14.0 Hydroelectric Energy
Go with the
Flow!
https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/
Frank R. Leslie,
B. S. E. E., M. S. Space Technology, LS IEEE
3/17/10, Rev. 2.1.0
fleslie @fit.edu; (321) 674-7377
www.fit.edu/~fleslie
Oil ~$82 on 3/17/2010
In Other News . . .
 Chile will build a $3.8 billion hydro dam in
Patagonia
 Backpack power plant (at right)
 DOE Announces Funding Opportunity for
Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology
Development, March 10, 2010
 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today
announced its intent to issue a Funding
Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the
advancement of marine and hydrokinetic
technology. The FOA, entitled "Marine and
Hydrokinetic Technology Readiness
Advancement Initiative," will solicit applications
for projects to advance the development of
technologies that generate renewable
electricity from waves, currents, tides, freeflowing rivers, and the ocean's thermal energy.
Technologies at various levels of development
will be evaluated based on metrics and
guidelines established by DOE, and funding will
be competitively awarded to a variety of
projects. For more details, please view the
Notice of Intent on the FedConnect Web site.
(Search by Issuing Office Golden.)
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14 Overview: Hydropower
 Hydropower is a conventional energy form since it has
been in existence so long
 Hydro falls within the renewable category since solar
energy powers the rainfall cycle; some people want to
remove (breach) dams to get rid of blockages to travel,
to see the canyon, and to stabilize river flows
 The latter makes for controversy in salmon areas as
dams may interfere with spawning [ed. note: Do those
who want salmon to “swim free” eat salmon steaks in
Berkeley, California fern-garden restaurants?]
 Only ~10% of potential water flows are currently used
 Georgia Tech researching tidal flows
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/projects.html#mhtma
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14 Overview: Hydropower in the US
https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/hdc/corpshydro.htm
 Hydropower is primarily commercial in the US, and
supplies 13% of total electrical generation
 While fossil-fired steam holds the highest rank, hydro is
#3, second only to nuclear power
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http://www.corpsresults.us/hydro/default.htm
14.0 About This Presentation
 14.1 History
 14.2 Dam Energy
 14.3 Sources of Water Power
 14.4 Waterwheels
 14.5 High-Speed Turbines




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14.6 Physics of Operation
14.7 Power vs. Head and Flow
14.8 Issues and Trends
14.0 Conclusion
14.0 US Hydropower
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interestingenergyfacts.blogspot.com
14.1 History of Water Power
 Greek poet Antipater (400 B.C.) refers to energy of
falling water www.calpoly.edu/~cm/ studpage/ashan/
 ~200 B.C.E., Egyptians were grinding grain with
horizontal water mills
 Technology from the Persians (Iran/Iraq), who may have
gotten it from China
 By the First Century, the wheels were turned to operate
vertically (horizontal axis) at much better efficiency
 About 1800, water mills were common in Europe and
New England
 In 1820s, Benoit Furneyron invented the turbine
 First electric power of 12 kW on Fox River, Appleton
Wisconsin, 1882 www.calpoly.edu/~cm/ studpage/ashan/
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14.2 Hydroelectric Energy (Dams)
 The solar distillation of
ocean and surface waters
and ground moisture
produces rain that stores
potential energy above sea
level
 The impoundment of this
water energy has long been
used for generation of
electricity
 Hydro dams were
commonplace in the 1930’s,
but many have fallen into
disuse and were removed
 Once installed, these
systems produced low cost
electricity
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World's largest storage dam,
Uganda's Owen Falls Dam.
The hydroelectric station at the
dam supplies most of
the electricity requirements of
Uganda, and parts of Kenya.
(Photo:Faculty of Engineering,
Kasetsart University, Thailand)
Newhalem WA Gorge Plant;
photo: Leslie, 2002
14.2 Hydroelectric Energy
(continued)
 Florida has only two small hydropower plants near Georgia (C. H.
