HYDROPOWER

LANDMARK UNIVERSITY, OMU-ARAN,

KWARA-STATE.

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. 

CVE 520 COURSE WORK

TOPIC: HYDROPOWER

MATRIC. / REG. NUMBER: 12BC001891 / 1200216

​LECTURER: ​PROF. S.I. OJO

NAME OF STUDENT: ​IBIKUNLE, PETER DUNSIN

 HYDROPOWER

❖ THE POWER OF WATER

Hydropower (from hydro 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.

The moisture eventually falls to the earth as rain or snow, replenishing the water in the
oceans and rivers. Gravity drives the water, moving it from high ground to low ground. The
force of moving water can be extremely powerful. Hydropower is called a renewable energy
source because the water on the earth is continuously replenished by precipitation. As long as
the water cycle continues, we won’t run out of this
energy source.

FIGURE: HYDROLOGIC CYCLE

❖ FACTS ABOUT HYDROPOWER PLANT

The World’s hydropower plants output a combined total of 675,000 megawatts, the energy
equivalent of 3.6 billion barrels of oil worldwide. Hydropowers plant produce about 24% of
world’s electricity and supply more than one billion people with power. Hydropower
provides about 10% of electricity in united states. India produces more than 12% of its
electricity with
Hydropower. Norway produces more than 99% of its electricity with hydropower. New
Zealand uses hydropower for 75% of its electricity.
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FIGURE: WORLD ENERGY SOURCES

❖ DESIGN AIDS: TYPICAL MINI/SMALL HYDRO DRAWINGS

A typical settling basin drawing is presented in Figure below.

FIGURE 1.1: A TYPICAL MICRO HYDRO SETTLING BASIN DRAWING

 HYDROPOWER

❖ HYDROPOWER PLANT

A hydropower plant uses the force of falling water to make electricity. Flowing water creates
energy that can be captured and turned into electricity. This is called hydroelectric power or
hydropower.

A typical hydro plant is a system with three parts:

● A power plant where the electricity is produced.

● A dam that can be opened or closed to control water flow.
● A reservoir (artificial lake) where water can be stored.

FIGURE: HYDROPOWER TO ELECTRIC POWER

❖ CONCEPT OF HYDRO POWER PLANT

Hydro system makes use of falling water in a stream or river or storage dam between two
points to generate mechanical power through a turbine which is converted into electrical
power through a generator attached to turbine in a power house. Power is expressed as kw or
mw depending on capacity of station. Amount of water flow diverted from stream or river or
dam
called discharge (q) is expressed in litres /sec or cumecs or cusecs and difference in elevation
between two upstream and downstream points called gross head (h) is expressed in feet or
metres. Electricity generated in alternating current (ac) mode and generating voltage is
expressed as volts (v) or kilovolts (kv) 10 depending on capacity of station.
 HYDROPOWER

After flow and gross head between two points measured - hydraulic power calculated as
below.

Power = q x h x 9.81 watts; q in liters per second and h gross head in meters.
Net head after allowing for frictional losses in water conductor system and penstocks
calculated using formulae.
In case of micro hydel projects, friction loss is taken as 25% of gross head.
NET HEAD (h) = GROSS HEAD – FRICTION LOSSES.
This is used to calculate net hydraulic power, mechanical power is calculated using turbine
efficiency. In general, larger the scale of a system, more the number of components.

Definition of some terms:

Intake​: Water from the river/spring/dam/irrigation channel is diverted from its main course.
Generally weir used to divert water through intake into open channel.
Water conductor system​ : leads water from intake to head of
penstock.
De-silting basin with spillway​: Small tank designed to desilt water. Provide spillway - a
flow regulator for the channel. Combined with control gates to provide means of emptying
channel. Spill flow fed back to river.
Forebay tank​: At head of penstock. Serves as buffer to control sudden flow and pressure
variations.
Penstock​: Pipeline supplying water from forebay to turbine. Mild steel, upvc and hdpe are
the most commonly used materials.
Power house​: Houses turbine – generator with mechanical control valves and electrical
control panels. Switchyard and connection to distribution system.
Tail race channel​: Leads water from turbines(s) back into stream/river/irrigation channel.
Turbine and generator​: Hydro power in jet at end of penstock transmitted to turbine runner
- changes to mechanical power.
Governor​: Ensures that generator is not affected when load is on and it changes. It can be
Hydraulic, or electronic. Depends on the generator.
Generator​: Electricity generated when turbine drives generator 13 - most common type of
generator produces alternating current and known as alternator.

