CHAPTER-3

CLASSIFICATION AND SITE CONFIGURATION OF

HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT
 Classification of power plants
Hydropower plants could be classified on the basis of:

 Plant Capacity and Operating head

 The hydraulic features of the plant

 Operating features of the plant

 Construction Features

 Location & topographical features

 Presence or absence of storage

 Classification of power plants…
1. Classification based on plant capacity
 Micro hydropower plants <5MW
 Medium plants 5 to 100MW

 High capacity plants 100 to 1,000MW

 Super (Mega) plants above 1,000MW

2. Classification based on head

 Low head plants < 15m

 Medium head plants 15-50m

 High head plants 50-250m

 Very high head plants> 250m

 Classification of power plants…

3. Classification based on Layout (Construction features)

I. Run-off-river plants (low to medium head)

II. Valley dam plants (Medium to high head)

III. Diversion Canal Plants

IV. High head plants

V. Pumped storage plants

VI. Tidal plants

 i. Run-off-river plants
 The normal flow of the river is not disturbed;
 no significant storage;
 A weir or barrage is built across a river & the low head created is used to
generate power.
 The power house is within the main course of the river;
 Preferred in perennial rivers with moderate to high discharge, low
sediment and stable reach of a river.
 Water enters the power house through an intake structure incorporating
some or all of the following:
 Entrance flume separated by piers and walls for each machine unit;
 Turbine chamber
 Concrete or steel draft tube
 Power house building
 i. Run-off-river plants…..
Depending on different arrangements, Mosonyi proposed the
following groupings of the run-of-river plants:

a) Block power plant b) Twin block plant c) Island plant d) pier head plant e) Submersible plant
P
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 ii. Valley dam plants
 There is a dam which creates the required storage and necessary
head.
 Power house is located at the toe of the dam or further.
 Water flows through the penstock embedded in the dam or
diverted in to a canal/tunnel system to deliver flow to the power
house.
 Important components of a valley dam plants are:
 The dam with its appurtenance structures like spillway, energy
dissipation arrangements etc.
 The intake with ; stop logs, gates
 The penstock conveying water to the turbine with inlet valve &
anchorage.
 The main power house with its components.
ii. Valley dam plants…
 iii. Diversion canal plant
 There is power canal that diverts the water from the main stream channel.
 The power house is provided at suitable location along the stretch of the
canal
 The water often flowing through the turbine is brought back to the main
stream.
 Diversion canal plants are low head or medium head plants.
 They don't have storage.
 Poundage requirement is met through a pool called forebay located just
upstream of the power house
 Main structures of the diversion canal plant
 Diversion weir with its appurtenant structures.
 Diversion canal intake with its ancillary works such as sills, trash racks,
sluice, settling basin, disiltting channel.
 Bridges and culverts on the diversion canal.
 Forebay & its appurtenant structures.
iii. Diversion canal plant…
Figure: Tis Abay hydropower diversion weir
 iv. High head diversion plants
 High head is developed by:

 Diverting the river water through a system of canals and

tunnels to a downstream point of the same river.

 Diverting the water through canals and tunnels to a point on

another river which is at much lower level.

 There may be two situation concerning storage situation:

 A diversion weir to create poundage (and no storage).

 Power production is governed by the natural flow in the river.

 Storage may be provided on the main river at the point of
diversion.

 This situation is advantageous since the fluctuation in

reservoir level does not materially affect the head and the
power output can be adjusted by the controlled flow
release from the reservoir.

