Experimental Analysis of Conical Basin Models with Vortex Turbines for Small-Scale Renewable Energy Generation
Abstract
This study investigates the performance of Gravitational Water Vortex Turbines (GWVT) using different conical basin configurations, focusing on the impact of vane designs on turbine efficiency. Four basin models were tested: model A (no vanes), Model B (180-degree vanes), Model C (90-degree vanes), and Model D (45-degree vanes). The basin was constructed from resin mixed with fiber, with the addition of vanes designed in various configurations to enhance vortex formation and energy extraction. Experimental testing was conducted under varying load conditions, with efficiency determined by the ratio of the potential energy of the water to the mechanical energy generated by the turbine. The results showed a significant improvement in efficiency with the introduction of vanes. Model B, featuring 180-degree vanes, demonstrates the highest efficiency, achieving an increase of up to 17.08% compared to the base model (Model A). Model C, with 90-degree vanes, and Model D, with 45-degree vanes, show efficiency increases of 14.56% and 12.08%, respectively. These results imply that the design and arrangement of vanes are essential in enhancing vortex formation and turbine performance.
##Keywords:##
Gravitational Water Vortex Turbine (GWVT), Experimental study, Conical basin, Vane design, Energy efficiency.
Published
Apr 13, 2025
How to Cite
KURNIAWAN, Iwan et al.
Experimental Analysis of Conical Basin Models with Vortex Turbines for Small-Scale Renewable Energy Generation.
Journal of Ocean, Mechanical and Aerospace -science and engineering-, [S.l.], v. 69, n. 1, p. 83-90, apr. 2025.
ISSN 2527-6085.
Available at: <https://isomase.org/Journals/index.php/jomase/article/view/530>. Date accessed: 11 may 2026.
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.36842/jomase.v69i1.530.
References
[1] Handoko, A. & Loon, S.C. (2020). The effect of population behavior of new renewable energy in primary energy mix for 2025 national target: Sumedang Regency review, West Java. Journal of Ocean, Mechanical and Aerospace, 64(1).
[2] Dincer, I. & Acar, C. (2015). A review on clean energy solutions for better sustainability. International Journal of Energy Research, 39(5). https://doi.org/10.1002/er.3329.
[3] Owusu, P.A. & Asumadu-Sarkodie, S. (2016). A review of renewable energy sources, sustainability issues and climate change mitigation. Cogent Engineering, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2016.1167990.
[4] Kuriqi, A. & Jurasz, J. (2022). Small hydropower plants proliferation and fluvial ecosystem conservation nexus. In Complementarity of Variable Renewable Energy Sources. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85527-3.00027-3.
[5] Mohd Rais, N.A. & Basar, M.F. (2021). Parametric analysis on a simple design water reaction turbine for low-head low-flow Pico-hydro generation system. Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.15282/jmes.15.3.2021.13.0657.
[6] Adanta, D., Budiarso, Warjito & Mahlia, T.M.I. (2019). Investigation of the effect of gaps between the blades of open flume Pico hydro turbine runners. Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.15282/jmes.13.3.2019.18.0444.
[7] Guzman, V.J.A., Glassrock, J.A. & Whitehouse, F. (2018). Design and construction of an off-grid gravitational vortex hydropower plant: A case study in rural Peru. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 35, 131–138.
[8] Velásquez, L., Posada, A. & Chica, E. (2023). Surrogate modeling method for multi-objective optimization of the inlet channel and the basin of a gravitational water vortex hydraulic turbine. Applied Energy, 330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.120357.
[9] Maika, N., Lin, N. & Khatamifar, M. (2023). A review of gravitational water vortex hydro turbine systems for hydropower generation. Energies, 16, 5394. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16145394.
[10] Dhakal, S., Timilsina, A.B., Dhakal, R., Fuyal, D., Bajracharya, T.R., Pandit, H.P., et al. (2015). Comparison of cylindrical and conical basins with optimum position of runner: Gravitational water vortex power plant. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 48, 662-669. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.04.030.
[11] Sánchez, A.R., del Rio, J.A.S. & Pujol, T. (2021). Numerical study and theoretical comparison of outlet hole geometry for a gravitational vortex turbine. Indonesian Journal of Science and Technology, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.17509/ijost.v6i3.38951.
[12] Sánchez, A.R., del Rio, J.A.S., Muñoz, A.J.G. & Montoya, J.A.P. (2019). Numerical and experimental evaluation of concave and convex designs for gravitational water vortex turbine. Journal of Advanced Research in Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences, 64(1).
[13] Dhakal, S., Nakarmi, S., Pun, P., Thapa, A.B. & Bajracharya, T.R. (2014). Development and testing of runner and conical basin for gravitational water vortex power plant. Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.3126/jie.v10i1.10895.
