How to Convert Water Pressure to Electricity

Fluids store energy in them in the form of pressure. By understanding some properties of fluids like water when under pressure, you may be able to produce electricity. Water properties -- like pressure increasing with depth -- can determine the extent of water's exploitation as a power source using conversion devices.

Things You'll Need

  • Water source
  • Water turbine
  • Steam turbine
  • Boiling cylinder
  • Generators
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select a water source -- preferably a moving water source like a river or a large water body with waves, or one with rising and falling tides like a lake or an ocean. For large-scale power production, you may have to build a dam across a river, creating a lake behind it, to build up more pressure to generate electricity.

    • 2

      Lay the water turbines across the direction of the water flow. In the case of a lake or an ocean, place the turbines diagonally to the direction of the current, so that the moving water causes the turbine blades to spin. If you built a dam, place turbines at the bottom of the dam and bore penstocks or holes that allow water to gush through and drive the turbines.

    • 3

      Use water in the form of pressurized steam as an alternative. Connect a boiling cylinder to a water source and heat the water to turn it to steam. Channel the steam so that it drives a steam turbine. Ensure the steam system is airtight to prevent any steam from escaping and to increase pressure of the steam formed.

    • 4

      Connect the water turbine and steam turbine to a generator using a shaft to convert the mechanical energy produced by the rotating turbines to electricity. The turbine and generator are the transducers -- or conversion devices -- in this case. The turbine converts the pressure energy to mechanical energy and the generators, in turn, convert this to electrical energy.

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