Abstract:
In recent years, many countries including Thailand are interested in hydropower potential and its utilization. With the rising price of petroleum, the idea of installing small-scale hydropower at locations in the rural areas and other remote vicinities has actively been followed. Also fact growing of economic development in many countries has tended towards expediting the interests in hydropower even more. This study is aiming at testing a domestic-made small cross-flow turbine in a laboratory for its performance, parameters relationship and maximum efficiency of small turbine. Obtained data will form part of the feasibility study of micro-hydropower and water management in a rural community at Ban Pala-u-bon, Amphoe Hua-Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan as the study sits. Water management in the rural community was done by evaluating of effectiveness of water from hydrological and meteorological data. The water balance of community obtained from the reservoir and weir simulation. The result of the water balance analysis was used in the community water management. Then the optimum benefit of the project was assessed by using a linear programming and economic appropriateness analysis. The result indicates that the micro-hydropower project has a low potential as well as a low economic possibility. To select a micro-hydropower as a mean to solve a rural communitys problem will be subjected to these two mentioned constraints as well as many others. If the technology is to be selected other reasons e.g. social suitability, renewable resources etc. will have to be given to justify the methodology.