Energy Recovery from mines-old - Easy Hydro Easy Hydro

The concept

Easy Hydro offers a complete range of small-scale and modular hydropower turbines which can be used for energy recovery from mines. Such turbines can be placed in a bypass of an existing valve, e.g. pressure reducing valves, control valves, tank inflow regulation valves. The turbine can thus transform the dissipated pressure into usable electricity, with power outputs ranging from a few kilowatts up to hundreds of kilowatts.

The need

The mining sector and process industry need vast quantities of water and electricity with large associated CO₂ emissions. At the same time, their internal water networks have locations in which an excessive pressure builds up and therefore needs to be dissipated by means of throttling/control/pressure reducing valves.

The type of turbine adopted is reliable and widely tested and consists of standard pumps running in reverse as turbines which only cost a fraction of a conventional custom-made hydro turbine.

A typical application of the technology for energy recovery from mines consists of powering the turbine with the cooling water flowing downwards the main pit.

Features

The turbines consist of standard water pumps running in reverse mode
The turbines can handle impurities in the water, and can be supplied with parts in stainless steel or bronze on request
Range of power output from 1 to 500+ kW, range of flows from 15 to 3,600 m³/h, range of pressure from 1 to 300 bar.