Linton Lock Hydropower

A recent hydropower scheme that we commissioned  is up and running and is situated at Linton Lock on the River Ouse between York and Harrogate. The Archimedean screw is particularly suitable for locations like Linton Lock, which is on an important salmon river and popular with fishermen, as it’s an exceptionally fish-friendly method of generating power.

On route to Linton Lock

An Open Compact Archimedean Screw was designed for this project. An Open Compact is a self-supporting U-shaped steel construction minimising necessary civil work on site. The generator unit is an integral part of the construction, easily accessible via a weatherproof, hinged generator cover.

The length and diameter of an Archimedean Screw will be dictated by the parameters of the particular site and are finished in the colour of your choice. All Archimedean Screws are manufactured as bespoke installations.

The Weir at Linton Lock

Rated at 100 kilowatts the hydro turbine is predicted to save in excess of 226 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) annually. The predicted annual output is 525,600 kilowatt-hours. To put this in perspective, an average household uses less than 5,000 kilowatt-hours per year, so this hydro scheme has the potential to power more than 100 houses in the locality.

The Sluice Gate

Mann Power Consulting Ltd., the UK based Archimedean Screw specialists designed the equipment for the Linton Lock project and it  was manufactured by Landustrie based in Holland.

The installed Archimedean Screw

In comparison with most turbines the Archimedean hydropower screw makes use of an open construction and a low rotational speed. This results in a natural flow and there is no pressure build up in the entire installation. Furthermore extensive testing shows that due to the size of water chambers and the fact that there is no pressure difference fish will pass through unharmed. The Landy hydropower screw makes use of a specially designed inlet and outlet that make the screw absolutely fish friendly. The water outlet is designed in such a way for the water (and fish) to smoothly exit the screw without splashing. This also reduces the noise that water creates.

 All photographs copyright of  Eco Evolution.