WaterTread Generator

WaterTread is an innovative, nature-friendly renewable energy solution designed to harness power from slow-moving waters. The unique continuous tread design with adjustable blades offers high efficiency while maintaining minimal environmental impact.

Features

• Innovative Tread Design
  Captures energy in two dimensions, maximizing energy capture with a longer surface area and reducing back drag using adjustable blades.

• Scalable
  WaterTread units are modular and can be deployed in arrays to meet various energy demands.

• Nature-Friendly
  Fully submerged, with minimal disruption to natural water ecosystems and no barriers to fish migration.

• Customizable Configurations
  Can be adapted to rivers of varying flow rates and depths, with optional funnels to increase efficiency.

Specifications

Feature	Details
Dimensions	Fits in a standard 20-ft container
Output	TBD, but designed to exceed traditional rotor-based models (1–10 kW @ ~6.4 km/h flow rate)
Environmental Impact	Minimal disruption, fully submerged

How It Works

1. Continuous Tread Mechanism
   Compared to current rotary models, the tread mechanism captures energy in two dimensions. While rotary models operate within a single circular plane, the tread design extends along the river's flow, creating a longer, moving "circle" that maximizes contact with the water and enhances energy capture.

2. Adjustable Blades
   The blades automatically adjust their angle during each cycle. On the topside, they are angled to maximize water flow and energy capture, while on the underside, they shift to minimize drag and resistance.

3. Modular Deployment
   Multiple units can be arranged in arrays to scale energy production efficiently.

4. Optional Funnels
   Side-mounted funnels can be used to concentrate flow and increase efficiency, especially in shallow or slow-moving rivers.

Applications

• Powering communities, industries, and eco-conscious households
• Supplementing municipal energy grids with renewable power
• Providing sustainable energy for remote or off-grid locations

Repository Content

This repository contains:

• Concept Drawings: Visual representations of the WaterTread system.
• 3D Models: CAD files for prototype development.
• Technical Documentation: Detailed descriptions of the mechanism and deployment configurations.
• Installation Guides: Step-by-step instructions for setup.

How to Contribute

We are actively looking for collaborators to bring this project to the next level. If you are an engineer, hydropower expert, or someone passionate about renewable energy, we’d love to hear from you.

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/kmukku/watertread.git

2. Check the CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.
3. Submit pull requests for improvements or feature suggestions.

License

This project is dual-licensed:

1. Non-Commercial Use:
   This project is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-NC-SA).
   You are free to use, modify, and share the designs for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the original author and distribute any modified versions under the same license.

2. Commercial Use:
   If you wish to manufacture and sell products based on these designs, you must obtain a commercial license. Please refer to COMMERCIAL.md for more details or contact me directly at [[email protected]].

For more information about the terms of use, see the LICENSE and COMMERCIAL.md files.

Contact

For inquiries, feedback, or collaboration opportunities, please contact:

• Keijo Mukku: [[email protected]]