Design of Hydropower Plant…

MOHAMMED A.
 E & M equipment
Hydraulic turbines
Classification
 A rough classification according to the available head (H) appears:
 Turbines appropriate for low head H < 10 m
 Turbines appropriate for medium head 50 m < H < 10 m
 Turbines appropriate for high head H > 100 m
 Another classification is based on their principle of operation
 impulse or reaction type—describes how turbines transform
potential water energy into rotational mechanical energy.
 The rotor of the reaction turbine is fully immersed in water and
is enclosed in a pressure casing. The runner blades are profiled so
that pressure differences across them impose lift forces, Two main
types of reaction turbine are the propeller (with Kaplan variant) and
Francis turbines.
 In contrast, an impulse turbine runner operates in air, driven by
a jet (or jets) of water. Three main types of impulse turbine are in
use: the Pelton, the Turgo, and the Crossflow.
 Cont’d…
Criteria for turbine selection
 Turbine choice is based on
the principal site
characteristics—available
head and flow —including
flow variations, that is if
the turbine operates in
part-load condition,
 for example when
available discharge
throughout the year is
typically lower than the
turbine’s design discharge.
Figure: Head-flow ranges of hydro turbines
 Designing hydraulic Turbine
A turbine design in a feasibility study stage can be carried out by
the flg flow.
 Cont’d…
1) Set of water turbine output (assumed value)
 In the first estimation, it is necessary to set the water
turbine output for the calculation of specific speed, rotary
speed, and efficiency.
 Therefore, the designer sets an assumed efficiency for an
initial value for each water turbine type, and calculates
the water turbine output, specific speed, revolving speed.
 And the designer recalculates them from calculation
results again as needed and improves the accuracy. A
theoretical formula for water turbine output:
P＝9.8×Qmax×He ×ηt
where, Pt : Max. turbine o/p at
effective H (kW)
Assumed water turbine efficiency
Qmax : Maximum plant discharge
Pelton turbine : 0.88～0.92
at effective head H (m3/sec) Francis turbine : 0.88～0.92
He : Effective Head (m) Diagonal flow Turbine : 0.88～0.92
ηt : water turbine efficiency Propeller turbine : 0.80～0.85
 Cont’d…
2) Calculation of Specific speed of water turbine
 The specific speed of a certain turbine is the rotating
speed of a hypothetical turbine which is homologous
to the original turbine and produces unit output
(1kW) under unit head (1m).
 When the effective head and turbine output are kept
constant, it is called the specific speed because this
expresses the pitch (small or large) of the revolving
speed of the turbine. The specific speed is given by the
following formula.
where,
ns : Specific speed (m-kW)
n : Revolving speed (min-1 )
He : Effective Head (m)
Pt : Maximum turbine output
at effective head H e (kW)
 Cont’d…
3) Calculation of water turbine revolving speed
 The designer selects a water turbine type, sets its assumed
efficiency and calculates the revolving speed from the maximum
specific speed.
 The revolving speed of water turbine and generator is estimated by:
120𝑓
𝑛=
𝑃
 where, f : Power system frequency (Hz)
p : Number of Poles
 Cont’d…
4) Turbine efficiency estimation (Francis and Propeller
turbine)
 The ratio of output and input of the water turbine is called
turbine efficiency, and it is given
𝑃𝑡
η=
9.8𝑄𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐻𝑒
 Generally, in consideration of partial to full load operation, a
turbine is designed so that it can attain the highest efficiency at
around 80% of the maximum discharge.
 The efficiency curve is different depending upon the turbine
type and the specific speed.
 Cont’d…
4) Turbine efficiency estimation (Pelton turbine)
 The efficiency estimation method of a Pelton turbine is similar with
others,
 However, a conversion formula from a model turbine to an actual
one is different from the above turbines and the specific speed of the
Pelton turbine is calculated using the maximum output per nozzle.
0.01375 0.01475
𝑃 𝑁𝑜𝑗
𝜂𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝜂𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑥 ( ) x( )
2500𝑁𝑜𝑗 4
Where:
 ηmax-max turbine efficiency
 ηmmax - max eff. of model turbine
 Noj- number of nozzles(jet)
 Cont’d…
6) Draft head
 A reaction turbine is equipped with a draft tube to minimize the turbine
loss and use the head between the runner center and the tailrace water
level effectively, which is called a draft head.
 It is desirable that the turbine be installed as high as possible in view of
flood protection and reduction of foundation excavation in powerhouse.
 However, if the draft head is raised above a certain level, negative
pressure on the back of the runner vanes increases and causes
cavitation as well as noise, vibration, efficiency drop, etc. Moreover it
accelerates cavitation erosion of the runner itself.
 A cavitation coefficient is used as an index to quantitatively express the
conditions causing cavitation.
Hs＝Ha－Hv－σH
 where,
 Hs : Draft head (m)
 Ha : Atmospheric pressure (water column m)
 Hv : Saturated vapor pressure (water column m)
 σ : Cavitation coefficient
 H : Effective head (m)
 Generator
 The generators mainly used are salient-pole rotating-field type
3-phase alternators. Induction generators are sometimes used
in SSHP in consideration of cost reduction.
 Recently, new type generators which combined an inverter
with a PM alternator or a DC alternator have been developed.
 The most suitable generator type can select in consideration of
the scale of the power station, relations with the demand, and
its construction cost and future maintenance cost.
1) Classification by shaft axis orientation
 Turbine generators may be classified into a horizontal shaft
type and a vertical one.
 A horizontal shaft type is generally applied to high speed
generators and a vertical type is suited to low speed generators.
 Shaft axis is selected considering the turbine type and speed,
topography, an amount of excavation required, building
design, and maintenance, etc.
 Cont’d…

