Archimedes Screw

[Sim_C]

I came across an example today and saw it in action from a distance at Bainbridge in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire. After some online research it turns out it is a 45 kW unit and has been running for many years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Bain_Hydro

Has anyone come across any of these elsewhere in the UK?

[MrPablo]

Cragside in Rothbury, Northumberland has a reverse Archimedes screw towards the entrance into the grounds.
I believe it's a 12kW unit, so a fair bit less grunt than your example

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... hydropower

The place itself is well worth a visit, exploring the grounds and seeing how hydropower was implemented - I have been quite a few times.

[Fintray]

+1 for a visit to Cragside.

There is another Archimedes screw it the river Don in Aberdeen rated at 100kW.



One in Ayr rated at 83kW.

[Gareth J]

There's one down in Totnes. Doesnt look as big. Am presuming it's plugged into a generator.

[AE-NMidlands]

There are quite a few, including Marple (Torrs, 2008) Stockport and Congleton (http://congletonhydro.co.uk/the-project/technology/ 75kW)- they seem to be the technology of choice for a) not very high head b) locally (volunteeer) supported. I guess the slow speed makes the mechanicals easier and the lowish head makes the civil engineering and risk a lot easier to handle.

(I think modern electronics makes supplying grid voltage at any power output possible nowadays too.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category: ... in_England loooks to be drastically underpopulated...

[smegal]

There are quite a few, including Marple (Torrs, 2008) Stockport and Congleton (http://congletonhydro.co.uk/the-project/technology/ 75kW)- they seem to be the technology of choice for a) not very high head b) locally (volunteeer) supported. I guess the slow speed makes the mechanicals easier and the lowish head makes the civil engineering and risk a lot easier to handle.

(I think modern electronics makes supplying grid voltage at any power output possible nowadays too.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category: ... in_England loooks to be drastically underpopulated...

They are also more fish friendly than other types of turbine.

[AlBargey]

There are two on the Thames:

Romney weir - The worlds first Archimedes hydropower plant? https://www.jackson-civils.co.uk/case-s ... -turbines/

Also Reading Hydro CBS: https://readinghydro.org/ - There's a few links to other hydro schemes in their FAQ's

[AE-NMidlands]

Mentioning the Thames reminds me of the proposed one at Teddington, which was squashed by the adjacent oil industry social club despite it being on a big noisy weir and (with multiple locks adjacent) in a semi-industrial location. Someone else here is even more annoyed about it than I am...

[AlBargey]

Mentioning the Thames reminds me of the proposed one at Teddington, which was squashed by the adjacent oil industry social club despite it being on a big noisy weir and (with multiple locks adjacent) in a semi-industrial location. Someone else here is even more annoyed about it than I am...

Yes! the Lensbury

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... re_btn_url

[dan_b]

Oh don't remind me - I put money into (and lost it on) that scheme! As you say, that part of the Thames is hardly the serene swan lake that The Lensbury liked to imply.

Mentioning the Thames reminds me of the proposed one at Teddington, which was squashed by the adjacent oil industry social club despite it being on a big noisy weir and (with multiple locks adjacent) in a semi-industrial location. Someone else here is even more annoyed about it than I am...