Chapter 1

 Introduction

Technology plays an important role in human life activities. Innovation continues its progress to

have a better living or access to everything that can be used in daily life. Using technology needs

electric power to work on, but electricity only is made by using sources of energy. Energy is

defined by scientists as the ability to perform work. People have learnt how to transform energy

from one form to another and then use it to conduct work, making modern civilization possible.

One of the types of energy is hydroelectric energy, according to National Geographic it is also

known as hydroelectric power or hydroelectricity, is a type of energy that generates electricity by

harnessing the power of moving water, such as water running over a waterfall. For millennia,

people have exploited this force. People in Greece utilized flowing water to turn the wheel of

their mill to grind wheat into flour over two thousand years ago. Most hydroelectric power

plants have a reservoir of water, a gate or valve to regulate the amount of water that flows out of

the reservoir, and an outlet or destination for the water after it has flowed downward  just before

it spills over the top of a dam or runs down a hill, water generates potential energy. As water

travels downhill, potential energy is transferred to kinetic energy. The water can be utilized to

generate energy by turning the blades of a turbine, which is then supplied to the power plant's

consumers.

There are three different types of hydroelectric energy plants, the most common being an

impoundment facility. In an impoundment facility, a dam is a structure that regulates the flow of

water in a pool or reservoir. Water is discharged from the dam when extra energy is required.

Gravity takes over once the water is freed, and the water flows downward through a turbine.
A generator is powered by the turbine blades spinning. Another type of hydroelectric energy

plant is a diversion facility, This plant is remarkable in that it does not have a dam. Instead,

flowing river water is channeled through a system of canals to the generators that power the

turbines. The third type of plant is called a pumped-storage facility wherein the plant captures

and stores energy generated by solar, wind, and nuclear electricity for future use. The plant stores

energy by pumping water upward from a lower elevation pool to a higher elevation reservoir.

Water from the higher pool is released when there is a significant demand for electricity. This

water turns a turbine to generate more electricity as it flows back down to the lower reservoir.

Water is, without a question, one of the most significant natural resource we require for domestic

usage. Water shortages are sometimes unavoidable, and if people are unprepared, we may find

ourselves caught between a rock and a hard place. Rainwater harvesting is the finest and

cheapest alternative to standard water supply systems. Rainwater collection systems, on the other

hand, are required to capture rainwater.

In the hydroelectric dams, rain water participates in since it was a open area in that reason the

volume of the water posses by the dams is increase and the significance of the rain water is for

secondary source of water. Rainwater is collected from roof buildings and stored in a specific

tank in a typical situation. Rainwater harvesting systems are created after site parameters such as

rainfall pattern, incident rainfall, subsurface strata, and storage qualities are assessed. Rainwater

harvesting is popular all around the world, but it is especially popular in places with high levels

of aridity, such as Australia.

In rainwater harvesting a common problem is the insufficient amount in rainwater and the

location. In Philippines, where in it is located at the tropical region of the globe there are wet and

dry seasons. According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
 Administration (PAGASA), Using temperature and rainfall as bases, the climate of the country

can be divided into two major seasons: (1) the rainy season, from June to November; and (2) the

dry season, from December to May. The dry season may be subdivided further into (a) the cool

dry season, from December to February; and (b) the hot dry season, from March to May.

In this study, the researchers propose an innovation of the hydro-electric as a alternative

power source for household areas by using rainwater which is entitled Rain Catcher as Energy

Harvester that can help to minimize the problem in power supplies, especially in the low priority

areas.

To put it in a nutshell, rainwater harvesting is suited for rainy season usage in order to collect

water and having a dry season will not be a problem since it is only an alternative way to

generate power.

 Conceptual Framework

The framework aids researchers in their review, study, investigation, and analysis. It helps the

researcher to track the project's progress from beginning to end. The graphic below depicts the

detailed process of developing the study and topic.