Corn Hydroelectric and Jim Woodruff Dam), while the Pacific
Northwest relies heavily on Columbia River hydropower for cheap
electricity (Number 3 is the 3 to 16 watt system at Florida Tech)
 Most useful sources have been exploited years ago
 Dams are under attack by environmentalists who want water
unhindered for fish passage, recreation, and for endangered
species --- some of them claim hydro is not renewable (but it is)
 Impounded waters reduce ocean rise, prevent
loss of life and property loss from floods
http://talgov.com/citytlh/utilities/electric/corn.html
www.srh.noaa.gov/tlh/cpm/ chattahoochee.html
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14.3 Sources of Water Power
 Impoundments such as dams hold back water to increase the head
and store water for use in droughts
 High pressure turbines use high pressure streams and relatively
lower volumes of water
 “Run of river” dams don’t store water in a deep reservoir but merely
channel it to the turbines
 These turbines run with large volumes and low pressures
 Many dams control flooding downstream and have no hydropower
generators
My hometown; Dayton, Ohio, flood of 1913
http://www.miamiconservancy.org/Flood_Protection_&_Water_Management/Great_Flood_of_1913/
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14.3.1 Chief Joseph Dam in Washington
 Run of
river dam
on
Columbia
River,
Oregon
 Produces
2069 MW;
Grand
Coulee is
6465 MW!
 The other
kind of
dam is the
storage
dam with
a high
reservoir
Photo by F. Leslie, 2002
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14.3.1.1 Chief Joseph Dam “Fish Ladder”
 Fish
ladder to
allow
fish to
bypass
the dam
and
turbines
 Federal
fish
counters
identify
and tally
them
Photo by F. Leslie, 2002
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14.3 Electrical Switch Yard at a Dam
 Bonneville
Dam
upstream
from Portland
 Energy from
the turbines
is collected
on bus bars
for
transmission
 After a transformer raises the voltage (and decreases the
current), the high lines connect to the red-and-white
tower’s insulators to be connected into the grid
Photo by F. Leslie, 2002
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14.3 Utah Dam Electrical
Transformers
High power
has three
phases, thus
three singlephase
transformers
are used for
each
generator’s
output
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http://www.shoestringbooks.com/Utah/Dam-power%20converters.jpg
14.4 Water Wheels
 Types of water wheels are based upon where the water
strikes it
Pitchback – water drops from top and is deflected
backwards to fall back towards the dam
Overshot – shoots over the top onto the wheel; the
usual kind
Breastshot – strikes about 50% to 80% of height of
the near side of the wheel
Undershot – pushes underneath and need not be
more than immersed in a stream
 Waterwheels turn slowly compared with turbines
 one to fifty rpm
With no load, the Florida Tech wheel turns 10 turns in
11 seconds
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14.4.1 Water Wheels: Pitchback
http://www.whitemill.org.uk/z0028.htm
 Note the difference in direction of the water flow
 A containing surround structure could force the water against the
wheel as it falls and increase the weight of the water in the wheel
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14.4.2 Water Wheels: Overshot
 The water flows across the top of the wheel, pushing it
forward, but also partially filling the buckets so that the
weight pushes downward to turn the wheel
 The inertia of the water helps turn the wheel only
slightly since it doesn’t flow very fast
A very fast flow would be needed to get kinetic
energy
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http://inventors.about.com/gig/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/3807/features/watermills.html
14.4.3 Water Wheels: Breastshot
 Note the contoured
channel or surround
at the bottom of the
wheel that holds the
water into the wheel
Water Flow
 The water strikes the wheel about mid-way up so the
inertia and the weight of the water push the wheel
around
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14.4.4 Water Wheels: Undershot
 The undershot wheel is simply placed in a stream with
the bottom of the wheel pushed by the current
 Works well where there is little depth and no head
 Inefficient, but works where others won’t
