HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

STATION
PROF. V R DOIFODE
HYDROELECTRIC PLANTS
 WATER POWER
Hydro-electric projects harness water power for generation of
electric energy. When water drops, through a height, its energy is
able to rotate turbines which are coupled to alternators.
The electric power P, is given by,

Where, Q □ Discharge m3/sec

H□ Waterhead m
η □ Overall efficiency of
turbine alternator set.
 ADVANTAGES OF HYDRO-ELECTRIC
PLANTS
(1)The useful life of a hydro-plant is around 50 years as compared to
around 25-30 years for a steam station.
(2)Hydro power is the cheapest, cleanest and most reliable source of
energy for bulk generation of electricity.
(3)The hydro-plants do not require any fuel. Their operating costs are,
therefore, low.
(4)Hydro-stations increase the system reliability because of their quick
start and quick stop operation. Thus, they are ideal for peak loads.
(5)They can be started and connected to power network within few
minutes.
(6)Hydro-power is a clean source of energy. It is free from either air or
water pollution which is not the case for nuclear and thermal power
plants.
 ADVANTAGES OF HYDRO-ELECTRIC
PLANTS

(7) Efficiency of hydro-plants does not reduce with age.

(8)When hydro projects are set-up, the infrastructure, roads facilities,
communication and other facilities greatly improve in the region.
(9)They are useful for irrigation, flood control, navigation and supply of
drinking water for domestic and industrial purposes.
 DISADVANTAGES OF HYDRO-ELECTRIC
PLANTS
(1) Due to high cost of civil engineering works, the capital cost per
kW of hydro plants is considerably higher than that of steam
plants.
(2) Hydro power generation is dependent on availability of water. In a
dry year, the power generation is very small.
(3) Since hydro-plants entail huge civil engineering works, they take
a considerably long time for completion.
(4) Hydro plant reservoir submerges huge areas,
uproots large population and creates social and other
problems.
(5) The inter-state disputes in sharing water resources are responsible
for delaying hydro-electric development.
 SITE SELECTION FOR HYDRO-ELECTRIC
PLANTS

(1) Availability of water

(2) Water storage
(3) Head of water
(4) Geological investigations
(5) Water pollution
(6) Sedimentation
(7) Environmental effects
(8) Access to site
 SITE SELECTION FOR HYDRO-ELECTRIC
PLANTS

(1) Availability of water □ A hydro power station should be located at

a place where water is available in a large quantity.
(2) Water storage □Since rainfall is not uniform throughout the year
and from one year to another year, it is necessary to store water for
maintaining the continuity of power supply throughout the year. The
dam should be able to withstand the stresses due to shock
loads when sudden changes in reservoir levels occur during high
floods.
The dam should be built in earthquake free-zone.
(3) Head of water□ The head of water depends on topography of the
area. Detailed studies are needed to select the most effective and
economic head.
 SITE SELECTION FOR HYDRO-ELECTRIC
PLANTS

(4)Geological investigations □ Geological investigations are needed to

see that the foundation rock for the dam and other structures is firm,
stable and strong enough to withstand water thrust.
(5)Water pollution□ Polluted water may cause excessive corrosion and
damage to metallic structures. This may render the operation of the
plant unreliable and uneconomic. As such it is necessary to see that
the water is of good quality and will not cause such troubles.
(6)Sedimentation □ The capacity of storage reservoir is reduced due to
the gradual deposition of silt. Silt may also cause damage to turbine
blades.
 SITE SELECTION FOR HYDRO-ELECTRIC
PLANTS
(7)Environmental effects□ Hydro-projects submerge huge areas and
many villages. As such, the environmental effects are also
important. The site should ensure safe and pleasing surroundings,
avoid health hazards and preserve important cultural and historic
aspects of the areas.
(8)Access to site□ Construction of hydro project involves transport of
huge amount of cement, steel, other building material and heavy
machinery. It is generally necessary to set up a new railway line and
rail head for this purpose.
The site selected should be such that the railway line and roads can
be constructed & material and machinery transported.
 HYDROLOGY
• Run-off
• Stream Flow
• Hydrograph
• Flow Duration Curve
• Mass Curve
(1) Run-off□ Only a small part of rainfall can be used for
power generation. A significant part of rain water
evaporates, another part seeps into soil and forms the
underground storage and some portion is taken up by the
vegetation. The remaining water flows on the ground
surface of the catchment area to form the stream and is
known as Run-off.

