A Report On,

Hydro
Power Plant

Created By,
SHREEYASH MALODE
SANDEEP SINGH
TARKESH GIRI
AMIT DONGRE
PRATIK ZANZAD
PRANIT PALIWAL
HARISH ARJE

NATIONAL POWER TRAINING

INSTITUTE ,NAGPUR

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
Energy is the most important thing in this world. All living plants, animals (organisms) on this earth
require energy to perform any type of work. The capacity to do a work is energy. The energy may
require in smaller amount or in larger amount depending upon the nature of work to be performed.
The different things from which we get the energy are called as Energy Sources. This is the simplest
meaning of energy sources.
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from
the force or energy of moving water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Prior to the
development of electric power, hydropower was used for irrigation, and operation of various
machines, such as watermills, textile machines, sawmills, dock cranes, and domestic lifts.
In hydrology, hydropower is manifested in the force of the water on the riverbed and banks of a river.
It is particularly powerful when the river is in flood. The force of the water results in the removal
of sediment and other materials from the riverbed and banks of the river, causing erosion and other
alterations.
Conventional OR Non-Renewable Energy Sources
The energy sources, which we are using from long time and which are in danger of exhausting, are
called as Conventional OR Non-Renewable Energy Sources. They are not renewed by Nature and they
are
perishable,
are
going
to
get
exhausted
one
day.
e.
g.
coal,
petroleum
products,
nuclear
fuels
etc.

1.2

1.3 Non-Conventional OR Renewable Energy Sources

These are the energy sources whose utilization technology is not yet fully developed. These are the
sources, which can be recovered and reused. i. e. they can be used again and again to generate energy
because of the renewal of their energy.
We are going to consider one of the ways of generation of energy from non-conventional energy
namely hydroelectric energy.
As name suggest, it is the energy obtained from water. The main principle used in this type is the
kinetic energy of falling water is converted into electric energy using turbines.
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of
electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most
widely used form of renewable energy.

1.4 History

Fig 1. Irrigation Water Wheel

A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful
forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number
of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface. Most commonly, the
wheel is mounted vertically on a horizontal axle, but the tub or Norse wheel is mounted horizontally
on a vertical shaft. Vertical wheels can transmit power either through the axle or via a ring gear and
typically drive belts or gears; horizontal wheels usually directly drive their load.

CHAPTER 2: Hydro Energy

Fig. 2 Hydrological Cycle

The total amount of water on the earth and in its atmosphere does not change but the earths water is
always in movement. Oceans, rivers, clouds and rain, all of which contain water, are in a frequent state
of change and the motion of rain and flowing rivers transfers water in a never-ending cycle. This
circulation and conservation of earths water as it circulates from the land to the sky and back again is
called the hydrological cycle or water cycle.
The hydrologic cycle begins with the evaporation of water from the surface of the ocean. As moist air is

lifted, it cools and water vapor condenses to form clouds. Moisture is transported around the globe until
it returns to the surface as precipitation. Once the water reaches the ground, one of two processes may
occur;
1) some of the water may evaporate back into the atmosphere or
2) the water may penetrate the surface and become groundwater. Groundwater either seeps its way to
into the oceans, rivers, and streams, or is released back into the atmosphere through transpiration.
The balance of water that remains on the earth's surface is runoff, which empties into lakes, rivers
and streams and is carried back to the oceans, where the cycle begins again.

CHAPTER 3: Power Plants

There are 5 different ways to generate electricity from hydro energy.

Conventional Dam
Most hydroelectric power comes from the potential energy of dammed water driving a water
turbine and generator. The power extracted from the water depends on the volume and on the
difference in height between the source and the water's outflow. This height difference is called
the head. The amount of potential energy in water is proportional to the head. A large pipe delivers
water to the turbine.

3.1

Fig.3 Conventional Dam

3.2 Pumped Storage

This method produces electricity to supply high peak demands by moving water between reservoirs at
different elevations. At times of low electrical demand, excess generation capacity is used to pump
water into the higher reservoir. When there is higher demand, water is released back into the lower
reservoir through a turbine. Pumped-storage schemes currently provide the most commercially
important means of large-scale grid energy storage and improve the daily capacity factor of the
generation system.

The method stores energy in the form of water, pumped from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher
elevation. Low-cost off-peak electric power is used to run the pumps. During periods of high electrical
demand, the stored water is released through turbines to produce electric power. Although the losses of
the pumping process makes the plant a net consumer of energy overall, the system
increases revenue by selling more electricity during periods of peak demand, when electricity prices
are highest. Pumped storage is the largest-capacity form of grid energy storage now available.

Fig. 4 Pumped Storage Power Plant

This system may be economical because it flattens out load variations on the power grid, permitting
thermal power stations such as coal-fired plants and nuclear power plants and renewable energy power
plants that provide base-load electricity to continue operating at peak efficiency, while reducing the
need for "peaking" power plants that use the same fuels as many base load thermal plants, gas and oil,
but have been designed for flexibility rather than maximal thermal efficiency. However, capital costs
for purpose-built hydro storage are relatively high.
Along with energy management, pumped storage systems help control electrical
network frequency and provide reserve generation. Thermal plants are much less able to respond to
sudden changes in electrical demand, potentially causing frequency and voltage instability. Pumped
storage plants, like other hydroelectric plants, can respond to load changes within seconds.

Run Of The River

Run-of-the-river hydroelectric stations are those with small or no reservoir capacity, so that the water
coming from upstream must be used for generation at that moment, or must be allowed to bypass the
dam. A dam smaller than used for traditional hydro is required to ensure there is enough water to
enter the penstock pipes that lead to the lower-elevation turbines.

