Using PipeFlow®-Expert – For Penstocks & Hydro System Pipelines
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SmallHydro’s Review of -
PipeFlow-Expert with a few Screenshots of Flow & Pressure Calculations
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PipeFlow® Expert - Used to design and analyize Penstocks & Pipes In Hydro Systems.
A number of you readers have commented that you needed a better understanding of your Hydropower penstocks or hydro system pipelines. Some have remarked “that was fast” when a quick and accurate estimate was returned.
In this short review I’m letting you in on my secret, I use PipeFlow-Expert® by Daxesoft to make these initial penstock performance and energy loss design estimates. It is a cycle of trial & re-trial to find the sweet spot for a hydro site. A design spot between power ROI and the sites infrastructure costs. These hydro capital costs include; electric switchgear, turbine and penstock costs, etc. Hint – the penstock and associated hardware are often one of the most expensive components in a hydro system.
Penstocks also can pose a hidden system operational expense in lost hydro energy $ value. When improperly designed, they can also have a long term risk to system integrity and safety issues as well. You can see that it is vital to get the penstock design right as early as you can. Until you get the penstock and hydro turbine design nailed down the whole hydro project is at risk.
For a more detailed and accurate hydropower system penstock analysis I use the same software with a more detailed input model. The design results for this tool are amazing and the tool is quite simple to set up and operate too. Maybe even fun, Ok I can hear you – Now Jess don’t get carried away… ;-)
I’ll just have to post you some videos showing how I use it.
This software has a great graphical interface with tabular data where it makes sense and a great fluid modeling and analysis engine to crank out your solutions on the double. Warnings and quick fix diagnostic pop-ups lead you to suspected areas within your proposed Penstock and pipeline designs that would cause either a very expensive failure or costly rework at a later time. PipeFlow Tools are worth gold to a hydropower system designer or site prospector.
But wait! Before you cart your Penstock over to their site, look at the special offer we have arranged for you first…
These screenshots are just a few of the many Hydro System relevant features of the PipeFlow Expert software. I chose them based on your Hydropower Penstock evaluation needs. For our current SmallHydro PipeFlow tools offer; See our Penstock Tools & Special Offers page.
After getting our special code, visit the PipeFlow site for more details on the different Penstock & Pipeline evaluation tools. I use these tools often while looking at overall Hydroelectric system efficiency and Hydro ROI $ optimization. Note: Make sure you Get your SmallHydro Savings Discount coupon here first
PipeFlow® Expert is by far the Best tool I’ve used of for Penstock Pressure & Flow efficiency evaluations. If your system is simple enough they even carry a less expensive ”Lite” version that will cover just a few pipes, valves and fittings for a real savings.
Of course everything PipeFlow makes has an instant Free download! So you should certainly try it before you buy it with this free limited capability trial version. You’ll need to get our discount offer codes first though, to get your special SmallHydro discount savings applied later if and when you choose buy. Check with PipeFlow for all applicable terms and conditions.
Click on an image or link below to enlarge the details of the screenshot image. There are more od these features and worked examples described on PipeFlow’s site. Just get your SmallHydro Promo Code(s) first!
 Pipe Flow Expert - Systems pipeline & penstock drawing tool details
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Pipe Flow System Drawing Area
Design, build, view and edit your system model with Pipe Flow Expert’s powerful and easy to use interface. The drawing area will let you define tanks, pipes, fittings, valves, pumps, components, flow controls and demands. |
 Hydro Turbine & Pump performace curve graph
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Pump Characteristics & Curve Data
Define a pump as a curve of flow versus head produced or as a fixed flow rate pump. Pumps can be saved and loaded independently to make it easy to copy and duplicate pumps as required. |
 Pipe Flow Expert - Unit selection window - allows custom Hydropower unit settings
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Configure Pipe Flow Units
Choose the units that you want to work in for each field type. The units can all be set to metric or imperial on mass, or can be configured on an item by item basis as required. |
 PipeFlow Expert System Fittings database
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Pipe Size & Materials Database
Choose from a database of standard pipe materials and standard pipe sizes for that material. New pipe material and size data can be added to the database as required. |
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PipeFlow Expert System Fittings database
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Pipe Fittings Database
Choose from our database of fittings information to add fitting information onto pipes. New fittings data can be created by the user and stored in the fittings database. |
Just add water!
