o

1q
Hydroelectric Power
FIant

,.jl rNrRoDUcrroN
Irr lt;'611ec'1r'g1t'ic pou'et'plattls tlrc cnclgy ol\\/alcr is utilizc<l 1o drive thc turbine
u,hich, in trrrn, t.uns thc scl]rrralor to proclrrcc clcctric:ity. ttain Ialling uPon thc
eat'tlr's sttt'fttce has ltrllcrrtial cttcrgy lelative to thc oc:cans towarcls wlrich it
llotl,s.'fhis cttelq)r is c<tnrrc:rlt:d tcl slraft vyork u,ltc.r,.: thc water. lalls tlrrO,l;6 arr
aPllrr:ciablr: rcrrtical clistaucc.'l'hc Irydrarrlic por,r.cr is thus a nalu;ally avaijablc
t'ctrcrvable cltctg)/ s()lp'cc git't-.n by I:r1 ( l (). l ).
l) .. upQll v7" (10.I)
IJcre P is tlre lrydlarrli<: porver in watts, g.is 9.til nr/s2
lthc acceleratiou iluc
t. glavity), p is tlre u,ater dcnsity, I000 kg/nr', p is rhc I'low orclischarge, nrr/s
arlcl l/ is thc hcight of fall of u'atcr ot'heacl, rn. 'l hc clcctlical cucl.gy producccl
in
k\\/h can then lte u,r'itten in thc fbr.nr ol L:q. ( 10.2).
l,lz = 9.81x l(XX) x e x Il x tlx l
-.9.81 QII 4r kWIr ( 10.2)
rr itr.:t'c is tltt"' oPctalirtg Iirtre in lrorrls (ii760 h/ycar-) an<l l7 is rhc clficicucy ol't6c
1
iiitbittr:-llcrrcralttr assi:ntbl),, rvltich var.ies bctq,ccn ().-5 antl 0.9. .l.hc pclu,cr
ilrrr i:l1r1,s1l lirrrs di:perrtls on cluantill,(p) anrl lrca<l (//) <11'u,ater.
llr'<1.. ol' \\,.ri' lro\\/c' is irrlro'tarrt .nly rrcxt (o lhcr,ral po,,ver.
.Nsiuly
)0 Ft:r r:\rll( ol lltc itrtal Po\\,cr cl['llrc rvorld is rrcl lty lryrlroltou,cr stations.'llrcr.c
ilrc i(rinc courrtri,.::: lil<c.,])j-q1gg,and S-wrt;z.cr.larxl w}tfflTffffifficr firrrrs
rrltrrolri {hi., lotirl instullcd c,lr1tirr':-it.y.
Itvtlirclilciiiilii;i"ir: ri;i.s'i,iiiiarca in Irrrlia in ltt97 u,irlr a r.un-of-r.iver urrir
tlt:itt'l)ltt'icclitttl, Ilotvct,ct'.thcllrslrrra-jolplarrl u,astlesiyasar,uclrarnschr:,rc
irr NI's,c' .l',1..5 r,-4\\r c,pa,tv cour,is,si.rccl in_l9.d2l'iiljiclTi;frj;.i
;f
iqy.u:-i, Nfiii,iii.i'rrrr"r \',,irs prrr irro opr:r'ari., l;*r'ir4 to'suppry powcr
to I\4ttrtrbei cit)/. cili(.(' irLdcpcntlcn<le a 511[slo,rtial gr.ou,th in hydropo*.,
Irirs oct:un'ccl ivith (lrc c()nmissioning of lar.gc nrrrlipurpose pro.lecr.s
likc
 16581 I',,*", Hort Drr7hu"tu9
Damodar Valley Corporation .(DVC), Bhakra Nangal, [1 irakud, Nagarjunsagar,
-- rcov1a,- tt i.ha3d and so*6i1-
Y::*,,
- ^I ADVANTAGEs AND DISADVANTAGES oF
t"l
-
wATER PowER
"l'hese have been stated point by point as below'

t O.2. L Advantages of Water Power

l{yclropower have some inherent advantages which makc it very attractive'
is perennially available. No tuel is required to be burnt to
v'/v'water.l;ource
genet'ate electricity. It is aptly termed as'the white coal'' Water
passes

