Ch3: HydroPower

Hydropower plants
 Hydropower plants
Hydropower plants harness water's energy and use simple mechanics
to convert that energy into electricity.
Hydropower plants are actually based on a rather simple concept –
water flowing through a dam turns a turbine, which turns a generator.

Characteristics
• Hydroelectric dams ; large investment and time scale to build
• Lowest operating cost
• Long life times
Hydropower plants
 Basic components of a conventional hydropower plant

Dam - Most hydropower plants rely on a

dam that holds back water, creating a large
reservoir.
Intake - Gates on the dam open and
gravity pulls the water through the
penstock.
Penstock- A pipeline that leads to the
turbine. Water builds up pressure as it
flows through this pipe
Turbine - The water strikes and turns the
large blades of a turbine, which is attached
to a generator above it by way of a shaft.
 Basic components of a conventional hydropower plant

Generators - As the turbine blades turn, so do a series

of magnets inside the generator. Giant magnets rotate past
copper coils, producing alternating current (AC) by
moving electrons.
Transformer - The transformer inside the powerhouse
takes the AC and converts it to higher-voltage current.
Power lines - Out of every power plant come four
wires: the three phases of power being produced
simultaneously plus a neutral or ground common to all
three
Outflow - Used water is carried through pipelines,
called tailraces, and re-enters the river downstream
 Hydropower Plant

Factors determining hydropower

Two of the most important:
• Volume of the water flow
• Hydraulic Head

The head refers to the distance between the water surface and the
turbines.
As the head and flow increase, so does the electricity generated.
- The head is usually dependent upon the amount of water in the reservoir
 Hydraulic Analysis
The general energy equation from station “A” to station “B” appears as

𝑷𝑨 𝑽𝟐𝑨 𝑷𝑩 𝑽𝟐𝑩 𝑽𝟐 𝑳
+ + 𝒁𝑨 = + + 𝒁𝑩 + 𝒇 + 𝑲 + 𝑪𝒇𝑻 + 𝑯𝑻
𝜸 𝟐𝒈 𝜸 𝟐𝒈 𝟐𝒈 𝑫

Where P is pressure, V is velocity, Z is

elevation, γ is specific weight, f is
friction factor, L is pipe length, D is
diameter, K is minor loss, C is minor loss,
fT is the fully rough friction factor, HT is
the turbine head
 Hydraulic Analysis
The free surfaces of the water levels (A and B in the figure) upstream and downstream are taken as the range of
application of the energy equation. Since both surfaces are at atmospheric pressure, PA = PB, and since the
velocities of the surfaces of the upstream and downstream reservoir are small, VA = VB = 0. The change in the
turbine head becomes

𝑽𝟐 𝑳
𝑯𝑻 = 𝒁 𝑨 − 𝒁 𝑩 − 𝒇 + 𝑲 + 𝑪𝒇𝑻
𝟐𝒈 𝑫

The power extracted from the fluid by

the turbine is

𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 = 𝝆𝒈𝑸𝑯𝑻
It is the maximum fluid power available that
turbine can extract .
 Hydraulic Analysis
If velocity is expressed in terms of flow rate

𝟖𝑸𝟐 𝑳
𝑯𝑻 = 𝒁 𝑨 − 𝒁𝑩 − 𝒇 + 𝑲 + 𝑪𝒇𝑻
𝒈𝝅𝟐 𝑫𝟒 𝑫

Turbine overall efficiency =η = =

 Hydraulic Analysis
The friction factor and fully rough friction factor usually found from the Moody
diagram. In this course, the following expressions used:
𝟔𝟒 𝝆𝑽𝑫 𝑽𝑫
1. For Laminar flow Re ≤ 2300 𝒇 = Re is Reynolds number 𝑹𝒆 =
𝝁
=
𝝂
𝑹𝒆

𝟎. 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝟔
𝒇= 𝟐
2. For turbulent flow Re > 2300 𝜺 𝟏.𝟏𝟏 𝟔. 𝟗
𝒍𝒐𝒈 +
𝟑. 𝟕𝑫 𝑹𝒆

𝟎. 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝟔
𝒇𝑻 = 𝟐
And the fully-rough friction factor 𝜺 𝟏.𝟏𝟏
𝐥𝐨𝐠
𝟑. 𝟕𝑫

Where ε is the roughness height of the pipe

Example 3.1 A proposed design for a hydroelectric project is based on a discharge of 0.25m3/s through
the penstock and turbine as shown in. The minor losses are negligible.
Determine
a) the power in kilowatts that can be expected from the facility, if the turbine efficiency is 0.85.
b) the type of turbine to be installed if the desired rotational speed is 1200 rpm.

