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RV College of
world
Engineering

HYDROPOWER
Elements of Electrical
Engineering
Experiential Learning - Phase
1
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INTRODUCTION Go, change the
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NAME YOGITH REDDY M SAGAR KIRAN Ramchandra Panchal Rishi Gowda A

ADMISSION NO RVCE22BEE045 RVCE22BEE065 RVCE22BEE051 RVCE22BEE058

ROLL NO 64 41 35 38

MAIL ID yogithreddym.ee22@ sagarkiran.ee22@rvc ramchandrap.ee22@ rishigowdaa.ee22@rv

rvce.edu.in e.edu.in rvce.edu.in ce.edu.in

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CONTENTS Go, change the
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1. Introduction to Hydropower

2. Types of Hydropower Systems

3. Working Mechanism of a Hydropower Generator

4. Advantages and Disadvantages of Hydropower

5. Situation of Hydropower in karnataka and India

6. New technologies in Hydropower

7. Conclusion

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Preface Go, change the
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• For centuries, we have been using the non-renewable sources of energy to run machinery. The
major disadvantages of the same include the diminishing of the resources for the same and the
adverse effects they have on the environment.

• In modern times, we have been looking for cleaner and more efficient sources of energy which can
last way longer than these non-renewable sources. These sources are called Renewable sources
of energy. These include forms of energy like wind, hydro, tidal, solar, geothermal to name a few.

• Out of these Hydro power is the one we have the most experience with as it is also a
Conventional Source of Energy i.e. this form of energy has been used looked at and tried upon for
centuries now.

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Hydropower is the generation of electricity using the kinetic energy of falling water. It is a
renewable energy source that has been used for centuries, with the first known water
wheel being used for irrigation in ancient Greece. The energy generated from
hydropower is clean and sustainable, and it does not produce emissions or pollutants.
water is one of the three principal sources of energy used to generate electric power, the
other two being fossil fuels and nuclear fuels.
A hydropower plant includes components from
civil, mechanical, and electrical
engineering. While most people might
associate the energy source with the Hoover
Dam—a huge facility harnessing the power
of an entire river behind its wall
hydropower facilities come in all sizes

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Classification based on Water

Head
Low Head Plants : the low head plants have water heads below 30m.it stores water by
construction of dam across river or lake. The powerhouse is installed near the base of dam on the
downstream side. the barrages with regulating gates are provided for flow of excess water in river or
lake.

Middle Head Plants : If the available water head is between 30 and 100 m, the plant
is called a medium head plant. Water is led to the turbines from the Forebay by the penstocks,
which may be steel pipes. Forebay also stores the rejected water as the load on the turbine
decreases. Francis turbines are normally used.

High Head Plants: If the available head is more than 300 m, the plant is called high-head plant.
The civil works include a surge tank, the function of which is reduced water hammering to penstock
in case of sudden changes in fixed gates of turbine.

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Types Master Plants
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Low Head Medium High Head

Plant Head Plant Plant

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Classification based on quantity of

water

Impoundment systems : Impoundment systems, also known as dam systems, involve the
construction of a dam to create a reservoir. Water is released from the reservoir to generate electricity as
needed.

Run-of-river systems : Run-of-river systems do not require a dam and instead use the natural flow of
a river to generate electricity.

Pumped storage systems : Pumped storage systems involve the use of a pump to pump water from
a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir when electricity demand is low, and then releasing the water back
to the lower reservoir to generate electricity when demand is high.

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Impoundment Run-of-River Pumped Storage

Systems Systems Systems

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Principle Go, change the
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• The basic principle of hydropower generation is the

conversion of the kinetic energy of falling water into
electrical energy.

• A hydraulic turbine converts the energy of flowing water into

mechanical energy. A hydroelectric generator converts this
mechanical energy into electricity. The operation of a
generator is based on the principle of Faraday’s law of
electromagnetic induction.

• As the turbine rotates, the armature also rotates,

hence magnetic flux gets cut by armature conductors
and e.m.f gets induced in them and therefore electricity is
generated.

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DAM AND RESERVOIR

The dam is constructed on a large river in hilly areas to ensure sufficient water storage at height. The
dam forms a large reservoir behind it. The height of water level (called as water head) in the reservoir
determines how much of potential energy is stored in it.

CONTROL GATE
Water from the reservoir is allowed to flow through the penstock to the turbine. The amount of water
which is to be released in the penstock can be controlled by a control gate. When the control gate is
fully opened, maximum amount of water is released through the penstock.

