River Flow - Waterwheel (Canford School Project)

[Penri]

Hello

Short update on today's progress.

The 26mm brackets proved a perfect press fit for the bearing.

The dam works well in holding back the water, even when just wedged in place, also the water flows nicely over it.

The waterwheel assembly (complete with bearings) was trial fitted and everything worked a treat! The wheel turning much quicker than anyone there had anticipated, even at the lowest pump setting.

After a a minor misalignment we drilled a couple of holes to hold the dam in place until some more suitable stainless steel fixings can be sourced (Penri's note: I now have them) to permanently fix the dam in place.

We agreed that for next week:
Alby and Ben would modify the plastic mounting plates to locate and hold the bearing brackets in place and cut mounting slots in the mounting plate so it can be secured to the water channel walls.

Penri will secure the dam in place with stainless steel screws and fix mounting studs to hold the plastic mounting plate to the water channel walls.

Alby and Ben, please note I will be installing M6 (that is 6mm) studs, so the mounting slots will need to wide enough to allow accommodate them.

Next Monday we'll put everything together and see if we can measure how fast the wheel goes around.


Hwyl

Penri

[Penri]

Hello

Dam in now fixed in place, together with a neoprene rubber "seal", by 4 stainless steel screws.

4 stainless steel studs glued in place in the water channel walls, stainless penny washer and wing nuts sources and ready to retain the mounting plate.

Hwyl

Penri

[Penri]

Hello

The mounting plate fitting went well yesterday (19Mar18) and Alby and Ben managed to get some water flow / wheel rotation measurements.

Unfortunately my phone decided to play up and refused to capture any video of the wheel in operation, today it behaved itself, so please find attached a rather noisy video.


Hwyl

Penri

[Penri]

Hello

In the main the water-wheel continues to turn day on day, which is excellent, but there are issues to consider and address:

• When there is high water volume (it has been raining a lot recently) a lot of floating detritus is carried around the up-stream filter screens, the more substantial pieces get caught in the wheel and prevent it from turning.

• The water-wheel axle tends to move (as the result of wheel rotation) from right to left (as viewed from the front) and eventually fouls on the left hand channel wall, slowing rotation.

• The ball / roller bearings fitted are rusting and appear to be beginning to impair the wheel's rotation, were they specified for the wet conditions as required?

• WMT fauna has been removed (unharmed) from the wheel assembly, so far: 2 newts (or the same one twice), one snail and also one frog using the wheel as a rocking perch!

• Water-wheel rotation is a sensitive to the torque settings of the mounting plate wing-nuts.

All for now.


Penri

[Penri]

Hello

The water-wheel assembly was removed, cleaned and re-installed not he morning of 03Apr18. Now working as when first installed.

Bearings have several rust spots on them, these were cleaned and WD40 applied, liberally.

Replacement bearings and axle ordered for evaluation.


Hwyl

Penri

[Penri]

Hello

First day back after Easter holidays.

The reformed team of Ben and Ben examined the waterwheel, witnessed the seized ball bearings and decided to re-equip the wheel with a plastic axle and nylon ball bearings. Circlips were also added to either end of new axle to ensure it did not slide through the bearings and the initially installed axle had done.

The supplied plastic axle was found to fit but was a little short and therefore fiddly to install. [Post visit note: A longer axle has been ordered.]

Due you alignment issues, not helped by the short axle, it was not possible to complete the tests of the new waterwheel set-up during the visit, this activity will be held over until next week, as will be the assessment of the performance of the new axle / bearing combination.

Post visit note: After the final installation of the day the waterwheel did not running smoothly, there was no obvious fouling on the channel walls or on the dam, but the rotation was not at a constant speed. A little while after Ben and Ben's departure the wheel suddenly transitioned from the "jerky" motion to smooth rotation, there was not obvious cause so the fact is recorded here for information and possible future investigation.


Penri

[hamishmb]

Sounds interesting. I saw the new axle - it looked good, but I saw the same thing where it speeds up and slows down.

Hamish

[Penri]

Video of water wheel with Hall effect sensor.

Well one!