How Hydropower Works?

Most hydropower plants rely on a dam

that holds back water, creating a large
reservoir. Often, this reservoir is used
as a recreational lake, such as
Empangan Kenyir, Terengganu
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.
The water strikes and
turns the large
blades of a turbine,
which is attached to
a generator above it
by way of a shaft.
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.
The transformer inside
the powerhouse takes
the AC and converts it
to higher-voltage
current.
 Used water is carried through
pipelines, called tailraces, and
re-enters the river downstream.
Hydropower Propeller
 Type of
turbine
Reaction
Impulse
Kaplan turbine Francis
turbines. Pelton
turbines
Turgo
turbines
Reaction Impulse
turbine turbine
The water pressure can
apply a force on the face water pressure is
of the runner blades, converted into kinetic
which decreases as it energy before entering the
proceeds through the runner
turbine.

The turbine casing, with The kinetic energy is in the

the runner fully immersed form of a high-speed jet
in water, must be strong that strikes the buckets,
enough to withstand the mounted on the periphery
operating pressure. of the runner.
REACTION TURBINE
 Kaplan turbine
• Developed in 1913 by the Austrian professor Viktor
Kaplan
• Propeller-type water turbine which has adjustable
blades
• Allowed efficient power production in low-head
applications

Theory of application
• inward flow reaction turbine
• fluid changes pressure as it moves through the turbine and gives up its energy
• Power is recovered from hydrostatic head and from the kinetic energy of the
flowing water
• Water is directed tangentially through the wicket gate and spirals on to a
propeller shaped runner, causing it to spin.
• The outlet is a specially shaped draft tube that helps decelerate the water and
recover kinetic energy.
 Francis turbine
• Developed by James B. Francis
• An inward-flow reaction turbine that
combines radial and axial flow concepts
• Most common water turbine in use today

Theory application
• The turbine is located between the high-pressure water source and the low-
pressure water exit, usually at the base of a dam
• The inlet is spiral shaped
• Guide vanes direct the water tangentially to the turbine wheel
• This radial flow acts on the runner's 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.
• As the water moves through the runner, its spinning radius decreases, further
acting on the runner.
• eg;: ball spinning on a string
IMPULSE TURBINE
 Turgo turbine
• Turgo turbine is an impulse water turbine designed
for medium head applications.

• Developed in 1919 by Gilkes as a modification of

the Pelton wheel

Theory application
• water does not change pressure as it moves through the turbine blades.
• The water's potential energy is converted to kinetic energy with a nozzle.
• The high speed water jet is then directed on the turbine blades which deflect and
reverse the flow.
• The resulting impulse spins the turbine runner, imparting energy to the turbine
shaft.
• Water exits with very little energy
 Pelton turbine
• It was invented by Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s.
• Pelton wheel extracts energy from the impulse of
moving water, as opposed to its weight like
traditional overshot water wheel

Theory of application
• The water flows along the tangent to the path of the
runner.
• As water flows into the bucket, the direction of the
water velocity changes to follow the contour of the
bucket
• the water exerts pressure on the bucket and the
water is decelerated as it does a "u-turn" and flows
out the other side of the bucket at low velocity.
• the water's momentum is transferred to the turbine.
Advantages & Disadvantages
 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
• Able to use over the years • Disturbance of habitat

• One of the clean energy sources • High cost of installation

• Emission of methane gas & CO2 to

• Unlimited resources
the atmosphere

• Create recreational opportunities • Disrupt the natural flow of water

• Efficient compared to others

• Reliable compared to solar and

wind energy