Stair/Step Waterfall Generator

[juspot82]

Has anyone tried to create a setup where you have multiple levels of waterfalls connected in a stair/step configuration with each step being a tub of water set to spill over via a water wheel. See the attached pic.

With each waterfall spilling it's overflow into the next lower step, then each wheel should have the same amount of flow. With them all being connected to a single pump then theoretically the water flowing thru each water wheel should equal the pumping capacity of the pump minus any head pressure for having to pump the water up to top container. That is of course after all of the containers have been filled to max capacity.

As long as the electricity required to pump the water to the top container isn't greater than what can be produced by the spinning wheels then you could potentially produce more energy than is being exhausted.

This setup could be built on a lake or reservoir to produce hydro power in a stationary body of water. Or the entire system could be a closed loop to prevent evaporation and used on a smaller scale.

Any thoughts....anyone ever tried this before?

[nwman]

Yes this has been done and doesn't work for a number of reasons. If you do the math on how much work (not force) is being done on the water wheels and how much work is needed to lift water up they equal no matter if you have one generator or 100. Here are some links that talk more about work and physics stuff.

Keep thinking!

Tim

Basics
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Default2.html

advanced
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hph.html