PENSTOCK
A penstock is a huge steel pipe which carries water from the reservoir to the turbine. Potential energy of
the water is converted into kinetic energy as it flows down through the penstock due to gravity.

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WATER TURBINE
Water from the penstock is taken into the water turbine. The turbine is mechanically coupled to an
electric generator. Kinetic energy of the water drives the turbine and consequently the generator gets driven.
There are two main types of water turbine; (i) Impulse turbine and (ii) Reaction turbine. Impulse turbines are
used for large heads and reaction turbines are used for low and medium heads.

GENERATOR
A generator is mounted in the power house and it is mechanically coupled to the turbine shaft. When
the turbine blades are rotated, it drives the generator and electricity is generated which is then stepped up with the
help of a transformer for the transmission purpose.

SURGE TANK
Surge tanks are usually provided in high or medium head power plants when considerably long
penstock is required. A surge tank is a small reservoir or tank which is open at the top,fitted between the
reservoir and the power house. The water level in the surge tank rises or falls to reduce the pressure swings in
the penstock. When there is sudden reduction in load on the turbine, the governor closes the gates of the turbine to
reduce the water flow, causing pressure to increase abnormally in the penstock. This is prevented by using a surge
tank, in which the water level rises to reduce the pressure. On the other hand, the surge tank provides excess
water needed when the gates are suddenly opened to meet the increased load demand.

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• Consider a two pole DC motor as shown in the figure. When the DC motor is connected to an
external source of DC supply, the field coils are excited developing alternate N and S poles and a
current flows through the armature windings.
• All the armature conductors under N pole carry current in one direction (say into the plane of the
paper), whereas all the conductors under S pole carry current in the opposite direction (say out of the
plane of the paper). As each conductor carrying a current and is placed in a magnetic field, hence a
mechanical force acts on it.
• By applying Fleming’s left hand rule, it can be seen that the force on each conductor is tending to
move the armature in anticlockwise direction. The force on all the conductors add together to exert a
torque which make the armature rotating. When the conductor moves from one side of a brush to the
other, the current in the conductor is reversed and at the same time it comes under the influence of
next pole of opposite polarity. As a result of this, the direction of force on the conductor remains the
same. Therefore, the motor being rotating in the same direction.

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Advantages title style
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Renewable Energy Source and clean:

Hydropower is a renewable energy source as it generates electricity from the flow of water,
which is continuously replenished by nature without and human activities. Unlike traditional
fossil fuel energy sources, using water to generate electricity doesn’t release harmful
pollutants into the air or water. While there are some environmental considerations that come
with building large hydropower facilities like dams and reservoirs, once operational,
hydropower plants themselves don’t require burning any fossil fuels.
Hydropower is inexpensive in the long run:
Hydropower is one of the most cost-effective sources of electricity as the cost of generating
electricity is low, and there is no need to purchase fuel.
Once the necessary infrastructure is constructed, there is less maintenance required for
upkeep than other forms of energy and improvements are being made to improve how well
hydropower performs.

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Very low emissions:

Hydropower produces no greenhouse gas emissions, making it an environmentally friendly energy
source. The organic residues that decompose in reservoirs can also be a source of methane, one of
the main greenhouse gasses. In the past, this fact fueled controversy over whether hydropower could
genuinely be considered an entirely green energy source. However, this debate has been settled by a
series of technical and scientific analyses: "said emissions were found to be virtually negligible
compared to fossil fuels and almost entirely absent in the more modern stations".
Production can be tailored to demand:
One of the most serious flaws of many renewables is the fact that they do not supply a constant flow
of energy. In the case of hydropower, however, weather and climate variability can be partially offset
by high elevation reservoirs, such as dams. Therefore, what might potentially be a disadvantage now
becomes a strength: the water flow can be easily controlled to suit energy requirements. This is true
both in the short term – for example, in the night-day cycle – and in the longer term for seasonal
variations and periods of drought.
High Efficiency: Hydropower plants have a high level of efficiency, which means that a large
amount of energy can be generated from a small amount of water. It is more efficient than any other
renewable form of energy that is present.
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Infrastructure Requirements and Higher Initial Costs

