Modern water wheel could drive renewable energy thanks to the Universidad del Valle


Researchers from Universidad del Valle (Univalle) have reinvented the traditional water wheel to generate a source renewable energy that's affordable and accessible .

Although hydroelectricity consists of more than 65.7% of Colombia's installed energy capacity in 2020, more than half of the country's area and about 7 million people are out of reach of this energy source, that is, the non-interconnected zones (also known as ZNI, named for its acronym in Spanish).

"Colombia's geography is beautiful but very complicated, the beauty of its rivers and mountains are the very things that complicate the power grid," Laura Ardila said, a graduate researcher in the master's degree in engineering with an emphasis on aerospace engineering who is working on the project.

To offer a solution suitable for those unconnected areas of Colombia, a team from Univalle's School of Mechanical Engineering has been working on a machine that needs only 10 centimeters of water to turn a wheel, which can be connected to an electric generator.

After more than a decade of development, including a concept model and a larger prototype, the researchers are using analytical model development, computational simulation and low-cost experimental testing to make the iteration process cheaper and faster.

Photo: Concept model of the machine developed by the IMPETUS INDOMITUS group Credit: Andrew James/NCC-FI/Univalle.
 

Moving Forward with Modeling

Ardilla explained that he is using computational modeling to analyze water flow in the current prototype to influence the design of the next prototype.

Gullermo Andrés Jaramillo is a professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Universidad del Valle and the leader of the IMPETUS INDOMITUS research team, a research group to which Ardila belongs and which solves problems within its research topics based on theoretical and technological development with fundamental and applied research.

"Without analytical models if we wanted to ask ourselves what happens if we have six stages in the turbine instead of seven, we would have to build and test a prototype," Professor Jaramillo said, adding that Ardila's work is so important to give the team the ability to execute effective and fast pre-dimensioning thanks to the clarity it provides with its analytical model Ardila explained that in contrast to hydroelectric, the technology is focused on slow flows, such as irrigation canals.

"I think it's not just going to be a solution for Colombia or for countries disconnected from the electric grid... everyone is looking for solutions without harming the planet."

The team is now looking for resources and partners to get the idea out of the lab and into the field.

"At this point, we have the prototype, it's a not-so-commercial machine," Ardila said. 

Read more from the School of Mecahnical Engineering: The Dream of a New Pandemic Respirator Inspired an Innovation in Education

Photo: Prototype of the machine developed by the IMPETUS INDOMITUS team. Credit: Andrew James/NCC-FI/Univalle.

Giving back to the Community

Both Ardila and Professor Jaramillo commented on the commitment that Univalle, as a public university, has with communities in southwestern Colombia as well as the students who study there.

Professor Jaramillo said that for many people on the team, the work has a personal element, in particular, an undergraduate student who comes from a rural area three hours by car from Calima - El Darien.

"He is doing his undergraduate work in a field that has relevance and can be useful to his rural area," said Professor Jaramillo, adding that it is possible that in the future, this rural area could be the site of a pilot plant for the machine.

Ardila also felt that the University is providing opportunities for students to contribute to the community.

"The public university gives us more than what we study... To be an engineer is to serve and the university does the same," Ardila said.

"It is something natural for the Univalle community to give better living conditions to people... it is an innate commitment that we have in Univalle," Ardila said.

If you would like to contact the researchers or learn more about the project, please write to the Communications Office, Faculty of Engineering: comunicaingenieria(at)correounivalle.edu.co.

Banner photo: Concept model and prototype of the machine developed by the IMPETUS INDOMITUS team. Credit: Andrew James/NCC-FI/Univalle

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