HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANT

Assoc. Prof. Dr Mohamed Moawed

Content
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Overview about hydroelectric power plant How Hydropower Works Sizes of Hydropower Plants Types of Hydraulic Turbines Analysis of Hydraulic Turbines Electric Generation Application of Hydroelectric Power Plants

Layout of Hydroelectric Power Plants

Hydroelectric power plants convert the hydraulic potential energy from water into electrical energy. Such plants are suitable were water with suitable head are available. The layout covered in this article is just a simple one and only cover the important parts of hydroelectric plant. The different parts of a hydroelectric power plant are

(1) Dam
Dams are structures built over rivers to stop the water flow and form a reservoir. The reservoir stores the water flowing down the river. This water is diverted to turbines in power stations. The dams collect water during the rainy season and stores it, thus allowing for a steady flow through the turbines throughout the year. Dams are also used for controlling floods and irrigation. The dams should be water-tight and should be able to withstand the pressure exerted by the water on it. There are different types of dams such as arch dams, gravity dams and buttress dams. The height of water in the dam is called head race.

(2) Spillway
A spillway as the name suggests could be called as a way for spilling of water from dams. It is used to provide for the release of flood water from a dam. It is used to prevent over toping of the dams which could result in damage or failure of dams. Spillways could be controlled type or uncontrolled type. The uncontrolled types start releasing water upon water rising above a particular level. But in case of the controlled type, regulation of flow is possible.

(3) Penstock and Tunnel

Penstocks are pipes which carry water from the reservoir to the turbines inside power station. They are usually made of steel and are equipped with gate systems.Water under high pressure flows through the penstock. A tunnel serves the same purpose as a penstock. It is used when an obstruction is present between the dam and power station such as a mountain.

(4) Surge Tank

Surge tanks are tanks connected to the water conductor system. It serves the purpose of reducing water hammering in pipes which can cause damage to pipes. The sudden surges of water in penstock is taken by the surge tank, and when the water requirements increase, it supplies the collected water thereby regulating water flow and pressure inside the penstock.

(5) Power Station

Power station contains a turbine coupled to a generator. The water brought to the power station rotates the vanes of the turbine producing torque and rotation of turbine shaft. This rotational torque is transfered to the generator and is converted into electricity. The used water is released through the tail race. The difference between head race and tail race is called gross head and by subtracting the frictional losses we get the net head available to the turbine for generation of electricity.

The best place for a hydro-electric power station is up in the mountains.This is because it doesnt get too hot so the water doesnt evaporate and stays in the dam. Also there is a lot of rain in the mountains ensuring the reservoir is always full. The land also needs to be impermeable so that the water doesnt infiltrate through the rocks below.

Advantages of Hydroelectric Power Plants

Once the dam is built,the energy is virtually free Water can be stored above the dam ready to cope with peaks in demand much more reliable than wind,solar or wave power No waste or pollution produced Electricity can be generated constantly Hydro-electric power stations can increase to full power very quickly unlike other power stations

Disadvantages of Hydroelectric Power Plants

The dams are very expensive to build,however many dams are also used for flood control or irrigation,so building costs can be shared Building a large dam will flood a very large area upstream,causing problems for animals that used to live there Finding a suitable site can be difficult - the impact on residents and the environment may be unacceptable. Water quality and quantity downstream can be affected, which can have an impact on plant life.

Hydropower to Electric Power

Potential Energy

Electrical Energy Electricity

Kinetic Energy

Mechanical Energy

Hydropower to Electric Power

How Hydropower Works



 

Water from the reservoir flows due to gravity to drive the turbine. Turbine is connected to a generator. Power generated is transmitted over power lines.

A picture of how it works

How Hydropower Works (2)



 

A water turbine that cover the energy of flowing or falling water into mechanical energy that drives a generator, which generates electrical power. This is a heart of hydropower power plant. A control mechanism to provide stable electrical power. It is called governor. Electrical transmission line to deliver the power to its destination.

Sizes of Hydropower Plants

Pico hydroelectric plant  Up to 10kW, remote areas away from the grid Micro hydroelectric plant  Capacity 10kW to 300kW, usually provided power for small community or rural industry in remote areas away from the grid Small hydroelectric plant  Capacity 300kW to 1MW Mini hydroelectric plant  Capacity above 1MW Medium hydroelectric plant  15 - 100 MW usually feeding a grid Large hydroelectric plant  More than 100 MW feeding into a large electricity grid

Micro Hydropower Systems

Many creeks and rivers are permanent, they never dry up, and these are the most suitable for micro-hydro power production Micro hydro turbine could be a waterwheel Newer turbines : Pelton wheel (most common) Others : Turgo, Crossflow and various axial flow turbines

Is it renewable?
Hydro-electric power is renewable.The Sun provides the water by evaporation from the sea,and will keep on doing so
The Sun evaporates water from the sea and lakes, which forms clouds and falls as rain in the mountains, keeping the dam supplied with water.

Turbines

Turbine Classified

Impulse Turbines
Uses the velocity of the water to move the runner and discharges to atmospheric pressure. The water stream hits each bucket on the runner. High head, low flow applications. Types : Pelton turbine, Turgo turbine

Pelton Turbine

PELTON TURBINES
Entrance elbow Injector Regulator Bun Blades or spoons.

How works the Pelton turbine?

