Introduction to Hydro Electric Power Project

The Concept of Hydropower

Head (ft, m)
Potential Energy
(Mass of water located at a higher elevation)

Kinetic Energy
(Water flows as a result of the mass being at a higher elevation.)

Mechanical Energy
(Flowing mass of water turns a turbine runner.)

Electric Power in Kilowatts (kW)

(Turbine runner turns a directly coupled generator.)
 The Way It Works

1) Potential

4) Electrical

2) Kinetic 3) Mechanical
Sizes of Hydropower Schemes

Facilities range in size from large power plants that

supply many consumers with electricity to small
and micro plants that individuals operate for their
own energy needs or to sell power to utilities.

Large Hydropower

Although definitions vary, DOE defines large

hydropower as facilities that have a capacity of
more than 30 megawatts.
Small / Mini Hydropower

Although definitions vary, DOE defines small

hydropower as facilities that have a capacity of 0.1
to 30 megawatts.
Micro Hydropower

A micro hydropower plant has a capacity of up to

100 kilowatts (0.1 megawatts).
Introduction to Hydro Electric Power Project
Plant Types & Schemes

• Plant Types and Schemes

– Run of river

– Conventional storage

– Pump storage

– Hydromatrix

5
Introduction to Hydro Electric Power Project
Run-Of-River Plant
• Typical Run of River
– No storage capacity
– Near dam or lake outlet
– Natural river flow uncontrolled
– Available flow governs capacity

6
Introduction to Hydro Electric Power Project
Conventional Storage

• Multi Purpose
– Power Generation
– Flood control
– Irrigation
• Significant storage capacity
– Weekly
– Seasonal
• Controls river flow
– Levels out the river flow
– Saves flows larger than plant capacity (avoid spill)
– Catch in wet seasons, release in dry seasons

7
Introduction to Hydro Electric Power Project
Pump Storage Plants
Upper
res.

Generating
mode

Pump
mode

Lower
res.

8
Introduction to Hydro Electric Power Project
Hydromatrix
• A Special Type Configuration
– Solution for low head sites
– Many small unit instead of conventional
– Innovative Application
• It is not a typical small Hydro

9
 Introduction to Hydro Electric Power Project
Hydromatrix
• Applications
– Navigation Dams
– Irrigation Dams
– Intake Towers
– Shiplocks

(Movie)

10
Introduction to Hydro Electric Power Project
Chapter 2: Plant Configuration
• Surface Plant
• Separate from dam (higher heads, end of long penstock)
• Foot of the dam, separate
• Integral part of dam
• Underground Plant
• Higher heads
• Rock excavation
• Tunnel boring

11
Introduction to Hydro Electric Power Project
Surface Power House
Overhead crane

Generator

Draft Tube Penstock

Gates

Main Inlet Valve

Pressure Relief Valve Turbine

12
Underground Plant

Medium Head
 Chapter 3: Components of Hydro Electric
Power Project

Reservoir Tail Race

Power House

Dam / Barrage

Water Conductor Surge Shaft

Intake
Penstock
14
 Chapter 4: Components of Power House
• Surface Power House Plant
• Governor Floor
• Turbine Floor
• Generator Floor
• Machine Hall
• Service Bay
• Control Block, Switchgear Room
• Cable Spreading Rooms
• Underground Plant
• Power House Cavern
• Governor Floor
• Turbine Floor
• Generator Floor
• Machine Hall
• Service Bay
• Transformer Cavern
• MIV Cavern
• Tunnels (Main Access Tunnel / Cable Tunnel/Bus Duct Tunnel)
• Control Blocks
15
COMPONENTS OF HYDRO POWER PROJECTS:

Three basic elements are necessary in order to generate power from water: a
means of creating head, a conduit to convey water and a power plant. To provide
these functions, following common hydro civil components are used:
• Water reservoir – Dam/ Barrage/ Weir
• Trash Rack and trash rack cleaner
• Intake gate and stop log
• Head Race Tunnel
• Surge shaft/ tank
• Desilting chamber
• Penstock/ Pressure shaft
• Spillway and energy dissipators
• Tail race channel/ tunnel
• Power house
MAIN TYPES OF DAM

Gravity Dams

Arch Dams

Buttress Dams

Embankment Dams
 Trash racks

Trash rack is a screen provided at the

intake to prevent entry of floating debris
like grass, leaves, trees, timber etc., into
the water conductor system. Each screen
consists of vertical trash bars welded to
space bars consisting of flat/channel
sections.
Intake Structure:
INTAKE STRUCTURE :- A structure to divert water to a waterway, which include
trashracks, a gate and an entrance to a canal, penstock or directly to the turbine
depending on the type of project. A water intake must be able to divert the required
amount of water into the power canal or into the penstock without producing a
negative impact on the local environment and with the minimum possible headloss.