 Can be on a small boat
anchored in a stream
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http://inventors.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/3807/features/watermills.html
14.5 High-Speed Commercial Turbines
 Types of turbines (next)
Francis
Bulb
Kaplan
Pelton
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14.5.1 Energy Extraction: Francis Turbine
 Water
flows
through
the
runner to
spin the
turbine
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14.5.2 Energy Extraction: Bulb Turbine
Ampair's Aquair UW submersible propeller turbine
30 ft diameter
0.8 ft diameter
 Small versions of the bulb turbine can be lowered into a
stream by hand to power a remote home
http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Div/hitachi/hydraulic-turbine/BULB.htm
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14.5.3 Energy Extraction: Kaplan Turbine
 A Washington state dam
turbine runner at The Dalles
 My wife in red shirt is 5’ 2” tall
Photo by F. Leslie, 2002
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http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Div/hitachi/hydraulic-turbine/KAPLAN.htm
14.5.4 Energy Extraction: Pelton Turbine
 These double cups catch the water
from the input water jets and
redeflect it for maximum thrust to
spin the rotor; the water falls away
 Pelton turbines are popular for
microturbines producing remote
home energy
http://www.galeforce.nireland.co.uk/Water/water.htm
http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Div/hitachi/hydraulic-turbine/others.htm
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14.5.5 Small Harris hydro generator for home use
 An automotive
alternator is
rewound to
generate the
required voltage
at a low speed,
as car
alternators run
at 5,000 to
18,000 rpm
 A Pelton wheel
turbine is spun
by four valved
nozzle flows
http://www.realgoods.com/renew/shop/product.cfm?dp=1200&sd=1201&ts=1017101
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14.6 Physics of Turbine Operation
 Head of water: height above turbine; the greater the
head, the more pressure at the turbine entrance
 Flow rate: mass flow provides the energy transfer
 Energy extraction: efficiencies of various turbine types
drive the selection vs. cost of the installation
 HP input from water = W•Q•H/33000, where
W is 62.42 pounds per cubic foot
Q is flow in cubic feet per minute
And H is the head in feet (1 hp = 33000ftlbs/minute = 550 fl-lbs/second)
 Electrical Efficiency = V•I•(100%)/(Hpin•(746W/hp))
Overshot wheels average ~50% since the kinetic
energy turns the wheel
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14.6.1 Turbine/Generator Description
400MW Pump-Turbine for
Kazunogawa power station, Japan.
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 A small exciter generator is at
the top of the shaft and its
energy drives the stator
(stationary) coils of the large
alternator
 The alternator (main
generator of alternating
current) is above the turbine
on the same shaft
 The turbine at the bottom
spins at a slow speed (~150
rpm) to move the rotor coils
past the stator coils and
generate at the desired
frequency (60 Hz in the US;
often 50 Hz overseas)
http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Div/hitachi/hydraulic-turbine/PUMP.htm
14.6.2 A Typical Turbine Hall
 Tongland Turbine Hall,
Kirkcudbright, Galloway
 The exciters are located atop
the generators and drive the
field coils of the generator
 4 ft high by 8 ft diameter
exciters on top
Note 4 ft. handrails on
generators
 Turbine areas are very noisy,
requiring ear protection and
radio intercoms
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http://www.freefoto.com/pictures/industry/hydro_electric/index.asp?i=56
14.7 Power vs. Head and Flow
APPROXIMATE PIPE DIAMETER (mm)
NET HEAD
OR PRESSURE
IN METRES
OF WATER
http://www.galeforce.nireland.co.uk/
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WATER FLOW IN LITRES PER SECOND
14.7.1 Small Hydropower Hybrid
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http://www.absak.com/diagram/index.html
14.7.2 Home Hydro at Work
http://www.homepower.com/files/homebrewhydro.pdf?search=water%20turbine
14.7.3 Hydro Plant Restoration
Celeste and Chris Kruger dropping the Brockway Mills rotor through the hatch in the powerhouse roof.
