DESIGN OF FOREBAY

COMPONENTS OF HYDRO POWER SYSTEM

The scheme in which water is supplied to hydro power system has the following components.
Main parts:
1. Head work
2. Intake structure
3. Head race (canal)
4. Forebay
5. Head pond
6. Penstock
7. Power house
8. Tail race
 INTRODUCTION OF FOREBAY

The forebay is the impoundment immediately upstream of a diversion dam or hydroelectric plant
intake. It forms the transition between the reservoir or conveyance canal and the power intake and
as such is designed to facilitate the necessary entry flow conditions at the power intake. However,
some projects, such as those associated with a large dam having a deep power intake, may have no
specifically designed forebay. Again, other projects may need more than one forebay; for example,
a forebay at the entrance to the headrace canal and a second forebay at the power intake at the
downstream end of the headrace canal
 INTRODUCTION OF FOREBAY

• Forebay is an enlarged body of water in front of intake. The reservoir acts as forebay when
penstock takes water directly from it.
• A forebay is required in the case of run-of river plants at the upstream of diversion work.
• When canal leads water to the turbines the section of the canal in front of turbines is enlarged to
create forebay.
• The forebay temporarily stores water for supplying the same to the turbines.
 TYPICAL COMPONENTS OF FOREBAY

• Tank Body
• Escape weir/spillway
• Flushing gate
• Water level control
 ESCAPE WEIR/SPILLWAY

The preferred location for the escape weir is in the rim of the forebay tank. Where this is not
practical for topographic reasons the escape weir should be located at the nearest suitable site
upstream of the forebay tank. For this case the effects of hydraulic transients in the power canal
section between the forebay tank and escape weir should be checked to assess their impact on water
level control.
A simple overflow weir is recommended with a design head that can be contained within the normal
canal freeboard. Weir discharge should be routed towards a natural water course of adequate
capacity or a ditch provided that is suitably protected against erosion.
 FLUSHING GATE

It is used to facilitate removal of any Sediment or debris that might settle in the bottom of the
forebay tank and be Drawn in to the penstock.
 WATER LEVEL CONTROL

A water level control system requires that real time water level measurements in the forebay tank
and tailrace canal be transmitted to the turbine governor. In the water level control mode the
governor will estimate the inflow to the forebay tank and adjust the wicket gates to correct for
difference between turbine and canal Flows so as to maintain forebay tank levels within a
prescribed range. A float type water level gauge with electronic data transmitter is used for this
purpose.
 HYDRAULIC AND HYDROLOGICAL DESIGN ASPECTS

• Fish exclusion
• Flow characteristics including flow patterns and velocity distribution in the forebay, and
particularly at the approach to the powerplant intake.
• The submergence required at the intake and any depth requirements at sluiceways
• Minimization of hydraulic losses
 FUNCTIONS OF FOREBAY

• Provide for adjustment of turbine discharge according to load demand.

• Provide a volume of stored water to permit water level control of turbine operation.
• Flow adjustment: the forebay tank and escape weir facilitate the adjustment of turbine discharge
due to system load changes by diverting surplus flow over the escape weir back into the river.
• Water level control: For small hydro plants connected to the grid it is convenient to match turbine
output to available flow, thereby maximizing use of available water.
 DESIGN GUIDE LINES OF FOREBAY

• The design discharge for power generation is linked to the turbine and the diameter of the pipe and the velocity of the
flow in the penstock linked to the penstock design.

• Set the width of the forebay. As a thumb rule, to start the design, it can be assumed that the length of the forebay will be 2
to 2.5 times this size. However according to the required volume of water above the penstock and to meet the site
conditions the designer may have to change this ratio.

• Set the clearance of the penstock from the bottom of the forebay. This is to avoid that particles and sediments settled in
the forebay get in the penstock. The minimum clearance is 0.30 m. 0.50 m is a common and reasonable value to use.

• The minimum submergence of the penstock is automatically calculated because it depends only on the diameter of the
pipe and flow velocity.
 DESIGN GUIDE LINES OF FOREBAY

• For the design of the forebay it is considered that it should be available (to cope with the flow variations in the
turbine during normal operation conditions) a buffer volume equivalent to 15 seconds of supply at the design flow.
This is also automatically calculated as well as its corresponding depth of water.

• Set the discharger coefficient of the spillway. This depends on the shape of the crest and spillway.

• Set the depth of water over the crest of the spillway. Have in mind that the higher the water depth the smaller will
be the crest length of the spillway. The spillway is designed to spill all the design flow in case the powerhouse is
shut down and no flow is going through the penstock.

• Set the freeboard for the spillway. This is a safety margin in case higher flows than the design flow arrive to the
forebay. Consider a value that is half the water depth over the weir crest. This will increase, if necessary, in 50% of
the discharge capacity of the spillway
 DESIGN GUIDE LINES OF FOREBAY

• The length of the spillway is automatically calculated using the previous input data and the weir equation. It has to be
noted that this value must be smaller than the length of the forebay.

• Set the angle of the transition walls at the entrance of the penstock. This transition must be smooth so mild angles are
recommended (around 20%). However to fit site conditions the values can be adjusted.

• For the final placing of the forebay the designer has to set the normal water level (NWL) in meters above sea level. If
there is no need to gain extra head with this, then the NWL can be set at the same level of the water level in the head race
canal just before the forebay. This means that the bed level of the forebay will be set by subtracting the normal depth
(hnorm) to the NWL. So, Fbl=NWL‐hnorm and according to this set the forebay bed level.