Water intake types

•Run-of-river intakes
•Canal Intakes
•Reservoir Intakes
•Dam Intake
•Shaft or glory hole Intake
•Tower Intakes
•Intake in reservoir independent of dam

Components of Intake Structure

•Trash rack
•Trash rack supporting structure
•Stop logs & control gates
•Bell mouth & transition
 Stop logs and control gates
Stop logs and control gates are provided
for regulation of flow into the water
conductor system. Stop logs are used
when the intake gate needs maintenance
and repairs. Grooves for stop logs and
gates are provided generally in the intake
body or piers.

Bell Mouth and transitions

The entrance is shaped in the form of a bell

mouth so as to have a smooth flow and
reduced losses. As already mentioned, the
intake may be inclined or vertical with
respect to the dam axis.
Head Race Channel / Tunnel
A channel / tunnel, which carries the
water to the penstock / pressure shaft, is
called Head Race Channel / Tunnel. It is
different from the penstock / pressure
shaft only in the context of water
pressure. Water pressure in Head Race
Channel / Tunnel is similar to the inlet
pressure, whereas water pressure in
penstock / pressure shaft is more, due to
drop in elevation.It is the system through
which water is carried from the dam to
power house..

HEAD RACE TUNNEL / CHANNEL :- A canal,

tunnel and / or penstock, which carries the water to
the powerhouse. Sometimes a desilting chamber
precedes the Head Race Channel, which removes
the largest sized sediments into the turbines.
 Surge Shaft / Tank

Surge Tank is provided in water

conductor system primarily to
reduce the surge pressure to be
considered in the design of
penstock / pressure shaft. This
economizes the design of
penstock / pressure shaft justifying
the extra cost in the provision of
Surge Tank.

SURGE SHAFT / TANK :- A Surge

tanks to absorb water hammer effects
due to rapid start or closure of the
turbine.
Desilting Chamber

Most of the rivers carry heavy sediment load as

suspension and bed load. The suspended load,
especially the sharp edged fine sand (quartz)
transported by rivers in hilly terrain causes rapid wear
of turbine runner blades / buckets due to abrasion.
This abrasion tendency increases with the head. In
course of time, this may result in shut down of units
for considerable duration thereby, causing enormous
loss of power and revenue. Therefore, it is necessary
to provide necessary arrangements for exclusion of
sediments from the water.
 Penstock / Pressure Shaft

The penstock conveys water to the powerhouse and can take

many configurations, depending upon the project layout.
Where the powerhouse is an integral part of the dam, the
penstock is simply a passage through the upstream portion of
the dam. A canal, pipe, or tunnel is required, where the
powerhouse is separated from the intake. Water may be
conveyed most of the distance at an elevation close to the
forebay elevation via an open canal or a low-pressure pipe or
tunnel (Head Race channel / Tunnel). The remainder of the
penstock, where most of the drop in elevation occurs, would
be a pressurized tunnel or pipe. Because the cost of a
pressurized tunnel or pipe is much greater than that of a
low-pressure tunnel or pipe, it is usually desirable to
minimize the length of the high-pressure penstock.
 Spillway

A spillway is to discharge surplus flow without damage to the dam,

powerhouse, or riverbed below the dam. The most common type of
spillway is the overflow. In this type, a portion of the dam has a well-
rounded crest that is somewhat lower than the top of the dam. To permit
maximum use of storage volume, movable gates are sometimes
installed above the crest to control discharge. Another type of spillway is
the chute, a wide, gently sloping, concrete channel frequently built
around the end of an embankment dam of moderate height. Shaft
spillways are used on dams in restricted drainage areas in which large
floods are not encountered. In shaft spillways, a vertical shaft upstream
from the dam drains water from the reservoir when the water level
becomes too high; the vertical shaft connects to a horizontal conduit
through the dam into the river below.
Tail Race Channel / Tunnel- The Channel/ Tunnel, through which the water returns
to the river after passing through the turbine is called Tail Race Channel / Tunnel. This
is the last leg of the journey of water to watts. Its design as a channel / Tunnel follows
the same principles as in the case of Head Race Channel / Tunnel, except that often it
has reverse slope. Another important criteria in design of Tail Race Channel / Tunnel is
the determination of Tail water Level, which actually determines the net available
head, and therefore, power generation potential.