Ihrough turbines io produie work ancl dowtrstrearn its utility remains

undirninished fbr iLrigation of t'ailns and quenching the thirst of
people
in thc vicinitY.
Z.lfnerunuing costs o1'hydropower installations are very low as compareo
V' to thennal J1 nuclear power sttrtions. In thermal stations, besides the cost
of fuel, otre has to tate into account the transportation cost of the fgel
also.
'l'here is no problern with regarcls to the clisposal of ash as in a thermal
3:
\/ station. The problem of ernission of polluting gases and particulates to
the atrnosphere also does not exist. Hydropower does. not produce anl
greenhouse eft'ect, cause the pernicious acid rain and emit obtroxious
NO.
time. In
4. 'I'he hyclraulic turbine can be switched tln and off in a very shoft
power plant the steam turbine is put on turning geai
a thermal or nuclear
for about two days during starl-up and shut-down'
'fhe hycL'aulic power plant is relatively sirnple in concept and. sel:--
vd.
contaiire<l in rtperation. lts system reliability is muclt greater than that tr:
other power Plants.
6. Moclein hycliopower equipment has a greater life expectancy
and ca::
ensily last 50 years or more. This can be courpared with the effective lile
of about 30 years of a thermal or nuclear station'
17: L)uc to its gieat case of taking up and throwing off
the load, the hydrt"'-
r. \ ,ower ca,-be useci as the ideal spinning reserve in a system mix .':
... thernral, hyclro and nuclear power stations'
, F. Mu,l.r,r hydro-gencrators give higir efficiency over a considerable rang<
' , olloacl.'lhis ttetps in irnproving the system efficiency'
, 9. Hydro-plants provide ancillary benefits like irrigation, flood contrLrl.
- atlbrestation, navigation ancl aqua-culturethe hydro-plants do not requi;-
/tl. e.i,.,g sinrple in design ancl operation,
highly skillerl workers' Manpower requirement is also low'

Power
LO.2.2 Disadvantages of Water
power ari: the follorving:
Major clisadvantages of water
rtrya,o-powerprojectsarecapital-intensiveu,ithalowrateofreturn..[.he
a large part of the anhual cost
ol'
interest oi this capital cost is
annual
hytlro-Power irrstalla.tions' quite large' 'l'he gap betweert
projects is.
The gestation perrod Ji"[yOto
J, the fo,ndation rna.oi.,piJri,r, "r"
p-:ect may extcncl fronr ten to flfteen
, years. which
on the quantity of water available'
Power generatlon rs dependent is in tirne
/ ancl year tcl vlar' l f tlrc rain{irll
rI)av valy frurr ,to'on to ""on plant can be
satisfactorl' ope'atit'n o1'thc
;"i;1il
and adequate, then
loacl cctrtrc an<l.require lonii
are o{Icn fhr way tior..-thc
\,r'/ ;X["T,X"ts
transmissio'
pur*"r.'llltls ttrc cost.f transtnissio,
fin"r't"'a"iir",
liucs

./,
\-/ ili :' l,TJ'l :Fi,l'ffi
J :l ^,1 I :^.Tan:1",', J, .,:1,,,]. ; " .liil rlr",, I ll o,li
defJrc:station, destroyirrgvcgctatlon .[.hc
plarrts i, *i tactor. eurphasis
opinion against .,."ii",,l "r 'iich ",.t.t.',
stations'
is now -o" on rlini and rnicro hydel
'-toll'
 ^
, ,,,'d i?t?"#:il3liJ1?X$l
Tlrefbllowingtirctorsshoulrjbeconsiclet.edwhileselectingthesitefor
hyclroelectric Powet Plant'
I . AvailabilitY o1'rvatct'
2. Watcr storilsc cltpacitY
-1. Availablc watcl ltcarl
4. Accr:ssibilitY ot'tlrc site
5. Distatrcc h'ortt tlte Ioarl cclrtt'e
'fYPc ot'larrd ol sitc
,6.
auolitabilitl| of utater The rlesign arrtl capacity of thc hydro-plant
/ri.'
gr.eatlytlel.lcttcls.,,.,tt..tllnoLltltofwatcravailableattlresite.Thclgggffdata
rnal.iTyrn and urinimum
flo,',g'rvith pLccipitalion at thc proposcd sitc with
to
.1,",u,rtity of watcr availairle in a ycar sltotrlcl be rllaclc available
. (a) clecide tlte capacity ol thc plaut'
, (b) set up the p"rr. rrra lllant iuch as steall, cliesel or gas turbine plant,
. i.i pruuiAe acleclttate spiilways or gate relief dLrring floocl period'
2,Waterstoragecapacitgsirrcetltcreisawiclevariationinrainfall
L.,'lti ,,ou,.,,-l the ycar, it is atways nccessary tt'r stole the water for continuous
'fhc storage capacity catt bc estirnated with the help of
gc)tr,.)filtioll of'1low,cr..
l1)llss cllrVc
head. [uorclct'to gellerate the desired quantity of
,. 3, Auctiltirite u],c;tet,
p()w0l.itisrtcccssat.iltlratelargeclLrantitycllu,erteratasufficientheadslrouidbe
givctr otltpttt, reduces the qr-rantity
Irvailublc. .\tt irt,:r'citse irr cltective head, tbr a
ol'r.l'ate r recluitcc[ ttl bc strpplicd to rhe ttrrbitlcs'
'l hc site shoulcl tre casily accessiblc by rail
.. 4, Accessibilitg Of the site
tlte ttt6r'cmettt olttrct.l atttl tltzttCt'iill'
irirr.l ir,.rrl, Arr irtacr:cssiIlc tcrlititr r'villjeollaiclizc

