HydraulicEnergy

By: Ángela, Amelia, Marina, Irati and

Ainhara

WATERWater is the most essential characteristic of our planet with enormous potential for exploitation, it is not only used for drinking or cleaning but also as a

renewable energy source.

WHAT IS HYDRAULIC ENERGY?Is power derived from the energy

of falling water or fast running water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes

It is obtained from the use of the kinetic and potential energy from rivers, waterfalls and tides

CONVENTIONAL HYDROELECTRICITY

Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity

generated by hydropower; the production of

electrical power through the use of falling or

flowing water.

It is the most widely

used form of renewable

energy.

TYPES OF HYDROELECTRIC GENERATION

RUN-OF-THE-RIVER HYDROELECTRIC

(ROR) is a type of hydroelectric generation plant where water storage is provided.

It’s plants may have no water storage at all or a limited amount of storage, in which

case the storage reservoir is referred to as pondage. A plant without pondage has

no water storage and is, therefore, subject to seasonal river flows. It captures the

kinetic energy in rivers or streams, without the use of dams.

SMALL HYDRO PROJECTS it’s the development of hydroelectric

power on a scale serving a small

community or industrial plant.

The definition of a small hydro project

varies, but a generating capacity of 1 to

20 mewavatts (MW) is generally

accepted, so we can call it distributed

generation.

MICRO HYDRO PROJECTS Is a type of hydroelectric power that typically produces from 5 kW to

100 kW of electricity using the natural flow of water.

CONDUIT HYDROELECTRICITYIs a method of using mechanical energy of water as part of the water delivery system through man-made conduits to generate electricity.

It projects the use of water which has already been diverted for use elsewhere;

in a municipal water system, for example.

PUMPED-STORAGE HYDROELECTRICITY

(PHES) Pumped Hydroelectric Energy Storage , is a type of hydroelectric energy

storage used by electric power sistems for load balancing. The method stores

energy in the form of water, pumped from a lower to a higher elevation reservoir.

Stores water during periods of

low demand to be released

when demand is high or

system generation is low.

HOW IT GETS TO OUR HOMES DAMS

Water has to move with sufficient speed and volume to spin (girar) a device called a turbine, which in turn rotates a generator to generate electricity.

1. Dams (presas) -- used to collect the water to increase the volume of moving water

2. An opening in the dam (intake) drops water down a pipe called penstock

3. turbine (propellers and roter) spins

4. generator rotates

5. electricity is created

6. Sent to our homes through power lines (cables de luz)

Hydropower can also be generated without a dam, through a lot of different processes. However, dams can control the timing and flow (flujo) of the water reaching the turbines, that means they have the ability to control the amount of electricity produced

ROTER

PROPELLERS

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HOW IT AFFECTS THE ENVIRONMENT

The hydraulic power is a renewable energy and it doesn’t damage a lot the environment like another types of energy, but the construction of reservoirs and dams affects to the fauna and flora, soils, climate, etc.

AREAWhen a reservoir is constructed a lot of area that could be used for the agriculture is occupied, and rivers can disappear because of floods when constructing.

They can also eliminate a great part of many forests and some villages, not to talk about all the habitats and landscapes of great value that disappear.

Reservoir constructions can cause earthquakes and collapses of land.

FAUNA AND FLORA

The hydraulic power affects:

the populations of alive beings who live in the rivers (can cause the extinction of some species).

The fishes and other aquatic animals can be hurt or die (because of the rolling turbines)

water (stagnates and then it moves more slowly than in the river and it accumulating sediments). This causes an excessive increase of water plants.Lower

temperature

Lessoxigen

CLIMATEOne of the most evident impacts is the modification of the microclimate of the zone, rains and fog.

ADVANTAGES· It is a clean energy source, without waste products and is easy to store. Also the water stored in reservoirs situated at altitude permits the regulation of the flow of the river.

· Once a dam is constructed, electricity can be produced at a constant rate.

· The lake's water can be used for irrigation purposes.

· The build up of water in the lake means that energy can be stored until needed, when the water is released to produce electricity.

· Hydroelectric energy is renewable and very reliable energy. There are very little fluctuations in terms of the electric power that is being by the plants.

· Compared to among others fossil fuels and nuclear energy, hydroelectricity is much safer. There is no fuel involved (other than water that is).

DISADVANTAGES· The construction of hydroelectric plants is expensive and needs large networks of power cables. Reservoirs also mean the loss of productive soil and fauna due to the flooding of their habitat. They also cause a decrease in the flow of the rivers. · The high cost of dam construction means that they must operate for many decades to become profitable. Building power plants in general is expensive. · The building of large dams can cause serious geological damage.

· People living in villages and towns that are in the valley to be flooded, must move out. Lose their farms and businesses. · Hydroelectric power plants may affect fish is a complex interaction between numerous physical and biological factors. More user interests related to exploitation of fish species.

· Electricity generation and energy prices are directly related to how much water is available. A drought could potentially affect this.

IMPORTANCE OF HYDRAULIC ENERGY

Hydroelectic energy is important because it is primarily a renewable energy source. (It can be used over and over again)

This is important in the society of today as the awareness of the effects of non-renewable energy sources are more widely known, placing a greater importance on sustainable sources of energy.