(2) Stream Flow□ A knowledge of the quantity of water

flowing in the stream and its variation with time over a
period of many years is necessary to estimate the
available energy.
(3) Hydrograph□ Hydrograph shows the variation of stream
flow in m3/sec with time for a particular river site. The
time may be hour, week, month or year.
It is similar to the chronological load curve.
(4) Flow Duration Curve□ Flow Duration curve is a
re-arrangement of all the stream flow elements of a
hydro-graph in a descending order.
(5) Mass Curve□ A Mass curve indicates the total volume of
run-off in cubic meters upto a certain time. This may be
day, month or year.
If rainfall is uniform throughout the year, the mass curve
would be a straight line having uniform slope.
 CLASSIFICATION OF
HYDRO-ELECTRIC PLANTS
(1) Classification According to Water Flow Regulation
(a) Run off river plants without pondage
(b) Run-off river plants with pondage
(c) Reservoir plants
(2) Classification According to Load
(a) Base load plants
(b) Peak load plants
(c) Pumped storage plants
(3) Classification According to Head
(a) Low head plants
(b) Medium head plants
(c) High head plants
 CLASSIFIACTION ACCORDING TO
WATER FLOW REGULATION
(1) Run off river plants without pondage □
(a)These plants are located such that they use water as it comes,
without any pondage or storage. There is no control on flow
of water.
(b) During periods of high flows or low loads, water is wasted.
(2) Run off river plants with pondage□
(a) Pondage refers to storage at the plant to take care of hour to
hour fluctuations in load on the station.
(b) Pondage increase the firm capacity of the station.
(c) When plenty of water is available, these plants can be used as
base load plants. When stream flow decreases, these plants
can be made to work as peak loads.
(3) Reservoir plants□
(a)When water is stored in a big reservoir behind a dam, it is
possible to control the flow of water and use it most effectively.
(b) Storage increase the firm capacity of the plant.
(c)The plant can be used as a base load plant or as a peak load
plant depending on the water stored in the reservoir.

Note:-Firm capacity is the amount of energy available for

production or transmission which can be guaranteed to be
available at a given time.
BASE LOAD AND PEAK LOAD PLANTS
 CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO
LOAD
(1) Base load plants □
(a) They feed the base load
of the system. Thus they
supply almost constant
load throughout and
operate on a high load
factor.
(b) Base load plants are
usually of large capacity.
(c) Run off river plants
without pondage and
reservoir plants are used
as base load plants.
CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO
LOAD
(2) Peak load plants □
(a)Run off river plants with
pondage can be used as peak
load plants during lean flow
periods.
(b)Reservoir plants can be
used as peak load plants.
(c) Peak load plant have
large seasonal storage.
They store water during
off-peak periods and are run
during peak load periods.
(d) They operate at a low load
factor.
 CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO
HEAD

(1) Low Head plants □ 2 – 15 m

(2) Medium Head plants □15 -70 m
(3) High Head plants □ 70 – 500 m
 CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS
1) Storage Reservoir □ During rainy
periods the run – off is high but the
power requirements are low because of
the absence of irrigation loads. It is,
therefore, necessary to store water
during excess flow periods so that the
same may be used during lean flow
periods.
2) Dam□ The function of dam in a
hydro-electric project, is to create an
artificial head and storage. It diverts
the flow of water so that the same
could be used for generation of power.
It is most expensive and important part
of a hydro project.
3) Forebay□ It is an enlarged body of
water at the intake to store water
temporarily to meet the hourly load
fluctuations.
 CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS
(4) Intake□ The function of intake is
to provide a passage to water to flow
into the water conduit, channel or
penstock.
Intake structures can be classified as
(a) High pressure intake
(b) Low pressure intake

(a) High pressure intake □ It used in the

big storage reservoirs.
(b) Low pressure intake □ It used for
small ponds meant to store small
quantity of water for daily or weekly
load variations.
 CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS
(5) Penstock□ A penstock carries
water from the water storage system
to the turbine. A penstock may be
buried below earth surface or
exposed.
It may be classified :-
(a) Low pressure type
(b) High pressure type

