Performance Test of Mini-Hydroelectric Power Plant

The Mini-Hydroelectric Power Plant

How a small hydroelectric plant works

A small hydroelectric plant does not always require tall waterfalls and large quantities of water. In addition
to “water drop” plants, there can also be some small “running water” hydroelectric plants, which exploit
the flow of water instead of the power generated from the drop. Small hydroelectric plants exploit
the kinetic energy (related to movement) of streams and rivers. Water is collected via intakes and conveyed
through channels or pipes to a charge basin where the upper free surface needed to calculate the drop
required by the small hydroelectric plant is determined. From this point onwards, water reaches the turbines
by means of penstocks and its passage through the moving parts, also known as impellers, produces rotation.
The impeller shaft is connected to an alternator that generates electricity. The water leaving the turbine is
released, by means of the restitution works, into its original channel at a level which determined by the
lower free surface.

COMPOSITION OF A SMALL HYDROELECTRIC PLANT

A small hydroelectric plant is made up of civil and hydraulic components:

• intake works
: these change the configuration according to the type of watercourse used and the orography of
the area;

•filtering works
: these serve to remove large suspended bodies from the water and the type of works depends on the amount
of water involved and the type of the solids in the water flow;

•conveying works
: these consist of channels or penstocks depending on the orography and consequently the type of plant with
a low or high water drop;

•restitution works
: these channel the water back to the main watercourse.

Classification of mini hydro power plants

The term ‘mini-hydro power plants’ refers to plants with a capacity below 10 MW according to the UNIDO
(United Nations Industrial Development Organization) classification. Its modest size helps to reduce
pressure and environmental impact. Mini hydro power plants are classified as follows:

•pico-plants: P < 5 kW

•micro-plants: P < 100 kW

•mini-plants: P < 1,000 kW

•small-plants: P < 10,000 kW

Generally speaking, this classification is valid worldwide. Another way of classifying mini hydro power
plants is based on their functioning in relation to the method of water intake and storage:
•Flowing water facilities: these do not have the ability to be regulated. Capacity during the
year depends on the hydrological regimen of the watercourse. The amount of energy produced is
strongly influenced by the capacity of the watercourse. This also represents the main limitation of this type
of facility, as the production of electricity depends on the capacity of the watercourse that can be exploited,
which by definition is variable throughout the year, resulting in variable levels of production according to
the season. As can be imagined, for example, there is a greater production of energy in the rainy seasons.

•Regulated flow facilities (storage): these can regulate water flow using daily, weekly or monthly regulation
tanks. Regulation is linked to the tank’s storage capacity. They exploit the potential energy contained in the
water collected in natural or artificial basins. The amount of energy produced depends mainly on the drop.
Mini hydro power plants are usually water flow facilities built next to rivers, streams or irrigation canals
with a constant speed in relation to the instream flow (an index of the maximum decrease in the flow of a
watercourse downstream of the intake system) required to protect the ecosystem.