Impact
PaTs can be a cost-effective alternative to traditional turbines, and when inserted in a water supply system with constant water availability they can generate power all year round. To measure the performance of PaTs under realistic conditions, it is fundamental to evaluate how the change of the shaft speed affects its efficiency.
To date, the team at the Trinity College in Dublin has finished testing the first PaT, with the results so far exceeding their expectations. They found that the actual PaT performance was around 71% efficient, which is almost 20 percentage points higher than stated by the manufacturer.
Although it’s still early days, and more testing needs to be completed, the results are promising and create a healthy potential, for the feasibility of the Dŵr Uisce Project. It also creates hope of preventing and mitigating water scarcity in the future, ensuring access to good quality water, in sufficient quantity, for remote rural areas in Ireland and Wales.