@
, ccntre, tlte cost of transtnission lines and the transnrissiorr losses will
rr"H
be reduced.

, 6r,fgpe of the land o.f the site The lancl olthe site shoutcl be cheap
'-dnd rocky. 'fhc ilant cotrstrttctecl at the site shoulcl have large gg!.c,lqe1t area to
store water at high head. 'I'he fbttttclatiorr locks ol thc nrasoury dam shorrld trc
strong enough to witlrstarttl tlte stlcsse:s irr the stlucturc and the thnrst olwater
when thc resclvoir is tirtl.
/
r/ t,/
 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A
-NYPNOELECTRIC POWER PLANT @
Catchmcnt area
Ficure 10.6 givcs thc flow tliagrant
oi'a tYPi"ol hYdroelcr:tricofPower
;ir;i. {il" ".r"nii'l elcmcnts such
a ptant are thc following

l. Catcllnten t area 2' l{eservoir

3. Dam 4' SPillwaYs.
5. Conduits 6' Surge tanks
7. Draft tubes 8' Powerhouse
of
9. i*it"l, yard lbr transtnission Stuice galc
or valvc
powel'.

1O.8.1 Catchment Area Penslock

The whole area behind the dam
draining into a strcam or river
across

;ilh1i; datrr has been constructed

i.""rir"a the catchment area' The
ohzuacteristics of the catchment lrrlet valve 3-phase suPPlY
i;;lrd" its size, shaPe
' surf'ace'
altitu<le' topography and
"ri.rlli",r,
olofu*r. 'l'he bigger the catchment' Alternator
;CJi is the sloPe' higher. is the
rungll"
uiii,ra", and greater is the total I)ralt tubc
of water'

LO.a.z Reservoir "Iailrace

firr Fig' 10.6 F'lou sltrel r-tJ'rt

Storage tlttrirtg titrtes of
plenty
ts l'.Y rlr o etle c:t rr <: 1't ottt e r
-. suhseluent usc itr titncs ol scarctty
i-r4",'r"r,al to the' ellcientrtse o1' Pktrfi
ot'
*ut..-.atuu,ces''['he rnanagcnretrt

tooe-l ,rrysr rr,- rrrrr^."^^, ?

r.cservoirs and the lunds which supply them is, therefore, a matter ot'great
-- Watcr storcrl is not clnly usecl filr power getreration, but also for
imltorlarrce .
irrigation, tlttttc'l t:ontrrll, watcr supply and navigation' A reservoir may be
natiral, like a lake or1 a rnountain or aftificially built by erecting a dam across a
ri,ct'. Watet'hclcl in upstreat.n reservoir is callod--storage' whereas-water behind
rlrc rlrrrn ar rlrc yrlant is calletllgrrclgE:. wltich lrtifETEen already discussed'

1O.8.3 Dam
A dam perfot'ttts the following two basic functitlns'
l. It <levelops a reservoir of thc desirecl capacity to store water; and
2. It brriltls up a lteacl fbr power generatiort'
A <lanr carr have a moclerate head and a large storage capacl^ty, like the Aswan
tlurn in Egypt which has a stolagc capacity of l5(r billion ttt'with a height of
I I L5 nt. A darn can also have a high treact with a iinaii st.lijaje"'capacity, like
the
'HuirreL
tlanr in the LJSA which is 222 m high, br'rt has a capacity of only
l8 billion nrr.
Dants can be classifled in various rvays based on the following:
-- (i) tirnctiort
_ (ii) sltapc
rrtatcr ill ol'constructiort
- (iii)
(iv) hydLaulic and strtlctural design
/ r:\ t\
 1O.8.4 Spillways
when the watcr levcl in the rescr.voir basin rises, lrrc stabiriry
of'trre clanr
structure is ertdangered. "lb relieve the reservoir of'this
excess watcr, a structure
is provided irr the body of a dam or close to it. T'his saf'egrrarrling
stlrcture is
called a 'spillv'o1'.lt Proviclcs structural stahility to the
danfur,6c.-,. conclitions ol.
floods wilhout raising reservoir level above ll.r.L (high
f)rod ler;e,l). Following
are the various types of spillways.