Hydropower plants require significant infrastructure, including dams and reservoirs, which can be
expensive to build and maintain. While no power plant is easy to build, hydro plants do require you to
build a dam to stop running water. As a result, they cost more than similarly sized fossil fuel plants.
Although, they will not need to worry about purchasing fuel later on. So it does even out over the long-
term which may make it difficult for developing countries to implement.
Limited Plant Locations
Hydropower is only available in areas with significant water flow, limiting its potential for widespread
use. On top of this, some of these places are not close to major cities that could fully benefit from the
energy.
Flood Risk
When dams are built at higher elevations, they
pose a serious risk to any town nearby that is
below it. While these dams are built very strong,
there are still risks. The biggest dam failure in
history is the Banqiao Dam failure. Due to excess
rainfall from a typhoon.
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Environmental Impacts.
Hydropower projects can have negative impacts on the
environment, such as disrupting ecosystems and altering
water flow patterns. Which also effects the aquatic life and
the animals that are dependent on the river water during
the summer season.

Reliance on Water Flow.

The efficiency of hydropower plants is highly dependent on
water flow, and during periods of drought, the energy
generation can be reduced. it is dependent on the amount
of water in any given location. Thus, the performance of a
hydro plant could be significantly affected by a drought.
And as climate change continues to heat up or planet, this
could become more common.

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 Situation of Hydropower in
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India world

• Hydropower is a renewable energy source that has been utilized for many years for generating
electricity. In India, hydropower has been an important contributor to the country's energy mix and
has a significant role to play in the country's future energy scenario.
• The state of Karnataka is one of the major hydropower producing states in India and has several
large hydropower projects, as well as many smaller ones.
• India is 5th globally for installed hydroelectric power capacity. As of 31 March 2020, India's installed
utility-scale hydroelectric capacity was 46,000 MW, or 12.3% of its total utility power generation
capacity.
• Additional smaller hydroelectric power units with a total capacity of 4,683 MW (1.3% of its total utility
power generation capacity) have been installed.
• In 1947, hydropower capacity in India was about 37 percent of the total power generating capacity
and over 53 percent of power generation.
• In the late 1960s, growth in coal-based power generation initiated the decline in hydropower’s
share in both capacity and generation.
• In 2022, hydropower capacity of 46,000 MW (megawatts) accounted for roughly 12.3 percent of total
capacity. Roughly 13 percent of power generation in 2020-21 was from hydropower.

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• In Karnataka, 51% of the power comes from renewable energy sources, 34% from thermal, 12%
from hydro and 3% from nuclear.
• Even the peak demand in summer, which was 14,818 MW (March 18, 2022) and highest
consumption of 285 million units (March 17, 2022), was managed with minimal reliance on thermal
power
• ‌The hydroelectric power plants at Darjeeling and Shivanasamudra
were established in 1898 and 1902, respectively. They were among
the first in Asia and India has been a dominant player in global
hydroelectric power development.

• India also imports surplus hydroelectric power from Bhutan.

• S
‌ hivanasamudra was the first hydro power generation plant in
Karnataka in the year 1902.

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 Situation of Hydropower in
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India world

• Major hydro power plant in Karnataka

34 dams (including the main, pickup and saddle dams) and 24 power stations across the state with
power production capabilities ranging from 0.35 MW to 1035 MW.
The hydroelectric projects of Karnataka Power Corporation Limited are built mainly across rivers
Kaveri (Cauvery), Sharavathi, Kali, Krishna, Tungabhadra and their tributaries.

• ‌Almatti Hydroelectric Project

• ‌Bhadra Hydroelectric Project
• ‌Sharavathi Hydroelectric Project
• ‌Shivanasamudra-1 Hydroelectric Project
• ‌Shivanasamudra 2 Hydroelectric Project
• ‌Munirabad-1 Hydroelectric Project
• ‌Munirabad-2 Hydroelectric Project

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 Situation of Hydropower in
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India world

• Some of the major dams are Tehri Hydropower Complex, Koyna Hydroelectric Project,
Srisailam Dam Nathpa Jhakri Dam, Sardar Sarovar Dam are some of the major
nydroelectric power generation plants in India.
• T
‌ he Koyna Hydroelectric Project is the largest completed hydroelectric power
plant in India. It has a power capacity of 1960 MW.
• T
‌ he first hydroelectric power station was the Sidrapong hydroelectric power
station.
• T
‌ ehri Hydro Electric Power plant is the highest hydroelectric power project in the
country, also Tehri Dam is the tallest one in India. Now, NTPC has taken over the
project (Since 2019).
• ‌Srisailam Hydro Power Plant is the third largest working project in India.
• N
‌ athpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Power Plant is the biggest underground hydroelectric
power project in the country.
• ‌Sardar Sarovar Dam is the world’s second-largest concrete dam.

