Introduction

Classification
Site selection
Plant layout
Elements of hydro-electric power plant
Types of water turbines
Hydro electric generator
Choice of size and number of generating units
Auxiliaries
Merits and demerits
The main source of energy on earth is the sun.
Solar energy in the form of heat is absorbed by
the oceans, seas, rivers and lakes resulting in
the formation of water vapour which
condenses to form clouds and eventual
precipitation.
Thus the work done on water during this
hydrological cycle by the energies of the sun,
wind and the cooling forces places it upland,
impregnating it with a huge amount of
potential energy which may be extracted from
it during its descent back to the oceans.

Most of this energy if not harnessed, dissipates
itself into heat before reaching the ocean. If
harnessed, this energy is converted into kinetic
energy and this kinetic energy is converted into
mechanical energy by allowing the water to
flow through the hydraulic turbine runner. This
mechanical energy is utilized to run an electric
generator which is coupled to the turbine
shaft.
Thus, hydro electric power is the power
obtained from the energy of falling water
whereas hydro-electric power plant is the
power plant utilizing the potential energy of
water at a high level for the generation of
electrical energy.

The two major reasons for the extensive
development of water power are:
1) The tremendous increase in demand of
electric power for industrial, agricultural,
commercial and domestic purposes.
2) High cost of fuels and limited resources.
A water power site is usually developed
to supply electric power to a newly and
a specially established industry or town
or to provide additional power to an
already existing or proposed
interconnected electric power system.

Hydro electric power stations are usually
located in high hilly areas where the
dam can be built easily and large
reservoirs can be obtained.
Generally such projects are multipurpose
i.e. in addition to generation of electric
power they are used for irrigation, flood
control and navigation etc.

CLASSIFICATION
OF HYDEL POWER
PLANTS
ON THE BASIS OF
QUANTITY OF
WATER AVAILABLE
RUN OFF RIVER
PLANTS WITHOUT
PONDAGE
RUN OFF RIVER
PLANTS WITH
PONDAGE
RESERVOIR PLANTS
ON THE BASIS OF
AVAILABLE HEAD
LOW HEAD
(LESS THAN 30 m)
MEDIUM HEAD
(30m-300m)
HIGH HEAD
(MORE THAN
300m)
ON THE BASIS OF
NATURE OF LOAD
BASE LOAD PLANT
PEAK LOAD PLANT
Factors that have to be considered in
selection are:
Availability of water
Water storage
Head of water
Geological Investigation
Water Pollution
Sedimentation
Environmental Effects
Access to site


The chief requirement for hydro-electric power plant
is the availability of water in huge quantity at
sufficient head and this requirement can be met by
constructing a dam across a river or lake.
An artificial storage reservoir is formed by
constructing a dam across a river and a pressure
tunnel is taken off from the reservoir to the valve
house at the start of the penstock.
The valve house contains main sluice valves for
controlling water flow to the power station and
automatic isolating valves for cutting off water supply
in case the penstock bursts. A surge tank is also
provided just before the valve house for better
regulation of water pressure in the system.
From the reservoir the water is carried to valve house
through pressure tunnel and from valve house to the
water turbine through pipes of large diameter made of
steel or reinforced concrete, called the penstock. The
water turbine converts hydraulic energy into
mechanical energy and the alternator coupled to the
water turbine converts mechanical energy into
electrical energy. Water after doing useful work is
discharged to the tail race.
The general layout of the hydro-power plant is
determined by its type. For plants employing vertical
turbines, the most convenient and economical layout
will be with turbines installed in a line parallel to the
length of the turbine house. The spacing between the
machines will depend upon the size of the scroll case,
width of the flume, or by the overall diameters of the
alternators.
In case of turbines with horizontal shaft arrangement,
the most suitable layout will be placement of turbines at
right angles to the length of the turbine house. The
horizontal machines can also be placed parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the turbine house.
A hydro electric power plant consists of a
reservoir for storage of water, a diversion
dam, an intake structure for controlling and
regulating the flow of water, a conduit
system to carry the water from the intake to
the water wheel, the turbine coupled with
the generators, the drift tube for conveying
water from the wheel to the tailrace, the
tailrace and a power house i.e. the building
to contain the turbines, generators, the
accessories and the other miscellaneous
items.
The size, location and type of each of these
essential elements depend upon the
topography and geological conditions and
the amount of water to be used.
The height to which the dam may be built is
usually limited by the extent of flowage
damage. Pondage may have great value,
particularly for peak load power plants,
warranting the purchase of extensive
flowage rights.
The spillway section of the dam must be
long enough to pass safety the max
amount of water to be expected. Likewise
the abutments and other short structures
must be built to withstand successfully the
greatest freshet conceivable on the river.

