Submersible hydro unit with a permanent magnet generator for low-head small hydropower plants
Submersible hydro unit with a permanent magnet generator for small hydropower plants with low head. The prototypes have a rated power of 500 kW at 200 rpm, and the machine works with a fixed-blade turbine without a powerhouse. It is used at low-head drops where building a powerhouse is impractical.
- Rated power (prototypes)
- 500 kW
- Rated rotational speed
- 200 rpm
- Speed regulation
- 90–260 rpm
- Excitation
- permanent magnets
Price, availability and lead time on request. We help with analogue selection, customs clearance and delivery.
Description
A submersible electrical machine together with a fixed-blade turbine makes it possible to use low-head drops without building a powerhouse. The machine is connected to the grid through a frequency converter, and the turbine operation is regulated by a blade drive control system. According to the manufacturer, such a plant retains high energy efficiency over a wide range of water levels. The permanent magnets for excitation were chosen to be recyclable, and the plant is conceived as environmentally clean, even down to the lubricants.
The unit was developed in 2020–2023 within a three-year R&D project titled Development of a submersible machine for low-head small hydropower plants. The project was carried out in a consortium with a partner company, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing and the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology of the University of Zagreb. It was co-financed under the Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014–2020.
During the project, the excitation of the generator with recyclable permanent magnets, the use of nanotechnology to improve the properties of the insulation system, and the effect of the frequency converter on generator losses, on insulation and on the occurrence of bearing currents were investigated. Two prototypes with a rated power of 500 kW at a rated speed of 200 rpm, with regulation in the range of 90–260 rpm, were built and tested under simulated conditions. The original technical solutions are going through an intellectual property protection procedure. Both prototypes were tested only under simulated conditions, so data on operation at a working station is absent from the manufacturer's materials.
The bearings are lubricated with biodegradable lubricants with an environmental certificate. The plant is complemented by a separate monitoring system that continuously monitors the magnetic flux and the temperature at critical points of the machine. According to the manufacturer's statement, the product complies with all IEC standards and environmental requirements. Submersible machines for low-head small hydropower plants are included in the 2025 product catalogue in the renewable energy section. The rated voltage and the full power in kVA are not given in the manufacturer's materials, so these data are clarified for the specific project.
Technical specifications
| Rated power (prototypes) | 500 kW |
|---|---|
| Rated rotational speed | 200 rpm |
| Speed regulation | 90–260 rpm |
| Excitation | permanent magnets |
| Grid connection | through a frequency converter |
| Turbine | fixed-blade, with a blade drive control system |
| Powerhouse | not required |
| Bearing lubrication | biodegradable, with an environmental certificate |
| Monitoring | continuous monitoring of magnetic flux and temperatures at critical points |
| Standards | IEC (according to the manufacturer) |
| Status | R&D 2020–2023, two prototypes tested under simulated conditions; in the 2025 product catalogue |
Request a price and lead time
Submersible hydro unit with a permanent magnet generator for low-head small hydropower plants. We reply within one business day.
Or email sales@usk.ua or call 044 339-50-20.
Questions and answers
What are the power and rotational speed of the prototypes?
Two prototypes have a rated power of 500 kW at a rated speed of 200 rpm.
In what range is the rotational speed regulated?
Rotational speed is regulated in the range of 90–260 rpm. The machine is connected to the grid through a frequency converter.
Is a powerhouse needed for such a unit?
No, the submersible machine with a fixed-blade turbine works at low-head drops without a powerhouse. The manufacturer states compliance with all IEC standards.
Similar equipment from other manufacturers