Tail race is a water way to conduct the water discharged from the turbines to a
suitable point where it can be safely disposed of or stored to be pumped back into the
upper reservoir in case of a pumped storage scheme.
Power House
Power House is a building housing the turbines, generator, control and protection
equipments' and other auxiliaries for operating the machines. It is the main area of
a hydro power station. It is primarily an electro-mechanical field and civil structures
are planned and designed to provide proper housing of electro-mechanical
equipments. A Power House has following components in general, for which hydel
civil design should make adequate arrangements;

Turbine – Draft tube, DT cone, Discharge ring, bottom ring, runner, stay ring, spiral
case, guide vanes, runner, head cober, turbine guide bearing…
Generator – stator, rotor, lower/ upper bracket, bearings, exciter, braking – lifting
plant, High pressure oil system, lube oil plant…
EBoP – Transformer – GT, UAT, SST, switchgear – AIS/ GIS, bus duct, LT system,
DC system…
MBoP – cooling water system, drainage and dewatering system, OPUs for turbine/
MIV, BFV, compressed air system, elevator, HVAC system
Governor – Turbine Governor…
Excitation – unit excitation, excitation transformer..
Control – unit control, common control, power house level control - HMI
Protection – Unit, line, busbar…
Equipments manufactured by Andritz
Inlet Valve
Turbine
Generator
Automation,
Control & Protection
Medium Voltage
Switchgear
Power Transformer
High Voltage Switchgear
Transmission Line
PART B
 MAIN INLET VALVE

Valves - Valves are used to control the water flow in pipes.

When the valve is closed, the water flow is stopped. When
it is open the water flows through.
Valves

Butterfly Spherical
Individual Description

Turbine (Draft tube, DT cone, Discharge ring, bottom

ring, runner, stay ring, spiral case, guide vanes,
runner, head cover, turbine guide bearing… )
Turbine- converts the potential energy of water into
mechanical energy, which in turn drives the generator.

TYPE OF
TURBINE

KAPLAN
FRANCIS
PELTON Animated Turbine.exe

REVERSIBLE
BULB
Draft tube- conveys the water from the discharge side of the turbine to the
tailrace. It is designed to minimize exit losses.
Spiral case and wicket gates- to direct and control the water
entering the turbine runner. The spiral case is a steel-lined
conduit connected to the penstock or intake conduit, and it
distributes flow uniformly into the turbine. Wicket gates are
adjustable vanes that surround the turbine runner entrances
and they control the area available for water to enter the
turbine.
A cross- sectional view of Hydroturbine-Generator Unit
Kaplan
Turbine
Propeller Turbine
A propeller has a runner with three to
six fixed blades, like a boat propeller.
The water passes through the runner
and drives the blades. Propeller turbines
can operate from 10 feet to 300 feet of
head and can be as large as 100
megawatts. A Kaplan turbine is a type
of propeller turbine in which the pitch of
the blades can be changed to improve Kaplan
performance. Kaplan turbines can be as
large as 400 megawatts. Turbine
Francis
Turbine
Francis Turbine
A Francis turbine has a runner with fixed vanes,
usually nine or more. The water enters the turbine
in a radial direction with respect to the shaft, and
is discharged in an axial direction. Francis turbines
will operate from 10 feet to 2,000 feet of head and
can be as large as 800 megawatts.

Francis
Turbine
A sectional view of Francis Turbine
Pump Turbine
Pump Turbine
A Sectional view of
Pump Turbine
Pelton Turbine
 Pelton
Pelton Turbine Turbine
A Pelton turbine has one or more jets of
water impinging on the buckets of a
runner that looks like a water wheel. The
Pelton turbines are used for high-head
sites (50 feet to 6,000 feet) and can be
as large as 200 megawatts.
Generator – converts the mechanical power TYPE OF GENERATOR
produced by the turbine into electrical power.
The two major components of the generator
are the rotor and stator, The rotor is the UMBRELLA TYPE
rotating assembly, which is attached by a
SEMI UMBRELLA TYPE
connecting shaft to the turbine, and the stator
is the fixed portion of the generator. SUSPENDED TYPE

As far as generators are synchronous, they should be provided

with excitation system. In order to expect high reliability, high
system function, easy maintenance, etc. for the excitation system,
static excitation equipment or brushless exciter are mainly adopted
to most of hydro generators.
1 GENERATOR

Umbrella type generator - low operating speeds

W8/IM 8205
80 - 200 rpm
W42/IM 8225
130 - 250 rpm
Semi-umbrella type generator

W41/IM 8425
170 - 1500 rpm
Standard type generator
Hydro Generators
• General
– Converting rotating kinetic
energy into electrical energy
– Requires individual selection
• Turbine gives the design
power and speed
parameters
• Power system specifies
transient and inertia needs

• Basic Design parameters:

– Speed
– Output
– Thrust forces
– Overspeed
– Voltage and Power Factor
 Generating Unit Concept (Vertical)
Generator
Top stator
covers winding

