Hydro Power
Catherine Walker
American Public University
Used with permission from:
Professor Stephen Lawrence
Leeds School of Business
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO
1
Hydrologic Cycle
2
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/atmos/hydro.htm
History of Hydro Power
3
Early Irrigation Waterwheel
4
Boyle, Renewable Energy, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 2003
Early Roman Water Mill
5
Boyle, Renewable Energy, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 2003
Early Norse Water Mill
6
Boyle, Renewable Energy, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 2003
Fourneyron’s Turbine
7
Boyle, Renewable Energy, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 2003
Hydro Power to Electric Power
Potential
Energy
Electrical
Energy
Electricity
Kinetic
Energy
Mechanical
Energy
8
http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/images/technical/hydro-power.jpg
How it works
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glAiIDoTREE&feature=related
9
Uses of Hydro Power
10
U.S. Energy Consumption – US
11
World hydro production
12
Source: http://grist.org/climate-energy/hydropower-continues-steady-growth/
Three Gorges Dam (China)
13
Itaipú Dam (Brazil & Paraguay)
14
“Itaipu,” Wikipedia.org
Guri Dam (Venezuela)
15
http://www.infodestinations.com/venezuela/espanol/puerto_ordaz/index.shtml
Grand Coulee Dam (US)
16
www.swehs.co.uk/ docs/coulee.html
Percent Hydropower by US State
17
http://www.need.org/needpdf/infobook_activities/SecInfo/HydroS.pdf
Hydropower Design
18
Terminology

Head



Dams: three categories




Water must fall from a higher elevation to a lower one to
release its stored energy.
The difference between these elevations is called head
high-head (800 or more feet)
medium-head (100 to 800 feet)
low-head (less than 100 feet)
Power is proportional to the product of
head x flow
19
http://www.wapa.gov/crsp/info/harhydro.htm
Types of Hydroelectric Installation
20
Boyle, Renewable Energy, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 2003
Conventional Impoundment Dam
21
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/hydro_plant_types.html
Example
Hoover Dam (US)
22
http://las-vegas.travelnice.com/dbi/hooverdam-225x300.jpg
Diversion (Run-of-River) Hydropower
23
Example
Diversion Hydropower (Tazimina, Alaska)
24
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/hydro_plant_types.html
Pumped Storage Schematic
25
Example
Courtright Reservoir (California)
26
Turbine Design
27
Types of Hydropower Turbines
28
Boyle, Renewable Energy, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 2003
Francis Turbine – Grand Coulee Dam
29
"Water Turbine," Wikipedia.com
Fixed-Pitch Propeller Turbine
30
"Water Turbine," Wikipedia.com
Kaplan Turbine Cross Section
31
"Water Turbine," Wikipedia.com
Housing for Pelton Wheel –
Seven Oaks Dam
32
East End Hydro Operations
How a Pelton Turbine Works
33
Pros and Cons
34
Pros and Cons
Pros
 Little to no
emissions
 Very responsive
 Very efficient
 Requires little
maintenance
 Create reservoir
lakes
Cons
 Construction costs
 Disruption of
ecosystems
 Sedimentation
 Few feasible sites
 Failure
 Drought can affect
power production
35