We are in the process of converting the large old Mill wheel to generate green electricity, making the centre self sufficient and carbon Positive i.e generating more energy than we use, and feeding any excess electricity back into the national grid. The project is a huge challenge and steep learning curve for us all, it will take 3 years, we are half way through now . The old Mill wheel turbine is an extremely unusual and rare design. It has a vertical axis and the turbine wheel is permanently underwater. Even though it was built 130 years ago the design and efficiency of this turbine is nearly as good as modern design, give or take 10% - an extraordinary feat of the Industrial Revolution. So we are preserving it intact rather than fitting a cheaper newer design.
See Photos below of old Mill wheel in the middle of being renovated.
The vertical axis turbine is inside the metal casing and the sits in the bottom of the large "water room" which is then filled by the river, a bit lake a huge bath, the turbine acts like a huge plug hole at the bottom of the water room, the river siphons through this hole creating high pressure which turns the turbine inside. It is a very sophisticated and well designed system considering it was made 130 years ago.
Old and ugly corrugated iron metal sides of canal replaced with new brick walls built for sides of canal, and corrugated metal removed. We had to dismantle an old ruined building on our neighbours property, Madame Adell, who kindly donated the bricks, so the new wall would look like it had always been there, and not spoil the beautiful grounds.
The next steps now we have got the turbine working, will be to build a gear box and a generator, which will connect the turbine shaft to an electric generator, which will in turn connect to an DC/AC converter, which will then connect into the National grid via a special Electric 2 way Meter. These steps will probably take another 1 to 2 years to research, design and build. I would like to thank Pawel Rel the Mill Retreat caretaker for his amazing hard work and initiative in making this project possible.
Please wish us luck for the next step!
Kolinka
Another challenge we now have to face, is when we raise the water level to the normal operating height for the turbine to work, our neighbours field one mile upstream, starts to flood, ( see photo below of river overflowing its banks into field, the fence is where the river bank is located) so I think it will be a meeting with the Mayor and local farmer and myself and Pawel, to see what solutions we can come up with, and hope other fields/properties further upstream are not also effected! the reason is the river banks have not been maintained, and have eroded over the years, mainly by cattle drinking at the river banks.
We are in the process of designing and getting a bespoke gearbox made, see photo below of the gearbox plans for the engineering company.
Then next stage will be to buy a electric 3 phase generator and connect it to the below gearbox which in turn connects to the turbine.
we are in negotiation with EFD France getting permits and equipment to connect up to the National electricity grid, but it takes 6 months to 5 years or more and many planning committees later to be completed!
Lucky my French is so poor.
wish us luck.
5.5kw 3 phase generator and gearbox the lights are running off the turbine!