This document provides information on hydropower, including how it works, its renewable nature, types of hydropower plants, plant components, and turbines. Hydropower harnesses the kinetic energy of falling or flowing water to generate electricity. Dams impound water to form reservoirs that provide potential energy, then water flows through turbines connected to generators to produce emissions-free renewable electricity. Hydropower plant components include reservoirs, dams, inlet waterways, penstocks or tunnels, powerhouses containing turbines and generators, and spillways. Common turbine types are impulse (Pelton) for high head applications and reaction (Francis and Kaplan) for lower head situations.
4. Hydropower is the leading
source of renewable energy.
Provides more than 97% of all
electricity generated by renewable
sources.
5. The sun
provides the
water by
evaporation from
the sea, and will
keep on doing so.
The water on
the earth is
continuously
replenished by
precipitation.
The fall and
movement of
water is part of
a continuous
natural cycle
called the
hydrologic
cycle.
Wh y is it
renewable
?
6. Hydropower plants capture the energy of falling water to generate
electricity. A dam impounds water to form a reservoir and raises the
water level to create head.
Reservoir Power
Water from the
reservoir flows
due to gravity to
drive the turbine.
Power
generated is
transmitted over
power lines.
Turbine
Turbine is
connected to
a generator.
7. •Emissions-free
•Renewable resource with high
conversion efficiency to
electricity ( 80+ %).
•Scalable from 10 kWe
to 10,000 MWe
•Low operating and
maintenance costs
•Long lifetime –
50+ years typical
8. •Frequently involves impoundment
of large amounts of water
•Variable output – dependent on
rainfall and snowfall
•Impacts on river flows and aquatic
ecology
•Migration of people
•High initial capital
costs
•Long lead time in construction of
mega-sized projects
9. Waterwheels Hydroelectric
used for
hundreds of
years to
power mills
and
machinery
ity
Dam less
hydro
usually
referring to
hydroelectri
c dams, or
run-of-the-river
setups.
which
captures the
kinetic energy
in rivers,
streams and
oceans
10. Tidal
power
which
captures
energy
from the
tides in
horizontal
direction
Wave power Marine current
power
which
captures the
kinetic energy
from marine
currents.
which uses
the energy
in waves
11. Pico HP -Up to 10kW
Capacity more than 100 MW
Capacity 15MW - 100 MW
Capacity above 1MW
Small HP
Micro HP
Large
Medium
HP
Mini HP
Capacity 300kW to
1MW
Capacity
0kW to
300kW
12. Hydro plants can be classified according to
water flow/storage characteristics
Impoundment Diversion Pump storage
Types
13. Water in the reservoir is located at the
Reservo height above the rest of the dam structure.
ir
…built at location where the height of the
river is sufficiently high so as to get maximum
possible potential energy from water.
Dam
Passages through which water is conveyed
from dam to power house.
Inlet
water
ways
A building that houses turbines, generators
and other auxiliaries . Power-house
Trail
race
A passage for discharging water leaving the
turbine
14. Penstock - closed
pressure pipes
Tunnel – made by
cutting mountains
Spillways -
provide discharge
of surplus water
Inlet water ways
include …
Tunnel
Spillways
15. Impulse Reactio
n
Reaction
Pelton
turbines are
suited to
high head,
low flow
applications
.
…contains a
runner that has
water passages
through it
formed by
curved vanes or
blades having
an output of 750
MW.
Kaplan
turbines are
well suited to
situations in
which there is
a low head and
a large
amount of
discharge.
17. Hydropower is an efficient way to
generate electricity.
Modern hydro turbines can convert as
much as 90% of the available energy into
electricity.
The best fossil fuel plants are only about
50% efficient.