Hydropower

Hydropower
Hydropower (from the Greek word hydor,
meaning water) is energy that comes
from the force of moving water. The fall and
movement of water is part of a continuous
natural cycle called the water cycle.
Energy from the sun evaporates water in the
Earth’s oceans and rivers and draws it upward
as water vapor. When the water vapor
reaches the cooler air in the atmosphere, it
condenses and forms clouds. The moisture
eventually falls to the Earth as rain or snow,
replenishing the water in the oceans and
rivers. Gravity drives the moving water,
transporting it from high ground to low
ground. The force of moving water can be
extremely powerful.
The Water Cycle
 Watercycle

Source: Wikipedia
Inside a hydropower plant
Dam
The dam is the most important component
of hydroelectric power plant. The dam is
built on a large river that has abundant
quantity of water throughout the year. It
should be built at a location where the
height of the river is sufficient to get the
maximum possible potential energy from
water.

Water Reservoir
The water reservoir is the place behind the
dam where water is stored. The water in the
reservoir is located higher than the rest of
the dam structure. The height of water in
the reservoir decides how much potential
energy the water possesses. The higher the
height of water, the more its potential
energy. The high position of water in the
reservoir also enables it to move
downwards effortlessly.
Inside a hydropower plant

Penstock
An enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydro
turbines. The water in the penstock possesses
kinetic energy due to its motion and potential
energy due to its height.

Control Gate
The water from reservoir is released and
controlled through these gates. These are
called inlet gates because water enters the
power generation unit through these gates.
When the control gates are opened the water
flows due to gravity through the penstock and
towards the turbines. The water flowing
through the gates possesses potential as well
as kinetic energy. The amount of water
flowing through the penstock is controlled by
the control gates.
 Inside a hydropower plant
Water Turbines
Water flowing from the penstock is allowed to enter the power generation unit, which houses
the turbine and the generator. When water falls on the blades of the turbine the kinetic and
potential energy of water is converted into the rotational motion of the blades of the turbine.
The rotating blades causes the shaft of the turbine to also rotate. The turbine shaft is enclosed
inside the generator. In most hydroelectric power plants there is more than one power
generation unit.
There is large difference in height between the level of turbine and level of water in the reservoir.
This difference in height, also known as the head of water, decides the total amount of power
that can be generated in the hydroelectric power plant.

Generators
It is in the generator where the electricity is produced. The shaft of the water turbine rotates in
the generator, which produces alternating current in the coils of the generator. It is the rotation
of the shaft inside the generator that produces magnetic field which is converted into electricity
by electromagnetic field induction. Hence the rotation of the shaft of the turbine is crucial for the
production of electricity and this is achieved by the kinetic and potential energy of water. Thus in
hydroelectricity power plants potential energy of water is converted into electricity.
 Inside a hydropower plant

A spillway is a structure used to

provide the controlled release of
flows from a dam into a
downstream area, typically the
riverbed of the dammed river
itself. Spillways ensure that the
water does not overflow and
damage or destroy the dam.

Spillways I Kaptai Hydropower

Spillway type Controlled, 16 gates
3
Spillway capacity 16,000 m /s
Spillways in Kaptai Hydropower station
 Micro Hydropower Plant
“Run of the river" systems do not require a
dam or storage facility to be constructed.
Instead they divert water from the stream
or river, channel it in to a valley and drop it
in to a turbine via a pipeline called a
penstock.
The turbine drives a generator that provides
the electricity to the local community. By
not requiring an expensive dam for water
storage, run-of-the-river systems are a low-
cost way to produce power. They also avoid
the damaging environmental and social
effects that larger hydroelectric schemes
cause, including a risk of flooding.

Water from the river is channeled through a settling basin, which helps to remove
sediment that could harm the turbine. The water then flows into the Forebay Tank where
it is directed downhill through a pipe called a penstock. When the water reaches the
bottom, it drives a specially designed turbine to produce the electricity.
 Pumped Hydropower

Employs off-peak
electricity to pump water
from a lower-elevation
reservoir to a higher-
elevation reservoir.
Release water from the
upper reservoir when
electricity is needed. As
this happens, the water
flows through a turbine
that generates electricity.

Source: DOE/EPRI 2013 Electricity Storage Handbook in Collaboration with NRECA

 Head and Flow in Hydropower
The amount of electricity that can be generated at a hydro plant is determined by
two factors: head and flow.

Head is how far the water drops. It

is the vertical distance from the
highest level of the dammed water
to the point where it goes through
the power-producing turbine.

Flow is how much water moves

through the system—the more
water that moves through a
system, the higher the flow.
Generally, a high-head plant needs
less water flow than a low-head
plant to produce the same amount
of electricity
 Types of Hydropower Plant

Depending on capacity, these plant are classified:

 Micro Hydro (less then 100 kW)
 Mini Hydro (100 kW-1mW)
 Small Hydro (1mW-25mW)
 Large Hydro (25 mW<)
 Classification of Water Turbines

Water turbines based on range of water head :

 Hydraulic Wheel Turbine (0.2 < H < 4)
 Kaplan Turbine (2 < H < 40)
 Francis Turbine ( 10 < H < 350)
 Pelton Wheel Turbine (50 < H < 1300)
10 largest hydroelectric power plants
 Classification of Water Turbines

Water turbines based on range of water head :

 Hydraulic Wheel Turbine (0.2 < H < 4)
 Kaplan Turbine (2 < H < 40)
 Francis Turbine ( 10 < H < 350)
 Pelton Wheel Turbine (50 < H < 1300)
 Hydro Energy Resource Assessment

 Hydraulic Power (w) = Head (m) x Flow (liter/sec) x 9.81

 Actual Hydraulic Power = Hydraulic power x (1-head loss)
[ head loss in fraction ]
 Mechanical Power = Actual Hydraulic Power x efficiency of turbine
 Electrical Power = Mechanical Power x efficiency of generator
Hydro Energy Resource Assessment

Example:
A small stream with 60 m head and flow of 10 liters/sec. Consider the
followings:
Head loss = 25%
Efficiency of Turbine = 65%
Efficiency of Generator= 80%
Estimate the electrical power that could be generated from the given
hydro energy resource .
Advantages and disadvantages of the
Hydropower plant
Advantages:
 Hydroelectric energy is continuously renewable energy source
 It is more concreted energy resource than either solar or wind
 Hydro energy is non-polluting
 Low operating and maintenance cost.
 High-performing electrical equipment can easily used.

Disadvantages:
 Most of Hydro power plant require dam. It’s a barrier that
effect free movement of fish.
 Spilling of water over spillway can result damage
 For large Hydro power plant require displacement of locality.
 Potential small hydro sites

Potential small hydro sites identified by BPDB & BWDB

District River/Chara/ Potential of Electrical

Stream Energy (kW)
Chittagong Foy’s Lake 4
Chittagong Chotokumaria 15
Chittagong Hingulichara 12
Chittagong Hill Track Sealock 81
Chittagong Lungichara 10
Chittagong Budiachara 10