To ensure reliability of a city’s drinking water and saline water supply,
the performance monitoring of its underground water pipe network
is very important, but it is always not easy to provide electric power
supply to the monitoring devices due to limited underground space
and transportation restriction. A novel inline mini hydroelectric
system, which includes an eye-shape inlet nozzle and the multi-blades vertical-axis spherical hollow impeller, was developed which
can not only convert the superfluous water head into electrical power,
but can also be installed in limited space, especially at remote areas
without utility grid.
Water Supplies Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government has
already installed several systems in underground water mains for
over 4 months. The power generated could support the sustained
and continuous operation of real-time pipe monitoring and telemetry
equipment. They are among the strategic components in the long-term development of underground asset management and water
supply quality assurance of the Department.