VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

BELAGAVI, KARNATAKA

Module-II
HYDRO ELECTRIC ENERGY
Energy Engineering/15ME71

NARENDRA R
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Global Academy of Technology
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
 Energy Engineering/15ME71
Module – II
Diesel Engine Power System: Applications of Diesel Engines in Power
field. Method of starting Diesel engines. Auxiliaries like cooling and
lubrication system, filters, centrifuges, Oil heaters, intake and exhaust
system, Layout of diesel power plant.
Hydro-Electric Energy: Hydrographs, flow duration and mass curves,
unit hydrograph and numerical. Storage and pondage, pumped storage
plants, low, medium and high head plants, Penstock, water hammer,
surge tanks, gates and valves. General layout of hydel power plants.
HYDRO ELECTRIC PLANTS
 Hydro electricity is generated by hydropower i.e., production of electrical
power through use of gravitational force of flowing water.

 In hydroelectric power plants, the energy of water is utilized to drive the

turbine and in turn generator to produce electricity.

 The hydraulic power is thus a naturally available renewable energy source

given by:
P = ρgQH
ρ – water density, 1000 kg/m3
P – hydraulic power, W
Q – flow/discharge, m3/s
H – height of fall of water or head, m
Energy Conversion in Hydro Power Plants
Potential Energy

Kinetic Energy

Mechanical Energy

Electrical Energy

Consumer
 Classification of Hydro Power Plant
The hydro electric power plants are generally classified according to:
(A) Availability of head
 Low head plants (<30m)
 Medium head plants(30-100m)
 High head plants(>100m)

(B) Nature of load

 Base load plants
 Peak load plants

(C) Quantity of water available for power generation

 Runoff river plant without pondage
 Runoff river with pondage
 Storage plants
 Pump storage plants
 Mini and micro hydel plants (5-20MW and <5MW)
2
 Layout of Hydro Power Plant
The essential elements of a power plant include
 Catchment Area
 Reservoir
 Dam
 Fore bay
 Surge tank
 Penstock
 Spillway
 Power house
 Draft tubes
Layout of Hydro Power Plant
Layout of Hydro Power Plant

Catchment Area Reservoir and Dam

Power house
Layout of Hydro Power Plant

Surge tank Penstock

Spillway Draft tube

Working of Hydro Power Plant
 Low Head Hydro Power Plant

Kaplan Turbine Blades

 When the head of water available is below 30m, the plant is known
as low head plant.
 In this case, a dam is built across the river to create necessary head
of water. The excess water is allowed to flow over the dam itself.
 Production of electricity will be less due to low head.
 Medium Head Hydro Power Plant

Francis Turbine Blades

 When the operating head of water lies between 30m to 100m, the
plant is known as medium head plant.
 In these plants, water is generally carried in open canals from main
reservoir and then to power house through penstock.
 The fore bay itself acts as surge tank.
 High Head Hydro Power Plant

 When the available head for power generation exceeds 100m, the
plant is known as high head plant.
 The water from the main reservoir is first carried by a tunnel upto
the surge tank and then carried through penstock to the power
house,
 The surge tank incorporated in the system reduces the water
hammer effects on the penstock.
 Nature of load
 Base load plants:
This type of plant takes the load on the base portion of the load
curve. The load on the plant remains more or less constant
throughout the operation period. The load factor of such plants is
considerably high.
 Peak load plants:
The peak load plants are designed primarily for taking care of
peak loads of the demand curve. These types of plants have large
seasonal storage and store the water during off peak period and
supply during peak periods on top of the load curve. The load
factor of these plants is considerably low.
Load factor = Average load/Peak load at given time
Quantity of water available for power generation
 Runoff river plant without pondage:
The water for power generation in these stations is used just as it
comes without storing. There is no control on flow of water so
that during high/low floods, water is wasted.

 Runoff river plant with pondage:

In this plant, collection of water behind the dam is made, hence
the name pondage. The conditions at the tail race should be such
that water level in the tail race should not be increased during
floods. This plant may be used as base load plant.
Quantity of water available for power generation
 Storage plants:
A storage plant is one with a reservoir of sufficiently large size to
permit carry over storage from the wet season to the dry season.
The plant stores the water during rainy season in the reservoir and
is released during dry season.
Quantity of water available for power generation

Pump flow

Turbine flow

 Pumped storage plants:

These plants are used to supply the peak load for the base load
plants for a short duration. They are used in places where the
water is not available in sufficient quantity for power generation.
Pumped storage plants
Storage and Pondage
Storage
 Defined as collection of a large quantity of run
off during monsoon seasons.
 Essentially used in dry seasons for plant
operation.
 It is the main/upstream reservoir
 Storage increases capacity of a river over an
extended period of 6 months to 2 years
Pondage
 Defined as collection of excess flow water
from dam spill ways of the main reservoir.
 Used in all seasons for plant operation.
 It is a small reservoir behind the power house.
 Pondage increases the capacity of river over a
short time such as week
Selection of Site for Hydro Electric Plant
 Availability of Water

 Water Storage Capacity

 Available Water Head

 Ground Water Data

 Distance from the Load Centre

 Type of Land Site

 GATES
 The gate is the structure which is built on the inside of the
dam.
 The water from the reservoir is released and controlled
through these gates.

 The different types of gates are:-

1. Vertical lift gate
2. Radial gates(Tainter Gates)
3. Rolling gates
4. Drum gates
5. Tilting flap gates
VERTICAL LIFT GATES
 VERTICAL LIFT GATES
The gates move within a
vertical groove in the
given space. They are
usually equipped with the
wheels which helps in the
sliding movement of the
gate up and down(close
and open).
The lifting mechanism
must overcome high
frictional losses developed
in the guides due high
hydrostatic force on the
gate. This type is used
only for barrages, very
rarely used nowadays. It is
used for small power
plants.
RADIAL GATES
 RADIAL GATES
These are hinged gates, with
the leaf(or skin) in the form of
a circular arc with the centre of
curvature at the hinge or
trunnion.
The hoisting mechanism uses a
cable that is winched up by the
motor placed on the bridge
situated above it.
Hydraulic mechanism can also
be used. The friction is much
less than that of the sliding
gates and for the same size of
sliding gates, the hoist load is
also much less.
 ROLLER GATES

Roller gate consists of a cylindrical drum made of steel. The

lower portion of the gate is cylindrical segment and touches the
spill way crest. The rolling cylinder rolls on the rack provided,
with the help of hoist cable. These are preferred for long spans
and moderate height.
ROLLER GATES
DRUM GATES
 DRUM GATES

Drum gates are suitable only for the long spans. The gate is
segment attached to a cylinder which can fit into the gap provided
on the dam sill. When the water enters under to the gap provided,
the hollow drum gate raises up to the closed position.
TILTING FLAP GATE
 TILTING FLAP GATE

The above slide depicts the section of the tilting flap gate. The lower
edge of the flap is hinged to the up stream part of the dam and the upper
edge is held in the position by the chains or screw rods supported by a
overhead bridge. The flood water is passed over the crest of the gate by
lowering the gate about the hinge as shown in the figure. This gate is
more suitable for the small size openings.
 SPILLWAYS
What is a Spillway?

 A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release

of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area , typically
being the river that was dammed.

 They are sometimes also called as overflow channels.

 Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and
damage or even destroy the dam.
 Basic Classifications of Spillways
 They are classified as follows
 A controlled spillway has mechanical structures or gates to regulate the rate
of flow. This design allows nearly the full height of the dam to be used for
water storage year-round, and flood waters can be released as required by
opening one or more gates.
 An uncontrolled spillway, in contrast, does not have gates; when the water
rises above the lip or crest of the spillway it begins to be released from the
reservoir. The rate of discharge is controlled only by the depth of water
above the reservoir's spillway. Storage volume in the reservoir above the
spillway crest can only be used for the temporary storage of floodwater; it
cannot be used as water supply storage because it is normally empty
 In an intermediate type, normal level regulation of the reservoir is
controlled by the mechanical gates. If inflow to the reservoir exceeds the
gate's capacity, an artificial channel called either an auxiliary or emergency
spillway that is blocked by a fuse plug dike will operate. The fuse plug is
designed to over-top and wash out in case of a large flood, greater than the
discharge capacity of the spillway gates.
 TYPES OF SPILLWAYS

