Energy Engineering

(18ME81)
[As per Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) Scheme]

Module – 4 Lecture – 1

Faculty In-charge:
Mr. Girish B.
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Mechanical Engg.
Bangalore Institute of Technology
Bangalore

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 Learning Objectives

❑ Hydroelectric Power Plant

▪ Introduction

▪ Hydrological cycle

▪ Storage and Pondage

▪ Classification of hydroelectric power plants

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 Introduction
Hydroelectric Power Plant

▪ The hydroelectric or hydel power plants generate power using the potential
energy of water available on the earth’s surface.
▪ The rain water collected at different altitudes on the earth’s surface has potential
energy with respect to the level of oceans towards which the water flows.
▪ The energy of water is utilized to drive hydraulic turbine which, in turn, runs the
generator to produce electricity
▪ Hydroelectric generation plants help for irrigation and flood control in addition to
power generation.

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 Introduction
Hydroelectric Power Plant

The theoretical power available from falling water can be calculated using the
formula P= ρ g Q H (1)
where P = Hydraulic power in watts,
g = 9.81 m/s2
ρ = Density of water, (1000 kg / m3)
Q = Flow discharge, m3/s
H = Height in meter.
The electrical energy produced in kWh can be written in the form of
W = 1000 x 9.81 x Q x H x η x t Wh
= 9.81 x Q x H x η x t kWh (2)
where η is the efficiency of turbine generator assembly and t is the time in hours.

• The head availability depends on the topography of the dam.

• The quantity of the water available depends on the rainfall and runoff of the
catchment area of the dam.

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 Introduction
Hydroelectric Power Plant

Generally, reservoirs are constructed to collect the natural rain and used to
generate electricity throughout the year
Two important factors:
1. The reservoir area is a measure of the water collected and
2. the height of the dam is a measure of the head of the water
However, the quantity of water available depends upon the hydrological cycle
and the total rainfall received by the area in which the power plant is located

It is essential to study and measure the quantity of rainfall and the water flow
available to establish a hydroelectric plant

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 Introduction
Hydrological cycle

Hydrology is a branch of natural science which deals with rainfall and runoff
Hydrological cycle involves
1. Evaporation
2. Seepage
3. Transpiration
4. Run-off

When rain falls on the earth’s

surface, a portion of it is
evaporated by the sun, some
portion is used by the
vegetation and partly percolates
into the ground.
The remaining water that flows
and available for use is called
Run-off
Picture Source: sciencedirect.com

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 Introduction

Measurement of Run off

In general run off is calculated by Run-off is the part of the water in
R=P–L, the rain fall which is flowing
Where R (Run off) = Rs + Rc , through the catchment area on the
Rs is the Run off over the surface surface of the earth
Rc is the Run off reaching the catchment area through pervious earth.
P = Precipitation by rain fall
L = All losses
• The rain received and the run off just at the reservoir will not be sufficient to store
water for power generation.
• Hence, reservoir construction is made in such a way that the run-off from a large area
flows into the reservoir,
• The part of the land from where the run-off flows into the reservoir is called the
Catchment Area.
• Also the part of the land from where the water starts flowing is called the Upstream
while the lower portion which receives the flow is known as Downstream

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 Introduction
Storage and pondage

• The flow rate of stream varies considerably with the time.

• In rainy season stream is in floods and it carries huge quantity of water as
compared to other times of the year when quantity of water carried by it is
considerably less.
• However, the demands for the power do not correspond to such variations of
the natural flow of stream.
• Hence, arrangement in the form of storage and pondage of water is required
for the regulation of the flow of water so as it make it available in requisite
quantity to meet the power demand at a given time.

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 Introduction
Storage

• Storage may be defined as storing of

considerable amount of excess run off during
seasons of surplus flow for use in dry seasons.

• This is accomplished by constructing the dam

across the stream at suitable site and building a
storage reservoir on the upstream side of the
dam.

• Storage increases the capacity of the river

over an extended period of 6 months as much
as 2 years.

Fig: Location of the storage with respect to the power house

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 Introduction
Pondage

• Pondage may be defined as a regulating body of water in the form of a relatively small
pond or reservoir provided at the plant.
• The Pondage is used to regulate the variable water flow to meet power demand.

