Hydro-Electric
Power Plant
Learning Outcomes
• Layout and components of Hydroelectric power plant
• Site selection for hydroelectric power plant
• Advantages and disadvantages of hydro power
• Classification of hydroelectric power plant
• Prime movers in hydroelectric power plant
• Governing of prime movers
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Hydro-Electric Power Plant
• In Hydro-electric power plants the energy of water is utilized to
move the turbine which intern run the electric generators.
• Hydraulic energy is converted into Mechanical energy by the
turbines, when coupled with generator produces the power.
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Hydro electric power - India
• India is the 5th globally for installed hydroelectric power capacity.
• India’s hydroelectric capacity is 46,000 MW, or 12.3% of its total
utility power generation capacity.
• Additional smaller hydroelectric power units with a total capacity
of 4,683 MW (1.3% of its total utility power generation capacity)
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Hydro-Electric Power Plant - Layout
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Hydro Electric Power Plant – Main Components
• Reservoir - Basin formed by the construction of a dam; it holds back a very
large volume of water so that the flow rate can be controlled.
• Water intake - Structure that directs water from the headbay to the penstock
to power the plant.
• Penstock - Channel that carries water under pressure to the power plant’s
turbines.
• Draft tube - Conduit at the base of the turbine that increases the runner’s
output by reducing the pressure of the water as it exits.
• Generator unit - Device with a turbine that transmits the water’s mechanical
energy to the generator’s rotor to make it turn to produce electricity.
• Transformer - Device used to alter the electric voltage; voltage is increased as
the current leaves the power plant so that it can be carried over long distances.
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Site selection
•Water availability
•Water storage
•Water head
•Water quality (to avoid water pollution)
•Topographical data
•Geological data
•Distance to load centre
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Advantages
• Once a dam is constructed, electricity can be produced at a constant
rate.
• If electricity is not needed, the sluice gates can be shut, stopping
electricity generation. The water can be saved for use another time
when electricity demand is high.
• Dams are designed to last many decades and so can contribute to the
generation of electricity for many years / decades.
• Cost of power generation per unit is less compared to thermal power
plants.
• The efficiency of hydro-plant does not change with time. But, Thermal
and nuclear plant efficiency get reduced with time.
• The lake that forms behind the dam can be used for water sports and
leisure / pleasure activities. Often large dams become tourist attractions
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• The lake's water can be used for irrigation purposes. The
build up of water in the lake means that energy can be stored
until needed, when the water is released to produce
electricity.
• When in use, electricity produced by dam systems do not
produce green house gases. They do not pollute the
atmosphere.
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Hydro-Electric Power Plant – Disadvantages
• Dams are extremely expensive to build and must be built to a very
high standard.
• The high cost of dam construction means that they must operate for
many decades to become profitable.
• The flooding of large areas of land means that the natural
environment is destroyed.
• It takes considerable long time for its construction compared with
thermal power plant.
• Usually, Hydro power plants built far from load centers. So, it
requires long transmission lines and transmission losses are high.
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Hydro-Electric Power Plant – Disadvantages
The building of large dams can cause serious geological damage. For
example, the building of the Hoover Dam in the USA triggered a number
of earth quakes and has depressed the earth’s surface at its location.
Building a large dam alters the natural water table level. For example, the
building of the Aswan Dam in Egypt has altered the level of the water
table. This is slowly leading to damage of many of its ancient monuments
as salts and destructive minerals are deposited in the stone work from
‘rising damp’ caused by the changing water table level.
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Classification of Hydro Electric Power Plant
According to the available water head
oHigh head plants (1000 m and above)
oMedium head plants (50 to 500 m)
oLow head plants (below 50 m)
According to the nature of load
oBase load plants
oPeak load plants
According to the quantity of water available
oRun-of-river with pondage
oRun-of-river without pondage
oPumped storage power Plants
oMini (5 m – 20 m head) and micro-hydel (less than 5 m head) plants
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Run-off river without pondage
• These plant does not store water
• The plant has no control over the flow of river
• Therefore, water head is wasted during low head and high flood
conditions
• During dry season the capacity of the plant goes down
• The utility of these plants are very less due to non-uniformity of
supply.
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Run-off river plant with pondage
• The usefulness of run-off river plant is increased by using pond in
the river flow.
