Mass Flow Meter Device for Hydroelectric Applications

Enel Green Power (EGP) is looking for innovative intelligent systems, or devices, that can be easily installed on penstocks and open-close channels at hydropower plants, for measuring water mass flow rate. The system must be able to measure water mass flow with a good degree of accuracy and reliability and should be able to share the measured data with the plant's systems.

OVERVIEW 

EGP is a company of Enel Group, a multinational energy company and one of the world’s leading integrated electricity and gas operators. Enel works in more than 30 countries across five continents, generating energy with a total installed capacity of more than 88 GW among which 49 based on renewable sources.

EGP is a global leader company in the development and management of energy production from renewable sources, with an integrated portfolio mainly based on wind, solar, hydroelectric and geothermal.

In the pursuit of the goal of 100% renewable generation, hydroelectric power accounts for a significant portion of total EGP electricity production. Maximizing the efficiency of hydroelectric plants could therefore have a relevant impact on the total energy production and to perform the calculation of efficiency, it is necessary to know several parameters that depend on the flow rate entering the turbine. However, the measurement of the flow rate is one of most difficult tasks and the methods usually used in water flows are not universally applicable.

The described Challenge aims to identify and integrate devices and systems for measuring water flows in penstocks and channels both in open and closed configurations.

This Challenge provides contribution to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
• SDG 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

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For questions about the Challenge and your proposal you can contact: EnelOpenInnovabilityChallenges@wazoku.com

All proposers are invited to read carefully the Challenge and the Regulation of this Challenge,  before submitting a solution.

By submitting a solution they automatically accept the attached Regulations other than the Terms of Use of this platform.

Eligibility

The employees of Enel Green Power and of the other Companies of the Enel Group who are involved in the organization and management of the Competition or admitted to the Open Innovability Portal back office, as well as their spouses or partners and their relatives up to the fourth degree, are not eligible for participation in this Challenge. 

Also, employees of the companies of the Enel Group who have worked in the technical sector of hydro power plants and that work, in the moment of the Challenge, on mass flow measurement activities, or their spouses, partners or any of their relatives up to the fourth grade determined according to Italian law are not eligible for the participation in this Challenge.

Without prejudice to the article 5.5 of the Terms of Use, the obligation to grant the IP rights set in this article does not apply if the winning solution is proposed by an employee of an Enel company, unless the employee is the owner of the solution according to the relevant national law.

Explain your proposal clearly in English, attach documents (max 5 files, 25MB total size) if needed.

Challenge, award, IP rights

This is an electronic Request-for-Partners (eRFP) Challenge; the Solver will need to submit a written proposal to be evaluated by the Seeker with a goal of establishing a collaborative partnership.

Deadline

Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (Central European Time) on October 3, 2021.

Late submissions will not be considered.

Specific regulation in the CSA attached at the bottom of this page.

After the Challenge deadline, the Seeker will complete the review process and make a decision with regards to the Winning Solution(s). All Solvers that submit a proposal will be notified on the status of their submissions; however, no detailed evaluation of individual submissions will be provided.

Enel will evaluate the proposal using the following criteria:

• Overall scientific and technical feasibility of the proposed solution;
• Economic potential of concept (e.g. Total Cost of Ownership);
• Business potential for Enel;
• Novelty and creativity;
• Potential for proprietary position (i.e., is the technology novel or protectable);
• User's capabilities and related experience;
• Realism of the proposed solution;
• Maturity level of the proposal.

In case the reward includes "Collaboration with Enel", once suitable solution/s have been identified, Enel will reserve the opportunity to start a collaboration, by way of example, all or part of the following activities:

• Test execution;
• Supply of prototypes (if an equipment);
• Installation and site tests;
• Follow up and monitoring of the proposed idea behavior.

Upon completion of the evaluation, you will receive feedback.

In case of success, an Enel contact person will get in touch with you to discuss the next steps.

The final award for this Challenge is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the verification process, including acceptance of the Challenge-Specific Agreement (CSA) that is the regulation for this Challenge.

The verification process includes obtaining the following from the Solver: signed affidavit (based on the CSA), employee waiver (if applicable), and proof of identify.

ABOUT INNOCENTIVE 

InnoCentive collaborates with Enel to manage this Challenge.

InnoCentive is the global innovation marketplace where creative minds solve some of the world's most important problems for cash awards up to $1 million. Commercial, governmental and humanitarian organizations engage with InnoCentive to solve problems that can impact humankind in areas ranging from the environment to medical advancements.

External link: Mass Flow Meter Device for Hydroelectric Applications | Open Innovability (enel.com)