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

Go with the Flow!

14.0 Hydroelectric Energy

https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/

Oil ~$82 on 3/17/2010

In Other News . . .

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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, free-flowing 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.)

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 usedGeorgia Tech researching tidal flows

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/projects.html#mhtma

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https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/hdc/corpshydro.htm

14 Overview: Hydropower in the US

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

050322 http://www.corpsresults.us/hydro/default.htm

14.0 About This Presentation

14.1 History14.2 Dam Energy14.3 Sources of Water Power14.4 Waterwheels 14.5 High-Speed Turbines14.6 Physics of Operation14.7 Power vs. Head and Flow14.8 Issues and Trends14.0 Conclusion

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14.0 US Hydropower

100317interestingenergyfacts.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 turbineFirst electric power of 12 kW on Fox River,

Appleton Wisconsin, 1882 www.calpoly.edu/~cm/ studpage/ashan/

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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)

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

Newhalem WA Gorge Plant; photo: Leslie, 2002

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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)

www.srh.noaa.gov/tlh/cpm/ chattahoochee.html

Impounded waters reduce ocean rise, prevent loss of life and property loss from floods

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http://talgov.com/citytlh/utilities/electric/corn.html

14.3 Sources of Water Power

Impoundments such as dams hold back water to increase the head and store water for use in droughtsHigh 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 turbinesThese turbines run with large volumes and low pressures

Many dams control flooding downstream and have no hydropower generators

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http://www.miamiconservancy.org/Flood_Protection_&_Water_Management/Great_Flood_of_1913/

My hometown; Dayton, Ohio, flood of 1913

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

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Photo by F. Leslie, 2002

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

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Photo by F. Leslie, 2002

14.3 Electrical Switch Yard at a Dam

Bonneville Dam upstream from Portland

Energy from the turbines is collected on bus bars for transmission

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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

14.3 Utah Dam Electrical Transformers

060319 http://www.shoestringbooks.com/Utah/Dam-power%20converters.jpg

High power has three phases, thus three single-phase transformers are used for each generator’s output

14.4 Water Wheels

Types of water wheels are based upon where the water strikes itPitchback – 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 rpmWith no load, the Florida Tech wheel turns 10

turns in 11 seconds100317

14.4.1 Water Wheels: Pitchback

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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http://www.whitemill.org.uk/z0028.htm

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 fastA very fast flow would be needed to get kinetic

energy

100317 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

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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Water Flow

Note the contoured channel or surround at the bottom of the wheel that holds the water into the wheel

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

080317 http://inventors.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/3807/features/watermills.html

Can be on a small boat anchored in a stream

14.5 High-Speed Commercial Turbines

Types of turbines (next)FrancisBulbKaplanPelton

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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

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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Ampair's Aquair UW submersible propeller turbine

30 ft diameter 0.8 ft diameter

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

http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Div/hitachi/hydraulic-turbine/KAPLAN.htm

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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.hitachi.co.jp/Div/hitachi/hydraulic-turbine/others.htm

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http://www.galeforce.nireland.co.uk/Water/water.htm

14.5.5 Small Harris hydro generator for home use

                                     

http://www.realgoods.com/renew/shop/product.cfm?dp=1200&sd=1201&ts=1017101

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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

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 transferEnergy extraction: efficiencies of various turbine

types drive the selection vs. cost of the installationHP input from water = W•Q•H/33000, where

W is 62.42 pounds per cubic footQ is flow in cubic feet per minuteAnd H is the head in feet (1 hp =

33000ft-lbs/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

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)

400MW Pump-Turbine for Kazunogawa power station, Japan.

http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Div/hitachi/hydraulic-turbine/PUMP.htm050322

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 topNote 4 ft. handrails on

generatorsTurbine areas are very

noisy, requiring ear protection and radio intercoms

050322 http://www.freefoto.com/pictures/industry/hydro_electric/index.asp?i=56

WATER FLOW IN LITRES PER SECOND

14.7 Power vs. Head and Flow

030307http://

www.galeforce.nireland.co.uk/                                                                     

NET HEADOR PRESSURE

IN METRESOF WATER

APPROXIMATE PIPE DIAMETER (mm)

14.7.1 Small Hydropower Hybrid

090317 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

090317 http://www.frenchriverland.com/

Celeste and Chris Kruger dropping the Brockway Mills rotor through the hatch in the powerhouse roof.

From the French River Land site in Massachusetts

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 pastFurther large installations are unlikely, although

many small stream systems are still being developedDroughts have reduced water flow in the Northwest,

impacting the energy supply and increasing pricesThe reservoir behind large impoundment dams can

generate GHG due to decomposition of plant material050322

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

060308 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 developedHydropower 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

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Questions?

14.A Appendix: Water Flow Estimation

The weir could be a board with a horizontal slot cut in it030323

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

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.pdfhttp://www.thesustainablevillage.com/products/catalogs/vol1no1/screen/03_SV_2002_Energy.pdfhttp://www.absak.com/diagram/index.html Home water power sitehttps://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/ The Army Corps of Engineershttp://www.waterwheelfactory.com/http://inventors.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/3807/features/watermills.htmlhttp://ww2.green-trust.org:8383/hydro.htmhttp://www.watermotor.net/indexflash.htm microhydrohttp://www.nrel.gov/clean_energy/teach_hydroelectric.htmlhttp://www.small-hydro.com/http://www.miamiconservancy.org/Flood_Protection_&_Water_Management/Great_Flood_of_1913/default.htmhttp://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 pumphttp://www.corpsresults.us/hydro/default.htmhttp://www.frenchriverland.com/ Excellent small hydro site!http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/the-weekly-geek-micro-hydro-power-20080227http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/hydro_history.html

________________________________________________________________http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/home.asp

www.ferc.gov/ Federal Energy Regulatory Commissionwww.google.com/search?q=%22renewable+energy+course%22solstice.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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