Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2021-2022).

Archimedes screw generators (ASGs) are an emerging microhydro electricity generation technology. ASGs arex000D
efficient, cost competitive and have low environmental impact. Supportive policy, public support forx000D
environmentally sustainable power generation, and the availability of many potential installation sites allx000D
support continued growth of the North American market for ASGs. This project builds on six years of researchx000D
collaboration between the PI and Bluestreak on ASGs, supported by NSERC Engage and CRD programs,x000D
including a current CRD project that ends in Dec. 2018. This work has produced two generations of operationalx000D
models that predict Archimedes screw performance which have been incorporated into Bluestreak's operationalx000D
design tools, however, there is still potential and need to improve the accuracy of the ASG models. This newx000D
project will improve the accuracy of practical ASG design tools, reducing uncertainty by increasing ourx000D
detailed knowledge of loss mechanisms in an ASG. This research will also determine methods to accuratelyx000D
scale measurements from laboratory scale ASGs to full-size grid connected units, which has emerged as a keyx000D
issue. In practice, it is common to need to design installations with multiple ASGs at a single site. New modelsx000D
will be extended to include systems of multiple screws, including the reservoir, dam, supply channels andx000D
receiving basin. This research will continue to utilize laboratory and theoretical studies, and will makex000D
extensive use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to investigate phenomena that cannot be directlyx000D
measured. Detailed field studies of four to six full scale ASGs are an integral part of this project. There is nox000D
information currently available from full-scale ASGs that can be practically used for detailed validation ofx000D
models and CFD. This research will provide the basis for an accurate site-specific design process that canx000D
provide site-optimized ASG systems. Improved understanding of ASG technology, potentially positioningx000D
Bluestreak and Canada as global leaders in ASG technology while helping provide needed HQP with deepx000D
expertise in sustainable energy technologies.