Solution procedure:
1- Calculate the Reynold number.
2- Determine the type of flow [laminar or
turbulent]
3- Calculate the friction factor f and fT
4- Calculate the turbine head HT
5- Calculate the power
Note: water properties
𝜌 = 1000𝑘𝑔/𝑚
𝜐 = 1.14 × 10 𝑚 ⁄𝑠
 Turbine Specific Speed
The specific speed value for a turbine is the speed of a geometrically similar turbine which
would produce unit power (one kilowatt) under unit head (one meter).

The specific speed of a turbine is given by the manufacturer (along with other ratings) and
will always refer to the point of maximum efficiency.
 Turbine Specific Speed
Three Common Types of Turbines based on specific speed
1. Impulse turbine (Pelton wheel): for low values of turbine specific speeds
(up to 12)- large head (elevation difference) and relatively small flowrates
2. Reaction - Francis turbine: for moderate specific speeds (from 10 to
100)Large dams
3. Reaction - Kaplan
turbine: for high
specific speeds (from
60 and above)
 Turbine Specific Speed
 The specific speed for a pump is defined in terms of the flow rate and
increase in head
Pump dimensionless specific speed at maximum Efficiency

𝝎 𝑸
𝑵𝑺𝑷 =
𝒈𝑯 𝟑/𝟒

 The specific speed for a turbine

is defined in terms of power
and available head
Turbine dimensionless specific
speed, at maximum Efficiency
𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓
𝝎
𝝆
𝑵𝑺𝑷 =
𝒈𝑯 𝟓/𝟒
 Turbine Specific Speed
In United States, the customary procedure is not to involve the density ρ and the acceleration of gravity in the
specific speed and to express the specific speed using the following units: ω = rpm, Q = gpm, H = ft, W = hp. The
specific speed is no longer dimensionless

Pump dimensional specific speed

𝝎 𝑸
𝑵𝑺𝑷 = 𝟑/𝟒
𝑯

Turbine dimensional specific speed

𝝎 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓
𝑵𝑺𝑷 =
𝑯𝟓/𝟒
Dimensionless Parameters

By eliminating D and evaluating

the resulting dimensionless parameter
at the point of maximum efficiency,
the specific speed results.
 Hydro-power Turbines [Water Turbines]

Pelton Turbine

 High head ( from 100-1800

m) Water Jet
 Low flow rate
 Impulse force
 Hydro-power Turbines [Water Turbines]

Francis Turbine FRANCIS RUNNER

Francis Turbine
 Kaplan Turbine

 Low head ( from 5-70 m)

 High flow rate(70-800 m3/s)
 Reaction force
Hydro-power Turbines [Water Turbines]
Hydro-power Turbines [Water Turbines]
Hydro-power Turbines [Water Turbines]
 Energy Transfer in Turbines
The Pelton wheel [Impulse turbines]
The Pelton wheel [Impulse turbines]
 Energy Transfer in Turbines
The Pelton wheel [Impulse turbines]
For maximum power extraction from a Pelton wheel
𝟏
U = 𝑽𝒋𝒆𝒕
𝟐

Where U is the wheel speed

The maximum power extracted is given by
𝟏
̇ 𝟐𝒋𝒆𝒕
𝑷𝒎𝒂𝒙 = 𝒎𝑽
𝟐

The exit velocity of the nozzle is equal to the inlet velocity to the wheel, so the wheel speed
increases as the jet velocity increases (inlet velocity). The inlet velocity depends on the
elevation difference available; the larger the difference, the higher the velocity. High inlet
velocities can arise only because of large elevation differences; thus the stipulation that Pelton
wheels are appropriate for dams with high available heads.
Example 3.2 What power in kilowatts can be developed by the Pelton
wheel shown, if the generator efficiency is 85%? The total minor losses are given
as K=5.25 and C=1500. What will be the angular speed of the wheel for
maximum power extracted? What is the torque? What is the power specific
speed?