3.3

Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is ideal for streams or rivers with a minimum dry weather flow or
those regulated by a much larger dam and reservoir upstream. A dam, smaller than that used for
traditional hydro, is required to ensure that there is enough water to enter the "penstock" pipes that
lead to the lower-elevation turbines. Projects with poundage, as opposed to those without poundage,
can store water for peak load demand or continuously for base load, especially during wet seasons. In
general, projects divert some or most of a rivers flow through a pipe and/or tunnel leading to
electricity-generating turbines, then return the water back to the river downstream.

Fig. 5 Run of the River

ROR projects are dramatically different in design and appearance from conventional hydroelectric
projects. Traditional hydro dams store enormous quantities of water in reservoirs, necessitating the
flooding of large tracts of land. In contrast, most run-of-river projects do not require a large
impoundment of water, which is a key reason why such projects are often referred to as
environmentally-friendly, or "green power."

The use of the term "run-of-the-river" for power projects varies around the world and is dependent on
different definitions. Some may consider a project ROR if power is produced with no storage while a
limited storage is considered by others. Developers may mislabel a project ROR to sooth public image
about its environmental or social effects.

3.4 Tidal Power

A tidal power plant makes use of the daily rise and fall of ocean water due to tides; such sources are
highly predictable, and if conditions permit construction of reservoirs, can also be dispatchble to
generate power during high demand periods. Less common types of hydro schemes use water's kinetic
energy or undammed sources such as undershot waterwheels.
Tidal power is extracted from the Earth's oceanic tides; tidal forces are periodic variations in
gravitational attraction exerted by celestial bodies. These forces create corresponding motions or
currents in the world's oceans. The magnitude and character of this motion reflects the changing

positions of the Moon and Sun relative to the Earth, the effects of Earth's rotation, and local geography
of the sea floor and coastlines.

Fig. 6 Working

A tidal generator converts the energy of tidal flows into electricity. Greater tidal variation and higher
tidal current velocities can dramatically increase the potential of a site for tidal electricity generation.
Tidal stream generators make use of the kinetic energy of moving water to power turbines, in a similar
way to wind turbines that use wind to power turbines.
Tidal barrages make use of the potential energy in the difference in height between high and low tides.
Barrages are essentially dams across the full width of a tidal estuary.

Fig. 7 Schematic

3.5 Under Ground

An underground power station makes use of a large natural height difference between two waterways,
such as a waterfall or mountain lake. An underground tunnel is constructed to take water from the high
reservoir to the generating hall built in an underground cavern near the lowest point of the water
tunnel and a horizontal tailrace taking water away to the lower outlet waterway.

Fig. 8 Working of Underground Plant

Fig. 9 Schematic Of Underground Power Plant

CHAPTER 4: Classification Of Turbines

Flowing water is directed on to the blades of a turbine runner, creating a force on the blades. Since the
runner is spinning, the force acts through a distance. In this way, energy is transferred from the water
flow to the turbine. Water turbines are divided into two groups; reaction turbines and impulse turbines.
The precise shape of water turbine blades is a function of the supply pressure of water, and the type of
impeller selected.

There are mainly two types of turbines used in hydro electric power plant to generate electricity.
Classification of turbine is given below.

Turbine
Reactio
n
Turbine

Impulse
Turbine

Pelton

Turgo

Water
Wheel

Francis

Tyson

Kalpan

4.1 Impulse Turbine

Impulse turbines change the velocity of a water jet. The jet pushes on the turbine's curved blades
which changes the direction of the flow. The resulting change in momentum causes a force on the
turbine blades. Since the turbine is spinning, the force acts through a distance and the diverted water
flow is left with diminished energy.
Prior to hitting the turbine blades, the water's pressure is converted to kinetic energy by a nozzle and
focused on the turbine. No pressure change occurs at the turbine blades, and the turbine doesn't
require a housing for operation.
Impulse turbines are most often used in very high head applications.
Newton's second law describes the transfer of energy for impulse turbines.

4.2 Reaction Turbine

Reaction turbines are acted on by water, which changes pressure as it moves through the turbine and
gives up its energy. They must be encased to contain the water pressure (or suction), or they must be
fully submerged in the water flow.
Newton's third law describes the transfer of energy for reaction turbines.
Most water turbines in use are reaction turbines and are used in low and medium head applications.
In reaction turbine pressure drop occurs in both fixed and moving blades.

CHAPTER 5: Important Points

5.1Advantages
Renewable source of energy thereby saves scares fuel reserves.

Economical source of power.

Non-polluting and hence environment friendly.
Reliable energy source with approximately 90% availability.
Low generation cost compared with other energy sources.
Indigenous, inexhaustible, perpetual and renewable energy source.
Low operation and maintenance cost.
Possible to build power plant of high capacity.
Plant equipment is simple.
Socio-economic benefits being located usually remote areas.
Higher efficiency, 95%to98%.
Fuel is not burned so there is minimal pollution.
Water to run the power plant is provided free by nature.
It's renewable - rainfall renews the water in the reservoir, so the fuel is almost always there.
5.1 Disadvantages
Susceptible to vagaries of nature such as draught.
Longer construction period and high initial cost.
Loss of large land due to reservoir.
Non-availability of suitable sites for the construction of dam.
Displacement of large population from reservoir area and rehabilitation.
Environmental aspect reservoirs verses river ecology.
High cost of transmission system for remote sites.
They use up valuable and limited natural resources
They can produce a lot of pollution.
Companies have to dig up the Earth or drill wells to get the coal, oil, and gas.
For nuclear power plants there are waste-disposal problems.

CHAPTER 6: References

Domkundwal
Maps Of India
Wikipedia
Google Images
Indian Energy Portal
International Energy Association Data