Intelligent low-cost micro-hydro power emulator for domestic applications

Microgeneration of hydropower for domestic applications is emerging as a promising technology. However, the amount of energy that can be harvested is still modest. The lack of experimental evaluation systems which emulate the power characteristics of such generators for professional development and research has challenged the growth of micro-hydropower generation. This paper describes a laboratory micro-hydropower emulator for research purposes. The core novelty of the system lies in the use of a 2×2 serial/parallel combination of micro-hydro generators. The system features hydro generation with electronically-controllable water flow rates and allows emulation of different household usages.