[14] Srihari, P.S.V.V., Narayana, P.S.V.V.S., Kumar, K.V.V.S.S., Raju, G.J., Naveen, K. & Anand, P. (2019). Experimental study on vortex intensification of gravitational water vortex turbine with novel conical basin. In AIP Conference Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5141252.
[15] Marian, M.G., Sajin, T. & Azzouz, A. (2013). Study of micro hydropower plant operating in gravitational vortex flow mode. In Applied Mechanics and Materials. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.371.601.
[16] Burbano, A., Sierra, J., Correa, E., Ruiz, A. & Sanin, D. (2022). Numerical simulation of the inlet channel geometry influence in the torque generated at the gravitation water vortex turbine. EUREKA: Physics and Engineering, 2022(6). https://doi.org/10.21303/2461-4262.2022.002703.
[17] Velásquez, L., Posada, A. & Chica, E. (2022). Optimization of the basin and inlet channel of a gravitational water vortex hydraulic turbine using the response surface methodology. Renewable Energy, 187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2022.01.113.
[18] Kim, M.S., Edirisinghe, D.S., Yang, H.S., Gunawardane, S.D.G.S.P. & Lee, Y.H. (2021). Effects of blade number and draft tube in gravitational water vortex power plant determined using computational fluid dynamics simulations. Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology, 45(5), 252-262. https://doi.org/10.5916/jamet.2021.45.5.252.
[19] Jiang, Y., et al. (2022). Multi–disciplinary optimizations of small-scale gravitational vortex hydropower (SGVHP) system through computational hydrodynamic and hydro–structural analyses. Sustainability, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020727
[20] Sarker, S., Das, T. K., Khallil, M.E., Aziz, N.A.A. & Hasan, M. (2021). Electricity generating using gravitational water vortex power plant. In Proceedings of 2021 IEEE International Women in Engineering (WIE) Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering (WIECON-ECE 2021). https://doi.org/10.1109/WIECON-ECE54711.2021.9829702.
[21] Vinayakumar, B., Antony, R., Binson, V.A. & Sunny, Y. (2022). Gravitational water vortex: Vaneite element analysis based design and implementation. Chemical and Process Engineering - Inzynieria Chemiczna i Procesowa, 43(3). https://doi.org/10.24425/cpe.2022.142279.
[22] Nishi, Y., Suzuo, R., Sukemori, D. & Inagaki, T. (2020). Loss analysis of gravitation vortex type water turbine and influence of flow rate on the turbine’s performance. Renewable Energy, 155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2020.03.186.
[23] Tamiri, F.M., Yeo, E.C.T. & Ismail, M.A. (2022). Vortex profile analysis under different diffuser size for inlet channel of gravitational water vortex power plant. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 1217(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/1217/1/012014.
[24] Velásquez, L., Romero-Menco, F., Rubio-Clemente, A., Posada, A. & Chica, E. (2024). Numerical optimization and experimental validation of the runner of a gravitational water vortex hydraulic turbine with a spiral inlet channel and a conical basin. Renewable Energy, 220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2023.119676.
[25] Saleem, A.S., Cheema, T.A., Ullah, R., Ahmad, S.M., Chattha, J.A., Akbar, B. & Park, C.W. (2020). Parametric study of single-stage gravitational water vortex turbine with cylindrical basin. Energy, 200, 117464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.117464.
[2] Dincer, I. & Acar, C. (2015). A review on clean energy solutions for better sustainability. International Journal of Energy Research, 39(5). https://doi.org/10.1002/er.3329.
[3] Owusu, P.A. & Asumadu-Sarkodie, S. (2016). A review of renewable energy sources, sustainability issues and climate change mitigation. Cogent Engineering, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2016.1167990.
[4] Kuriqi, A. & Jurasz, J. (2022). Small hydropower plants proliferation and fluvial ecosystem conservation nexus. In Complementarity of Variable Renewable Energy Sources. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85527-3.00027-3.
[5] Mohd Rais, N.A. & Basar, M.F. (2021). Parametric analysis on a simple design water reaction turbine for low-head low-flow Pico-hydro generation system. Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.15282/jmes.15.3.2021.13.0657.
[6] Adanta, D., Budiarso, Warjito & Mahlia, T.M.I. (2019). Investigation of the effect of gaps between the blades of open flume Pico hydro turbine runners. Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.15282/jmes.13.3.2019.18.0444.
[7] Guzman, V.J.A., Glassrock, J.A. & Whitehouse, F. (2018). Design and construction of an off-grid gravitational vortex hydropower plant: A case study in rural Peru. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 35, 131–138.