Fig 1.1
INPUT
Gathering data related to the
study.
Analyzing the relevance and
correlation to the topic.
Constructing and organizing
of the relevant ideas.
DESIGN OUTPUT
Design a prototype of Assembling the part of the
raincatcher and the system prototype and run it
where the energies is efficiently.
converting with specific
The research objective must
target energy required using
be attained.
the obtained formula.
Innovate a protype generates
Innovating for the
power by the use hydro-
development of the project
electric energy that acts from
from the other studies with
the rain water harvested.
the help patent search.
Fig 1.2

INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT
VARIABLE VARIABLE

Flow of Generated power

Rain water and energy to be
harvested, stored Water stored in the
water from the tank, battery. To avoid
and filter. clogging to the
water channel.

 General Objectives

To make a prototype by the means of innovation that depends on renewable source energy that

can be use for household areas as a secondary source of electricity.

 Specific Objectives

1. To innovate a prototype that runs by the hydro-electric source of energy from the rain

water harvested.

2. To generate electric power from the from the prototype that can stored in the battery.

3. To minimize the problem in terms of electric power shortage.

4. To avoid copy right issues and to determine the similarities and differences to the related

studies which supported by the gathered ideas in the patent search.

  Statement of the Problem

As the world continues to develop, problems for innovation also continuously exist. By using

non-renewable energy like coal, it is gradually decreasing. Same in renewable source of energy

wherein there are still problems to produce energy. In this research, the researcher are proposing

to use rainwater an energy harvester still cannot escape from the struggles.

Since there are only two seasons in the Philippines, it takes plenty of time to obtain a huge

amount of rainwater. By having a water reservoir, even it is dry season it can be used as a backup

source of energy.

The electric power that can be generated from the prototype will depend on the rotation of the

Pelton turbine caused by the flow of water from the rainfall.

 Purpose of the study.

The main objective of this study is to innovate renewable energy by the use of rainwater which

can be used in any household area as the backup source of energy. Collecting rainwater from

June to October is significantly needed to fill up the reservoir by this way household owners

would have less electric power consumption which benefits the person who wants to save money

from the electric bill.

  Delimitations

The researchers avoiding to have violation of copyright issues by using patent search. In

addition, having a contradiction in any related review literature will lead to the inaccurate results

to the target objectives. The cost of the materials used to make the prototype will be overpriced.

 Limitations

The researchers conduct this study to innovate hydroelectric energy for the household areas by

having a collection of the energy will be generated by the Pelton turbine rotation which is caused

by the force of the rainwater. This project will be donated to the Gawad Kalinga project as per

the advising of the panelist's last defense so the researchers decided to donate and to promote this

innovating project which can help shortly to fight the problems in electric power shortage. Since

the target beneficiary is for now household areas the researchers will make a prototype for small

coverage area.

Furthermore, this research study will focus on components of the project prototype and

differentiate it from other sources of renewable energy. Also, this study will give knowledge

about the background and the nature of the process of collecting water and will generate

hydroelectric power.
  Significance of the Study

Learning is the aspect of development that signifies a modification of behavior skills and

knowledge that results from practice and experience which is sought for quality education. The

generalization of this present study would be a great contribution to the vast knowledge

concerning student achievement. Vital results of this investigation could be highly significant

and beneficial especially to the following.

Future Researchers, this study will helps to identify another way of having renewable energy

sources also to innovating technology in to more efficient prototypes and products which will

give a large impact on the development of society in terms of technology. In addition, it is also

can be part of the references for the upcoming research that deals in hydro-electrical energy.

Household Owners, since the cost for electric power is expensive and sometimes technical

problems and shortages of electricity is occurring this project will be stand as a secondary source

of energy in a conveniently and efficiently ways.

Field of Engineering, the value of innovation takes a role in the field of engineering and for that,

this study will benefits the the field of engineering since it deals conversion of energy and

mechanical system which catches the eye of the people to recognize engineering is a good field

to take.
Related Literature and Study

LITERATU|RE

Energy Problem

According to M. Gonzalez-Eguino 2015 author of Energy poverty: An overview, asserts that The

energy sector will undergo three key transitions in the future decades, involving climate change,

supply security, and energy poverty. The first two have been extensively studied, but the third

has received less attention, although having a significant impact on the lives of millions of

people. This document provides an overview of energy poverty, as well as various methods for

quantifying it and its consequences. Indoor pollution causes an estimated 1.3 million deaths per

year in low-income countries due to the use of biomass in inefficient cookstoves, according to

the WHO. Although energy poverty is inextricably tied to the larger, more complex problem of

poverty in general, access to energy infrastructures would mitigate the worst effects of the latter.

