Japan’s Ricoh Company has announced the successful completion of a study on micro-hydroelectric power generation in sewage facilities utilizing 3D printers.
The study – within the framework of applied research on sewerage led by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) – aims to reduce energy consumption and costs associated with sewage treatment by using hydroelectric power generators that are both lighter and quicker to produce than conventional metal devices.
Ricoh's 3D printing technology was used to create a micro-hydroelectric generator incorporating 3D printed blades made of biomass-derived materials. The unit generated several kW of electricity using equipment with blades 25% lighter and main bodies 15% lighter than conventional metal hydroelectric power generation devices. The company also significantly shortened the production period from roughly one month to three days. The waterwheel part is made of resin for improved underwater durability.
The generator’s usability was demonstrated at a sewage treatment plant through industry-academia collaboration with Seabell Incorporated and Masashi YAMABE – Masahiro SETO Laboratory at Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kanazawa Institute of Technology.
The electricity generated by these new devices is expected to be used as emergency power supply at disaster prevention centers within sewage treatment plants, battery systems that provide power for mobility, and crawler-type automatic inspection robots. The company plans to install micro-hydroelectric power generators at sewage treatment plants in Japan, Europe, the US, and emerging economies.
Image: Illustration of the micro-hydroelectric power generation device developed through this project
