Frequently Asked Questions
1
What is an HEPS?
A “hydro electric power system”.
2
What does the term “hydro” mean?
Hydro or hydronic means primarily “water”, but could be “liquid”, or “any low viscosity fluid”.
3
What is the intended function of an HEPS?
To harvest energy from constant-volume, conduits or hydronic piping systems.
4
What is a hydronic pumping system?
Any piping system that circulates water or low viscosity fluid, under pressure serving connected equipment, within a municipal & private water, water & wastewater treatment, oil & gas, commercial, industrial or manufacturing facility.
5
What is a constant-volume, closed-loop hydronic pumping system?
Any piping system within a facility that circulates a fixed flow* of water continuously, with no change in flow rate (gallons per minute – GPM), via constant speed pumps. (*Fixed or constant, full-flow, no variation – during the time the pump operates). The operational period is not relevant.
6
What if the piping system does not operate 24/7/365? Is an HEPS still applicable?
Absolutely! For however many hours a constant-volume system operates, it can derive benefit from the installation of a DES HEPS system. The quantity of energy harvested is reduced only by the fewer hours of operation.
7
How much space is occupied by a typical HEPS?
Although each and every HEPS is a modular designed “system/installation”, designed properly an average* skid dimension is approximately 2.5 x 4 feet to 8 x 12 long pre-piped, pre-wired, ready for single point connections of supply and return water (piping) and power connections from the generator to an electrical distribution panel or back to the grid. (*Length dimension may vary).
8
Will you provide standard skid-mounted packages?
Our intent is to establish a range of standard modular skid-mounted packages offering a variation of GPM-receiving and KW-harvesting capacities.
9
What components are included in an HEPS?
A driven high-efficiency hydronic turbine, a driven high efficiency generator, two (2) isolation butterfly valves, two (2) pressure gauges, an electrical disconnect, an electrical meter (all on a pre-engineered skid).
10
What is the range of flow rate capacity (GPM) for an HEPS system?
Although the flow rate (GPM) capacity of an HEPS is not limited, reasonable system sizes may range from 500 GPM up to 25,000 GPM (or larger), depending upon the hydronic piping system to which an HEPS is applied.
11
What is the range of KW-harvesting capacity (KW) for an HEPS system?
The energy harvesting capacity of an HEPS is not limited. The Hydro Electric Power System comes in modular units ranging from 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 HEPS units, pre-engineered and pre-piped per skid. This allows us the ability to tie multiple modular units (plug n play) together to accommodate any size project. By doing so, our HEPS system can harvest energy into the Megawatts.
12
How does an HEPS compare to a Variable-Frequency Drive (VFD) system conversion, both from a first cost perspective and an operational cost perspective?
In a hypothetical mathematical head-to-head comparison model (an 21 KW HEPS), an HEPS system compared to a new VFD system conversion will result in an approximate 61% savings based on first cost, and an approximate 81% savings based on operational costs, for a combined total cost savings of 73%, over a calculated 8-10 year life (for a simple payback of 2.73 years for the DES HEPS vs. a simple payback of 4.15 years for the VFD system).
13
How does an HEPS differ from a VFD system?
An HEPS harvests energy from a hydronic piping system (already purchased new energy – KW), while a VFD system is intended to reduce the amount of new energy required (KW) in a variable volume piping system.
14
What is a variable-volume (variable speed) closed-loop hydronic piping system?
Any piping system within a facility that circulates a variable flow of water during normal operations, i.e. an ever-changing flow rate (gallons per minute – GPM) during normal operations, via variable speed pumps. The operational period is not relevant.
15
Why Dakota Energy Systems and the HEPS?
This can be addressed in simple bullet points, as follows:
Modular design – easy installation
Low first cost – low operating cost
Rapid return on investment – long life span
Simple “turn-key” installation, plug n play design (pre-piped and pre-wired on a factory-mounted skid), ready for final installation
Harvests energy from a hydronic piping system in a municipal & private water, water & wastewater treatment, oil & gas, commercial, industrial or manufacturing industries converting that to electrical energy and returning it to the electrical distribution panel or back to the grid to reduce the overall energy bill
Our system has a small footprint to minimize the consumption of valuable floor space
“PATENTED,” PROVEN technology