What is a Hydroelectric Project

In this world of development, the basic need for development is energy. To generate energy, we need some resources. We have two types of resources of energy that are conventional and non-conventional sources of energy. Conventional sources of energy are vastly used around the world. All kinds of energy and electricity are most important. Electricity is generated in three ways nuclear power, thermal power, and hydropower. These are the conventional sources of energy. For better understanding, we have to understand the difference between conventional and non-conventional sources of energy. Hydropower generated in hydroelectric projects. In this article, we will talk about what is a hydroelectric project.

Hydroelectric project

Hydroelectric projects are projects which work on the kinetic energy of water. There are many components of hydroelectric projects. In hydroelectric projects, the potential energy of water is converted to kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is converted to mechanical energy. Mechanical energy is converted to electrical energy with the help of a generator. This way electricity is produced.

Types of hydroelectric projects: –

There are three categories by which hydroelectric projects are classified

1. Availability of head
2. Quantity of water available
3. Nature of load

These are the three main categories of hydroelectric projects. These categories also have subcategories.

Availability of head

Low head hydroelectric projects.

Medium head hydroelectric projects.

High-head hydroelectric projects.

Low head: –

These are the projects which have ahead of less than 20 meters. In these types of hydroelectric projects, there is no need for dams. The head is created by a streamline. This head is only a few meters.

Medium head

These are the projects which have to head lies between 20 meters to 300 meters. The capacity of these power projects lies between 10 MW to 100 MW. According to the availability of water. For these projects, a tank is formed at the beginning of the penstock.

High head

These projects have heads of more than 300 m. The capacity of these projects is more than 100 MW. In these projects, a pressure Tunnel is constructed to carry water from the reservoir to the valve house. After the valve house penstock is connected, the penstock carries the water valve house to the powerhouse. Pelton wheel turbine is used in which type of hydroelectric projects.

Quantity of water available

Runoff river plant without Pondage

In these projects, water is not stored. Water directly faded to the turbines. This canal-like structure is used to carry the water to the forebay tank. After forebay tank water fed up to the turbines. These projects directly depend upon the availability of water. The electricity generation is directly dependent upon the rate of flow of water.

Runoff river plant with Pondage.

In this type of hydroelectric project, a reservoir is constructed to store the water during off-peak hours. The stored water is used in peak hours. Most of all run-off river plants have small reservoirs to store the water. The usefulness of the run of river plants is increased by Pondage.

Storage type:

In these projects, a dam is constructed. This is used to store the water in the rainy season.  the stored water used in the dry season for the generation of electricity. In these projects, water remains available all over the year. This type of project is useful for both base and peak load periods as per requirement.

Pump storage hydroelectric project: –

In these projects, water is again pumped to the main reservoir after passing from turbines. Water is pumped back during the off-peak load time. During the high load, time water is again released from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir to generate electricity.

Mini and micro plants: –

In mini-hydro projects availability of the head is only 20 meters and the head of micro projects is only 5 meters. The capacity of micro-hydroelectric projects is 100 kW which is enough for a home and village. The capacity of the mini hydroelectric project is 100 kW to 2 MW.

Nature of load

Baseload project

A baseload project generates electricity throughout the year with minimum power generation requirements. These plants turn off during periodic maintenance. Runoff river plants without bondage are considered baseload projects.

Peak load projects: –

These projects produced electricity only during peak load hours. Evening hours are considered as the peak load hours. Runoff rivers with bondage are considered as the peak load projects.

Components of hydroelectric projects:

Hydroelectric Dam

The dam is the major construction in storage type hydroelectric projects. Dam Stores the water to regulate the continuous flow of water for power generation.

Weir

weir is known as the diversion for the water from the main river to the desalting chamber or channels.

Desalting chamber

This is a small pond-like structure that is used to settle down the impurities which are available in the water.

Water tunnels and channels

These are the components that help water to flow from the dam or desilting chamber to the surge shaft or forebay tank.

Surge shaft

This is the component that collects the water from channels or tunnels. The surge shaft also helps to create the required pressure of water.

Forebay tank

This component is used in small hydroelectric projects. Its working is almost the same as Sher shaft in small projects.

Valve house

Valve house helps to regulate the requirement of water to the turbines.

Penstock

Penstock is a pipe that carries water from the valve house to the turbines.

Powerhouse

A powerhouse is a building in which all the machines like turbine generators are placed. It is the most important component for power generation.

Turbines: –

Turbines are a very important component of hydroelectric projects. It is the component that converts kinetic energy into mechanical energy. The turbine rotates with the force created by the water and water jets. Turbines rotate the generator with connecting shafts. When the shaft rotates the generator also rotates and magnetic flux changes and electricity is generated.

Types of turbines used in hydroelectric projects:

Impulse turbines

Reaction turbines

Impulse turbines: –

Difference between impulse and reaction turbines

The main difference between impulse turbines and reaction turbines is the way in which they use water energy. impulse turbines take energy at a single point and reaction turbines take energy on the whole wheel.

 Impulse turbines

this type of turbine works on the kinetic energy of the water. For these types of turbines jets and governors, arrangements are needed to control or regulate the water. Here are some types of reaction turbines: –

Pelton wheel turbine

Crossflow turbine

Reaction turbines: –

Inward and outward reaction turbines.

This type of turbine is inserted through the casing. Kinetic energy and potential energy are used to rotate the turbine. All the reaction turbines are coming into the inward and outward flow of turbines. If the water enters from outward to inward such kinds of turbines are known as inward reaction turbines. On the other hand, if water enters inward to outward is known as outward reaction turbines.

Types of reaction turbines:

1. Francis turbines

2. Kaplan turbines

3. Propeller turbines

4. Straflo turbines

Generators

A generator is a machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Power grid

The power grid receives electricity e from the generator and transfers it to other places.

Working of a powerhouse: –

Water is stored in the dam or diverted by the weir to the channel or tunnel. These tunnels and channels carry water to the forebay tank. From the forebay, tank water comes through a penstock to the turbines. The turbine rotates with the water energy. Generators are with the turbine with a shaft when the turbine rotates. The connected shaft is also rotating and the generator also rotates. by the rotating magnetic flux changed and, in this way, electricity is produced.

10 biggest hydroelectric power plants in the world

Sr.no	Hydroelectric project name	Capacity	Country
1	Three Gorges Dam	22500 MW	China
2	Itaipu Dam	14000 MW	Brazil
3	Xiluodu	13860 MW	China
4	Belo monte	11223 MW	Brazil
5	Guri	10235 MW	Venezuela
6	Tucurui	8370 MW	Brazil
7	Grand coulee	6909 MW	United States
8	Xiangjiaba	6448 MW	China
9	Longtan dam	6426 MW	China
10	Sayano	6400 MW	Shushenskaya

Conclusion

Electricity is a basic need of human beings for development. Electrical energy is an almost clean conventional source of energy. This energy is almost free from all types of pollutions like air pollution, Water pollution, etc. There are so many hydroelectric projects all over the world that can be easily found with the help of the latitude and longitude of that place. Hydroelectric projects are mostly one-time investments, after the construction only periodic maintenance is needed.

This is all about the hydroelectric project we hope you understand the concept. If you have any quarry then feel free to contact us.