2) Classification by generator cooling system

 depending on the combination of the following
three types.
 Used coolant (air, water, hydrogen).
 Coolant passage and heat dissipation method (free
circulation type, inlet and outlet pipe ventilated type, heat
exchanger type)
 Coolant feed method (self-cooled, unaided, aided)

 In generators for water turbines, generally, air is a primary

coolant to directly cool a stator and a rotor, with water as a
secondary coolant.
 Cont’d…

 These are roughly categorized into the following types.

 Open type (free circulation type): Used for small capacity units. In
general, ordinary induction motors are classified in this.
 Full enclosed, air duct ventilation type (pipe cooling type): Used for
small to medium- capacity units. Most are outlet pipe cooling types.
Generally it used up to 20MW.
 Full enclosed, air duct circulation type (water cooling heat exchanger
type): Circulation types need an air cooler inside the duct and a
cooling water system. Because it provides a high cooling capability, it
is used for mid-and large-capacity generators.
3) Classification by bearing arrangement
i) Horizontal shaft generator
ii) Vertical shaft generator
 Generator design
1) Capacity and power factor
 It is common that the rated
capacity of a generator assumes
turbine maximum output, and
generator output at a rating
power factor, and the rated
capacity is calculated using the
generator loss curve
 P t : Turbine maximum output (kW
Pg(temp) : Generator o/p (assumed value)
(kW)
Pgloss : Generator loss (kW)
Pg : Generator rated output (kW)
ηg:generator rated efficiency
Pg’ : Generator rated capacity (kVA)
Pf : Generator rated power factor
 Cont’d…
2) Frequency, rotating speed and poles
 Power transmission system frequencies are usually 50 Hz and 60 Hz.
The frequency used depends on the area.
120𝑓
𝑛= where, n : Revolving speed (min )-1

𝑃 f : Power system frequency (Hz)

p : Number of the poles
 Revolving speed is determined by the maximum specific speed which
depends on the turbine type. Generators become smaller as the
revolving speed increases, which serves to reduce the manufacturing
cost.
 However, the draft head of the turbine becomes higher and it requires
more excavation, which in turn serves to reduce the economic merits.
The revolving speed is, therefore, determined considering the overall
plant cost.
 Cont’d…
3) Voltage
 The higher the voltage is the thicker and heavier the generator coil
insulation becomes at a lowered occupation ratio of the
conductor.
 Low voltage is more advantageous in this aspect. However,
selecting low voltage has a disadvantage of a large current rating
which requires a larger capacity of the cables and connecting
conductors as well as breaking devices.
 It may reduce the overall economy when considering the main
bus leading to the transformer, the circuit breakers and other
switching equipment.
 Considering these aspects, the rated voltage is to be selected.
Generator capacity Less than 3MVA : 400 (V)
3 - 10MVA : 6.6 (kV)
10 - 50MVA : 11 (kV)
50 - 100MVA : 13.2 (kV)
100 - 300MVA : 16.5 (kV)
Over 300MVA : 18 (kV)
 Cont’d…
4) Current
 The generator current is important in determining
the specification of the generator itself, and the
circuits and switch gears connected to the
transformer.
 The generator rated current is calculated by the
following formula.
𝑃𝑔′
𝐼=
where, 3𝐸
Ig : Generator current (A)
Pg’ : Generator rated capacity
(kVA)
E : Generator rated voltage (kV)
 Cont’d…

5) Excitation system
 The excitation circuit supplies a field current for the rotor
of generator, and adjusts its output and voltage, which
consists of a thyristor, an exciter power transformer, a slip
ring, and an automatic voltage regulator.
 In recent years, for a small scale hydropower station, the
integrated control panels have been operated by software
which incorporated the excitation control of the generator
in PLC (Process Logic Controller).
 Excitation method
 DC excitation system
 Thyristor excitation system
 Brushless excitation system