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 Situation of Hydropower in
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India world

Tehri hydroelectric power plant

• Location: Bhagirathi river, Uttarakhand, India.
• Installed Capacity: 2400 MW.
• Operated by: NTPC took over the power complex from THDC.
• It began construction in 1978 and started operating in 2006 ,consists of a 1000
MW Tehri Pumped Storage Plant, 600MW Tehri Dam, and 400 MW Koteshwar
Dam situated on the Bhagirathi river
TEHRI POWER PLANT
‌Koyna hydroelectric power plant.

• Location: Patan, Maharashtra, India.

• Installed Capacity: 1960 MW.
• Operated by: MAHAGENCO and Maharashtra State Power Generation.
• It began construction in 1954 and started operating in 1964. Koyna
hydroelectric project is currently the largest completed project in India, settled
in the western ghats, with the generators installed deep in the mountains.

KOYNA POWER PLANT

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Small scale hydropower systems : Even after a century of proven experience with this reliable
renewable resource, significant opportunities still exist to expand the nation's hydropower resources.
Hydropower projects can rank among the world's most ambitious and expensive infrastructure projects.
Uncertainties around initial funding and regulatory
approval can make it challenging to get
hydropower projects off the ground. The need for
certain geographies can also limit the widespread
use of hydropower. Hence, Smaller-scale
hydropower can remove some of these limitations.
It is ideal for supplying reliable renewable energy
to rural communities. Small-scale hydro is usually
‘run-of-river', relying on the natural flow of water
with no dam or other water storage.

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Marine Hydrokinetics :
Marine energy conversion devices, such as tidal
and wave energy converters, harness the kinetic
energy of ocean waves and tides to generate
electricity. These technologies are still in the
early stages of development, but they have the
potential to become a significant source of
renewable energy in the future.

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Ecosystem Friendly Hydropower Plants :

A common objection to hydropower projects is that they can have
a huge impact on local ecosystems. Fish are especially
vulnerable. Therefore, there is a need to adapt designs to be more
fish friendly. R&D is currently under way to help fishery biologists
and turbine designers better understand what is happening in the
turbine passage. Biological tests are being conducted that will
quantify the physical stresses that cause mortality to fish. The test
results and tools will help turbine manufacturers to design a more
environmentally friendly turbine that will reduce the physical
stresses to which fish are exposed.
New products such as greaseless bearings eliminate the
possibility of petroleum products being released into the water.

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Digitalization of hydropower operation:

The use of digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, sensors, and control systems, is
becoming increasingly common in hydropower systems, allowing for improved monitoring, control, and
optimization of the energy generation process
The annual energy production coming from the world’s hydropower sector (1,225 GW) could increase
by 42TWh by investing in hydropower digitalization. This production increase corresponds to $5 billion
USD annual operational savings and a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Solar-hydropower Integration:
There is a growing trend towards integrating hydropower systems with other renewable energy
sources, such as wind and solar power, to provide a more reliable and stable energy supply. These
hybrid systems combine the benefits of both solar and hydropower energy generation to increase
energy output and reduce costs. Research has shown that floating solar panels can provide shade to
the water surface, reducing evaporation and increasing the efficiency of the hydropower system.

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Solar-hydropower Integration:
There is a growing trend towards integrating hydropower systems with other renewable energy
sources, such as wind and solar power, to provide a more reliable and stable energy supply. These
hybrid systems combine the benefits of both solar and hydropower energy generation to increase
energy output and reduce costs. Research has shown that floating solar panels can provide shade to
the water surface, reducing evaporation and increasing the efficiency of the hydropower system.

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Earth has a large proportion of water, though present in different forms is a clear indication that water is
the resource to our future energy needs. It has a great potential to be exploited as it is a renewable
source.Compared to other forms of renewable energy, such as wind or solar energy, hydropower is
least affected by the seasons and weather as it stores water through its dam. Meanwhile, solar and
wind energy, which is highly dependent on the weather, may be unable to generate enough energy for
its manufacturing industries as it is unable to store high amounts of sun and wind energy prior.
Hydroelectric power can store large amounts of water through its dam, making it relatively less reliant
on the weather. Further we have to invent newer and better methods to harness this potential
hydropower source available to us.

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