Solution
Applying the energy
equation between the free
surface of the upper
reservoir (a) and the exit
plane of the nozzle (b)
Solution
Pa = Pb and Va = 0. Vb = Vnoz, the energy equation becomes

If the velocities are cast in terms of the flow rate using V=Q/A, the result is
Solution
This type of problems is solved by trial and error method
Trial No 1: Assume Q=1 m3/s
𝟒𝑸 𝟒×𝟏
𝑹𝒆 = = 𝟔 = 𝟏. 𝟏𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎𝟔 → 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒃𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘
𝝅𝑫𝝊 𝝅 × 𝟏 × 𝟏. 𝟏𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎
𝟎. 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝟔
𝒇= 𝟐
𝜺 𝟏.𝟏𝟏 𝟔. 𝟗
𝒍𝒐𝒈 +
𝟑. 𝟕𝑫 𝑹𝒆
𝟎. 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝟔
𝒇= 𝟐
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟐𝟑
𝟏.𝟏𝟏
𝟎. 𝟎𝟒𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎 𝟑 𝟔. 𝟗
𝒍𝒐𝒈 +
𝟑. 𝟕 × 𝟏 𝟏. 𝟏𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎𝟔

𝟎. 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝟔 𝟎. 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝟔
𝒇𝑻 = 𝟐
= 𝟐
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟎𝟒
𝜺 𝟏.𝟏𝟏 𝟏.𝟏𝟏
𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝟎. 𝟎𝟒𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎 𝟑
𝟑. 𝟕𝑫 𝐥𝐨𝐠
𝟑. 𝟕 × 𝟏
Solution
Trial No 1
Sub values in the following equation

𝟖𝑸𝟐 𝟖𝑸𝟐 𝟔𝟎𝟎𝟎

𝟎 = 𝟏𝟔𝟕𝟎 − 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 − 𝟐 − 𝒈𝝅𝟐 𝟏
𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟐𝟑 × + 𝟓. 𝟐𝟓 + 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟎 × 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟎𝟒
𝒈𝝅𝟐 𝟎. 𝟏𝟖 𝟐 𝟏

𝒎𝟑
Solve the last equation for Q → 𝑸 = 𝟐. 𝟕𝟖 𝒔

Error = 2.78 -1 ≤ 0.01

Trial No 2
𝟒𝑸 𝟒 × 𝟐. 𝟕𝟖
𝑹𝒆 = = 𝟔
= 𝟑. 𝟏 × 𝟏𝟎𝟔 → 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒃𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘
𝝅𝑫𝝊 𝝅 × 𝟏 × 𝟏. 𝟏𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎
Solution
Trial No 2
𝟒𝑸 𝟒 × 𝟐. 𝟕𝟖
𝑹𝒆 = = 𝟔
= 𝟑. 𝟏 × 𝟏𝟎𝟔 → 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒃𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘
𝝅𝑫𝝊 𝝅 × 𝟏 × 𝟏. 𝟏𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎
𝟎. 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝟔
𝒇= 𝟐
𝜺 𝟏.𝟏𝟏 𝟔. 𝟗
𝒍𝒐𝒈 +
𝟑. 𝟕𝑫 𝑹𝒆

𝟎. 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝟔
𝒇= 𝟐
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟏𝟑
𝟏.𝟏𝟏
𝟎. 𝟎𝟒𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎 𝟑 𝟔. 𝟗
𝒍𝒐𝒈 +
𝟑. 𝟕 × 𝟏 𝟑. 𝟏 × 𝟏𝟎𝟔

𝟎. 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝟔 𝟎. 𝟑𝟎𝟖𝟔
𝒇𝑻 = 𝟐
= 𝟐
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟎𝟒
𝜺 𝟏.𝟏𝟏 𝟏.𝟏𝟏
𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝟎. 𝟎𝟒𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎 𝟑
𝟑. 𝟕𝑫 𝐥𝐨𝐠
𝟑. 𝟕 × 𝟏
Solution
Trial No 2
Sub values in the following equation

𝟖𝑸𝟐 𝟖𝑸𝟐 𝟔𝟎𝟎𝟎

𝟎 = 𝟏𝟔𝟕𝟎 − 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 − − 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟏𝟑 × + 𝟓. 𝟐𝟓 + 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟎 × 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟎𝟒
𝒈𝝅𝟐 𝟎. 𝟏𝟖 𝟐 𝒈𝝅𝟐 𝟏 𝟐 𝟏
𝒎𝟑
Solve the last equation for Q → 𝑸 = 𝟐. 𝟕𝟗 𝒔

