3,53 3,92
0,50 1,47 1,96 2,45 2,94 3,43 3,92 4,41 4,91
0,60 1,77 2,35 2,94 3,53 4,12 4,71 5,30 5,89
0,70 2,06 2,75 3,43 4,12 4,81 5,49 6,18 6,87
0,90 2,65 3,53 4,41 5,30 6,18 7,06 7,95 8,83
1,00 2,94 3,92 4,91 5,89 6,87 7,85 8,83 9,81
54
Q = u * a * ε *B (16)
ε is the filling coefficient of the blades, which is mostly in the range of 0.3 - 0.6. The velocity
in the center of gravity of the blade filling u1 results in a first approximation from:
π (D − a ) n
u1 = (17)
60
According to (Müller & Kauppert, 2002), the following applies to the radial wheel arch depth
on average:
1
a = 3 H (18)
5
Care should be taken here that the wheel arch depth should not be more than necessary, as this
has an overall effect reducing the effect. These relationships can now be used to conclude the wheel
width B, which, of course, must be consistent with local conditions.
Rotation Number
The speed is given by
60u
n= (19)
Dπ
It is usually well below 15 revolutions per minute. Choosing the right speed for superfine
waterwheels together with the quality of the waterwheel generator energy conversion chain is crucial
for optimum operation. If the wheel turns too fast, the water pockets will not be optimally filled, and
the efficiency will decrease. If it turns too slowly, the cells overflow (Muller & Kauppert, 2003).
Blade Pitch, Shovel Shape, and Number of Blades

When designing the blades of an overshot waterwheel, the three tasks to be performed are in the
foreground: the intake, transport, and discharge of the water (Lehmann & Saenger, 2016).
The recording should be as soft as possible so that only a little water is splashed and no recoil
effects occur. During transport, the water should be calmed down and then returned as late as possible
(Müller, 2005). The best results are obtained with curved blades with coverage of the water absorption
capacity of about 25%. (Muller & Kauppert, 2003) provides a general drawing construction in which
the shovel consists of a semicircle and a weak bow.
The Depth of Wheel Rim

The diameter of the semicircle depends on the wheel rim depth
11
d= a (20)
20
55
Again, an adaptation to the given conditions and requirements essential. Figure 11 shows an
example of the profiles of the curved blades, including semicircle and arc.
Calculated Parameters
An example was used to calculate the geometric sizes of a waterwheel. A calculation matrix with
fictitious values created, as below:
Volume flow Q = 0.15 [m3 / s]

Free-falling height Peripheral speed H = 5.75 m
Filling degree of blades ε = 0.5
Overall efficiency η = 0.8 %
u = 5.31 m / s
Solution:
4u 2
Dimensions Wheel diameter D = H − = 5.50 m
2 g
60u
Rotation speed n = = 18.44 1/min
Dπ
1
Wheel rim deep a = 3 H =a= 0.36 m
5
π (D − a ) n
Number of wheel arms u1 = = 4.96 m/s
60
Q
Maximum immersion depth B = = 0.60 m
εa u1
πD
Number of wheel arms A = = 7
1.5 + (0.2D )
CONCLUSION
A detailed study of producing electric power using different types of water wheels has been conducted
in this research. Renewable and sustainable energy system has played an important role in low operation
and maintenance cost which is very suitable in rural areas with a clean environment. Using a water
wheel to generate electricity has a significant economic impact on the rural economy.
Figure 11. Idealized blade shape for left-leaning smoother operation
56
In this paper, the power plant was designed by using two types of waterwheels: undershot and
overshot waterwheels. The measurements of efficiency and other parameters were calculated for
undershot and overshot water wheels giving maximum efficiencies of 71 – 76% over a broad range
of flows in case of undershot water wheel while in case of overshot waterwheel giving maximum
efficiencies around 80%. Waterwheels appear to be efficient and ecologically acceptable energy
converters. The traditional electricity prices are expected to increase in the next few years. Therefore,
using a water wheel plant will reduce the difference-cost between the produced electricity from
renewable and non-renewable sources. However, there is still a slight increase in additional costs
borne by electricity consumers as part of the price of electricity.
In the long term, the opposite direction and adjust the competitiveness of renewable energy at
the same rate with lower costs to less conventional energy. Also, in the future, the establishment of a
clearinghouse to clarify issues relating to the application of renewable energy law will result in key
issues to be resolved, and the use of legal protection before the civil courts can be avoided.
57
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Amer T. Saeed, born in Tikrit/Iraq. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from University of
Tikrit in 2009. He then joined the Asia cell telecom company as BSS Engineer, and worked there for four years as
a senior Engineer. In 2013, he was awarded a scholarship to study his master’s degree in the USA sponsored by
the Higher Committee for Education Development in Iraq (HCED), so he went to the USA to study at the University
of New Haven. Based on his experiences and interests, he joined wireless research group at UNH. He successfully
finished his master’s degree. Upon his return to Iraq, he started working as a lecturer in Tikrit University. Amer has
several reputable publications in electrical engineering conferences and journals.
Jamal A. Hameed was born in Iraq, He completed his Master and PhD in Germany. He has worked a lecturer at
Tikrit University Iraq for 10 years. Dr. Jamal has several reputable publications in electrical engineering conferences
and journals.
Mugadad was born in Iraq, he works as lecturer in Tikrit University, He has a master’s in mechanical engineering
from the SRM University, India. He has published many papers for conferences and journals.
59

Design and Study of Hydroelectric Power Plant by Using Overshot and Undershot Waterwheels

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Design and Study of Hydroelectric Power Plant by Using Overshot and Undershot Waterwheels

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International Journal of Energy Optimization and Engineering

Volume 8 • Issue 4 • October-December 2019

Design and Study of Hydroelectric

Figure 1. The head of the undershot water wheel

HYDROPOWER GENERATION SYSTEMS

(Müller and Kauppert, 2002)

Q: water flow (in cubic meters per second),

Main Types of Waterwheels

Figure 2. Usual applications of overshot and undershot waterwheels

Figure 3. Undershot waterwheel

Figure 4. Overshot Waterwheels model

Improvement of Modern Waterwheels

Power characteristic curves

F : Force on the blades in Newton.

v W : Surface speed of the waterwheel

When substituting Eq. (3) in (5), PW become

When we substitute Eq. (4) in (6), we get Eq. (7)

If we compare Eq. (5) with Eq. (8)

When Eq. (10) is substituted in Eq. (7)

1 1 1 1 3

Therefore, the maximum possible power can then be calculated as:

This relationship among the parameters in Eq. (13) is shown in figure 5.

Characteristics of UnderShot Water Wheel (Design water wheel model)

The Efficiencies of Undershot Waterwheels

Organization and method of work

Figure 6. The prototype of a fully functioning power plant water wheel

Modular gearless waterwheel without drive shaft with integrated AC generator.

Figure 7. Efficiency curves for an undershot water wheel

Characteristics of OverShot Water Wheel (Design water wheel model)

• Cells made of sheet metal

Figure 9. Induction distance = Arc length of the stator segment

• Nuts, cap nuts, washers, screws

With P = power, ρ = density of the pumped liquid in kg / m3, Q = wastewater flow in m3 / s, H

Parameters of the Overshot Water Wheel

Q [m3/s] Power P pro m fall height [kW/m]

Blade Pitch, Shovel Shape, and Number of Blades

The Depth of Wheel Rim

Volume flow Q = 0.15 [m3 / s]

Figure 11. Idealized blade shape for left-leaning smoother operation

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