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NATURAL GAS
Approximately 20% of the world’s
electricity is produced by hydroelectric
power plants.
What is Hydroelectricity?
It is electricity that is generated when
water behind a dam is allowed to pass
through, causing a series of events to
occur that lead to the production of
electricity.
Why is it important?
It is a renewable energy
source.
 It does not cause as much
pollution as energy produced by
the burning of fossil fuels.
So……

How does it work?

Water,
from a reservoir behind a dam…
…passes through the penstock
to the turbine.
The passing water causes the
turbine to turn.
The turbine then turns the shaft.
The shaft turns the generator,
which produces the electricity!
 The electricity, in the form of an
alternating current, is converted to
a high voltage current in the
transformer.

The transformer is located in

the power house.
Next,
the electricity
is transported
to consumers
through
power lines.
But how does all of this
affect the environment?
 The production of
hydroelectricity does have some
negative effects on our
environment.
It can adversely affect aquatic
ecosystems…
…by preventing the seasonal
migration of some fish.

Additionally, cold water exiting the dam

affects aquatic animal populations
including those of endangered species.
 Although the use of
hydroelectricity cuts down on
most greenhouse gasses, the
reservoirs can still produce
significant amounts of methane
gas and carbon dioxide.
This is caused by the
decaying of plant life in newly
flooded reservoir areas.

Once the water in the reservoir is

drained, these greenhouse gasses are
released into the atmosphere.
Hydrodams can also cause:
• Scouring of
riverbeds and loss
of riverbanks
• Erosion of sand
bars
This is caused by
the disruption of the
flow of the rivers.
Three gauges plant

Sky picture from a satellite

(ESA – european aerospace
agancy)
(Quelle: Internet)
 Here are the basic components of a
conventional hydropower plant
 Dam - Most hydropower plants rely on a dam that holds back water,
creating a large reservoir. Often, this reservoir is used as a recreational
lake
 Intake - Gates on the dam open and gravity pulls the water through the
penstock, a pipeline that leads to the turbine. Water builds up pressure as
it flows through this pipe
 Turbine - The water strikes and turns the large blades of a turbine, which
is attached to a generator above it by way of a shaft. The most common
type of turbine for hydropower plants is the Francis Turbine, which looks
like a big disc with curved blades. A turbine can weigh as much as 172
tons and turn at a rate of 90 revolutions per minute (rpm)
 Generators - As the turbine blades turn, so do a series of magnets inside
the generator. Giant magnets rotate past copper coils, producing
alternating current (AC) by moving electrons.
 Transformer - The transformer inside the powerhouse takes the AC and
converts it to higher-voltage current
 Power lines - Out of every power plant come four wires: the three phases
of power being produced simultaneously plus a neutral or ground common
to all three
 Outflow - Used water is carried through pipelines, called tailraces, and
re-enters the river downstream
 Kinds of hydro-power

• Run-of-the-river (no reservoirs)

• Reservoir-based
 Power production:
• Mechanical power of flowing water is equal to
Pe = ρg Q H
where H is the “head” and Q the volumetric rate of
flow
• Electric power produced is equal to
Pe = ηeηt ρg Q H
where ηe and ηt are the generator electrical and
turbine mechanical efficiencies, respectively
Figure a Low-head hydro-electric system

barrage

turbine

river flow

(a) low head

Figure b Medium-heat hydro-electric system

reservoir
dam

turbine

penstock

(b) medium head

Figure c High-head hydro-electric system

high reservoir
dam

turbine
penstock

(c) high head

 Drawbacks
• Flood vast areas
• destroys wildlife habitats
• uproots people
• keeps nutrients from being sent downstream
• decreases fish harvests below the dam
• keep fish from migrating upstream
• kills large numbers of fish
Each large dam has been given a unique Project Identification code (PIC). The PIC consists of
ten-digit alpha-numeric code (XX11XX1111).
First set of two-digit alpha code represents the State in which dam is situated;
second set of two digit numeric code represents the concerned Dam Safety Organization (DSO)
or owner; third set of two-digit alpha code indicates the Category of dam under the pertinent
project; and fourth set of four-digit numeric code indicates the Serial number of the dam.

The following categorization of dams is adopted for the PIC generation:

VH – Very High Large Dam ( Large dams being of hundred meters height or above)
HH - High Height Large Dam (Large dams being of 30 meters height or above, but less than 100
meters height)
MH - Medium Height Large Dam (large dams being of 15 meters height or above, but less than
30 meters height)
LH - Low Height large Dam (Large dams being of 10 meters height or above, but less than 15
meters height)

Example :- The PIC of Koyna Dam is MH09VH0100. Here

MH is the code for Maharashtra State in which the Koyna dam is situated;
09 is the DSO code for Maharashtra Dam Safety Organization;
VH is the category of the dam as it is more than 100 meter high; and
0100 is the serial no. of the dam in the large dam’s list of Maharashtra.
 Yeldari dam
Ozarkhed dam

Wilson dam
Mulshi dam Jaikwadi dam
Vaitarna dam

Pawna dam Khadakwasla dam

Ujani dam
Koyna dam

Radhanagari
dam
There are many rivers which flows through Maharashtra and that is the reason why there are so
many dams in Maharashtra, these dams helps in generating electricity and also satisfying the
drinking water requirements of the people. Given below is the list of some of the dams which are
there in Maharashtra -

1. Vaitarna
2. Ozarkhed
3. Ujani
4. Tansa
5. Radhanagari
6. Pawna
7. Panshet
8. Nandur Madhmeshwar
9. Yeldari
10. Mulshi
11. Mula
12. Manair
13. Koyna
14. Kolkewadi
15. Khadakwasla
16. Jaikwadi Dam
17. Girna Dam
18. Karanjwan Dam
19. Gangapur Dam
20. Wilson Dam
Power producing devices

High head

Medium head

Low head
 Pelton Wheels

• Nozzles direct forceful

streams of water against a
series of spoon-shaped
buckets mounted around
the edge of a wheel.
• Each bucket reverses the
flow of water and this
impulse spins the turbine.
1. It operates under very high heads (up to 1800m.) and requires comparatively less
quantity of water.
2. It is a pure impulse turbine in which a jet of fluid delivered is by the nozzle at a high
velocity on the buckets.
3. These buckets are fixed on the periphery of a circular wheel (also known as runner),
which is generally mounted on a horizontal shaft.
The primary feature of the impulse turbine with respect to fluid mechanics is the
power production as the jet is deflected by the moving vane(s).
The impact of water on the buckets causes the runner to rotate and thus develops
mechanical energy.
The buckets deflect the jet through an angle of about 160 and 165 in the same plane
as the jet. After doing work on the buckets water is discharged in the tailrace, and the
whole energy transfer from nozzle outlet to tailrace takes place at constant pressure.
The buckets are so shaped that water enters tangentially in the middle and discharges
backward and flows again tangentially in both the directions to avoid thrust on the
wheel.
The casing of a Pelton wheel does not perform any hydraulic function. But it is
necessary to safeguard the runner against accident and also to prevent the splashing
water and lead the water to the tailrace.
 Francis Turbines

• The inlet is spiral shaped.

• Guide vanes direct the water
tangentially to the runner.
• This radial flow acts on the
runner vanes, causing the
runner to spin.
• The guide vanes (or wicket
gate) may be adjustable to
allow efficient turbine
operation for a range of water
flow conditions.
Francis Turbines (continued…)

• Best suited for sites with

high flows and low to
medium head.
• Efficiency of 90%.
• expensive to design,
manufacture and install,
but operate for decades.