Eco power from the river

The contract for research and construction of the model is already signed. Now negotiations are underway with a manufacturer who would take care of the production of the device.

 Co-author of the invention, PhD student at Kielce University of Technology Mariola Starzomska told PAP that the water column energy conversion device offers an innovative way of obtaining electricity from small rivers that have natural declines.

The invention consists of at least three identical segments which are interconnected by a common shaft, which in turn is connected to an electricity generator.

Water flowing into the device moves the pendulum, which is located inside and starts the shaft. This way, the energy from the water is transferred to the shaft and the power generator. Now the stainless steel prototype is being prepared. Scientists will test its efficiency. Starzomska added that the device was designed to work even in small declines, of about half a meter.

The size of the device itself is one meter. It can also be installed in sewage treatment plants and reservoirs that have water discharge. Acording to Starzomska, the device allows the use small rivers near the house to produce the energy required for the entire farm. Also, production plants with a water discharge can use it to obtain energy. The solution is cheap and environmentally friendly. The cost of use is limited to periodic maintenance of the machine. "The device for water column energy conversion" was patented in early 2013.

In the autumn of last year, at the Student Inventions Exchange at Kielce University of Technology, entrepreneur from Poznań expressed interest in the invention. This resulted in signing the contract to build a prototype and extra-laboratory tests in March. The entrepreneur is also interested in the production of the device.

In addition Mariola Starzomska, co-authors of the invention are Stanislaw Szewczyk, who cooperates with Kielce University of Technology, and the university employee Prof. Jerzy Zbigniew Piotrowski.

Kielce University of Technology is the oldest and the only public technical university in the Swiętokrzyskie region. It educates more than 10,000 students in 16 courses and 50 specialisations. University in Kielce, jointly with the National Research and Development Centre in Warsaw, carries out the project "Student Innovation Support System". Its objectives include mobilization of students to carry out research and create inventions, and building the information database on inventions of Polish students.

PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland