Addis Ababa University

Institute of Technology
Department of Energy Technology
Energy center
Hydropower Systems Engineering (ETEC-6402)
An assignment on Small Hydropower System

By Getnet Kibret

ID: - GSR/6364/12

TO: Dr Tilahun Nigussie

Aug 2020
Small hydro power plant

Table of contents
Contents page
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. ii

Task Description ............................................................................................................................. 1

Design Parameters .......................................................................................................................... 1

Design Analysis .............................................................................................................................. 2

RETScreen Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 7

Financial Information...................................................................................................................... 7

List of Figures
Figure 1 Site location ...................................................................................................................... 1
Figure 2 Turbine selection chart ..................................................................................................... 3
Figure 3 Efficiency curve for different turbines ............................................................................. 4
Figure 4 Flow duration curve .......................................................................................................... 4

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Task Description
A small hydro power project with a capacity of 3.5 MW capacity is required to installed near
Dembecha Town, in Amhara region by the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO). The
client insists the facility to be installed at the site located approximately 38.2 km south of
Dembecha Town on Temcha River which is easily accessible by road and a reconnaissance survey
of the site has already been completed. The site location is pinpointed by the RETScreen software
as shown in the fig 1.

Figure 1 Site location

Design Parameters
S/NO Design parameters Value
1 Gross head or elevation head 220 m
2 Capacity of the facility 3.5 MW
3 Minimum annual flow requirement 0.15 m3/s

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Design Analysis
To calculate the firm flow rate, we need to assume the turbine efficiency which in our case is 90%
in order for considering all losses. Then from the general energy delivered formula

𝑃 = 𝜌 ∙ 𝑔 ∙ 𝑄 ∙ 𝐻 ∙ 𝜂𝑡 ∙ 𝜂𝑔 ∙ (1 − 𝑙𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠 ) ∙ (1 − 𝑙𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐 )

Where, 𝑃 is power required to be delivered by the system = 3.5 MW

𝜌 is density of water = 1000 kg/m3

𝑔 is gravitational acceleration = 9.81 m/s2

𝑄 is volume flow rate

𝐻 is head = 220m

𝜂𝑡 is turbine efficiency = 90%

𝜂𝑔 generator efficiency = 95%

𝑙𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠 is transmission line losses = 1%

𝑙𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐 is parasitic electricity losses = 1%

Then the firm flow rate of will be 1.9353 m3. Assuming 5% head losses the total net head will be
209 m. so the given firm flow will be

𝑃
𝑄𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑚 = = 2.04m/s2
𝜌 ∙ 𝑔 ∙ 𝐻 ∙ 𝜂𝑡 ∙ 𝜂𝑔 ∙ (1 − 𝑙𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠 ) ∙ (1 − 𝑙𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐 )

From turbine selection chart, using the firm flow and the net head, Francis turbine is selected as
shown by the red mark in the fig 2.

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Figure 2 Turbine selection chart

To calculate the design flow let’s take a look at the efficiency curve of the Francis turbine. As
shown in the fig 3, Francis turbine can achieve the assumed 90% efficiency after the ratio of firm
flow to design flow is 0.7. From this the design flow will be 2.9 m/s2

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Figure 3 Efficiency curve for different turbines

According to the flow duration curve, plotted form the data given as shown in the fig 4, the facility
can meet the firm capacity requirement up to 85% of the time. Or else water will be needed form
the reservoir.

Figure 4 Flow duration curve

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Given that the Francis turbine is reaction turbine the diameter of the runner will be

𝑑 = 𝑘𝑄𝑑 𝑜.473 = 0.76𝑚

Where, k is 0.46 for 𝑑 < 1.8𝑚 and 𝑄𝑑 is the design flow.

The specific speed of the turbine can be calculated as

𝑛𝑞 = 𝑘ℎ−0.5 = 41.5 ≈ 42

Where, 𝑘 is 600 for Francis turbines and ℎ is the net head

The peak efficiency of the turbine will be

𝑒𝑝 = (0.919 − ^𝑒𝑛𝑞 + ^𝑒𝑏 ) − 0.0305 + 0.005𝑅𝑚 = 0.922

Where, 𝑅𝑚 is turbine design/ manufacture coefficient usually 2.8 to 6.1, the default being 4.5.

