MICRO-HYDROPOWER PLANT

SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

HYDRO POWER Hydropower transforms the potential energy of a

mass of water flowing in a river or stream with a certain vertical fall (termed the “head”)

Hydroelectric power is the cheapest source of energy, renewable and environmentally benign during running.

The potential annual power generation of a hydropower project is proportional to the head and flow of water 2

SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

3SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

CLASSIFICATION OF HYDROPOWER PLANTS : Classification of hydropower plants

According to Capacity

Large

Medium

Small

Mini

Micro

Pico

According to head

High

Medium

Low

According to purpose

Single purpose

Multi purpose

According to facility types

Run-of-River

Reservoirs

In-stream

Pumped storage

According to hydrological

relation

Single

Cascade

According to transmission

system

Isolated

Connected to grid

4SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

Micro-hydro Power Micro-hydro power is a type of Hydro

electric power that typically produced up to 100 kW of electricity using the natural flow of water.

These type of power plant can provide power to an isolated home or a small community. Micro-hydro system complement solar energy because in many areas in winter the water flow is maximum and solar energy is minimum.

In such areas micro-hydro power is used along with photo voltaic solar energy.

5SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

VARIOUS COMPONENTS Construction of a Micro-hydro power

plant is site specific. It is made up of a number of components. Some of them are……

Intake Canal Penstock Turbine Generator Controlling unit 6

SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

7SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

TURBINES Turbines converts the flow and

pressure energy into mechanical energy. Turbines are basically of two types i.e.

Reaction & Impulse and Depending upon the head of the available water further divide in three categories i.e. High, Medium & Low head.

According to site specification (i.e. head and flow) we choose the turbine to use in micro- hydro power plant.

9SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

Turbine type Flow Head

Pelton wheel Low High ( > 70 feet)

Turgo MediumMedium (25-75 feet)

Cross Flow High Low (<25 feet)

10SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

GENERATORSThe standard generators

used in micro hydro power projects are the synchronous generator and the induction motor used as a generator. Induction generator :- Induction generator usually an induction motor. Which rotates 1-5% faster then synchronous speed so that it can achieve negative slip, to run in generating mode.

11SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

Synchronous generator :- Salient pole Synchronous generator or alternator are used in micro-hydro projects. These generator supplies its own excitation through rectifier or external batteries system can be used for excitation.

Some times industrial pumps (i.e. centrifugal) are use as generator.

Continued…

111SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

ELECTRONIC LOAD CONTROLLER

Water turbines vary in speed as load is applied. This speed variation will seriously affect both frequency and voltage output from a generator. To over come this problem electronic load controller is used in micro-hydro power plant.

13SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

The ELC prevents speed variations by continuously adding or subtracting an artificial load, so that the generator is working permanently under full load.

A further benefit is that the ELC has no moving parts, it is very reliable and maintenance free.

Continued….

14SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

Disadvantages

Economic energy source. No reservoir required. Utilize natural flow of water. No harmful effect on surrounding. No costly equipment used.

Low power generation during summer months.

Suitable site characteristics required. Efficiency is low .

Advantages

15SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

Conclusion…Micro-hydro power plant is an

important part of world’s electricity supply. Specially in remote areas it is providing reliable and economic source of electricity.

As no fossil fuel required in hydro power plant, it can help to save other source of energy.

16SARAVANAN SIVAMANI

THANK YOU…

17SARAVANAN SIVAMANI