HYDROELECTRIC PLANTS

Water is a great source of energy, because it is available in abundance and is quite

cheap. The potential energy of water at high levels is utilized for the generation of
electrical energy. The generating stations which obtain energy from water are called
Hydro-electric Power stations.
SITE SELECTION FOR HYDROELECTRIC PLANTS:
The following factors should be considered in the selection of site for
hydroelectric plants.
vi. AVAILABILITY OF WATER: since in such power stations potential
energy of water fall or kinetic energy of flowing stream is utilized generation
of electric power, therefore such stations should be built where there is
adequate water available at good head or huge quantity of water is flowing
across a given point.
vii. WATER STORAGE: since storage of water in a suitable reservoir at a
height or building of dam across the river is essential in order to have
continuous and perennial supply during the dry season, therefore, convenient
accommodation for the erection of a dam or reservoir must be available.
viii.WATER HEAD: they available water head depends upon the topography
of the area, Availability of head of water has considerable effect on the cost
and economy of power generation. An increase in effective head reduces the
quantity of water to be stored and handled by the penstocks, screens and
turbines and, therefore, capital cost of the plant is reduced.
ix. DISTANCE FROM THE LOAD CENTER: Hydroelectric plant is usually
located far away from the load centre. Hence for economical transmission of
electric power, the routes and the distance need active considerations.
x. ACCESSIBILITY OF THE SITE: adequate transportation facilities must be
available or there should be possibility of providing the same so that the
necessary equipment and machinery could be easily transported.
xi. AVAILABILITY OF LAND: the land available should be cheap in cost and
rocky in order to withstand the weight of the large buildings and heavy
 machinery.
xii. There should be possible of stream diversion during period of construction.
xiii.At the time of construction sand, gravel etc. should be available.
ELEMENTS OF HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER PLANT:
A hydro-electric plant consist of a reservoir for storage of water, a diversion dam,
an intake structure for controlling and regulating the flow of water, a conduit system to
carry the water from the intake to the water wheel, the turbine coupled with generators,
the draft tube for conveying water from water wheel to the tailrace, the tailrace and a
power house i.e. the building to contain the turbines, generators, the accessories and other
miscellaneous items. The size, location, and type of each of these essential elements
depend upon the topography and geological conditions and the amount of water to be
used.
i. STORAGE RESERVOIR: It is basic requirements of a hydro electric plant. Its
purpose is to store water during excess flow period and supply the same during lean flow
period. A low head plant require very large storage reservoir. The capacity of reservoir
depends on the difference between during high and lean flow.

Hydroelectric Reservoirs

ii. DAM: The function of dam is not only to rise the water surface of the stream to create
an artificial head but also the pondage, storage or facility of diversion into conduits Dams
are build of concrete or stone masonry, earth or rock fill.

One of the Largest hydro-electric power stations

iii.Turbine: its main function is to rotate generator.

It consists of following parts:

i.RUNNER: Wheel is fitted with vanes on its periphery. It rotates due to action of water
glide on the vanes
ii.Guiding Mechanism: It guides the water coming from the pipeline to runner.

iii.Tail Race: The water after passing over the moving vanes of the runner flows to the
tail race
VARIOUS FACTORS TO BE CONSIDER WHILE SELECTING A TURBINE:
( i). working of head,(ii).nature of head,(iii).output,(iv).specific speed.

