Floating water wheel

I am looking for some one that knows how to calculate the potential power output from an undershot water wheel. I have found a calculator at http://www.waterwheelfactory.com/hptable.htm I am having trouble understanding how to use this calculator on an undershot water wheel.

Here is my sitiation. I am on a major river I am planning on building floating water wheel made from barrels attached end to end on an axial, and with paddles made from other barrels. If more tork is needed I can add an axial or two or three until I get the required tork. I will be using a gear ratio set up to power a PMA generator. If you are having trouble picturing this it will look like rolling pins with paddles.

My flow rate will vary between 3 and 8 MPH depending on seasonal water levels...there will be some extremes higher and lower on rare occasions, but I would want to calculate it at 3 MPH.

I will be using 30 gallon barrels that are about 60" circumfrence on the axials and 55 gallon barrels for paddels that are cut in 2 ft setcions...that will be 24" x40" paddles.

So I guess my question is: how much tork/power can I get from each Barrel with these specs?

30 gallon(60"circumfrence) barrel

3MPH current

Thanks to all who respond.

Dave

40" width x 24"height curved paddles made from 55 gallon barrels.

well according to that you should have I think from what I understand over 60lbs

I guess there is theory and then there is seeing it in action, and I am not so sure you are going to have a problem with torque as you are with anchoring the wheel down via floating anchors, but I am having a hard time figuring what your design actually is.

Not far from me there is an old 1700's replica sawmill and they hooked it up to an undershot water wheel and some gearing and powered an up and down sawmill. Everything was made of wood, including the gearings. Anyway the clamps if you will, that held the saw to the carriage came loose and from what I would describe as a mere trickle, went under the wheel, it picked that 12 inch log up and down and slammed it so hard that I thought the timber frame building it was housed in...with 12 inch beams mind you...was going to come down. I honestly kid you not and if I had not seen so myself I would have never thought such a tiny amount of moving water would have so much power. It beat that building all to smetherines and would have brought the place down if they had not kicked it out of gear. What tremendous power!

From what you describe, you should not have any difficulties, but I have no experience in doing what you wish to do. I live high atop of a hill where all the water starts their down hill journey and thus no stream in which to get hydropower. I am envious!

hunter holman wrote:well according to that you should have I think from what I understand over 60lbs

Thank you, Hunter...If I was on the TV show "Who Wants To Be A Millionair" and you were my phone a freind, I would ask...How sure are you?LOL Can you share how you arived at that number so that I can understand? I was on that web site for a couple of hours and I was not able to come up with any numbers that made any sense at all. 60 pounds of tork sounds very good from just one barrel. I am not sure yet how much tork it will take to power a PMA, but that certainly will be a good starting point.

Thanks again,

Dave

Travis Johnson wrote:I guess there is theory and then there is seeing it in action, and I am not so sure you are going to have a problem with torque as you are with anchoring the wheel down via floating anchors, but I am having a hard time figuring what your design actually is.

Not far from me there is an old 1700's replica sawmill and they hooked it up to an undershot water wheel and some gearing and powered an up and down sawmill. Everything was made of wood, including the gearings. Anyway the clamps if you will, that held the saw to the carriage came loose and from what I would describe as a mere trickle, went under the wheel, it picked that 12 inch log up and down and slammed it so hard that I thought the timber frame building it was housed in...with 12 inch beams mind you...was going to come down. I honestly kid you not and if I had not seen so myself I would have never thought such a tiny amount of moving water would have so much power. It beat that building all to smetherines and would have brought the place down if they had not kicked it out of gear. What tremendous power!

From what you describe, you should not have any difficulties, but I have no experience in doing what you wish to do. I live high atop of a hill where all the water starts their down hill journey and thus no stream in which to get hydropower. I am envious!

Hi Travis,

The design is very simple, just imagine if you made a huge roling pin by putting a pipe through the center of a barrel and then added paddles to make it like a small water wheel. For additional tork I would put two barrels on the same pipe, and for even more tork I would add two more barrels in a twin axial design...kinda like a 4 barrel drive dock...or 6 or 8 barrels if needed. It can be tied up to the dock like a boat, and/or maybe even used as a dock. For now I am just trying to calculate how many barrels I will need, and I am just not that smart, so I am happy that there are people like hunter to keep me strait.

Dave