The Rivers That Were Never Viable
Hydropower is one of the oldest and most
reliable sources of renewable energy on the planet. But traditional
hydroelectric plants require large dams, significant height differences between
water levels, and major civil engineering work that costs millions and takes
years. The vast majority of rivers, canals, and waterways around the world do
not meet those requirements. They are too small, too flat, or too remote to
justify the infrastructure. For communities near those rivers, hydropower has
never been an option. Turbulent was built to change that entirely.
Turbulent Vortex Turbine: How It Works
The Turbulent Vortex Turbine is installed in
any river, canal, or waterway with a height difference between 1.5 and 5 metres
and a flow of at least 1.5 cubic metres per second. A unique basin shape
channels the incoming water flow into a low-pressure vortex. That vortex spins
a slow-moving impeller connected to a premium efficiency generator and gearbox
that operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A single turbine generates
between 15 and 90 kilowatts of continuous power, producing between 100,000 and
600,000 kilowatt-hours per year. Multiple turbines can be installed in clusters
or cascading arrangements to generate several megawatts, enough to power
communities of 50 to 500 households from a single installation or entire
regions from a network of units.
Fish-Friendly by Design
Most turbine technologies harm aquatic life
through high-speed blades, pressure changes, and physical impact. The Turbulent
Vortex Turbine was designed specifically to avoid this. The slow rotation speed
of the impeller creates low shear stress on the water passing through it. The
rate of pressure difference across the blade is controlled to allow fish and
aquatic life to pass through unharmed. A trash rack at the inlet protects
against large debris while allowing smaller material to pass safely. The turbine
does not obstruct the normal flow of the river, which eliminates flood risk
entirely. A protective mesh prevents large debris from reaching the impeller
during operation.
Low Maintenance, Long Life, Remote Control
The Turbulent Vortex Turbine has one moving
component. That single design decision dramatically reduces maintenance
requirements and failure risk compared to more complex turbine systems.
EU-manufactured power electronics are selected for long lifespan and
uninterrupted operation. A cutting-edge IEC-61131-3 controller manages safe,
efficient, and autonomous turbine operation continuously. Secure remote
monitoring and control is built into the system, allowing operators to manage
the turbine from anywhere, perform predictive maintenance, and implement power
purchase agreement adjustments without being physically present at the site.
The turbine is preassembled, transportable on a small truck, and installed in a
couple of days with minimal civil works. With a maintenance plan followed, the
operating lifetime is 30 years.
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