WATER TURBINES
ACCORDING TO
ACTION OF WATER
ON MOVING
BLADES
IMPULSE TURBINE
REACTION TURBINE
ACCORDING TO
TYPE OF FLOW OF
WATER
AXIAL FLOW
TURBINE
INWARD RADIAL
FLOW TURBINE
TANGENTIAL FLOW
TURBINE
MIXED FLOW
TURBINE
ACCORDING TO
HEAD AND
QUANTITY OF
WATER AVAILABLE
HIGH HEAD & LOW
FLOW TURBINE
LOW TO MEDIUM
HEAD TURBINE
HIGH TO MEDIUM
DISCHARGE
TURBINES
ACCORDING TO
NAME OF
ORIGINATOR
PELTON TURBINE
FRANCIS TURBINE
KAPLAN TURBINE
Head: reaction turbines can be used for operating
heads up to 500 meter and Pelton turbine for above 500
meter.
Specific speed
Turbine setting: A Pelton turbine is always set at higher
level than highest tailrace level while Francis turbine is
placed at a level near or below lowest tailrace level.
Runaway speed: This is maximum speed at which
turbine wheel would run under worst operating
condition.
Constant speed curves: In hydroelectric power plants,
turbines operate at constant speed and therefore,
variables are operating head H and discharge Q.
The generators used in hydroelectric power plants
are three phase alternating current synchronous
generators called alternators.
Alternators consists essentially of two parts namely
Armature and Field magnet system.
The armature is an iron ring, formed of laminations of
special magnetic iron or steel alloy having slots on
inner periphery to accommodate armature
conductors and is known as stator. For minimizing
eddy current losses due to rotation of field structure in
between stator, stator core is laminated. Laminations
are insulated from each other with paper or varnish.
The field structure is largest and heaviest
component of alternator, called rotor. The rotor
houses the DC excitation winding and exciting
current is supplied to rotor through two slip rings
and brushes.
Alternators employed in hydroelectric power plants
have following features:
1) Machine may have horizontal or vertical
configuration.
2) Protection against runaway speeds is to be
provided.
3) Machine are usually of salient pole type and no. of
poles varies from 6-120.These machines should be
capable of supplying heavy line charging currents.

1) MVA rating
2) No. of phases (always 3)
3) Frequency (50 Hz in India)
4) Connection of stator windings (nearly
always star)
5) Voltage rating (3.3/6.6/11 KV)
6) Power factor
7) Current rating
8) Speed
9) Method of cooling and temperature rise

10) Type of excitation, excitation voltage
11) Different reactance
12) Short circuit ratio
13) Position of shaft
14) Type of voltage regulation and its
response time
15) Efficiency
16) Field current at full load and rated power
factor, regulation at full load
17) Mechanical details like runaway speed,
direction of rotation, overall size, flywheel
effect, number and location of bearing etc.
18) Details of accessories

The load on the power station is never constant but
varies at different timings of the day owing to varying
demands and the generating plant should have the
capacity to meet the maximum demand.
In case one unit is taken of such a size as to meet the
maximum demand of the power station, the plant will
be operating on full load only for a short duration and
will be operating on full load only for a short duration
and will be running light or even practically no-load for
the rest of the day.
The generating unit would therefore not be running at
all times under conditions best suited for its operation
giving maximum efficiency.
In case of an isolated station, in order to maintain
reliability and continuity of power supply at all times
another one unit of equal capacity will be required.

The auxiliaries essentially required for hydro-electric
plant are governor, cranes, lubricating oil pumps, air
compressors, high pressure oil pumps for generator
rotor jacking system, fans, cooling wear pumps,
drainage and dewatering pumps, gate hoists, valves,
battery charging units,CO
2
cylinders etc.
These auxiliaries are generally electrically driven.
Water may be used to cool the bearings of the
turbines and the generators and the transformers and
is circulated through water pumps.
Air compressors maintain a supply of air under
pressure for operation of generator brakes and other
uses in the power station.
Fans are required for ventilation of the turbine and
switchgear room or for cooling of transforms.
Oil pumps handle transformer oil through the cleaning
and cooling system.
Cranes are required to lift heavy parts or place them in
position during repairs. Water pumps are required for
watering of turbine pits during repairs or inspection.
Storage batteries are required to supply low voltage dc
power for switchgear control. These batteries are
constantly charged through a battery charging
equipment using rectifier or motor generator set.
Carbon-di-oxide cylinder and other fire extinguishing
equipment are required in case the fire breaks out.
The supply for the above auxiliaries is usually obtained
from the station transformer which is installed solely for
this purpose
Operation, running and maintenance costs are low.
Once the dam is built, the energy is virtually free.
No fuel is burnt and the plant is quite neat & clean.
No waste or pollution produced.
Generating plants have a long lifetime.
Much more reliable than wind, solar or wave power.
Water can be stored above the dam ready to cope
with peaks in demand.
Unscheduled breakdowns are relatively infrequent
and short in duration since the equipment is relatively
simple.
Hydroelectric turbine-generators can be started and
put "on-line" very rapidly.
Electricity can be generated constantly.
Very land-use oriented and may flood large regions.
The dams are very expensive to build. However, many
dams are also used for flood control or irrigation, so
building costs can be shared.
Capital cost of generators, civil engineering works and
cost of transmission lines is very high.
Water quality and quantity downstream can be affected,
which can have an impact on plant life.
Finding a suitable site can be difficult - the impact on
residents and the environment may be unacceptable.
Fish migration is restricted.
fish health affected by water temperature change and
insertion of excess nitrogen into water at spillways
available water and its temperature may be affected
Reservoirs alter silt-flow patterns