Types of hydro-power plants

Based on head, the hydro power plants are classified as follows:

Type Head

Low head plants < 15 m

Medium head plants 15 – 70 m

High head plants 71 – 250 m

Very high head plants More than 250m

Layout of a Hydro Electric power plant

Main components of Hydro- Electric Power plants

The main components of a typical hydro electric power plant are the following.

1. Dam
2. Reservoir
3. Fore bay
4. Water conduit system
5. Tailrace
6. Surge tank
7. Trash rack
8. Turbine
9. Power house
10. Spillway

Have you ever visited a hydro electric power plant?

 Yes
 No
See results

1. Dam or barrage
A dam or barrage is constructed to provide a head of a water to be utilized in the water turbines.
A dam is constructed across the river and serves as a very important component in the most of
the high and medium head hydropower plants. In order to attain ease of pumping dams are built
at the top of the hills. The main factors considered during the construction of dams are safety and
economy apart from these, material availability, environmental degradation etc are also
considered.

2. Reservoir
The reservoir is used to store water for power generation and irrigation purposes. The water is
mainly stores during the rainy season. The water required for the power generation determines
the capacity of the reservoir.

3. Fore bay
Fore bay is a regulating reservoir used to store water temporarily when the load on the turbine is
reduced and provide water when load has increased.
4. Water- conduit system
A water conduit system carries water from the reservoir to the turbine through pipes. These pipes
are called as penstock. These can be laid above ground or underground.

5. Tail race
Water discharged into the tail race after passing through the turbine. It carries the water back to
the river. Tail race may be an open channel or a tunnel depending on upon the power house
location.

6. Surge tank
It acts as pressure release valve of the water conduit system. It is an additional storage space
provided near the turbine to control the pressure variation of the penstock and prevent water
hammer effect during sudden pressure variation.

7. Trash rack.
It is provided to stop the entry of debris, which might damage the gates and turbine runner. It is
placed across the intake.

8. Turbine
Turbine converts the kinetic and potential energy of the water into mechanical energy. Turbine is
attached to the shaft of the alternator. Thus the mechanical energy of the turbine is converted
into electrical energy. The commonly used turbines are Francis turbine, Kaplan turbine, Propeller
turbine and Pelton turbine. Normally water turbines rotate on the vertical axis.

9. Power house
Turbine, Alternator and various control systems are present in the power house. It is normally
located near the foot of the dam. It may be under ground or open type. The location of the power
house is based on the maximum possible head at the turbine.
10. Spill way
When the water level rises beyond the permissible levels in the reservoir, spillway discharges the
excess of water and acts as safety valve of reservoir. If the excess of water is not discharged, the
water level raises and starts flowing over the dam. This phenomenon is known as overtopping.

Advantages of hydro power.

1. Non polluting
2. The efficiency of the hydroelectric power plants are higher than thermal power plant.
3. Hydro electric power plants have very long life.
4. Less and easy maintenance
5. Power production cost is small.
6. Quick start and shut down are possible.
7. More flexibility in operation and control.
8. Water after electricity production can be used for irrigation and drinking purposes.

Draw backs.
1. High initial cost.
2. Long construction period.
3. Large portion of area is submerged under water due to the construction of dams and
reservoirs and leads to environmental and social problems.

Layout of Hydro electric power plants

 Have your ever visited a hydro electric power plant?
 Yes
 No
See results

Conventional hydroelectric plant

Pumped storage hydroelectric plant

Tidal power plant

Classification based on the hydraulic features

Based on the hydraulic features hydro electric power plants can be classified into the four types:

conventional hydro electric plants:

These plants utilize the hydraulic energy of the flowing water of the rivers. Dams are constructed
to collect the water in the reservoir and is used to run the turbines.

Pumped storage plants

In this type of hydroelectric power plants the same water is utilized again and again by pumping
back during the off peak hours. They are mainly used to meet the peak demand.

Tidal power plant

These power plant produces electric energy from the tides of the seas.

Depression power plants:

In this type of power plant water is diverted into a natural topological depression which provides
head for the plant. Water is diverted from ample resources such as seas. It is a rare type of
power plant. This type of power plants exists in Egypt.

Classification based on the operation

Base load plants

This type of plants involves in continuous power generation. Simply speaking conventional
hydroelectric power plants are base load plants.

Peak load plants

If the power plant is operated only to meet the peak demand then it is called peak load plants. In
general, pumped storage power plants are peak load plants. In this type of hydroelectric power
plants the same water is utilized again and again by pumping back during the off peak hours.

Classification based on storage

By considering the availability of storage reservoirs, hydro electric power plants can be classified
into power plants having storage reservoir and without storage reservoir. If the availability of the
water is uneven over the year, storage reservoirs are essential. If there is a natural normal flow
throughout they year then it is not essential to have a reservoir. Under such conditions a mini
reservoir or pond that takes care of day to day fluctuations is enough.

Classification based on plant capacity

Type capacity

Very low capacity hydro electric

Up to 0.1 MW
plants

Low capacity hydro electric plants Up to 1.0 MW

Medium capacity hydro electric

Up to 10 MW
plants

High capacity hydro electric plants More than 10 MW

They can also be classified as follows

Type Capacity

Micro hydro electric plants < 100 kW

Mini hydro electric plants 100kW to 1MW

Small hydro electric plants 1 MW to a few MW

Medium hydro electric plants More than a few MW

Super hydro electric plants More than 1000 MW

Classification based on head

Based on the available head hydro power plants are classified into the following:

Type Head

Low head plants < 15 m

Medium head plants 15 – 70 m

High head plants 70 – 250 m

Very high head plants More than 250 m

High head power plants

High head plants

Due to high head, small amount of water can produce large amount of power. Therefore these
types of plants are very economical. The reservoir is found at the top of the mountain and the
power house is found at the foot. For high head plants catchment area of small capacity is
sufficient. If the water from one stream is not sufficient, more than water can be diverted from the
neighboring streams. For heads above 500 m, Pelton turbine is used and for low heads Francis
turbines are used.

Medium head plants

Larger volume of water is required in this type if power plant. The reservoir capacity will be large.
In these power plant water is carried from the reservoir is carried to the penstock through the
forebay. There is no need of surge tank as forebay itself acts as a surge tank. Francis, Kaplan
and Propeller turbines are commonly used for the medium head plants.

Low head plants.

Low head plants require larger volume of water than high and medium head plants to produce
same amount of power. The reservoir capacity will be large. Francis, Kaplan and Propeller
turbines are commonly used for the low head plants.