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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Brazilian savannah tree as bio-inspiration for hydraulic transient control in a penstock of a small hydropower plant
AU - Da Silva, Welitom Ttatom Pereira
AU - Bulhões, Izabelly Aguiar Palmeira
AU - De Brito Junior, Ediberg
AU - Aggidis, George A.
PY - 2024/3/3
Y1 - 2024/3/3
N2 - This study proposes an innovation, which is to use a non-circular and bio-inspired forced conduit (a new penstock with a cross section inspired by a tree trunk), to control the effects of hydraulic transients in Brazilian small hydropower plants (SHPs). The aim is to demonstrate that natural structures, adapted to periodic environmental disturbances, are better at hydraulic transient control than traditional conduits. The proposed methodology includes the following steps: (1) problem identification; (2) potential biological model identification; (3) development of alternatives; (4) implementation and testing; and (5) solution selection. This research was conducted at the São Tadeu I SHP, in the city of Santo Antônio de Leverger/MT, Brazil. The following tree biological models from the Brazilian savannah (Cerrado) were used: Handroanthus capitatus and Strychnos pseudoquina. The proposed innovation improves the conduit of the traditional circular section and the relief valve solution of the criteria studied. The reason for this improvement was the reduction of wave speed in the non-circular section (from 1126 to 583 m s−1).
AB - This study proposes an innovation, which is to use a non-circular and bio-inspired forced conduit (a new penstock with a cross section inspired by a tree trunk), to control the effects of hydraulic transients in Brazilian small hydropower plants (SHPs). The aim is to demonstrate that natural structures, adapted to periodic environmental disturbances, are better at hydraulic transient control than traditional conduits. The proposed methodology includes the following steps: (1) problem identification; (2) potential biological model identification; (3) development of alternatives; (4) implementation and testing; and (5) solution selection. This research was conducted at the São Tadeu I SHP, in the city of Santo Antônio de Leverger/MT, Brazil. The following tree biological models from the Brazilian savannah (Cerrado) were used: Handroanthus capitatus and Strychnos pseudoquina. The proposed innovation improves the conduit of the traditional circular section and the relief valve solution of the criteria studied. The reason for this improvement was the reduction of wave speed in the non-circular section (from 1126 to 583 m s−1).
U2 - 10.1080/00221686.2023.2294719
DO - 10.1080/00221686.2023.2294719
M3 - Journal article
VL - 62
SP - 158
EP - 175
JO - Journal of Hydraulic Research
JF - Journal of Hydraulic Research
SN - 0022-1686
IS - 2
ER -