It takes care of short term fluctuations which may occur due to

1. Sudden increase or decrease of load on the turbine.
2. Sudden changes in the flow of water, say by breaches
in the conveyance channel
3. Change of water demand by
turbines and the natural flow of
water from time to time.

Pondage increases the capacity of a

river over a short time, such as a
week.

Fig: Location of the pondage with respect to the power house

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 Classification of hydroelectric power plants

Hydroelectric power plants

According to availability of head According to nature load According to quantity of water

available

Pump storage plants

Medium Low head
High head Base load Peak load
head power power
power plants plants plants Storage type plants
plants plants
Mini and micro hydel
plants

Plant with pondage

Plant without pondage

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 Hydroelectric power plants
According to availability of head
i. High head plants
• Operating head is 100 m and above.
• Water is usually stored in lakes on high
mountains during the rainy season.
• The rate of water discharge from the
dam is maintained at such a rate that
water must available throughout the
year.
• In order to maintain the safety of the dam surplus water is discharged through
the spillway.
• Flow is controlled by the head gates at the tunnel intake.
• Tunnel is constructed through the mountain with surge chamber at near exit.
• Butterfly valves are used to regulate the water in the penstocks, and gate valves at the
turbines.
• This type of the plant can also be constructed underground.
• Pelton wheel is the common prime mover used in the high head power plants.

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 Hydroelectric power plants
According to availability of head
ii. Medium head power plants

• These plants operate under

the heads varying from 30
m to 100 m.

• Forebay constructed at the beginning of the penstock serves as

water reservoir.

• In such plants water is carried in open canals from main reservoir to

the fore bay and then to the power house through the penstocks.

• The forebay itself works as the surge tank in this plant.

• This type of the plant commonly uses Francis turbine as the prime mover.

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 Hydroelectric power plants
According to availability of head
iii. Low head power plant.

• In low head power

plants working head
is less than 30 m.

• A dam is constructed across a river and a sideway stream diverges from the river at
the dam.
• Power house is constructed over this stream.
• This channel joins the river further downstream.
• This type of plant uses vertical shaft Francis turbine or Kaplan turbine.

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 Hydroelectric power plants
According to nature of load
i. Base load plant:

• These plants supply constant power to the grid without any interruption.
• They work throughout the day.
• Base load plants are often remote controlled with which least staff required for
such plants.
• Run –off-river plants without pondage may sometimes work as base load plant
but the capacity is less.

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 Hydroelectric power plants
According to nature of load
ii. Peak load plants:

• They supply power only during the certain hours of the day when the load is
more than the average.
• Thermal power plants work with hydel plants in tandem to meet the base load
and peak load during various seasons.
• Some of such plants supply the power during the average load but also supply
peak load as and when it is there.
• The run-off river plants may be made for peak load by providing pondage.

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 Hydroelectric power plants
According to quantity of water available
Pumped storage plants
• Water after working in the turbine,
is stored in the tail race pond.
• During low load periods this water
is pumped back in to the head
reservoir using an extra power
available.
• This water can be again used for
generating power during peak load
periods.
• Pumping of water may be done seasonally or daily depending upon the conditions
of the site and the nature of the load on the plant.
• Such plants are usually interconnected with steam or diesel engine plants so that
off peak capacity of interconnecting stations is use in pumping water and the
same is used during the peak load periods.

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 Hydroelectric power plants

Pumped storage plants

Advantages:

1) There will be an increase in the plant capacity with low cost.

2) Operating efficiency of the plant is high.
3) There is an improvement in the load factor.
4) The hydroelectric plant becomes partly independent of stream flow conditions.

• In this type of plants reversible turbine pump units are used.

• These units can be used as turbine while generating power and as pump
while pumping water to storage.
• With the use of reversible turbine pump sets, additional capital investment
on pump and its motor can be saved.

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 Summary

❑ Hydroelectric Power Plant

▪ Introduction

▪ Hydrological cycle

▪ Storage and Pondage

▪ Classification of hydroelectric power plants

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 References & Suggested Readings

1. S.C. Arora, S. Domkundwar, A.V. Domkundwar, Power Plant Engineering, Dhanpat

Rai & Co. (P) Ltd

2. R. K. Rajput, A Textbook of Power Plant Engineering, Laxmi Publishers

3. R. K. Jain, Power Plant Technology, Khanna Publishers

Girish B, Asst. Professor Dept. of Mechanical Engg, BIT 20