HydroElectric Power
Introduction
1. Hydroelectric Power Station
2. Types of HydroElectric Power (HEP)
Plant
3. Types of HEP Plant Propellers
4. Advantages and Disadvantages
Introduction
Water has been harnessed to perform work for
thousands of years.
The Greeks used water wheels for grinding
wheat into flour more than 2,000 years ago.
Besides grinding flour, the power of the water
was used to saw wood and power textile mills
and manufacturing plants.
Video
Introduction
Water constantly moves through a vast global
cycle or called hydrologic cycle
Video
Introduction
The energy of this water cycle, which is driven
by the sun, can be used to produce electricity
(hydropower) or for mechanical tasks like
grinding grain.
The fuel for hydropower is only water — which
is not reduced or used up during the process.
Because the water cycle is an endless,
constantly recharging system, hydropower is
considered a renewable energy.
HYDROELECTRIC POWER STATION
Definition
A plant that produces electricity by using water
to propel the turbines, which in turn, drive the
generators.
How Hydropower Works?
Most hydropower plants rely on a dam
that holds back water, creating a large
reservoir. Often, this reservoir is used
as a recreational lake, such as
Empangan Kenyir, Terengganu
Gates on the dam open and gravity pulls the
water through the penstock, a pipeline that
leads to the turbine. Water builds up
pressure as it flows through this pipe.
The water strikes and
turns the large
blades of a turbine,
which is attached to
a generator above it
by way of a shaft.
As the turbine blades
turn, so do a series of
magnets inside the
generator. Giant
magnets rotate past
copper coils, producing
alternating current (AC)
The transformer inside
the powerhouse takes
the AC and converts it
to higher-voltage
current.
Used water is carried through
pipelines, called tailraces, and
re-enters the river downstream.
Types of Hydropower Plants
Impoundment
Diversion/Run-off-river
Pumped Storage
Impoundment
• Most common.
• Uses a dam to store river water in a reservoir.
Diversion/Run-off-river
• Extract total
energy from
the flowing flid
itself.
• It may not
require the use
of a dam.
Pumped Storage
• Upper/lower reservoir
• Store energy in the form
of water
• Lower to higher elevation
• Sell more electricity
during peak hour
• Water bodies can be
natural or man-made
• Closed loop – no natural
water ways
Hydropower Propeller
Type of
turbine
Reaction
Impulse
Kaplan turbine Francis
turbines. Pelton
turbines
Turgo
turbines
Reaction Impulse
turbine turbine
The water pressure and
kinetic energy from water pressure is
flowing water can apply a converted into kinetic
force on the face of the energy before entering the
runner blades, which runner
decreases as it proceeds
through the turbine.
The kinetic energy is in the
The turbine casing, with form of a high-speed jet
the runner fully immersed that strikes the buckets,
in water, must be strong mounted on the periphery
enough to withstand the of the runner.
operating pressure.
REACTION TURBINE
Kaplan turbine
• Developed in 1913 by the Austrian professor
Viktor Kaplan
• Propeller-type water turbine which has
adjustable blades
• Allowed efficient power production in low-head
and high flow rate applications.
Theory of application
• Axial and inward flow turbine
• Power is recovered from hydrostatic head and kinetic energy of the
flowing water
• Fluid changes pressure as it moves through the turbine and gives up its
energy
• The outlet is a specially shaped draft tube that helps decelerate the
water and recover kinetic energy.
Francis turbine
• Developed by James B. Francis
• An inward-flow reaction turbine that
combines radial and axial flow concepts
• Most common water turbine in use
today
Theory application
• The inlet is spiral shaped
• This radial flow acts on the runner's vanes, causing the runner to spin
• The guide vanes (or wicket gate) may be adjustable to allow efficient
turbine operation for a range of water flow conditions.
IMPULSE TURBINE
Turgo turbine
• Turgo turbine is an impulse water turbine designed
for medium head applications.
• Developed in 1919 by Gilkes as a modification of
the Pelton wheel
Theory application
• Water does not change pressure as it moves through the turbine blades.
• The water's energy is converted to kinetic energy with a nozzle.
• The high speed water jet is then directed on the turbine blades which deflect and
reverse the flow.
• The resulting impulse spins the turbine runner, imparting energy to the turbine
shaft.
• Water exits with very little energy
Pelton turbine
• It was invented by Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s.
• Pelton wheel extracts energy from the impulse of
moving water, as opposed to its weight like
traditional overshot water wheel
Theory of application
• The water flows along the tangent to the path of the
runner.
• As water flows into the bucket, the direction of the
water velocity changes to follow the contour of the
bucket
• the water exerts pressure on the bucket and the
water is then decelerated and flows out the other side
of the bucket at low velocity.
• the water's momentum is transferred to the turbine.
Advantages & Disadvantages
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
• Able to use over the years • Disturbance of habitat
• One of the clean energy sources • High cost of installation
• Emission of methane gas & CO2 to
• Unlimited resources
the atmosphere
• Create recreational opportunities • Disrupt the natural flow of water
• Reliable compared to solar and
wind energy