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From the French River Land site in Massachusetts
http://www.frenchriverland.com/
14.8 Issues and Trends
 The optimum locations for major dams have already
been exploited; many smaller dams have been opened
 Large dams are currently under attack by some who feel
that they should be breached to “restore the natural
river flows” and “to let the river run free”
This lack of dams often led to massive floods and
loss of life in the past
 Further large installations are unlikely, although many
small stream systems are still being developed
 Droughts have reduced water flow in the Northwest,
impacting the energy supply and increasing prices
 The reservoir behind large impoundment dams can
generate GHG due to decomposition of plant material
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14.8.1 Issues and Trends
 Glen Canyon Dam is perhaps
the most hated by radicals who
want it destroyed so the river
can “run free”
 This design won ASCE
Outstanding Engineering
Achievement Award for 1964
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http://www.shoestringbooks.com/Utah/default.htm
14 Conclusion: Hydropower
 The majority of logical hydropower sites were developed
long ago
 There are still some dams in construction, like China’s
Three Gorges 18 GW dam (final touches)
 Africa has only 7% hydro potential developed
 Hydropower in the US West was a result of President
Hoover’s work program to increase employment during a
depression and also to provide cheap electricity to spur
commerce in the West
 Small hydropower on the scale of remote home energy is
still developing
 Hydropower provides inexpensive electricity in the US
Northwest, primarily from the huge Columbia River
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Olin Engineering Complex 4.7 kW Solar PV Roof Array
Questions?
080116
14.A Appendix: Water Flow Estimation
Depth over weir dam,
inches
Cu. ft per minute per in.
of dam width
1
0.40
2
1.13
3
2.07
4
3.20
5
4.47
6
5.87
7
7.40
8
9.05
9
10.80
10
12.64
 The weir could be a board with a horizontal slot cut in it
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References: Books
 Boyle, Godfrey. Renewable Energy, Second Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
2004, ISBN 0-19-26178-4. (my preferred text)
 Brower, Michael. Cool Energy. Cambridge MA: The MIT Press, 1992. 0-262-02349-0,
TJ807.9.U6B76, 333.79’4’0973.
 Duffie, John and William A. Beckman. Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes. NY:
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 920 pp., 1991
 Gipe, Paul. Wind Energy for Home & Business. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea
Green Pub. Co., 1993. 0-930031-64-4, TJ820.G57, 621.4’5
 Patel, Mukund R. Wind and Solar Power Systems. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1999, 351
pp. ISBN 0-8493-1605-7, TK1541.P38 1999, 621.31’2136
 Sørensen, Bent. Renewable Energy, Second Edition. San Diego: Academic Press,
2000, 911 pp. ISBN 0-12-656152-4.
 Texter, [MIT]
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References: Websites, etc.
http://hydropower.inel.gov/turbine/02-11037-NWhydro.pdf
http://www.thesustainablevillage.com/products/catalogs/vol1no1/screen/03_SV_2002_Energy.pdf
http://www.absak.com/diagram/index.html Home water power site
https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/ The Army Corps of Engineers
http://www.waterwheelfactory.com/
http://inventors.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/38
07/features/watermills.html
http://ww2.green-trust.org:8383/hydro.htm
http://www.watermotor.net/indexflash.htm microhydro
http://www.nrel.gov/clean_energy/teach_hydroelectric.html
http://www.small-hydro.com/
http://www.miamiconservancy.org/Flood_Protection_&_Water_Management/Great_Flood_of_191
3/default.htm
http://www.homepower.com/files/ You can find past Home Power magazine files here [my
endorsement: subscribe to this magazine!]
http://aquamor.tripod.com/Wheel.htm for a waterwheel pump
http://www.corpsresults.us/hydro/default.htm
http://www.frenchriverland.com/ Excellent small hydro site!
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/the-weekly-geek-micro-hydro-power-20080227
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/hydro_history.html
________________________________________________________________
http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/home.asp
www.ferc.gov/ Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
www.google.com/search?q=%22renewable+energy+course%22
solstice.crest.org/
dataweb.usbr.gov/html/powerplant_selection.html
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In Other News . . . Older
 “U.S. to encourage renewable energy on public lands,
including some hydro
WASHINGTON 3/13/09 (PennWell) — The Department of Interior
announced it has created a special task force to speed the
development of renewable energy projects, including some
hydropower, on federal lands.
"More so than ever, with job losses continuing to mount, we need
to steer the country onto a new energy path," Interior Secretary
Ken Salazar said.
The new Task Force on Energy and Climate Change is to identify
specific zones on public lands where the department can act rapidly
to create large-scale production of some hydropower, solar, wind,
geothermal, and biomass energy. It also is to work to resolve
obstacles to renewable energy permitting, siting, development, and
production.” --http://www.hydronews.net/story.asp?story_id=5210
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