WORKING OF HYDRO POWER STATION

A generating stations which utilizes the kinetic energy of a stream or potential
energy of water at a high level of the generation of electrical energy is known as Hydro-
electric Power Station.
Since the sources of power in a hydro-electric station are water, water maintains a
natural flow when there is a difference of level between the upstream and downstream
sides. Sometimes the difference of level exists naturally as in the waterfalls of large
rivers. But in most cases the difference in level is created artificially by constructing
dams across the rivers. The dam provides not only the difference in level but also
facilitates and ensures storage of water, which may be utilized when the consumers
demand reaches the peak.
The water from upstream side is guided to the power house through the penstock
which is a larger diameter of pipe line discharges the water to the inlet of the hydraulic
turbines. The turbine converts most of the kinetic energy of water into mechanical or
rotating energy. The remaining part is treated as loss in the turbine and pipelines. The
mechanical energy of the turbine is transmitted through coupling a shaft to the alternator
or generator. The alternator converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy. A
very small part of the total kinetic energy of the water is carried away with itself as it is
discharged by the turbine to the outside atmosphere through the tail race.
Generators or Alternators:
Hydroelectric generators are low-speed machines of the salient pole type, having
a large number of poles, a large diameter and a short rotor (in length). The speed of a
hydroelectric generator depends on the speed of ther turbine deiving it, which in turn
depends on the specific speed of the particular type of turbine.
The capacities in which hydroelectric generators are available vary from 500 KW
to 700 MW. The power factor for such generators are usually around 0.90 lag or now a
days as high as 0.95 lagging. The standard voltages for generation used inour country as
3.3, 5 and 11 KV at 50 Hz. Generally 11 KV generation at 50 Hz is preferred.

MERITS AND DEMERITS OF HYDROELECTRIC POWER

PLANTS:
Hydroelectric power plants offer many distinct advantages over power plants.
These advantages can be summarised as under:
xiv.no fuel is required by such plants as water is the source of energy. Hence
operating costs are low and there are no problems of handling and storage of
fuel and disposal of ash.
xv. The plant is highly reliable and it is cheapest in operation and maintenance.
xvi.The plant can be run up and synchronised in a few minutes.
xvii.The load can be varied quickely and the rapidly changine load demands can
be met without any difficulty.
xviii.Very acute governing is possible with water turbines so such power plants
have constant speed and hence constant frequency.
xix.There are no standby losses in such losses.
xx. Such plants are robust and have got longer life (around 50 years).
xxi.The efficiency of such plants does not fall with the age.
xxii.It is very neat and clean plant because no smoke or ash is produced.
xxiii.Such plants in addition to generation of electric power also serve other
purposes such as irrigation, flood control and navigation.
However, the hydroelectric power plants have the follwing demerits also
xxiv.it requiress large area.
xxv.Its construction cost is enormously high and takes a long time for erection.
xxvi.Long transmission lines are required as the plants are located in hilly areas
which are quite away from the load centre.
 xxvii.The output of such plants is never constant owing to vagaries of monsoons
and their dependence on the rate of water flow in a river. Long dry season
may affect the power supply.
xxviii.The firm capacity of hydroelectric plants is low and so backup by steam
plants is essential.
xxix.Hydroelectric powr plant reservoir submerges huge areas, uproots large
population and creates social and other problems.

Hydro-electric facts

Oldest:

• Cragside, Rothbury, England completed 1870.

• Appleton, Wisconsin, USA completed 1882, A waterwheel on the Fox river

supplied the first commercial hydroelectric power for lighting to two paper mills
and a house, two years after Thomas Edison demonstrated incandescent lighting
to the public. Within a matter of weeks of this installation, a power plant was also
put into commercial service at Minneapolis.

• Duck Reach, Launceston, Tasmania. Completed 1895. The first publicly-owned

hydro-electric plant in the Southern Hemisphere. Supplied power to the city of
Launceston for street lighting.

• Decew Falls 1, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada completed 25 August 1898.

Owned by Ontario Power Generation. Four units are still operational. Recognized
as an IEEE Milestone in Electrical Engineering & Computing by the IEEE
Executive Committee in 2002.

Countries with the most hydro-electric capacity

• Canada, 341,312 GWh (66,954 MW installed)

• USA, 319,484 GWh (79,511 MW installed)

• Brazil, 285,603 GWh (57,517 MW installed)

• China, 204,300 GWh (65,000 MW installed)

• Russia, 169,700 GWh (46,100 MW installed) (2005)

• Norway, 121,824 GWh (27,528 MW installed)

• Japan, 84,500 GWh (27,229 MW installed)

• India, 82,237 GWh (22,083 MW installed)

• France, 77,500 GWh (25,335 MW installed)

INDIAN POWER RESOURCES