Estimation of the electrical energy provided by an irrigation canal with the design of a hydrokinetic turbine

Small-scale hydropower is considered one of the most economical, predictable, and environmentally friendly technologies. However, it is still under development, which has led to its limited application, especially to hydraulic resources with low head and fluid velocity like the irrigation canal of the "Centenario de la Revolucion Francisco J. Mugica" dam, located in a ruralzone of the state of Michoacan, Mexico. To estimate the actual energy that this hydraulic resource can give, we proposed an energy conversion methodology that consists of three main steps: the evaluation of the hydraulic energy using the annual Flow Duration Curve of the canal, the numerical design of the ducted hydrokinetic turbine using experimental measurements and the selection of a low-velocity electrical generator. The designed hydrokinetic turbine was able to convert 78.53% of the hydraulic energy available into useful energy, which agriculture could use directly in rural areas.