(a) Low pressure type □A low pressure

penstock may be a canal, flume or a
steel pipe.
(b) High pressure type □ A High
pressure penstock consists of thick
steel pipes.
 CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS
(6) Spillway □
(a)Every dam is provided with an
arrangement to discharge excess water
during floods. This arrangement may
be a spillway or a by-pass tunnel or
conduit.
(b)The spillway should be so designed
as to discharge the major flood waters
without damage to the dam but at the
same time maintain a predetermined
head.
(7) Tail race □ A tail race is required
to discharge the water, leaving the
turbine, into the river. It is necessary
that the draft tube must remain water
sealed all the time.
 CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS
(8) Surge Tank □
(a)The load on a generator keeps on
fluctuating. Therefore the water
intake to the turbine has to be
regulated according to the load.
(b)A reduction in load on the
alternator causes to governor to
close the turbine gates. Sudden
closure of turbine gates creates an
increased pressure, known as water
hammer, in the penstock.
(c)When the governor opens the
turbine gates suddenly to admit
more water, there is a tendency to
cause a vacuum in the penstock.
(d)The function of the surge tank is to
absorb these sudden changes in
water requirements so as to prevent
water hammer and vacuum.
 HYDRAULIC TURBINES
Hydraulic Turbines □ Hydraulic Turbines convert the energy of
water into mechanical energy which drives the alternators.
Hydraulic Turbines can be classified
(a) Impulse Turbines
(b) Reaction Turbines

(c)Impulse Turbines □ Impulse turbine suits high heads and low

flows. Examples :- Pelton wheel
(d)Reaction Turbines □ Reaction turbines suits medium heads
and medium flows. Examples:- Francis turbine & Propeller
Turbines
 HYDRAULIC TURBINES
Specific Speed □ Specific speed of a turbine is the speed of a
scale model of turbine which develops 1 metric h.p. under a
head of 1 metre.

Where Ns □ Specific speed in metric units

N □ Speed of turbine in rpm
Pt □ Output in metric h.p.
H □ Effective head in meters
 HYDRAULIC TURBINES

Sr. No. Type of Turbines Head Specific Speed

(metric
units)
01. Pelton Above 200 m 10 – 50

02. Francis 30 m – 200 m 60 – 300

03. Propeller Less than 30 m 300 - 1000

PUMPED STORAGE PLANTS
 PUMPED STORAGE PLANTS
(1) A pumped storage plant is a
special type of plant meant to
supply peak loads.
(2) During peak load periods,
water is drawn from the head
water pond through the
penstock and generates power
for the supplying the peak load.
(3) During the off-peak period, the
same water is pumped back
from the tail water pond to the
head water pond so that this
water may be used to generate
energy during the next peak
load period.
 PUMPED STORAGE PLANTS
(4) Thus, the same water is used
again and again and extra water
is needed only to take care of
evaporation and seepage.
(5) Generally the pumping of
water from the tail water pond
to the head water pond is done
at night when loads are low.
(6) The plants generate energy for
supplying peak loads during
day time.
(7) The reservoir capacity should
be such that the plant can
supply peak loads for 4 to 11
hours.
PUMPED STORAGE PLANTS IN INDIA
(1) Nagarjunsagar(AP) on Krishna river
(2) Paithon (Maharashtra) on Godavari river
(3) Kadamparai (Tamilnadu) on Kadamparai river
(4) Panchet hill unit (DVC) on Domodar river
(5) Kadana Stage-I (Gujarat) on Mahi river
 HYDRO ELECTRIC PLANTS IN MAHARASHTRA
Sr
No. Dam River Place

Mula River, Bhima

01. Mula Dam Baragaon, Nandur
River
Koyna Dam, Jaikwadi
02. Koyna Nagar, Paithan Aurangabad
Dam or Nath Sagar Dam
03. Ujani Dam Bhima River Indapur Taluka, Pune
04. Mulshi Dam Pune
05. Kolkewadi Dam Konkan
06. Radhanagari Dam River Bhogawati
07. Panshet Dam Thane
08. Vaitarna Dam Thane
09. Pawna Dam River Pawna Lonavala
10. Bhandardara Dam Arthur Lake Ahmednagar