Generator
Collector and
rotor
oil or air head
poles
Upper
guide Rotor rim
bearing
Thrust
Brakes
bearing
bracket
Main
Thrust and shaft
guide bearing
Synchronous Generator
• Rotor
– Rotating magnetic field
created by DC
electromagnet (=rotor)
• Stator
– Magnetic field cicuit from
rotor pole through air gap
and iron stator core returns
to adjacent poles
– Slots contain stator
windings where voltage and
current are generated
– Transfers torque forces to
foundation
 Mechanical BoP - Unit
Typical Mechanical Scope for Generating Unit
Thrust Brg Oil System

Generator Jacking Oil Brake Dust

System Extraction
Generator
Oil Vapor
Extraction
Generator Brakes Air System

Cooling
Water
System

Penstock Spiral
Turbine
Draft Tube Gate
Main Inlet Valve
High Pressure Air System
(Low Pressure Governor Systems)

Valve Hydraulic Controls System Governor Hydraulic Control System Gate Hydraulic Controls System
Blow downAir System
Oil Pr. Systems (M&F) Fabrications Generator

Air Pr. Systems

-
(M&F) -
Servo Motors (M&F) BOP
Mechanical BoP - Station
Gates

Fire Fighting System HVAC System

Station OHT Crane

Bulk Oil Handling System

Station Drainage System

Valves
Station Service Air System

Oil Pr. Systems (M&F) Governor

Air Pr. Systems (M&F)

Fabrications

Mechanical BOP

Electrical BOP
Electrical BoP - Station 1. (Turbine)
14 2. (Valve)
3. (Generator)
13
4. Slip rings
5. Demagnetizing
equipment
6. Rectifier controlled by
voltage regulator
7. Exciter transformer
8. Auxiliary transformer
9. Current limiting coils
10. Generator breaker
11. Power transformer
12. High voltage breaker
and disconnector
13. High voltage
switchyard
14. Overhead transmission
line
Electrical BoP - Unit Bus Duct
Governors- regulates the speed and output of turbine-generator
units by controlling the wicket gates to adjust water flow through the
turbine.
The hydraulic turbine governor is
equipment for controlling the guide
vanes by detecting turbine speed
and its guide vane opening in GOVERNOR &
order to keep the turbine speed GOVERNING
stable or to regulate it's output. EQUIPMENT

Accordingly, the controllability of HYDROMECHANICAL

the power station and the quality of GOVERNING CABINET
an electric power depend upon the ELECTRONIC GOVERNING
performance of the governor. And, CABINET
the governor is entrusted with a
position of large responsibility as OPU,PRESSURE
the primary regulator to control the ACCUMULATOR
major factor of the power station.
Control equipment –necessary to EXCITATION &
facilitate the automatic or manual CONTROL EQUIPMENT
operation of other necessary power
plant equipment.
UNIT CONTROL PANEL
Auxiliary equipment – consists of
the electrical heating / cooling (air- AUXILIARY CONTROL
conditioning) and ventilation, PANEL
generator cooling, pipings, fire ALARM ANNUNCIATION
protection overhead cranes, land PANEL
generating components.
Erection bay- an area provided for TEMP. MEASUREMENT
the assembly and disassembly of PANEL
major generating components. THYRISTER PANEL
Service areas- include offices, FIELD BREAKER PANEL
control and testing rooms, storage
R&F PANEL
rooms, maintenance shops,
auxiliary equipment rooms, and
other areas for special uses.
 UNIT AUXILIARY SYSTEM POWER HOUSE AUXILIARY
SYSTEM

TOP COVER DRAINAGE

COOLING WATER SYSTEM
CENTRALISED GREASE
LUBRICATION SYSTEM DRAINAGE & DEWATERING
SYSTEM
OIL LEAKAGE UNIT
H.P. COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
H.S.LUBRICATION SYSTEM
L.P. COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM
Buswork, circuit breakers, and disconnects- link the generator to the
power grid. Buswork consists of the electrical conduits that transfer power
output from the generator to the step-up transformers. Disconnects or
circuit breakers are switches that connect and disconnect the generator
to the power grid. Circuit breakers interrupt the circuit, when it is under
load, and disconnects insolate equipment, once the load has been
interrupted.

Transformers- electrical devices that increase generator output voltage

to match the voltage level of the transmission line.

Switchyard-final link to the power grid. It consists of line circuit breaker

and disconnect switches. The power generated by the generating units, is
pooled in the switchyard and transmitted to load points. As far as
possible, the switchyard is located near to the Power House.,
Water to Wire

Generation Transmission & Distribution

THE END