,
spillutag Ir is als. callcd solid gravity spillway. It is
-),r'Oue|,alt.
provrded in concrete and nrasonry <rams (rrig.
r0.r2). warer spills and
flows over the crest in the fonn'f a roiling srieet o1.water.. -r,he
bucket at
the lovser end changes the direction.f'the*fast rnovi,g
w,tcr. destr.ying
its excess energy.

Upper nappe II.F,L.

Lower nappe

tl.l.l-. =, Iliph flood Ievel

Bucket
o,' t".R.t.. ,-. Full leservoir level
'o .
D. .a

Fig. 10.12 OueraU spill*-ay

 2. ffilr trough spillwag It is suitable when the valley is too
nilrrow to accon'lllrodatc the solid gravity spillway in the body of the 0
rlirnr. ,\llct'clossittg ovcr thc crest the water slloots <lown a channel or
trorrqlr to lroct tlrc rivcr downstreatn <tf'the datrr.
3. Side channel sPilluta.g 'fhis is ttsed when the valley is too
lualro\'\r ancl in non-rigitl dams where the flood water is not desired to
ilow over thc daut. Whett there is no room trt provide chute spillway, the
side clrannel spillway (Fig. 10.13) is usecl. [{ere, after crossing the crest
wiltr:r' ll()ws llarallcl to it.

Dam

l{iver .*-*
Spillway crest

Sirle ohanncl

Fig. 1O.13 Side channel spillutag

4.i' Saddle spillutag When conditions are not favourable tbr any of
\./ the above types of'spillway, a saddle spillway is used. Some natural
rleplcssion or saddle on the periphery olthe resewoir basin away fiom
the clanr is usccl as the spillway, witlt the bottom olthe depression being
at thc firll reservoit' level (Fig. 10.i4).

Top oldam Sadrite spillway site

Free leservoir level

Prolllc ol'basin along its periphery

Fig. 1O.14 Saddle spillutall

 iShaftspiltwagT.lrisspilll,vayltltrkslikcafirnncl,tlreltlwe:retrdo1.
orrt below the dattt
@
r,vhicrr is tur.ucrl at righr n,iglc, iirrct thcn takcn
crcst a'd then llows throrrgh I
ho'iz.ntally. watc*piTl, .r,c'L th., r:ircular
the firnnel below thc clarll'
61.'sipho/-spillwo;gFigtrr.cl().l5strowsasadcllesiphonSpillway.
is'tlxcd ati\rll r;et'\.il lcvt'l (Ir'l{ l') wltcn tlrc water
rtscs
, ,"v .;;;
1.,/ "f *n,.,. spills over the crest. l'he step clet'lects the sheet,l'
"n..,""'iria.r".,
.waterscalir,gtheltlrvercticl.Tlteentrappedairisdrivettoutbyint:otnitrg
water attcl this process is callect ptinritrg'

Full reservoir level

Upper linrb -"

lnlet

Reservoit'

