Recent studies have indicated the potential of a contra-rotating pump-turbine (CRPT) as a low-head design that enables pumped hydro storage in regions with flat topography. However, the effects of cavitation have scarcely been investigated for the CRPT. The current paper utilises computational fluid dynamics simulations to study a model scale CRPT subjected to cavitating […]
Category: News
NEW PUBLICATION: Design of shaft- and rim-driven contra-rotating reversible pump-turbine to optimize novel low-head pumped hydro energy storages
According to the European-Green-Deal, the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in electricity generation is increased by e.g. solar/wind. This requires the deployment of effective energy storage solutions to compensate the fluctuating network supply of RES. A well-developed storage technology is pumped hydro energy storage (PHES), but especially in lowland countries, e.g. Denmark, typical […]
The Hydropower Renaissance in Europe
The EU drive towards green energy is seeking to harness a traditionally clean power source – with some tweaks. Dr Jeremy Bricker, a hydraulics and coastal engineer, is dreaming big. Somewhere on the North Sea coast, he imagines construction of a dam to manage the supply of clean energy to Europe’s “lowlands”. Read More […]
NEW PUBLICATION: An Experimental and Numerical Study of a Three Lobe Pump for Pumped Hydro Storage Applications
Pumped hydro storage (PHS) plays an important role as a matured technology that accounts for the vast majority of global energy storage capacity, and its expansion is therefore desirable. The expansion of PHS in mid- and high-water heads is limited to topographic features, but there is an untapped potential in low-head applications. For most of […]
NEW PUBLICATION: Optimization of Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Design and Operation for Offshore Low-Head Application and Grid Stabilization
The increasing share of renewable energy sources in the global electricity generation defines the need for effective and flexible energy storage solutions. PHES with their technically matured plant design and wide economical potential can generally match those needs. But especially for lowland countries, where low-head PHES applications are needed, the current turbomachinery technologies offer no […]
Grid-scale pumped hydro energy storage for the low countries
Penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources into the power grid requires large-scale energy storage to ensure grid stability. Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES) is among the most mature, environmentally friendly, and economical energy storage technologies, but has traditionally only been feasible at sites with large natural topographic gradients. ALPHEUS addresses this by developing reversible pump-turbines […]
Dry emulation test-setup at Ghent University
In WP3, the Power Take-Off and Machine-Side Control (MSC) are studied and designed. An important asset to validate the Machine-Side Control is the dry emulation test-setup, developed at Ghent University. This update includes pictures of the virtual design, as well as a first look at the setup in action. To validate the Machine-Side Control (MSC) […]
Axial-Flux PMSMs: Detailed 50 kW design
In the ALPHEUS project, the efficiency of the full system is important. Therefore, in WP3, Axial-Flux Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines (AF-PMSMs) is designed for the full 10 MW design. To validate this design, two ~33 kW AF-PMSMs are designed and developed at Ghent University. Axial-Flux PMSMs (AF-PMSMs) have a high efficiency, power density and high […]
New Publication: Axial Flux PMSM Power Take-Off a Rim-Driven Contra-Rotating Pump-Turbine
Pumped hydropower storage (PHS) is a costeffective and mature energy storage technology. However, it has inherently been limited to locations with suitable topographies. Therefore, the ALPHEUS project aims to implement PHS for shallow seas and coastal environments with the goal to support grid stability. To ensure optimal efficiency and fast switching times in these low-head […]
ALPHEUS Newsletter 2022 is now available!
It is my pleasure to introduce the second Newsletter of the ALPHEUS research project to you. With the so-called “Green Deal” the EU adopted quite ambitious targets of climate neutrality in Europe by 2050 and a reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions of at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. ALPHEUS Newsletter 2022Download […]