The Spaans Babcock screw turbine is probably the most efficient technology for low head hydropower sites. Unique is the fish friendliness, long lifetime and minimal operating costs. Spaans Babcock offers grid connected, off-grid and hybrid systems. The screw turbine is a further development of the screw pump. Whereas the screw pump pumps the water up, in the screw turbine the water flows down. The turbine rotates due to the flow of the water and energy is transferred to the drive unit. The generated energy is transformed by a generator into electricity. 

BENEFITS OF SCREW TURBINE

• Lifetime – The Spaans Babcock Screw Turbine is robust, extremely reliable and has a long life time. The Spaans Babcock Screw Turbine consists of only a few wear parts. The low rotational frequency results in low wear and very low maintenance costs. A lifetime exceeding 30 years is not an exception, whereas the efficiency stays constant over the years.

• Low Head – The Screw Turbine is especially suitable for low heads, already starting from 1 m. This may go up to 12 m for a single stage, or 24 m for a two stage installation.

• Efficiency  – The efficiency curve shows a flat and high efficiency over a wide range of the capacity. Varying heads and capacity hardly have any effect on the efficiency.

• Costs – The Screw Turbine does not need any grease pump for lubrication of the bottom bearing. This improves the efficiency and lowers the operational costs.

• Free Passage – Large solids particles, such as plastic, wood or small stones, can pass the Screw Turbine, without having effects on the Screw Turbine or its efficiency.

• Speed – The Screw Turbine  can be designed with variable and fixed speeds. Each system will be designed to match flow patterns and as such optimize revenue.

• Power – The power production is up to 500 kW per Screw Turbine.

Steel trough

With a steel trough, the lifetime of the trough will be extended compared to a concrete trough, the adjustment with the Turbine is optimized as the steel trough is preassembled in our factory.

Compact type

This type has a self supporting trough with integrated drive unit. the advantage of this type is the very simple installation and the low civil costs. the complete unit is preassembeled in our factory.

Concrete trough 

For this type, the concrete trough will be screeded by the Screw Turbine itself, the concrete is formed by the Screw Turbine.

Tube Screw Turbine 

Similar advantages as the compact type but fully enclosed and preassembled in our factory.