Fig. 1O.15 Sarldle siphon spillutag

1O.8.5 Conduits
citautlcl vl'hiclt lcatls watcr to a tttrbirrc arrd a tailrace is a cltattttill
A ltetrtlt.ttt,ais a
'fIrcconclttittlaybcopcl.lol'closcd'('tlttlrls
whictrcarricsrvatetti'onttltt:ttrrbitre
attd pensttlckt; are cltlsed.
antl flltrtlcs irIC ()pen. wlrilc ttrtlrrcls, 1-li1-1..:lirrc:s
Ac:ttttctlisan.oS.cn.lvi}tq|lVlIy(rxcaVatc(linrlatttral.grotrrr<llbllorvirrllits
aoe above tltc st'tltttttl
-ii .ltiurrcl crcctcd oll a surf exqa-yqle-d
crrritrrrrr. A /lLr,re i, ,,iiitpe,.
. ct.scd
,;;;;i;,Jiili,:;lit6. t,,u,,o! isIirii.blttr:Jtri, ctrannet rh**rglr irrr
Lii.lclattt atttl tlte powe rltott:''
b-biiiirtiion sucli irs u r *fgi'-1-Tliglfr,tr
()rr ()r lhor c thc surtae e ol'the grtrtttttl
fiaaii|-r",n-;ti;;;1ft,'Ltit'i'I1'pt'rrctl Lrt'ttle, pres.iLtre li.u. tltc
A p.ttst.ck i, u.lur,,ii"",trtduit'fiir sirplllyi,g t'oter
pcnstocks are the prcsstttc
fi.lJ p,ia.r rher trircbay to thc t,,ti,in"t.'Itre canals and tlttrle:s'
'6it1c|-rits, Wlttltr tIil
rvhil.ltlre 1o1-1r;'.tt,,t. c.ncltrits at'e tltt:
pcnstock
distances trctwcen ii:li.]tr,,V lttrtl tlttr p()wcrllollse arc slttlrt, a separatc
tf
.r,,
1c.ds artcl Ioug clistatrccr'' rt
iU.t;;i.rrtt.'rbi,i" i, prclcr:rc<i,
-il
w'lrile lirr tuocict.tile
oti
singlL' Penstocl( ls t\sc' to f'eed two or lltofc
turt)iuc". ['Qtrstocks are classiticd
(str:.1, r.c.c., asbestos oelncllt, cast stct:l)'
thc basis.f t5c rrrater.i ini'ji,irr,..,nti.n
arlcl exposctl) atld thc rigitlitt'
tire method oIthcir nrirpu,., ft,,,,iccl or etrltretldcrJ
(f'lcxibi.] corrpling arrcl cxptr.si.n joints) with rigid. pipcs lra'irrg
'[.conncctions pif.. ur'ii.*iblc pipcs. Various types of' conr.luits artr
anchurage , s,,nti-rigiri
sltorvn in Fig. l0 16.
 Reservoir .l

Max. clev.

Itescrvoir 2
J\4ax. elev.
Regulating forebay

!urru Penstock
(to power
station)

Fig. rO.t6 OorrLbinrfiir)fi of '///N

tttrtnrzl fl,,*^ -._-,pensbcks
'flume (tnd
L,n,rrl pown;r';;L;';"""1' at a hirh
10.9.6 Surge Tanks
'A
f ,ur.ge
rank is a
j ir," p,!,.,,;il,illTl',;,:Til:,j'
sn
j[:llll.,l" water rever rises.r rarrs to recruce
to the crosecr conduit
fl],-,".l.ii,fi':,1:::I:" within i'n;;',ilJ:l"nrined
of'the hcadworks' I.rhe
lirr trttt ,1r;;;;;'.r,jt'tl)cc sulge tanks are
rrceilccl. Surge rarrks
,}::ilil' [ff :l"" ff : ;r
il- il 1lT I" llilirlll:;ffii, '
I
llttl l,1
I : surge
.ov tank
!!,,,,\ rs u ,r,rl.ot
is <r I ['picalconneJtccl
vofllciil standpipe
an'anselnent is shown in
I)ain to the penstock

Conduit
a-.
1-_
--_ ___!:rl__--:-:_l
Fig. f O.lZ
k4 *nqe tank <>n grouncl leuet, (b)
Inclined surge tank
 uer |'lant 6?sl fD)
roel(lctnc Prx
t\_-/
I

withnooverflowofwater.Aturthercliscussionorlsurgetankshastleentr"radein
Section 10.23.

116'.8.7 Draft Tubes

aruti tuhc ail.rvs the turbi,e t, be sct above trre tailrace to t'a'ilitat'
1n. dilfuser aoti.n regains the maj'r
pttrtion ot'
irispection ond r,uini"uance and by
tlrekineticenergyorvelocityheaclatrunnerotttlet,whichwouldotherwiscgtl
.t.ir" tube (Irig.
waste as z.n cxit tn*r. d.oft tub" can bc a straight c0nisal '' untts,
11,.L)
is used lbr low power
or an elbow tuue tt,ig. ijr.ii ul.'I'he conical rype
in
ln the elbow typc cnergy is regained
while the elbow ,yp.'i. lllorc coutmon.
theverticalportion*ttitt'flattcnsintheelbowsec:tiontodischargcwatcr
horizontallY to the tailrace'

(a)

draJt tubet
Fig. 10. LB (ct) Straight conical clraJl' rube (b) Elbout tyJte

Itr\' '['rnnstni:sitxt
Ruscrtttir Lins

Sluice (jutcs
Fcn.'trrrk \ I tt
Transftrrrnttr
"I'ril W*ter

I'urbinc

w*1tdraulicturbinesandhydroelectricpowerplants