SmallHydro,
Jess
“How can we help you connect the drops?”
Your comments & questions are always welcome!
July 18th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Hello. I am at the absolute beginning of my researching a waterwheel electric generating system here on my property in Montana. I have approximately 350 to 450 feet of distance from where I’ll tap into my front yard creek to where I want to install my water wheel. There is roughly 6 feet of elevation drop between these points, with a natural return for the water back into the creek. I want to be operational next year with as much as I can do with this area; so what would you suggest is my best avenue to research/study before I initiate the building phase? I will continue to read these articles and appreciate any direction you feel might help me do this the correct way. Thank you.
July 19th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Thanks for the info on Comp SW programme for penstock designing. Your suggestion to visit http://www.pipeflow.co.uk/ for computer SW required to be used in designing small hydro electric projects was well made. With your discount code I could get 20% off on the list price of Pipe Flow Wizard. A +ve & well rewarding aspect of my joining http://SmallHydro.com for Small & Micro Hydro power.
The SW is useful in my efforts in designing and implementing 25 MW hydro power project for Mumbai Municipal Corporation, India. Discharge: 45 cum/sec (2 x 12.5 MW), Head (Max): 95 m (Min) 50 m Penstock dia 3.5 m Length 100 m + Tail Race Tunnel: 800 m
Thanks once again and with regards,
R. G. KULKARNI,
DIRECTOR
TRIGON CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD.
July 20th, 2009 at 6:01 am
PLEASE PROVIDE THE SAFETY REQUIREMENT FOR SMALL HYDRO?
GENERATOR BEARING LOSSES FORMULA
July 21st, 2009 at 10:38 am
NO
July 26th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Joseph,
By just saying NO you mean No …
What is on your mind?
Jess
July 26th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Kapil,
Simple hydropower bearing loss formulas are not that easy to provide.
You did not make it clear what type of bearing and failure mode your are researching. Thrust bearings, radial & axial load bearings, submerged bearings, oil bath bearings, greased bearings, roller, needle or ball bearings. Bearing life, wear, vibration, heating, material composition, lubrication and fatugue can all play roles in bearing safety.
Each of these areas is beyond the current topics being discussed. If you wish some sort of specific answer from our readers or me you will need to provide more detail about your bearing problem.
Jess
July 26th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Dave,
You’ll have to get a very accurate measure of head and flow for your site, we just covered head measure methods and we are about to post flow measure methods (Step 3 or 12.)
I look forward to you letting us know how your water power project and understanding are progressing. Please comment and email your status and questions.
Jess
October 8th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Hi, thanks for the great information it was quite educating I really have not seen something this good, However i have being having an idea quite different from the info, i have read , although, there some similarities.
Am looking at setting up a medium seized pumped storage hydro power station as an independent power generating concern for some unserved area, and i believe this idea of pumped storage will be quite adequate
i am looking at creating both the upper reservoir and lower reservoir my self and then get two 7 mw turbine with reverse option, will use both during pick hours and then during off peak hours will use only one while the other pumps water back to the upper reservoir,
what i need to know is the seize of the upper reservoir and lower that will be constructed and the dimensions of the penstock that will be able to power the 7 mw turbines, I hope I am making sense
August 23rd, 2010 at 4:12 am
Hello,
Can you please tell me where can we get pipe flow network software.
and i have one queries.
i want to know the
1. effect in penstock pipe feed by two reservoir at different head (penstock from the two reservoir is joined at a point ,may be t-joint or joined making angle and power house is feed by a single penstock from the junction.
and can i solve this problem using above software.
thanking in advance.
September 13th, 2011 at 12:35 am
hi everyone. i just like to ask how to compute for the thickness of the mild-steel pipe to be used as the material of penstiock. The measured Head is about 30m and the flow rate is 10 cu.m/s. hope u guys could help me. thanks.