On the other hand according to the research from Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing

(2020), To harvest the energy potential of rainfall, this research introduces a different rain energy

harvester. A funnel structure with a large contact surface for collecting rainwater, a self-flip

square container and acts as a self-release tank, as well as a piezoelectric cantilever beam with a

baffle plate for energy conversion make up the proposed structure. Rain energy harvesting

solutions have traditionally relied on piezoelectric materials to transform kinetic to electric

energy caused by direct raindrop impact. In contrast to previous approaches, the proposed system

collects rainwater first in a self-release tank utilizing a funnel structure. Then, when the tank is
full of rainwater, the tank will discharge it on its own, without the need for active control or

monitoring from outside sensors (B, Bin & Q. Wang 2020)

Turbines

Overshot Water Wheel - The Overshot water wheel is rotated by water entering at the top of the

wheel and filling up the buckets formed by adjacent tangential blades, Figure 5. The weight of

the water turns the wheel to generate power. This type of water wheel typically applicable for a

low head (1- 5 meters) and medium flow (0.3-1.5 cubic meters per second). The efficiency of

this turbine is typically in the 80-90% range (Quarantra & Revelli, 2015).

Moreover, in proportion to the researchers of Cost Analysis of Pico hydro Turbine for Power

Production 2014, states that Turbines were an important part of the hydro system, as well as a

determinant of the quality and quantity of electric power produced in each power system. The

goal of this research is to review and compare various types of pico hydro water turbines. The
water head, water flow rate, and current market price are the most important factors to consider

when choosing a turbine. The majority of small hydro turbines on the market today are designed

for low head high flow or high head low flow conditions. The capacity of a water turbine to

provide high output during low head low flow situations is poor if the percentage of turbine

efficiency is constant for all conditions of water resources.

Storage

In the article published by the Oklahoma University it states that the principal storage component

of the system, often known as a cistern, is the storage tank, which is usually the most expensive

component of the rainwater collecting system. The kind of material, size, and position of storage

tanks are all determined by the intended use of the collected rainwater. The storage tank must be

sized appropriately to maximize the effectiveness of possible collection. The tank's capacity

should be proportional to the expected monthly demand for the purpose, the location of

subsequent usage, the annual rainfall in inches, and the size of the catchment region. Cistern

storage tanks are available in a variety of sizes. Above-ground storage tanks should be opaque,

strongly tinted, painted, or have sun barriers to avoid algae growth and damage caused by UV

rays. Plastic, fiberglass, wood, concrete, and galvanized metal are among the materials used to

construct storage tanks. They should be strong, watertight, and have a smooth internal surface.

They should also be sealed with non-toxic, waterproof materials. Because of the risk of leaching,

special storage tank materials are required when captured rainwater is used to supply drinking

water. Depending on your aesthetic needs, temperature, and tank location, each type of material

has various advantages.

Study

Energy Harvested from Rainwater

In order to work well the project it has to be with the accordance with the specific measurements,

proper materials, and formulas according to researchers of Worcester Polytechnic University,

from the study entitled Energy Harvesting from Rainwater that To establish the viability of

rainwater as a renewable energy source, a domestic rainfall energy harvesting system was

researched, constructed, prototyped, and tested. A gutter assembly was used to collect and divert

water from the roof to a downspout in the prototype system. The water stream was guided to a

ground-level turbine by the downspout, which sheltered it from the wind. A gear train was used

to connect the turbine to the generator, which was a DC motor.

When there is a lot of rain and the flow rates are higher, the gadget is ideal. Pelton wheel- Pelton

wheels consist of multiple bucket-shaped blades, known as impulse blades, and often have jets

directed tangential to the turbine.

In the study of Universiti of Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) Repository turbines were an

important part of the hydro system, as well as a determinant of the quality and quantity of

electric power produced in each power system. The goal of this research is to review and

compare various types of pico hydro water turbines. The water head, water flow rate, and current

market price are the most important factors to consider when choosing a turbine. The majority of

small hydro turbines on the market today are designed for low head high flow or high head low

flow conditions. The capacity of a water turbine to provide high output during low head low flow

situations is poor if the percentage of turbine efficiency is constant for all conditions of water
resources. A turbine's effectiveness is determined not only by its productivity in terms of

generating output power, but also by its cost and return on investment.