The Pelton turbines are used with high height jumps. The gravitational power energy of the water dammed becomes in kinetic energy. The injector throws the high speed water to the blades that are glued to the bun. The water spurt transmits its kinetic energy to the bun, where it is transformed instantaneously into mechanical energy.

PELTONS BLADES
The edge that divides each bucket in two symmetrical parts cuts the water spurt, sectioning it in two laminae of fluid, theoretically of identical volume. This disposition allows resisting mutually the axial pushes that are originated in the bun.

PELTON WHEEL

3 VELOCITY TRIANGLES
The velocity diagrams for the Pelton wheel are shown in the following Fig.

# Since the angle of entry of the jet is nearly zero, the inlet velocity triangle is a straight line, as shown in Fig. 2. # If the bucket is brought to rest, then the relative fluid velocity, V1, is given by:

# The angle turned through by the jet in the horizontal plane during its passage over the bucket surface is and the relative velocity at exit is V2. # The absolute velocity, C2, at exit can be obtained by adding bucket speed vector U2 and relative velocity, V2, at exit. Now using Eulers turbine

Since in this case CW2 is in the negative x direction,

** Neglecting loss due to friction across the bucket surface, that is, V1 = V2, then

The last Equ. can be optimized by differentiating with respect to U, and equating it to zero. Therefore:

Substituting by U=C1/2 in Equ. Of E

In practice, surface friction is always present and V1 V2, then the first Equ. Of E becomes:

** If =180, the maximum hydraulic efficiency is 100%. In practice, deflection angle is in the order of 160165.

NEXT SECTION WE WILL DISCOUSS THE: PELTON WHEEL (LOSSES AND EFFICIENCIES)

# PELTON WHEEL (LOSSES AND EFFICIENCIES)

** The jet efficiency ( j) takes care of losses in the nozzle and the mechanical efficiency ( m) is meant for the bearing friction and windage losses. ** The overall efficiency ( o) for large Pelton turbine is about 8590%. Following efficiency is usually used for Pelton wheel.

The following figure shows the total headline, where the water supply is from a reservoir at a head H1 above the nozzle.

# The frictional head loss, hf, is the loss as the water flows through the pressure tunnel and penstock up to entry to the nozzle. # Then the transmission efficiency is:

** Nozzle velocity coefficient

** Therefore the nozzle efficiency becomes

Reaction Turbines

Combined action of pressure and moving water. Runner placed directly in the water stream flowing over the blades rather than striking each individually. Lower head and higher flows than compared with the impulse turbines.

Reaction Turbines

Francis Turbine

FRANCIS TURBINES
The Francis turbine is one of the reaction turbines The radial flow causes the turn of the runner This turbine is reversible Francis turbines may be designed for a wide range of heads and flows

FRANCIS TURBINE

The inlet and outlet velocity triangles for the Francis turbine :

(a) Francis turbine runner

(b) velocity triangles for Francis turbine.

Eulers turbine equation Eq. (Power) and E is maximum when Cw2 (whirl velocity at outlet) is zero that is when the absolute and flow velocities are equal at the outlet

TURBINE LOSSES

Runner power loss is due to friction, shock at impeller entry, and flow separation. If hf is the head loss associated with a flow rate through the runner of Qr, then:

r
Leakage power loss is due to leakage in flow rate, q, past the runner and therefore not being handled by the runner. Thus

If Hr is the head across the runner, the leakage power loss becomes:

Casing power loss, Pc, is due to friction, eddy, and flow separation losses in the casing and draft tube. If hc is the head loss in casing then

The last Eq. is the theoretical energy transfer per unit weight of fluid. Therefore the maximum efficiency is:

Kaplan Turbine

KAPLAN TURBINES
The turbines that take his name have revolutionized in these years the use of jumps of little height. The Kaplan turbines are water reaction turbines of axial flow, with a bun that works in similar way to the helix of a boat. The Kaplan turbine is a helix turbine in which the blades of the bun turn itself when it is on, adjusting automatically according the work to the conditions of optimal yield.

KAPLAN TURBINE

AXIAL FLOW TURBINE

In an axial flow reaction turbine, also known as Kaplan turbine, the flow of water is parallel to the shaft. A Kaplan turbine is used where a large quantity of water is available at low heads and hence the blades must be long and have large chords so that they are strong enough to transmit the very high torque that arises.

Kaplan turbine of water is available at low heads.

Kaplan turbine runner

Velocity triangles for an axial flow hydraulic turbine.

The flow velocity is axial at inlet and outlet, hence Cr1 = Cr2 = Ca
C1 is the absolute velocity vector at angle E1 toU1, and V1 is the relative velocity at an angle F1. For maximum efficiency, the whirl component Cw2 = 0, in which case the absolute velocity at exit is axial and then C2 = Cr2

ELECTION OF THE TURBINES

Typical range of heads

Kaplan Francis Pelton

2 < H < 40

(H = head in meters)

10 < H < 350 50 < H < 1300

Hydropower

The most obvious impact of hydropower

The dams effects Flooding of vast areas of land Dams can facilitate the development of diseases Cumuli silt Destructive failure

Flooding of vast areas of land

Flooded homeland Immigrant Destroyed rare ecosystems

Dams can facilitate the development of diseases

Reservoir Bacteria Fish people

Cumuli silt
Reducing the amount of water which can be stored and used for electrical generation

Turbine Selection Chart