• The pond permits to store water during off-peak hours and uses
during peak hours
• The pond capacity is decided to take fluctuating load based on 24
hour condition
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Sr. Parameter Run off River Plants
No. Without pondage With pondage
1. Water Storage No Yes
2. Usage Only when water is Used with available when
available water or with stored water
3. Generating Depends primarily on rate Less dependent on
capacity of flow of water available rate of flow of
water.
4. Seasonal changes In rainy season, water Due to facility of water
wastage occurs while in storage, It is easier to meet
low run-off period water fluctuating demand
fails short to meet
demand.
5. Reliability Less More
6. Cost Economical Expensive
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Pumped storage plant
• In this type, water from upper reservoir is released to lower
reservoir for a shorter period to generate large quantity of
electricity
• Pumping from lower reservoir to upper reservoir is done in off-
peak hours
• Pumped storage plants are generally used for peak loads
• The power of pumping water is used when it is cheaper.
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Pumped Storage Plant
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Power distribution, over a day, of a pumped-storage
hydroelectricity facility
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Mini and Micro Plant
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Prime Movers or Turbines
•The prime-mover converts the kinetic energy of water
into mechanical energy and further into electrical
energy.
•These machines are classified on the basis of the action
of water on moving blades
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Prime Movers - classification
Impulse Turbine
The pressure energy of the water is converted into kinetic
energy when passed through the nozzle and forms the high
velocity jet of water.
The formed water jet is used for driving the wheel.
Reaction Turbine
The water pressure combined with the velocity works on the
runner.
The power in this turbine is developed from the combined
action of pressure and velocity of water that completely fills the
runner and water passage
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Prime Movers
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Impulse Turbine
Reaction Turbine
The velocity of jet which changes, the Both pressure and velocity changes as fluid
pressure throughout remaining passes through a runner. Pressure at inlet
atmosphere. is much higher than at outlet.
Water-tight casing is not necessary. (It
The runner must be enclosed within a
only serves to prevent splashing and guide
watertight casing.
water to the tail race.)
Water is admitted only in the form of jets.
Water is admitted over the entire
There may be one or more jets striking
circumference of the runner.
equal number of buckets simultaneously.
Reaction turbine are generally connected
The turbine is always installed above the to the tail race through a draft tube which
tail race and there is no draft tube used. is a gradually expanding passage. It may be
installed below or above the tail race. 32
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The flow regulation in reaction turbine is
Flow regulation is done by means of a
carried out by means of a guide-vane
needle valve fitted into the nozzle.
assembly.
Examples: Francis turbine, Kaplan and
Example : Pelton wheel.
Deriaz Turbine,
Impulse Turbine operates at high water Reaction turbine operate at low and
heads. medium heads.
Impulse Turbine have more hydraulic Reaction Turbine have relatively less
efficiency. efficiency.
Water flow is tangential direction to the Water flows in radial and axial direction
turbine wheel. to turbine wheel.
Impulse turbine involves less Reaction turbine involves more
maintenance work. maintenance work.
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Pelton Turbine
•Tangential flow, Impulse turbine
•The pressure at the inlet and outlet of the turbine is
atmospheric
•Head Range: 300 – 2000 m
•Maximum power output : 250 MW
•Specific speed: 4 - 70
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Pelton Turbine
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Francis Turbine
• Inward flow, Reaction turbine
• Head Range: 30 – 500 m
• Power Output: 750 MW (Maximum)
• Specific speed: 60 - 400
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Francis Turbine
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Francis Turbine
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Kaplan Turbine
• Axial flow, Reaction turbine
• Head range: 2 – 70 m
• Power output: 225 MW (Maximum)
• Specific speed: 300 – 1100
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Kaplan Turbine
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Selection of Prime Movers
(1) Rotational Speed.
(2) Specific Speed.
(3) Runaway Speed (Speed at no load).
(4) Maximum Efficiency.
(5) Part Load Efficiency.
(6) Head.
(7) Type of Water.
(8) Cavitation.
(9) Number of Units.
(10) Overall Cost.
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Specific Speed vs Head
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Specific speed Vs Efficiency
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Load Vs Efficiency
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Prime Movers – Governing of Turbines
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Governing of Pelton Turbine
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Governing of Pelton Turbine – Servo motor
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Governing of Turbine – Francis & Kaplan
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Comparison of Pelton, Francis & Kaplan
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