Small Hydro

Power
Systems
Power Generation

Power
Power (kW)

= f (Head, Discharge, Efficiency)

P = f (H, Q, )
H
Q
2

Hydrology
Flow prediction by area-rainfall
method
Flow prediction by correlation method
Head measurement
Flow measurement

Area-rainfall method
Catchment area with contour maps
Select the highest head (less turbine cost)
Find annual average daily flow using raingauge data
Calculate net flow available after
evaporation, use of water, seepage, etc.
from data
Account for flow variation during months
Calculate the lowest flow
Construct FDC
4

Flow Duration Curve (FDC)

Definition
A graphical representation of a
ranking of all the flows in a given
period, from the lowest to the
highest, where the rank is the
percentage of time the flow value
is equalled or exceeded.

Correlation method
Conduct sample field measurements
10 / year or 6 / lean period
Correlate FDC with data from Govt.
agencies
Correct FDC with site data

Head Measurement

Water filled tube (with scales or person)

Water filled tube and pressure gauge
Spirit level and plank (or string)
Altimeter (9 mm Hg/100 m)
Sighting meter
Sighting with spirit level
Dumpy level / theodolite
Electronic Digital Levels
GPS (Global Positioning System)
7

Head Measurement using

Abney-level Method

Head measurement using

spirit level and plank

10

Topographic Maps
Used to locate
heads
Used to locate
various
components of
SHP plant
>100m, use
1:50,000 maps
Smaller maps
with 10m
contours are
useful
11

Flow Measurement

Salt gulp method (turbulent flows)

Bucket method
Float method
Propeller devices
Weir method
Stage control method
(for little large dams)
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Salt gulp method

100 g salt for 0.1 m3/s flow over 50
m distance (estimate salt required)
record conductivity each 5 sec. and
plot
Q = mass of salt / (factor * area
under curve)

14

15

 Divert entire flow to bucket

record time
suitable for small streams only

Bucket method

16

Float method
Approximate method only
use different floats and average the
time
reduce surface velocity by:
large, slow, clear stream
small regular channel, smooth stream
shallow (0.5m) turbulent stream
very shallow, rocky stream

:
:
:
:

0.75
0.65
0.45
0.25

Q=A*V
17

18

Weir Method
Natural sections

Rectangular weir
Q = 1.8 (L-0.2 h) h**1.5
Triangular weir
Q = 1.4 h**2.5
L in m, h in cm, Q in m3/s

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20

Flow Measurement using Integrated,

handheld meter

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Reconnaissance Study
Data Collection (Basic Reference Materials)
Topographic maps (Minimum Requirement)
Detailed maps with a scale of at least 1/50,000
Landform, location of villages, slope of river, catchment area
of proposed site, access road

Rainfall data
Monthly and annual rainfall data of adjacent areas
Isohyetal maps

Hydrological data (Minimum Requirement)

River discharge data from the adjacent areas

Socio-economic information
Others
Climate map
Distribution line map
Existing proposal from local government and residents
22

Map Study
Catchment Area
(Drainage Area)
1. Trace Maintain ridge
2. Measure the area
with a planimeter
3. Determine River
Gradient & Profile

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Assessment of Power Potential

Power potential is the product of available

head and quantity of water at any point of
time and is determined by using the following
formula:
P = 9.81
Where,

QH

P = Power output in kW
Q = Discharge in m3/s
H = Head (Net head) in m

= Overall efficiency (0.5 to 0.7)

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Examples
Calculate flow needed to run a 50 kW
factory with a water fall of 20 m height
Pnet = 9.81 Q H
Q
= 50 / (10*0.5*20)
= 0.509 m3/s
Calculate Power when the flow is 150 lt/s
and head is 90 ft.
Pnet = 9.81 * 0.5 * 0.15 * 30
= 22.07 kW
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Assessment of Power Potential contd.

Small run-of-the-river schemes generally
have meager discharge data and data for
studies has to be generated by hydrological
approaches.
The power potential for a small hydro
scheme is determined corresponding to 75%
and 50% water availability.
The power potential may be computed on the
basis of monthly or 10 days average flow.
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Cut-away
drawing of a
water
turbine
generator

27

Turbines
Head Pressure
(40m)
(3-40m)
(<3m)
High
Medium
Low
Impulse Pelton
Crossflow Crossflow
Turgo
Turgo
Multijet- Multijet-pelton
Pelton
Reaction
Francis
Propeller
Pump AT
Kaplan
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See http://www1.eere.energy.gov/water/hydro_turbine_types.html

Impulse turbine
Water jet from nozzle impact deflection of water - momentum
transfer - rotates runner
operates in air; no pressure drop
across runner
casing only to control splashing
cheaper
smallest runner preferred
29

Pelton wheel
and nozzles

30

Reaction turbine
Rotating element is fully immersed
enclosed in a pressure casing
clearance between runner & casing
minimised
runner blades are profiled to have
pressure drop - lift forces - causes
runner to rotate

31

Kaplan Turbine

32

Francis Turbine

33

Bulb Turbine

34

Pump as Turbine (PAT)

Cheaper (due to large scale
production of pumps)
Disadvantages:
poorly understood characteristics
lower efficiencies
unknown wear characteristics
poor part flow efficiency
35

Selection
of Turbine

36

Typical Turbine Efficiencies

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