Pumps as Turbines: A User’s Guide

As interest in the provision of decentralized electricitiy in the South increases, this practical handbook is as important as ever. Pumps as Turbines: A user’s guide is a practical handbook for engineers and technicians involved in designing and installing small water-power schemes for isolated houses and communities. It concerns the use of standard pump units as a low-cost alternative to conventional turbines to provide stand-alone electricity generation in remote locations. This book arises out of the practical experience of field work in village locations in a number of countries. This second edition includes a brand new chapter featuring a case study of a PAT (pump-as-turbine) installation from a recent scheme installed in collaboration with ITDG Kenya. It covers how to select the type of pump based on site requirements, potential pump modifications and caution with single-phase pumps. The pump selection process is described through this step-by-step example, where the site head would have been too low for a Pelton turbine. The case study demonstrates that now, possibly more than ever before, the use of pumps as turbines offers a reliable, low-cost option for rural electrification.