Hacker Cinema
Ben's Mill
1982 · Film · documentary · 59 min
Directed by Michael Chalufour, John Karol
The film, set in Barnet, Vermont, details the workings of the Thresher Mill on the Stevens River, including how energy from the river is used to drive a multitude of leather belts and various machines. The film focuses on the steps one man, Ben, uses to make one of his white pine watering tanks, and then a horse-drawn sled for different members of the Barnet community.
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2 comments on Hacker News
Sure.
With a hydroelectric turbine you can produce electrical power (by black magic as far as I'm concerned) or mechanical power.
There is a terrific documentary called Ben's Mill on such a mechanical application here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2KJbRHO76s
That will explain visually how mechanical power can be coached into performing useful work. It's also worth watching just to see the cows reaction to their new water vessel at the end, they are like animals out of Disneyland.
Mechanical power when converted to electrical power undergoes a drop in performance (similar to other power conversions, something is lost).
There is a fascinating article here on the subject, I quote:
"The hydro power installations in use today are actually less efficient than those of earlier centuries"
"Direct hydropower is at least twice as economically viable as a hydroelectric operation with the same rate of energy production."
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2013/08/direct-hydropower.html
Also take a look at this:
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2013/09/power-from-the-tap-water-motors.html
That is hacking if I ever saw it! I intend to construct a micro hydroelectric plant myself, so ask away if you've any questions. I love the idea of marrying up old school technology with modern technology. I also have a terrific idea for lighting using heliostats, which combines tech literally thousands of years old with the latest in machine learning.
Everybody should watch Ben's Mill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2KJbRHO76s
It has the most photogenic cows I've ever seen. It's an old documentary about a water mill powering a lumber operation.
This is how the industrial revolution began. Cogs and wheels!