Utilization of Archimedes' Water Turbine for Mobile Phone Charging in Rice Fields

Abstract

This study evaluated the performance of small-scale screw Archimedes turbines for mobile phone charging in low-head rice fields. Field tests were carried out at ±0.60 m head with an average discharge of 0.0369831 m³/s. The parameters measured include discharge, torque, revolution, turbine power, generator output power, and battery charge profile. Hydraulic power was recorded at 216.808 W, turbine power was 17.9785 W at 931 rpm, and peak generator power was 27.84 W. The system charged the battery from 0% to 100% in 180 minutes with a constant current phase at the beginning and a near-full current drop. The overall efficiency of hydraulic power reaches 12.85%. The results demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing off-grid microhydro systems on agricultural land. Recommendations include optimization of blade geometry, tilt angle, transmission, and use of DC-DC CC–CV converters. Improved instrumentation and retest on discharge and head variations are recommended.