• Note that the crest of the spillway will be placed 0.05 m above the NWL so that small changes in the flow or fluctuations
or turbulence in the water surface (like wind) do not cause an immediate spilling.
 DESIGN FLOW CHART OF FOREBAY

Calculate Assume Assume free Calculate Calculate Calculate

discharge detention Calculate board and submergence Calculate width of length of
through time if not volume of settling head above total depth forebay for forebay for
forebay given forebay Height penstock of forebay normal and total head
worst case
 DESIGN CASE-1

Design a forebay with Design discharge of 2m3/s, flow is carried into a penstock of diameter 1.5m.

Solution

Discharge through the forebay = Qf=2*Qd = 2*2=4m3/s

Assume detention time, t = 3 min

Volume of forebay = Vf = Qf * t*60 = 4*3*60 =720m3

For height, take Free board = 1m

Settling height = 1m,

Diameter of Penstock = 1.5m

 SOLUTION
For Submergence Head, Hs
Hs > (1.5vp^2/2g) Or (0.5*Vp(Dp)^0.5)
For Vp = Velocity In Penstock,
We Know,
Q=A*V
Area Of Penstock = (Pi * D^2)/4 = Pi *1.5^2/4 = 1.766m2
Vp = Qd/Ap = 2/1.766 =1.1325 m/s
Then, Hs is
=(1.5 *1.13^2)/(2*9.81)=0.0977m
Or
= 0.5*(1.13)*(1.5)^0.5=0.69m
 SOLUTION
Taking Greater Value,
Hs = 0.69m ≈ 0.7m
Also, assume H-downsurge =0
Total Head/depth of forebay = H-downsurge + Hs + Diameter of Penstock + Freeboard
+ minimum bottom height
= 0+0.7+1.5+1+1 = 4.2m
Width, B= Qf/(H*V) = 4/(4.2*0.3) =3.175m
For worst case,
Total Head = Hs + diameter of Penstoke = 0.7+1.5 = 2.2m
Width, B= Qf/(H*V) = 4/(2.2*0.3) =6.06 m
 SOLUTION

For length,
L= volume/(B*H) = 720/(6.06*2.2) = 55m
Dimensions of forebay = (55m*6.06m*4.2m)
For spillway,
Qf = Cd*L*H^1.5
Take head over crest, H = 0.5m, Cd = 1.7
L = Qf/(Cd*H^1.5) = 4/(1.7*0.5^1.5) = 6.65m ≈ 7m
Since, L-spillway < L-forebay (OK)
 DESIGN CASE-2

Design a forebay with turbine discharge 12 m3/s. Water conveyed from forebay to powerhouse by 2
penstock of 2m diameter each. The retention time is 3 minutes and limiting velocity is 0.2m/s.
Solution
Qd = 12 m3/s
Diameter of penstock = 2m
Discharge in each penstock = qd = 12/2= 6m3/s
Discharge for forebay = 2* qd = 2*12 = 24m3/s
Assume detention time, t = 3 min
Area of penstock = ap = pi*2^2/4 = 3.1415 m2
Velocity in penstock, vp = qd/ap = 6/3.1415= 1.91m/s
Limiting velocity (V) = 0.2m/s
 SOLUTION
Volume of forebay (V) = Qf *t
= 24*3*60 = 4320 m3
For height, take Free board = 1m
Settling height = 1m,
And
For submergence head, Hs
Hs > (1.5vp^2/2g) or (0.5*Vp(Dp)^0.5)
Then, Hs is
=(1.5 *1.91^2)/(2*9.81)=0.278m
Or
= 0.5*(1.91)*(2)^0.5=1.47m
Take greater value, Hs = 1.47m
For height, take free board = 1m
Settling height = 1m,
 SOLUTION

Total head/depth of forebay = H-downsurge + Hs + diameter of penstock + freeboard

+ +minimum bottom height
= 0+1.47+2+1+1 = 5.47m
For worst case,
Total head = Hs + diameter of penstoke = 1.47+2 = 3.47m
Width, B= Qf/(H*V) =24/(3.47*0.2) = 34.5 m
For length
L= volume/(B*H) = 4320/(34.5*3.47) = 36m
Dimensions of forebay = (36m*34.5m*5.47m)
 SOLUTION

For spillway,
Qf = Cd*L*H^1.5
Take head over crest, H = 0.5m
Cd = 1.7
L = Qf/(Cd*H^1.5) = 24/(1.7*0.5^1.5) = 9.98m ≈ 10m
Since, L-spillway < L-forebay (OK)
Let’s check for limiting velocity, for which forebay and settling depth are not considered,
V = Qf/(B*H) = 24/(34.5*3.47) = 0.21 m/s > 0.2m/s (OK)
 REFERENCES

• BPC HYDROCONSULT. (2012). CIVIL WORKS GUIDELINES FOR MICRO-HYDROPOWER IN NEPAL.

• CHOW, V. T. (1959). OPEN-CHANNEL HYDRAULICS. MCGRAW-HILL.
• MICRO/MINI HYDROPOWER DESIGN ASPECTS, MICRO/MINI HYDROPOWER DESIGN ASPECTS
- PAKISTAN POVERTY ...WWW.PPAF.ORG.PK › HRE › PUBLICATIONS › VOL 11 MHP DESIGN-
FINAL-05-12-13, CARLOS MARTINS, AJOY KARKI, ULRICH FRINGS, 2013.