According to the Center for General Education, Tzu-Chi University, Energy usage in all

processing phases, including purification, distribution, and sewage treatment, is a major factor in

today's centralized urban water delivery systems. However, the relationship between urban water

supply and accompanying energy usage, known as the water energy nexus, has only recently

received attention. Because of increased urbanization, the water-energy problem is becoming

increasingly crucial in this setting. Certain studies have also warned that if the synergistic

influence of energy and water use is not managed properly, it could lead to more catastrophic

implications. Rainwater from roofs is first collected in the storage tanks on the ground, and then

pumped to the header tanks that usually are placed on the roofs or on the higher position in the

buildings. The header tanks supply water via gravity and are commonly installed with dual-inlet

float valves that supply potable water when rainwater storage tanks are empty. In Taiwan, the

header tank’s design is common and widely adopted to store potable water. This study also

adopted RWHSs designed with rainwater header tanks, and thereby assumed the operational

energy consumption of RWHSs to be negligible in the case study, because the energy used for

pumping stored rainwater to header rainwater tanks can be compensated by reducing pumping

water to the potable header tanks.

In the research of Zhicheng Huang in 2016 about the rainwater power generation system explains

that rain's potential energy has a certain amount of power generation potential. The technology of

cross flow rainwater power generating was employed in this article. To achieve the highest

efficiency of rainwater power generation, this paper used fluid mechanics theory and simulation
of the AC generator generation process to develop a reasonable generator distribution model in

pipeline and calculate the height difference between the optimal generator distribution and the

optimal height of water storage. Electric power storage allows for rational distribution of electric

energy and a power grid that is linked via power electronic technologies. In the end, this article

not only analyzed the economic performance of rainfall power generation, but also predicted the

development trend of the future rainwater power generation technology. In Southern China,

where there is a lot of rain and some very tall buildings, the potential energy of rain has a lot of

potential in power generation. We can not only save energy and reduce emissions by powering

small appliances with electricity generated by the potential energy of rain, but we can also

effectively solve the problem of ground collapse caused by rainstorms. The reuse of rainwater,

on the other hand, is unaffected. The rainwater collection mechanism, the generator distribution

model, the electric energy storage, and the feasibility and development path are all covered in

this study. To keep the flow of rainwater in the pipeline relatively constant, the generator speed

fluctuation is kept to a minimum, so a floater type rainwater collection system is installed at the

top of the floor. The rain passes through a strainer before flowing into the reservoir, preventing

large particulates from entering the pipe and damaging the motor fan blade. The rainwater

collecting device was installed at the foot of the roof slope, above the drainage pipe, in order to

gather all of the rain that fell on the roof. To store electric power and complete the grid

connection, based on the associated theory of power and electron technology. Through the

single-phaseuncontrollable-bridge commutated circuit of capacitor filtering as well as the serial

feedback regulating circuit, 24V, D.C. may be obtained to store electric power for the secondary

cell. When it comes to surplus electricity to the storage battery, using a voltage booster circuit, a

full-bridge circuit of single-phase voltage type, SPWM technology, and phase-lockedloops

technology, the results are that alternating current in basic accordance with the voltage-frequency

and phase position of the electric network is realized, as well as stable interconnection. However,

taking the cost into account, it is possible to charge the solar battery with electricity as a backup

to photovoltaic power generation.

Relavance to the Present Study

Related studies and literatures needs to be relavant and also from the credible sources in this

paper it will explains the relevance to the present study. Since rainy season is needed to wait for

this project to run the pelton turbine to generate electricity, the researchers analyze the time

frame when will the rain will be more abundant in a year. Also in looking for the ideal type and

design of the storage and also the equipments the researcher base on the studies and literature for

what will be suited parts to use. In addition the researcher accumulate formulas from the

references found in order to use or to derive to have a successful system. In the credible sources

found the researcher also include the power generated.

The references gathered has a lot of similarities and differences from this study in that statements

the researchers safely choosing the proper way of making the protype which has the accordance

in studies that has been chosen and still with the guide of patent search for that avoiding the

copyright issues and plagiarism.