Videos

1984 — Fukui, Japan

Early open-channel tests of the linear turbine in the Kuzuryu River and an irrigation canal in Fukui, Japan. The footage demonstrates water pumping and operation of the turbine in reversing flow, with the turbine continuing to rotate in the same direction when the water-flow direction is reversed.

Linear turbine tests in Fukui, Japan, 1984.

1986 — Pai River, Northern Thailand

Field testing of the linear turbine in the Pai River in northern Thailand. The turbine was used to pump water towards a village and to generate electricity, demonstrated by powering an automotive headlamp.

Linear turbine tests on the Pai River, Thailand, 1986.

2013 — Orewa River, New Zealand

A tidal-flow test of the linear turbine at the Orewa River on 17 January 2013. The turbine was fitted with two 500-watt automotive alternators driven through a chain-and-belt step-up transmission to approximately 2,000 rpm.

A water pump was fitted to the opposite end and operated by a crank drive. The test demonstrates the turbine operating in tidal flow while configured for both electricity generation and water pumping.

Linear turbine test in tidal flow, Orewa River, New Zealand, 17 January 2013.

2014 — Heathcote River, Christchurch

7 April — Electricity Generation

Mini linear turbine driving a treadmill motor/generator and an automotive tail light through a bicycle-wheel step-up chain drive.

Heathcote River test, Christchurch, 7 April 2014.

7 April — Voltage Measurement

A close-up test using the treadmill motor/generator to produce approximately 5 volts and power an automotive tail light.

Voltage measurement during the Heathcote River test, 7 April 2014.

2014 — Rakaia River, Canterbury

A Mini Linear Turbine test in the Rakaia River on 9 April 2014. The turbine simultaneously pumped water and generated electricity for a small automotive tail-light bulb using a treadmill motor/generator.

Near the end of the test the electrical load is disconnected. The turbine speed and pump flow rate then increase slightly as the load on the turbine is reduced.

Mini Linear Turbine test, Rakaia River, Canterbury, 9 April 2014.

2014 — Heathcote River, Christchurch — Continued

13 April — Electricity Generation

The generator is shown powering a light bulb with the water pump disconnected. During the test some vanes do not set correctly, possibly because of uneven river flow.

Electricity-generation test, Heathcote River, 13 April 2014.

14 April — Water Pumping

A series of tests investigated the Mini Linear Turbine as a direct source of mechanical power for water pumping. The first test shows water being pumped to approximately 5 metres.

A second test demonstrates pumping at a low head of approximately 1 metre and a higher head of approximately 6 metres.

A further test provides a closer view of the vane operation while the turbine pumps water to approximately 6 metres.

In this test the turbine simultaneously drives the treadmill motor/generator to power an automotive tail light and operates the water pump. The turbine slows considerably when the photographer standing upstream obstructs the water flow to the vanes.

2015 — Waimana River near Whakatane

A Mini Linear Turbine test on the Waimana River, about 6 km beyond Taneatua near Whakatane, on 14 March 2015. The turbine was used for water pumping and electricity generation for a light bulb.

The original video associated with this test is no longer available on YouTube.

2016 — Flume Test

A flume test conducted on 29 March 2016, documenting operation of the linear turbine while pumping water and measuring the flow speed.

Flume test of the linear turbine, 29 March 2016.

Additional photographs, observations and descriptions of the field tests are available on the Experiments page.