How much maximum electricity we can produce from a water channel with flow of 10 cfs and flow head of 100m ?

Question

How much maximum electricity we can produce from a water channel with flow of 10 cfs and flow head of 100m ?

Answer 1

You left out a term.  what is the size and shape of the channel.  We need that to calculate velocity head.

Answer 2

E=energy

P = power = E/t

t = time

m=mass of water

V = volume of water

rho = density

h=height

h= 100m * ft/0.3048m = 328ft

Total energy E = mgh

P = E/t = mgh/t

P=(rho*V)gh/t

P = (rho*g)*(V/t)*h

P=62.4lb/ft3 * 10 ft3/s * 328 ft

P = 205,000 ft*lb/s * HP/(550 ft*lb/s)

P = 372HP * 0.746kW/HP = 277.7kW

This assumes all of the energy is converted. For this, the channel must be a closed pipe of large diameter to make all the head available (or water going into a lake behind a dam). So, from this number, you have to subtract any losses. These include at a minimum, head loss from having an open channel, friction loss in the pipe/channel, turbine efficiency and generator conversion efficiency.

Edit: The intermediate numbers reported are rounded, but the calculations are exact except the 999.552 density assumes pure fresh water at a temp near 20°C. Other poster is close, only off by a percent or so because he rounds everything. The losses in an actual system will dwarf this error.

Answer 3

1cfs = 0.028m³/s

10cfs x 0.028 = 0.28m³/s. Density of water = 1,000kg/m³.

Water head = 100m.

P.E. = 0.28m³/s x 1,000kg/m³ x 9.81m/s² x 100m.

= 274,680 J/s

1J/s = 1 Watt.

Assuming 100% efficiency 274,680J/s = 274.7kW. of Power.

('Power' is the rate of Transfer of Energy, measured in Watts or J/s (Note the 'Assuming Maximum Efficiency'...PE = KE).

*...The thumbs down is totally unwarranted. This answer is more correct than any other.

The asker says 'Maximum Electricity Produced'...i.e. No losses, i.e. 100% efficiency which is what I have given him.

You're not very confident about your own answers are you ?.

I've worked with Power Transfer most of my working life.