 Main Components of high head diversion plants:- Storage or

diversion weir, Canal/tunnel, Head race either open cut or
tunnel, Forebay/surge tank, Penstock, Power house and tail
race
iv. High head diversion plants…
 v. Pumped Storage Plant
 Pumped storage plant is suitable where:
 The natural annual run-off is insufficient to justify a conventional
hydroelectric installation.
 If it is possible to have reservoir at head & tail water locations
 It generates energy for peak load & at off-period water is pumped back for
future use.
 During off-peak periods excess power available from some other plants in
the system is used in pumping back water from the lower reservoir.
 v. Pumped Storage Plant…

 Pumped-storage projects are designed to convert low value off-peak energy

to high value on-peak energy.
 Low cost energy is used to pump water to an upper reservoir at nights and
on weekends, and the water is released during high demand hours to
generate peaking power.
 vi. Tidal power development schemes
 These are hydropower plants which utilize the rise in water level of the
sea due to a tide
 During high tide, the water from the sea-side starts rising, and the
turbines start generating power as the water flows into the bay.
 During low tide, the water from the basin flows back to the sea which
can also be used to generate power provided another set of turbines
in the opposite direction are installed.
 4. Classification based on location and
topography
 Normally plants in hilly areas are always associated with
dams; whereas plants in plain areas may have only
weirs for the main structure.

 For plants situated far in the interior and away from load
centers the transmission costs are relatively more.

 Thus the knowledge about the location and topography

of a plant helps us to appreciate these points.

 5. Classification based on hydraulic features
i. Conventional Hydro-plants
 Use normally available hydraulic energy of the flowing water
of the rivers.
ƒe.g. Run-of river plant, diversion plant, storage plant
ii. Pumped storage plants
 Use the concept of recycling the same water by using pumping
selectively.
 Normally used with areas with a shortage of water.
 It generates energy for peak load, and at off-peak periods
water is pumped back for future use.
 A pumped storage plant is an economical addition to a system
which increases the load factor of other systems and also
provides additional capacity to meet the peak load.
iii Unconventional Hydro
a) Tidal power plant

 Use the tidal energy of the sea water.

 Very few have been constructed due to structural complication.

b) Depression power plant

 Hydropower generated by diverting an ample source of water (e.g.

sea water) in the natural depression which provides operating head
for the plant
 6. Classification based on Operation
1. Base load Plants
 Electricity demand fluctuates over the course of the day, week and seasonally.
 Demand also varies from location to location, depending on the climate,
demand mix and other factors.
 During the late evening and early morning, demand for power is relatively low,
but never below a certain “base”.
 This is the amount of power, or base load, which grid operators must
always provide to electricity consumers.
 It is the minimum amount of power that a utility or distribution company
must make available to its customers, or the amount of power required to
meet minimum demands based on reasonable expectations of customer
requirements.
 There are three different types of electricity demand, as demonstrated in the
illustration below, – base load, intermediate, and peak.
 6. Classification based on Operation…
 Primarily, base load power plants use coal and nuclear forms of fuel because
they are the least expensive and produce a steady stream of electricity.
 6. Classification based on Operation…
2. Peak load plants
 Peak load refers to the maximum possible load on an electrical
system.
 It also represents the demand for a power at a certain time or
season.
 Electric power generators face peak load demands at those times
when the greatest number of people uses electricity.
 An example of this is the late afternoon when the majority of
people returns home from work and begin using electricity to
power appliances, cook, and light their homes. Peak power
load also occurs in hot weather because the bulk of air
conditioning systems operate on electricity.
 Electricity cannot be stored in the way that oil or gas can.
Electricity must be produced as needed. As a result, electricity
producers respond to demand by building facilities to
specifically address peak loads.

 Peak load facilities must be capable of being brought on line

and shut down quickly throughout the day to meet the higher
“peak” demand periods.

 Typically, peak periods occur during the afternoons of hot

summer days when air conditioners put excessive strain on the
power grid.
Methods for Locating Optimal Sites for
Hydropower Stations
 Selection of Optimum Sites
1. Sites with highest are selected
2. Remoteness from the major load center is considered;
3. Absence or presence of storage;
4. The geological formations (water tightness of the ground);
5. Natural resources;
6. Economic development potential of the area;
7. Availability of construction materials;
8. Availability of labor forces;
9. Accessibility;
10. Location of power house and spillway;
11. Sediment load of the stream;
12. The possibility of catchment treatment;
13. Land use of the site (grass land agricultural land, forest);
14. Economical viability;
15. Environmentally habitable; and
16. Social assessment.
THANK YOU!!!