Create a Hydro generator

There are plenty of fluids...but none other than water fall out of the sky and run down hillsides.
And doesn't the word 'hydro' mean water?

I would say get the wheel/turbine mechanical aspect working first, then worry about matching it's characteristics to a gearbox/generator.
The design will of course depend on the water supply/source...which hopefull your lecturer has defined. If he hasn't you will either have to ask, make assumptions or tell him the project isn't adequately specified.

Some will suggest the opposite approach...design and build the whole thing first.
I prefer to see how something basically performs first. What I call WAQAP (wrong as quick as possible.... as opposed to 'right first time', this is slightly tongue in cheek, but it is how I like to work...maybe you can start a nice argument with your lecturer on this topic.)
As it says in a recipe for jugged Hare....first catch your hare.
Del

Mercury is the heaviest among liquid available at NTP. but expensive and toxic.

Or

Use salt water instead of pure.

Or

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Love the visual.

Actually there is experimentation using other fluids, and outside heat differential sources such as geothermal and ocean depth-related heat differentials. Scale and aesthetics (messing up the view at the beach) has presented problems, but it couldn't hurt to also take a serious look at efficient new designs in the motive force transfer at the impeller/generator link.

True there are a lot of fly-by-night's trying for a quick buck from pseudo-science crap, but these can usually be sorted out by their references to secrecy due to danger from energy moguls who would do them harm.

Here are some links to CARRIER A/C and HEALTH NEWS DIGEST articles that explain some of the basic energy sources already being tapped. The DIGEST article gets into more of the details of already operating devices, along with their limitations.

Let's not let the mountain of shysters touting "free energy" deter us from scientific consideration of new energy sources in total. This forum can be a valuable resource by sorting out functional possibilities for discussion.

True, the professor in this case is expecting the student to discover that, as stated, his project will not produce more energy than it consumes, but remember he did originally ask only if there were optional fluids, correct?

His subsequent clarification revealed that he had been assigned 'mission impossible', but you have to applaud his instinct to investigate ways to alter the outcome. If this leads him to the addition of something akin to a coffee percolator driven by the sun or some other outside energy source to assist in the return of the fluid to the upper position, more power to him, and his professor.

Here's hoping we can be alert to encourage these students to keep using their imaginations while helping them to navigate through the mountains of junk science.

Regards, CJM