❖ HOW A HYDRO PLANT WORKS

To generate electricity, a dam opens its gates to allow water from the reservoir above to flow
down through large tubes called penstocks. At the bottom of the penstocks, the fast-moving
water spins the blades of turbines. The turbines are connected to generators to produce
electricity. The electricity is then transported via huge transmission lines to a local utility
company.
 HYDROPOWER

❖ STORING ENERGY

One of the biggest advantages of a hydropower plant is its ability to store energy. The water
in a reservoir is, after all, stored energy. Water can be stored in a reservoir and released when
needed for electricity production. During the day when people use more electricity, water can
flow through a plant to generate electricity. Then, during the night when people use less
electricity, water can be held back in the reservoir. Storage also makes it possible to save
water from winter rains for summer generating power, or to save water from wet years for
generating electricity during dry years.

● Hydro dams

A dam serves two purposes at a hydro plant. First, a dam increases the head or height of the
water. Second, it controls the flow of water. Dams release water when it is needed for
electricity production. Special gates called spillway gates release excess water from the
reservoir during heavy rainfalls. Dams are built on rivers where the terrain will produce an
artificial lake or reservoir above the dam. Most dams are built for flood control and irrigation,
not electric power generation. It’s easier to build a hydro plant where there is a natural
waterfall. Dams, which are artificial waterfalls, are the next best way.

FIGURE: CONVENTIONAL IMPOUNDMENT DAM

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FIGURE: SCHEMATIC OF IMPOUND HYDROPOWER

Terminologies

❏ HEAD
Water must fall from a higher elevation to a lower oneto release its stored energy.
The difference between these elevations (the water levels in the forebay and the tailbay) is
called ​head.
❏ DAMS
Categories of dam :
● High-head (800 or more feet)
● Medium-head (100 to 800 feet)
● Low-head (less than 100 feet).
❏ POWER
This proportional to the product of head x flow.
Scale of Hydropower Projects are:
● Large-hydro
More than 100 MW feeding into a large electricity grid.
● Medium-hydro
15 - 100 MW usually feeding a grid.
● Small-hydro
1 - 15 MW - usually feeding into a grid.
● Mini-hydro
Above 100 kW, but below 1 MW. Either stand alone schemes or more often feeding into the
grid
 HYDROPOWER

● Micro-hydro
From 5kW up to 100 kW. Usually provided power for a small community or rural industry in
remote areas away from the grid.
● Pico-hydro
From a few hundred watts up to 5kW. Remote areas away from the grid.

❖ ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS
Below are the ecological impacts of hydropower :
1. Loss of forests, wildlife habitat, species.
2. Degradation of upstream catchment areas due to inundation of reservoir area.
3. Rotting vegetation also emits greenhouse gases.
4. Loss of aquatic biodiversity, fisheries, other downstream services.
5. Cumulative impacts on water quality, natural flooding.
6. Disrupt transfer of energy, sediment, nutrients.
7. Sedimentation reduces reservoir life, erodes turbines.
8. Creation of new wetland habitat.
9. Fishing and recreational opportunities provided by new reservoirs.

❖ ADVANTAGES

Hydropower’s fuel supply (flowing water) is clean and is renewed yearly by snow and
rainfall.
Hydro plants do not emit pollutants into the air because they burn no fuel. With growing
concern over greenhouse gas emissions and increased demand for electricity, hydropower
may become more important in the future. Hydropower facilities offer a range of additional
benefits.
Many dams are used to control flooding and regulate water supply, and reservoirs provide
lakes for recreational purposes, such as boating and fishing. Low operating and maintenance
cost.

❖ DISADVANTAGES

Damming rivers may permanently alter river systems and wildlife habitats. Fish, for one, may
no longer be able to swim upstream. Hydro plant operations may also affect water quality by
churning up dissolved metals that may have been deposited by industry long ago.
Hydropower operations may increase silting, change water temperatures, and lower the levels
of dissolved oxygen. Degradation of upstream catchment areas due to inundation of
reservoir area. High initial capital cost.

❖ EFFICIENCY OF HYDROPOWER PLANTS

Hydropower is very efficient.

 HYDROPOWER

Efficiency = Electrical power delivered ÷ Potential energy of head water

Typical losses are due to frictional drag and turbulence of flow, friction and magnetic losses
in turbine & generator. Overall efficiency ranges from 75-95%.

❖ HYDROPOWER CALCULATIONS

P=g*µ Q*H
P = 10 * µ * Q * H