Virtual Booth

Urban areas increasingly require renewable energy systems that function within limited space, resources, and varying energy demands. Micro-hydro power is a clean energy source but is often restricted by the absence of continuous flow and natural gravity head. This project presents a pressure-driven micro-hydro and pumped storage system designed for flat or space-limited environments. The system employs pressurized tap water or mild river flow to drive a custom Pelton-type turbine made from spoon-shaped paddles mounted on a modified 150 mm fan. Electrical generation is achieved through a magnetic generator composed of a vacuum motor rotor and a Fuji AC contactor coil, with the output rectified by an STS-901 1N4007 bridge and stabilized by a DC-DC boost converter. Experiments conducted at tap pressures between 6.25 and 25 psi revealed that usable power began at 15 psi, with the highest output of 19.2 V and 2.9 A at 25 psi.The fully experimental approach demonstrated that pressure-based micro-hydro systems are feasible, low-cost, and effective solutions for power generation in urban and suburban areas lacking gravity-fed water sources.