Error = 2.79 -2.78 = 0.01 OK

𝑸 𝟐. 𝟕𝟗 𝒎
𝑽𝑩 = 𝑽𝒋𝒆𝒕 = =𝝅 = 𝟏𝟎𝟗. 𝟕
𝑨𝒋𝒆𝒕 × 𝟎. 𝟏𝟖𝟐 𝒔
𝟒
𝟏 𝟐 𝟏 𝟐 𝟏
𝑷𝒎𝒂𝒙 ̇ 𝒋𝒆𝒕 = 𝝆𝑸 𝑽𝒋𝒆𝒕 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 × 𝟐. 𝟕𝟗 × 𝟏𝟎𝟗. 𝟕𝟐 = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟕𝟖 × 𝟏𝟎𝟕 𝒘 = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟕𝟖 × 𝟏𝟎𝟒 𝒌𝒘
= 𝒎𝑽
𝟐 𝟐 𝟐
𝑷𝑮𝒆𝒏 = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟓 × 𝟏. 𝟔𝟕𝟖 × 𝟏𝟎𝟒 = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟐𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎𝟒 𝒌𝒘
Solution
𝟏 𝒎
For maximum efficiency 𝑼 = 𝑽𝒋𝒆𝒕 → 𝑼 = 𝟎. 𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎𝟗. 𝟕 = 𝟓𝟒. 𝟖𝟓
𝟐 𝒔
𝑼 𝟓𝟒. 𝟖𝟓
𝑼 = 𝒓𝝎 → 𝝎 = = = 𝟑𝟔. 𝟓𝟔 𝒓𝒂𝒅/𝒔
𝒓 𝟏. 𝟓
𝑷𝑮𝒆𝒏 𝟏. 𝟒𝟐𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎𝟒
𝑻𝒐𝒓𝒒𝒖𝒆 = = = 𝟑𝟗𝟎. 𝟎𝟒 𝒌𝑵. 𝒎
𝝎 𝟑𝟔. 𝟓𝟔
The turbine dimensional specific speed

𝝎 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓
𝑵𝑺𝑷 = 𝝎 𝒊𝒏 𝒓𝒑𝒎 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒑 𝑯 𝒊𝒏 (𝒇𝒕)
𝑯𝟓/𝟒 𝒓𝒂𝒅 𝟔𝟎 𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒗
𝟑𝟒𝟗. 𝟑 𝟏𝟗𝟏𝟏𝟓. 𝟑 𝝎 = 𝟑𝟔. 𝟓𝟔 × × = 𝟑𝟒𝟗. 𝟑 𝒓𝒑𝒎
𝒔 𝟏 𝒎𝒊𝒏 𝟐𝝅 𝒓𝒂𝒅
𝑵𝑺𝑷 = = 𝟑. 𝟐𝟎𝟓
𝟐. 𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎𝟑 𝟓/𝟒 𝟕
𝟏 𝒉𝒑
𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟐𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎 𝒘 × = 𝟏𝟗𝟏𝟏𝟓. 𝟑 𝒉𝒑
𝟕𝟒𝟔 𝒘
𝟑. 𝟐𝟖 𝒇𝒕
𝑯 = 𝟏𝟔𝟕𝟎 − 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒎 × = 𝟐. 𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎𝟑 𝒇𝒕
𝟏𝒎
EXERCISES: Practice these problems
1. A turbine develops 15,500hp with a decrease in head of 37 ft and a
rotational speed of 106 RPM. What type of turbine is best suited for this
application?

2. A hydroelectric facility operates with an elevation difference of 50 m

with a flow rate of 500 m3/s. If the rotational speed is 90 RPM, determine
the most suitable type of turbine and estimate the power output of the
arrangement. Assume efficiency of turbine 90%.

3. A hydroelectric facility extracts power from a reservoir at an elevation

of 800 m discharging into a tailrace at an elevation of 200 m. A
penstock 1500 m long and 0.8 m in diameter connects the reservoir to
the tailrace. Minor losses are K = 3 and C = 1500. Determine the power
extracted by the turbine if the flow rate is 2 m3/s. Assume efficiency as
0.9. If a Francis turbine is to be used, specify an appropriate speed.
EXERCISES: Practice these problems
4. A proposed design for a hydroelectric project is based on a discharge
of 0.25 m3/s through the penstock and turbine as illustrated in the figure.
The minor losses are considered negligible.
(a) Determine the power in kW that can be expected from the facility, if
the turbine efficiency is 0.85
(b) What type of turbine
should be installed if the
desired rotational speed is
1200 RPM?