P  gQh

Stream flow data for hydropower studies

• Daily (weekly or monthly) flow over a period of years, the longer the
better. If a storage project is under consideration, the records should
include one or more dry periods of years.

• Minimum flow for primary power. Exclusively due to groundwater yield. If

not available, it may be approximated from the minimum flow of other
stream of similar characteristics.

• Peak flow for design of civil works.

The above three data may be available for a long period, but if not long
enough to give extreme flow, these must be estimated in some indirect
manner.
 FLOW DURATION CURVE

Plot of stream flow (daily, weekly or monthly) in the order of magnitude with
percentage of time of their occurrence.

1. Calendar year method

Arrange the average monthly flow values of each year in ascending order. Then calculate the average of flow
values of driest, second driest and so on for twelve months and use these 12 values to plot flow duration curve.

2. Total period method

Arrange entire data in ascending order and plot the flow duration curve.

Gives more accurate results.

Effect of unit of time on flow-duration curve

• more accurate if time unit is low (i.e., day)

• different for different time unit
• smooth if time unit is more

• Flow values of daily average flow is more than flow values of monthly average flow for low percentage of time.
However, daily average flow is less than flow values of monthly average flow for high percentage of time.

Daily average flow

Monthly average flow

Flow

%age of time
Effect of storage on flow-duration curve

Storage raise the dry weather portion of the curve and lower the high flow
portions. Thus it tends to equalize the flow at different times of the year.

Without storage

Flow With storage

%age of time
Extrapolation of Flow Duration Data to Ungaged Sites

• Useful in regions where stream flow does not vary directly with the area of the catchments.
• For homogeneous drainage basin

Method 1.
1. Make flow-duration curves for all gaged streams within a rather homogeneous drainage basin.

Gage-4

Gage-3

Gage-2
Flow
Gage-1

%age of time
2. Develop a family of parametric duration curves in which flow Q is plotted
against the average annual discharge at the respective gages for several
exceedence % age.
10% 30% 80%
50%
90%

Flow

Average flow Qavg

3. Estimate the average annual discharge at the proposed site and using
the above parametric curve develop flow duration curve.

For the estimation of average annual discharge, first estimate average

rainfall over the basin using isohyetal curve of annual rainfall over the
basin. Select suitable value of runoff coefficient and calculate total
runoff.

Average annual discharge = total annual runoff / 365 days

Method 2.

The values of flow for each flow duration for a given exceedence point are
divided by the average annual discharge Qavg. These are then plotted
against the particular exceedence interval on logarithmic probability
paper to give dimensionless flow duration curve.

From the above developed curve, one can easily develop flow duration
curve for a given average annual discharge.
 Dimensionless flow duration curve

Q/Qavg

100 1
% age of time

logarithmic probability paper

 ESTIMATE OF AVAILABLE WATER POWER

Available Head

Gross head = Reservoir level – Tail race level

Reservoir level is almost constant but water level in tail race varies with
discharge in the stream. More discharge in tail race results in rise in water
level and less available head.

The probable tail race level at different river stages may be determined in
advance by installing a gage at this point and rating it by current meter.

For the fixed crest of spillway, the level in the reservoir may be calculated by

Q = CLH3/2
for different discharges. By plotting curves of water surface elevation (a)
above the crest of spillway and (b) at tail race site, to the same datum, the
gross head would be difference of the two curves.
 Head race

Water surface level Spillway crest

Available head
ce
Tail ra

Discharge

Effect of draft from pondage on available head: The decrease of head due to
draft of pond must be allowed for while estimating available head.

Effect of draft from storage on available head: Reservoir routing curve

provides a fairly accurate basis for the determination of the average
available head.
Net available head = Gross head – All losses from reservoir to tailrace

For preliminary studies the following values are suggested by Barrows:

Gross head (ft) Loss (ft)

25 1-2
50 1.5-3
100 2-5
200 4-8
500 10-20
1000 20-40

Various losses will be discussed later.

Available Power

With a flow duration curve available at the proposed site and the net
available head ascertained, the available power may be estimated for
any given wheel capacity by planimetering under the flow duration curve
upto the line of wheel-discharge capacity.

Commonly wheel capacity corresponds to the flow available from 20 to

40% of the time.

Classes of Water Power

1. Primary or Firm Power

2. Secondary or Surplus power

Firm Power  Primary power is the power which is always ensured to a consumer at any hour
of the day, and is thus completely dependable power.

 Increased by the use of pondage

Secondary Power
 surplus or non- firm power
 less valuable.
 available intermitantly at unpredictable times.
 useful in an inter-connected system of power plants.
 to meet fluctuating demand.
 Efficiency

Q (m3/s)
Flow duration curve

Power

% of time
Head
Efficiency

Net available head (m)

Power (kW)
Efficiency

Losses

2
V /2g

H
h

2
vf /2g

Vf
 Shaft Power P
Overall efficiency, 0  
Water power at input gQh

H = Gross head
h = Net available head
h = H –hf

h  t H t  transmission efficiency of penstock

0  0.91 to 0.92, the balance 8 to 9% represents the energy loses in the
turbine which may be following :

(a) Frictional and turbulent loss of energy in the turbine passages leading
to the runner + loss of energy due to friction as water follow over the runner
+ loss of energy in draft tube + exit losses

head utilized by the runner

Head conversion efficiency,  h 
net head supplied
 (b) Loss of energy due to leakage of water

Discharge efficiency, q  99.5% to 99.75%

(c) Loss of energy in overcoming the mechanical friction at the shaft

bearing, mechanical efficiency m

Overall efficiency 0  m  h  q