[8] Velásquez, L., Posada, A. & Chica, E. (2023). Surrogate modeling method for multi-objective optimization of the inlet channel and the basin of a gravitational water vortex hydraulic turbine. Applied Energy, 330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.120357.
[9] Maika, N., Lin, N. & Khatamifar, M. (2023). A review of gravitational water vortex hydro turbine systems for hydropower generation. Energies, 16, 5394. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16145394.
[10] Dhakal, S., Timilsina, A.B., Dhakal, R., Fuyal, D., Bajracharya, T.R., Pandit, H.P., et al. (2015). Comparison of cylindrical and conical basins with optimum position of runner: Gravitational water vortex power plant. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 48, 662-669. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.04.030.
[11] Sánchez, A.R., del Rio, J.A.S. & Pujol, T. (2021). Numerical study and theoretical comparison of outlet hole geometry for a gravitational vortex turbine. Indonesian Journal of Science and Technology, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.17509/ijost.v6i3.38951.
[12] Sánchez, A.R., del Rio, J.A.S., Muñoz, A.J.G. & Montoya, J.A.P. (2019). Numerical and experimental evaluation of concave and convex designs for gravitational water vortex turbine. Journal of Advanced Research in Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences, 64(1).
[13] Dhakal, S., Nakarmi, S., Pun, P., Thapa, A.B. & Bajracharya, T.R. (2014). Development and testing of runner and conical basin for gravitational water vortex power plant. Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.3126/jie.v10i1.10895.
[14] Srihari, P.S.V.V., Narayana, P.S.V.V.S., Kumar, K.V.V.S.S., Raju, G.J., Naveen, K. & Anand, P. (2019). Experimental study on vortex intensification of gravitational water vortex turbine with novel conical basin. In AIP Conference Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5141252.
[15] Marian, M.G., Sajin, T. & Azzouz, A. (2013). Study of micro hydropower plant operating in gravitational vortex flow mode. In Applied Mechanics and Materials. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.371.601.
[16] Burbano, A., Sierra, J., Correa, E., Ruiz, A. & Sanin, D. (2022). Numerical simulation of the inlet channel geometry influence in the torque generated at the gravitation water vortex turbine. EUREKA: Physics and Engineering, 2022(6). https://doi.org/10.21303/2461-4262.2022.002703.
[17] Velásquez, L., Posada, A. & Chica, E. (2022). Optimization of the basin and inlet channel of a gravitational water vortex hydraulic turbine using the response surface methodology. Renewable Energy, 187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2022.01.113.
[18] Kim, M.S., Edirisinghe, D.S., Yang, H.S., Gunawardane, S.D.G.S.P. & Lee, Y.H. (2021). Effects of blade number and draft tube in gravitational water vortex power plant determined using computational fluid dynamics simulations. Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology, 45(5), 252-262. https://doi.org/10.5916/jamet.2021.45.5.252.
[19] Jiang, Y., et al. (2022). Multi–disciplinary optimizations of small-scale gravitational vortex hydropower (SGVHP) system through computational hydrodynamic and hydro–structural analyses. Sustainability, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020727
[20] Sarker, S., Das, T. K., Khallil, M.E., Aziz, N.A.A. & Hasan, M. (2021). Electricity generating using gravitational water vortex power plant. In Proceedings of 2021 IEEE International Women in Engineering (WIE) Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering (WIECON-ECE 2021). https://doi.org/10.1109/WIECON-ECE54711.2021.9829702.
[21] Vinayakumar, B., Antony, R., Binson, V.A. & Sunny, Y. (2022). Gravitational water vortex: Vaneite element analysis based design and implementation. Chemical and Process Engineering - Inzynieria Chemiczna i Procesowa, 43(3). https://doi.org/10.24425/cpe.2022.142279.
[22] Nishi, Y., Suzuo, R., Sukemori, D. & Inagaki, T. (2020). Loss analysis of gravitation vortex type water turbine and influence of flow rate on the turbine’s performance. Renewable Energy, 155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2020.03.186.
[23] Tamiri, F.M., Yeo, E.C.T. & Ismail, M.A. (2022). Vortex profile analysis under different diffuser size for inlet channel of gravitational water vortex power plant. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 1217(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/1217/1/012014.
[24] Velásquez, L., Romero-Menco, F., Rubio-Clemente, A., Posada, A. & Chica, E. (2024). Numerical optimization and experimental validation of the runner of a gravitational water vortex hydraulic turbine with a spiral inlet channel and a conical basin. Renewable Energy, 220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2023.119676.
[25] Saleem, A.S., Cheema, T.A., Ullah, R., Ahmad, S.M., Chattha, J.A., Akbar, B. & Park, C.W. (2020). Parametric study of single-stage gravitational water vortex turbine with cylindrical basin. Energy, 200, 117464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.117464.
