Hydroelectric Power Tutorial Questions

1. How does hydroelectric power work?

2. Defines ‘head’ in hydroelectric power system.
3. What is the difference between head and flow?
4. Explain the types of hydropower plants in terms of facility classification-type.
5. Explain pumped-storage hydroelectric power system.
6. State the main components of a hydropower plant.
7. List THREE (3) disadvantages of hydroelectric power system.
8. What factors affect the efficiency of a hydropower plant?

9. List THREE (3) advantages of hydroelectric power plant.

10. Hydroelectric Power has effective head of 120 meter with four sets of turbine and
generators. As the plants running continuously, the effectiveness of turbine, drive
and generators is reduced to 85%, 95% and 93% respectively. Given the gravitational
acceleration = 9.8m/s2, air density = 1.2 kg/m3, maximum flow rates is 1.3 m3/s2 and
the head loses is 10%, determine the possible power generated.

11.
12. Hydroelectric Power has effective head of 70 meter with 16 sets of turbine and
generators. As the plants running continuously, the effectiveness of turbine, drive and
generators is reduced to 88%, 96% and 94% respectively. Given the gravitational
acceleration is 9.8 m/s2, air density is 1.2 kg/m3, maximum flow rates is 2 m3/s2 and
the head loses is 10%, determine the possible power generated.
13. Hydroelectric Power has effective head of 120 meter with four sets of turbine and
generators. As the plants running continuously, the effectiveness of turbine, drive and
generators is reduced to 85%, 95% and 93% respectively. Given the gravitational
acceleration = 9.8m/s2, air density = 1.2 kg/m3, maximum flow rates is 1.3 m3/s2 and
the head loses is 10%, determine the possible power generated.

14. A local manufacturing company considers designing and setting up a micro-hydro

power system for an electrical power enterprise. The water source is from the waste
condenser water from a power plant, delivered at a constant rate. The water turbine
average efficiency is 75%.

(a) What is the expected power drawn from the system in kW from a water height of 2
m and volume flow rate of 3m3/sec?
 (b) What is the possible energy saving per year, if the management decided to change
to a new turbine of the same capacity but with higher efficiency of 82%? (assume
operating hours = 3,920 hours/year).

15. A micro-hydropower system planned to be used as an additional power for a small

manufacturing plant. The water source is from the waste condenser water of a power
plant, delivered at a constant rate. The water turbine average efficiency is 70%.

(a) Determine the expected power drawn from the system in kW from a water height
of 5 m and volume flow rate of 2.5m3/sec?

(b) Estimate the possible energy saving per year, if the management decided to
change to a new turbine of the same capacity but with higher efficiency of 85%? (Given
the operating hours is 4000 hours/year).

16.
P = m/t * g * h

= 5000 x 9.81 x 50 = 2452 kW

a) 1862/2452 = 0.76 (overall efficiency) turbine – generator

b) 0.76overall efficiency = nturbine x ngenerator

0.76 / 0.95 = 0.80
c) 0.80 x 2452 = 1961.6 kW