^𝑒𝑛𝑞 is specific speed adjustment to peak efficiency which can be calculated as

^𝑒𝑛𝑞 = {(𝑛𝑞 − 56)/256}2 = 0.003

^𝑒𝑏 is runner diameter adjustment to the peak efficiency which can be calculated as

^𝑒𝑏 = (0.081 + ^𝑒𝑛𝑞 )(1 − 0.789𝑑 −0.2 ) = 0.014

Then the peak efficiency flow will be

𝑄𝑝 = 0.65𝑄𝑑 ∙ 𝑛𝑞 0.05 = 2.27

Efficiency drop at full load can be calculated

^𝑒𝑝 = 0.0072𝑛𝑞 0.4 = 0.032

In addition, the efficiencies at flows below peak efficiency flow calculated from

(3.94−0.0195𝑛𝑞 )
𝑄𝑝 − 𝑄
𝑒𝑞 = {1 − [1.25 ( ) ]} 𝑒𝑝 = 0.999
𝑄𝑝

The efficiency of the turbine at full load can be

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𝑒𝑟 = (1 − ^𝑒𝑝 )𝑒𝑝 = 0.8925

The turbine can also work at efficiencies at flows above peak efficiency flow

2
𝑄 − 𝑄𝑝
𝑒𝑎 = 𝑒𝑝 − [( ) (𝑒𝑝 − 𝑒𝑟 )] = 0.862
𝑄𝑑 − 𝑄𝑝

In order to plot the power curve, we need to calculate power delivered by the turbine at each flow
using the following formula

𝑃 = 𝜌 ∙ 𝑔 ∙ 𝑄𝑖 ∙ 𝐻𝑛𝑒𝑡 ∙ 𝑒𝑞 ∙ 𝜂𝑔 ∙ (1 − 𝑙𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠 ) ∙ (1 − 𝑙𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐 )

And accordingly, the plotted power curve looks like

The area under the power curve is equal to the energy available in the facility as calculated by

20
𝑃5(𝑘−1) + 𝑃5𝑘 5
𝐸𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙 = ∑ ( ) 8760 (1 − 𝑙𝑑𝑡 )
2 100
𝑘=1

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RETScreen Analysis
RETScreen is free-of-charge decision support software made available by the Government of
Canada to help evaluate the viability and performance of renewable energy and energy efficiency
projects. RETScreen Expert allows energy professionals and decision-makers to identify, assess
and optimize the technical and financial viability of potential clean energy projects. Its decision
intelligence software platform also allows managers to measure and verify the actual performance
of facilities, helps identify additional energy savings/production opportunities, and allows for the
management of multi-facility portfolios.

Financial Information
In addition to the design parameters we ae going to need some financial information tabulated
below to use the as an input for the software.

S/NO Parameters Value

1 Fuel cost 0.30 USD/m3
2 Electricity cost 0.014 USD/kWh
3 Inflation rate 5%
4 Life time 20 years

The specific location of the site is picked from built in google map with the software so that all the
weather and topographical information will be generated as shown in the fig 1. The overall profile
of the project is modified from the default settings as shown in the dig below.

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The fuel cost which exactly the same with that of Canada and the electric cost given will be inserted
in the spaces provided by the software as demonstrated below.

For each power rating RETScreen generates six list of hydro turbines with different capacity factor.
But assuming the capacity factor to be 50% the annual electricity exported to the grid and the
electricity export revenue is calculated using the per kWh rating of Ethiopia as shown below.

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The greenhouse gas emission reduction is also calculated using the default GHG emission factor
and total losses.

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The overall financial analysis is performed in detail using the inputs from the financial information
to the software. Accordingly, the initial cost will be 16,450,000 USD with annual maintenance and
operational cost of 472,000 USD as shown below.

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