New Opening Inlet Design of the Pico-Hydropower System

This research focuses on designing and assessing an innovative inlet opening for the pico hydro power (PHP) system, aimed at enhancing its overall performance. The proposed approach involves adapting a similar inlet slope design with a 45° angle while introducing modifications to the inlet configuration. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software was utilized to conduct the investigation, with the primary goal of optimizing energy extraction from a Malaysian river. The study examines four distinct incoming velocities: 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, and 2.0 m/s. The study's outcomes are presented in terms of velocity magnitude at a critical point, velocity reduction percentage, power estimation, and design efficiency. The findings reveal that among the evaluated designs, design 3 exhibits superior performance compared to designs 1 and 2 in terms of velocity magnitude at the critical location. Notably, design 3 outperforms the others in power production estimation and device efficiency, achieving an efficiency range of 16–26%.