Cross section of a Spillway System consisting of major components

Overflow or Ogee Spillway
 TYPES OF SPILLWAYS

 Stepped Spillway - Stepped channels and spillways have been

used for over 3,000 years. Recently, new construction materials
and design techniques have increased the interest in stepped
spillways and chutes. The steps produce considerable energy
dissipation along the chute and reduce the size of the required
downstream energy dissipation basin.
 TYPES OF SPILLWAYS

 Bell-mouth Spillway : A bell-mouth spillway is designed like

an inverted bell where water can enter around the entire
perimeter. These uncontrolled spillways are also called
morning glory, (after the flower) or glory hole spillways. In
areas where the surface of the reservoir may freeze, this type of
spillway is normally fitted with ice-breaking arrangements to
prevent the spillway from becoming ice-bound.
 TYPES OF SPILLWAYS

Siphon Spillway : A siphon makes use of the difference in the

height between the intake and the outlet to create a pressure
difference needed to remove excess water. Siphons however
require priming or the removal of air in the bend in order for
them to function and most siphon spillways are designed with a
system that makes use of water to remove the air and
automatically prime the siphon.
Chakra dam -- Shimoga
 CONTROL VALVES
The control valves are used in hydel plants to regulate the
flow of water at intake and discharge end.
Two major types of valves are used:
 Needle valve (Medium head )
 Tube valve (High head )
 NEEDLE VALVE
 It consists of three chambers A, B, C. The opening and closing
are controlled by varying the pressures in the chambers. The
valve is opened by increasing the pressure in chamber C and
releasing the pressures in chambers A and B, interconnected by
forcing the needle to left. For closing the valve, pressure in
chamber C is released, whereas pressures in chambers A and B
are increased which forces the needle valve toward the right.

TUBE VALVE
 This valve is opened/closed by mechanical operation. The tube
is moved outwards/away from the valve seat with the help of
the screw operated by bevel gear to open or close the valve as
required. This valve is light in weight and short length and
occupies less space compared to needle valve
 WATER HAMMER
 The water hammer is defined as the change in pressure
rapidly above or below normal pressure caused by sudden
changes in the rate of water flow through the pipe according to
the demand of prime mover.

 A water hammer commonly occurs when a valve closes

suddenly at an end of a pipeline system and a pressure wave
propagates in the pipe. It is also called hydraulic shock

 This pressure wave can cause major problems, pipe collapse.

 Water hammer pulses can be reduce by providing expansion

tanks or surge tanks.
WATER HAMMER
 SURGE TANK
 Surge tank is a storage reservoir fitted to the penstock at a point
near to the turbine.
 A surge tank is a small reservoir or tank in which the water
rises or falls to reduce the pressure swings.
 A surge tank is used to prevent sudden increase of pressure in
the penstock.
FUNCTIONS OF SURGE TANK
 To reduce the distance between the free water surface and
turbine there by reducing the water hammer effect on penstock
and also protect upstream tunnel from high pressure.
 To serve as a supply tank to the turbine when the water in the
pipe is accelerating during increased load conditions and as a
storage tank when the water is decelerating during reduced load
conditions.
SURGE TANKS
DRAFT TUBES
 HYDROGRAPH
A hydrograph is a graphical representation of discharge (runoff) of
flowing water with respect to time for a specified period. A
hydrograph may be plotted for hours, days, weeks or months.

Hydrograph is used to determine

 Flow rate at any instant during a specified time period.
 Area under hydrograph gives volume of water in a particular
duration.
 Minimum and maximum runoff for each month of the year
 The mean annual runoff for each month of year.
HYDROGRAPH
HYDROGRAPH
FLOW DURATION CURVE
 This is a useful graphical representation of the run-off for a
given period. The run-off data on the ordinate against the
corresponding percentage of time on the abscissa represents a
Flow Duration Curve.

USES OF FLOW DURATION CURVE

 It helps in planning and designing of water resource project
 Possible to estimate total power available at site
 useful for preliminary studies
 It evaluates low level flows
 Useful for comparison between streams
FLOW DURATION CURVE
 MASS CURVE
 The graph representing the cumulative values of water quantity
(run-off) against time is termed the Mass Curve.
 A reservoir is the means of storing water that is available
during rainfall, from the catchment areas and/or from a river.
 A mass curve is a convenient method of determining the
storage requirements of a reservoir so as to obtain a satisfactory
flow from the fluctuating discharge of a river
MASS CURVE