Study on Rural Energy Supply with Utilization of Renewable Energy

in Rural Areas in the Republic of Indonesia

CHAPTER 1

Manual for Micro-hydro power Development

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose of the Manual for Micro-Hydro Development

Micro-Hydroelectric Power, called as a Micro-Hydro, usually does not supply
electricity to the national grid. They are used in remote areas where the grid dose not
extends. Typically they provide power to small rural industry or rural communities.
They range in size from a few kilowatts, just enough to provide domestic lighting to a
group of houses, to 200kW, which can be used for small factories and to supply an
independent local mini-grid which is not part of the national grid.
There is an increasing need in many countries for power supplies to rural areas, partly to
support industries, and partly to provide illumination at night. Government authorities
are faced with the very high costs of extending electricity grids. Often Micro-Hydro
provides an economic alternative to the grid. This is because independent Micro-Hydro
Schemes save on the cost of grid transmission lines, and because grid extension
schemes often have very expensive equipment and staff costs. In contract, Micro-Hydro
Schemes can be designed and built by local staff and smaller organizations following
less strict regulations and using the local technology such as for traditional irrigation
works or locally made machinery. This kind of approach is known as the Localized
Approach. Fig 1.1.1 shows how significant a difference this can make the cost of the
electricity produced. It is hoped that this Manual will help to promote the Localized
Approach.

Fig 1.1.1 Micro-hydros economy of scale ( based on data in 1985)

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Study on Rural Energy Supply with Utilization of Renewable Energy

in Rural Areas in the Republic of Indonesia

Manual for Micro-hydro power Development

Chapter 1

1.2 Components of Micro-Hydro Power

Fig.1.2.1 shows the major components of a typical scheme.

Headrace
Headtank

Fig. 1.2.1 Major components of a micro-hydro scheme

- Diversion Weir and Intake
The diversion weir acts to divert water through an opening in the riverside (the
Intake opening) into a Settling Basin.

- Settling Basin
The settling basin is used to remove sand particles from the water. The function of
settling basin is very important to protect the following components from the impact
of sand.

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Study on Rural Energy Supply with Utilization of Renewable Energy

in Rural Areas in the Republic of Indonesia

Manual for Micro-hydro power Development

Chapter 1

- Headrace
The headrace follows the contour of the hillside so as to preserve the elevation of the
diverted water.

- Headtank
The function of headtank are to adjust the difference of discharge between a penstock
and headrace, and to remove finally the litter in the water such as sand, driftwood.

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Study on Rural Energy Supply with Utilization of Renewable Energy

in Rural Areas in the Republic of Indonesia

Manual for Micro-hydro power Development

Chapter 1

- Penstock
Penstock is connected at a lower elevation to a waterwheel, known as a Turbine.

- Turbine and Generator

The turning shaft of the wheel can be used to rotate a mechanical device (such as a
grain mill, oil expeller, wood lathe and so on), or to operate an electrical generator.
The machinery or appliances, which are energized by the hydro scheme, are called
the Load.In Fig.1.2.1 the load is a saw mill.

There are of course many variations on this design arrangement. As an example, the
water is entered directly to the turbine from a channel without a penstock as shown at
the saw mill in Fig.1.2.1. This type is the simplest method to get the waterpower but
recently dose not uses for electric power due to low-efficiency. Another possibility is
that the channel could be eliminated, and a penstock run directly to the turbine from
the first settling basin. Variations like this will depend on the characteristics of the
particular site and the requirements of the user of scheme.

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Study on Rural Energy Supply with Utilization of Renewable Energy

in Rural Areas in the Republic of Indonesia

Manual for Micro-hydro power Development

Chapter 1

1.3 Hydro Power from Water

A hydro scheme requires both water flow and a drop in height (referred to as a Head)
to produce useful power. It is a power conversion system, absorbing power in the form
of head and flow, and delivering power in the form of electricity or mechanical shaft
power. No power conversion system can deliver as much useful power as it absorbs
some power is lost by the system itself in the form of friction, heating, noise etc.

Fig 1.3.1 Head is the vertical height through which the water drop
The conversion equation is :
Power input = Power output + Loss
or Power output = Power input Conversion Efficiency
The equation above is usually expressed slightly differently. The power input, or total
power absorbed by the hydro scheme, is the gross power, Pgross. The power usefully
delivered is the net power, Pnet. The overall efficiency of the scheme (Fig.1.3.2) is
termed Eo.
Pnet = Pgross Eo

kW

The gross power is gross head (Hgross) multiplied by flow (Q) and also multiplied by a
factor (g = 9.8), so the fundamental equation of hydro power is:

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Study on Rural Energy Supply with Utilization of Renewable Energy

in Rural Areas in the Republic of Indonesia

Manual for Micro-hydro power Development

Chapter 1

Pnet = g Hgross Q Eo
kW
(g=9.8)
where head is in meters, and flow is in cubic meter per second. And Eo is divided as
follows.
Eo = Ecivil
Etransformer
Usually

work

Epenstock Eturbine Egenerator Edrive

system

Eline

Ecivil work : 1.0 - (Channel length 0.002 0.005)/ Hgross

Epenstock : 0.90 0.95 (its depends on length)
Eturbine
: 0.70 0.85 (its depends on the type of turbine)
Egenerator : 0.80 0.95 (its depends on the capacity of

generator)
Edrive system : 0.97
Eline
: 0.90 0.98 (its depends on the transmission length)
Etransformer : 0.98

Ecivil workand Epenstock are computed as Head Loss (Hloss) usually. In this case, above
equation is changed to following equation.
Pnet= g (Hgross-Hloss) Q (Eo - Ecivil work - Epenstock )kW
This simple equation should be memorized: it is at the heart of all hydro power design
work. It is important to use correct units.

Fig 1.3.2 Typical system efficiencies for a scheme running at full design flow.

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Study on Rural Energy Supply with Utilization of Renewable Energy

in Rural Areas in the Republic of Indonesia

Manual for Micro-hydro power Development

Chapter 1

1.4 Where do Water Come from?

The volume of river flow depends on the catchment area and the volume of rainfall. See
Fig 1.4.1, the rainfall is divided to both sides (A and B) at the watershed. For instance,
if a proposed Hydropower Plant is existing in A-side, the rainfall which is B-side, can
not use for the power generation at the Hydropower Plant. Therefore the catchment area
of proposed hydropower plant should be known at the first step of the hydro scheme.

Fig 1.4.1 The hydrological cycle

The broken lines in Fig 1.4.2 indicate the watershed of Pint-A and Pint-B. The
catchment area is defined as the area which is enclosed with the broken lines.

Fig 1.4.2 The catchment area and the watershed

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