Design and Performance Evaluation of Pico-Scale Savonius Hydrokinetic Turbines

Hydrokinetic energy provides a means of extracting useful power from moving water without relying on a conventional hydraulic head. Design and Performance Evaluation of Pico-Scale Savonius Hydrokinetic Turbines provides a focused technical examination of small-scale hydrokinetic turbine design, Savonius rotor configurations, energy conversion, fluid flow, and performance evaluation. The book connects renewable energy engineering, fluid mechanics, turbomachinery, mechanical design, and experimental performance analysis within an interdisciplinary framework.

The book introduces the fundamental principles of hydrokinetic energy conversion and examines how the kinetic energy of flowing water can be converted into mechanical rotation and, ultimately, useful electrical output. Unlike conventional hydroelectric systems that primarily depend on a difference in water elevation, hydrokinetic systems utilize the velocity of a moving water stream. This makes turbine geometry, flow characteristics, rotor performance, and operating conditions important considerations in system design.

A central focus is placed on the Savonius hydrokinetic turbine, a drag-based vertical-axis turbine known for its relatively simple rotor configuration. The book examines the general characteristics of Savonius rotors and considers how geometric and operating parameters can influence their hydrodynamic behavior. Rotor configuration, blade or bucket geometry, flow velocity, rotational speed, torque, and loading conditions are discussed as important factors in evaluating turbine performance.

The pico-scale context is particularly relevant to decentralized and small-scale energy conversion. Small hydrokinetic turbines can be considered for locations where modest quantities of flowing water are available and where large conventional hydropower infrastructure may not be appropriate. The book examines the engineering considerations involved in designing compact turbine systems while recognizing the practical relationship between available flow energy and achievable mechanical output.