The classic Hydroelectric Power Stations uses for production of electric energy the macroscopic elements of matter, for example, the motion of streams of water, the interactions of these macroscopic elements with other macroscopic elements and their actions on other bodies, without regarding deeply the structure of matter. The large hydroelectric power stations create considerable ecological problems.

The small hydroelectric power stations are alternative to the large stations, but unlikely this energy structures produce only a negligible quantity (units of percents) in the general volume of world hydraulic electric power. And what is more the initial capital investments in small hydroelectric power stations are considerably higher, than into hydroelectric power stations with powerful turbines. The cost of electricity, produced by small hydroelectric power stations, is almost 10 times higher, than that, produced by big hydroelectric power stations.

The researchers of Nizhyn Laboratories of Scanning Devices consider the prospects of subsequent development of hydroelectric power stations are related with the rational use of existing hydrotechnical resources and, accordingly, with building of the small hydroelectric power plants based on the new revolutionary molecular technology of hydroaccumulation and electrical power production. This technology has very high energy effectiveness and permits to execute the accumulation of potential energy of water (hydroaccumulation) without any additional external energy sources.

As the simple calculations show, these small hydroelectric molecular power stations in less degree violate ecological balance of environment and give the possibility to draw the production of electric power nearer to the remote users and thus to simplify the distributive electric systems.

In previous article named Molecular system for hydroaccumulation and electric power production (Queltanews.com) the possibility of creation of the new type of engine for hydroaccumulation and electric power production was shown. This artificial molecular hydropower system developed by the team of Nizhyn Laboratories of Scanning Devices uses for its work the energy of surface tension that appears on the boundary of two phases (liquid and solid) as a result of molecular interaction in contiguous tangent phases.

The power possibilities of surface layer are explicated by the work, which is necessary to transfer the molecules from the volume phase into a boundary layer. This transfer of molecules goes to the increase of surface energy – creation of surplus of energy of particles within the boundary layer in comparison with their energy in the volume of liquid. The energy of surface tension that appears on the boundary of two phases is transformed into the motion of water flux by use of the capillary structure.

The molecular hydrodynamic electrical power system consists of isolated water man-made pool, capillary structure (pump) and power equipment (hydro-turbine – electrogenerator). A capillary structure is submerged by its base into the water pool. The water is pumped by this capillary structure from water pool into the upper reservoir. The accumulated water possess by big potential energy that could be transformed into the kinetic energy of water flux to move the rotors of hydroturbine and of electrogenerator as in ordinary hydropower station providing the production of electrical power.

The distinctive feature of this chart is the work of engine in the closed cycle and closed space. In other words, it is not necessary to partition off the river and to build the dam – large structure that creates large ecological problems.  

The chart of hydropower system, proposed by Nizhyn Labs researchers are so simple, energetically effective and promising, that some engineers are ready right now to start building the working project.

But this simplicity is very deceptive.

What keeps back the development– it is the complication of creation of.

The creation of this hydrodynamic system is related with many technological problems of making of high effective hydrodynamic capillary structure. From one side the thickness of capillaries must be smaller to increase the summary effective diameter of capillary structure and this way to increase the flux of water across the system.  From other side the capillary walls must be strong to provide the rigidity.

It is simpler to create capillary structure with the use of small microscopic particles (grains of solid body), but in this case the effectiveness of structure decreases significantly.

  Another problem that calls for decision – is the increase of the speed of water lifting through capillaries. In reality the gained speed today is equal 1-8 meters per hour.

The team of Nizhyn Labs researchers develops new technology and material for making high effective hydrodynamic.

With the purpose to increase the effectiveness of hydrodynamic capillary structure and to boost the speed of water lifting through the capillaries the engineers of Nizhyn Laboratories of Scanning Devices research very thin (nano)tubes and hope to receive the capillary structures with significantly improved  properties. The point is that the character of interaction of molecules of liquid moving in very thin tubes with other molecules of liquid and of material of capillaries walls differs significantly. In limit, when the sizes of capillaries become close to the sizes of molecules of liquid, the surface tension on the boundary of phases increases by factor of 10.

As it is known in the narrow cylinder vessels (capillaries) of radius r the level of moistening liquid is higher, than in the large vessel, connected with them on a value h = 2σ cosθ/(rρg), where ρ – density of liquid, g – acceleration of gravity and σ –surface tension. Thus the level of lifting of water h is determined by the radius of capillaries. The smaller is the radius of capillaries, the higher will be the level of water and vice versa (fig.1)

For the case of water and glass boundary the surface tension σ = 75x10^-3 (N/m).  The level of water lifting is greatly increasing with the decrease of the radius of capillaries:

  r (x10^-3m)           h (m)

0,1                        0,15

0,05                      0,3

0,01                      1,5

0,005                    3,0

0,001                  15,0

0,0005                30,0

0,0001              150,0

In limit, when the sizes of capillaries become close to the sizes of molecules of liquid, the surface tension on the boundary of phases increases by factor of 10.

Another hopeful factor of using nanotubes for pumping of liquid is the possibility of direct production of electrical current in future by means of  only molecular interaction without the use of bulk hydro-turbine. And this future is coming fast. In our mind the combining of molecular technology with the macroscopic element is the same as to hold a horse and a quivering fallow deer in one harness.

By Vasil Sidorov on October 14, 2009 in queltanews.com

       sidorovvasil@gmail.com