DESIGN AND CFD ANALYSIS OF 1 KW PICO HYDROPOWER SIMULATOR WITH CENTRIFUGAL WATER PUMP AND FRANCIS TURBINE

Abstract

Simulation is essential for a design study. This article illustrates the result of a research aimed to design and
build a Pico Hydro Generator simulation system using a water pump as a source of water flow. Pico Hydro
Generator is a small-scale power generation technology that utilizes water energy as a renewable energy resource.
Through this simulation system, the design and testing of the Pico Hydropower simulator design can be carried
out to determine the efficiency value of the design. The planning process begins by determining the specifications
of the water turbine to be used, including water discharge, headwater, and the required capacity. Based on these
data, it is possible to select the type of water pump that is suitable for the needs of the turbine. Then the design of
Pico Hydropower components such as turbines, generators, water tanks, water channels, and system panels is
designed. The design process uses CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to design parts and assemblies on the
simulator. Then the design performance will be analyzed using Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) software.
The final result of this study is a Pico Hydropower simulator design that has been optimized and can be simulated
by using a water pump as a flow source. This simulation system can allow research and development in the form
of learning tools for students to understand how Pico Hydro power plants work and how to calculate their
efficiency.