Hydrodynamic screw to be introduced to South Africa

Multidisciplinary equipment supplier Wam Group South Africa aims to introduce the hydro- dynamic screws of its Italian sister company, Roncuzzi, to the South African market.

The units are designed to produce electric energy through a reversible volumetric machine, which turns the hydroenergy into mechanical energy.

The screw is placed in a river or stream, with a minimum decline of 0.91 m, and a weir is built to divert water into the hydroscrew.

Hydrodynamic screw to be introduced to South Africa

HYDRODYNAMIC SCREW The unit is placed in a river or stream in South Africa, with a minimum decline of 0.91 m, and a weir is built to divert water into the hydroscrew

The water moving the rotor generates the mechanical energy and it is transformed into electric energy by a power generator,

which is connected through a panel to the local power network.

One machine is able to produce 300 kW of renewable energy and can handle a head of up to 10 m and a flow rate of up to 5 500 ℓ/s, although several machines can be used at the same time.

The hydroscrew can be used to replace small turbines and plants,

which require maintenance; it can also replace damaged water wheels and clean water discharge from wastewater treatment.

Further, it can be used as part of a system to reduce water flow in existing channels or weirs, create water power channels, cool water from electric power stations and process water in paper mills or water mills.

Wam Group South Africa GM Emilie Marchand says the benefits of the hydroscrews include no control system being required as the screw conveyor automatically adapts to main frequency and to the water flow rate.

Further, a frequency converter or programmable logic controller is not required.

The hydroscrew also provides higher efficiency than water wheels or small turbines

and provides constant and stable efficiency.

No cleaning and limited maintenance are needed.

Edited by: Chanel de Bruyn