Small Hydro Power

There is a significant hydropower potential in irrigation canals worldwide. Much of this potential exists as energy dissipating ramp-type fall structures. Hydropower could be employed to pump water for water saving irrigation, or to generate electricity. This hydropower is unused, since there are no cost-effective hydropower converters for the specific conditions in irrigation canals, i.e. head differences from 0.3 to 5 m and flow volumes ranging from 0.1 to 15 m 3 /s. At Southampton University, a simple undershot impulse-type waterwheel with 180° jet deflection was developed specifically for this application. Large scale tests, with a scaling ratio of 1:2.4, showed efficiencies of 53%, confirming predictions from theory. The model employed a novel roller-type power takeoff which eliminates the requirement for a cost-intensive gearbox. The impulse wheel has considerable development potential, and could be a cost-effective solution for small hydropower sites at ramp structures.

This is a Pilot Project to use Canadian Eco Siphon Hydro Power Stations on existing irrigation canals in Sri Lanka.  This technology is in use in Canada very successfully for over 25 years and the engineers of the Canadian technology provider visited a number of potential sites in Sri Lanka and decided to do the Project at this location on the Elahera EMYE (Elahera Miinneriya Yodha Ela) Intake, in the Polonnaruwa District in Elahera Divisional Secretariat division.

Wraz z rozwojem cywilizacyjnym naturalne zasoby wyczerpują się lub pogar-sza się ich jakość. Zmusza to osoby odpowiedzialne za zarządzanie nimi, do racjo-nalnego gospodarowania. Do wspomnianych zasobów zaliczyć można nie tylko zło-ża kopalin, ale również przestrzeń, wody powierzchniowe i podziemne oraz powie-trze i przyrodę ożywioną. Lokalizacja inwestycji lub alokacja istniejących obiektów w celu minimalizacji negatywnego wpływu na otoczenie lub maksymalizacji korzy-ści, stanowi często poważny problem dla decydentów. Rozwiązanie tego problemu można wesprzeć używając najnowszych rozwiązań geoinformacyjnych. Należy jed-nak pamiętać, że żadne oprogramowanie nie wyeliminuje potrzeby obszernej wiedzy eksperckiej dotyczącej konkretnego zadania do wykonania.

Skoro 40% proizvedene električne energije u Bosni i Hercegovini proizvodi se u hidroelektranama što samo po sebi govori o njenom trenutnom značaju. Planovi za proširenje hidroenergetskih sistema, veliki broj projekata koji se razmatraju i desetine hidroenergetskih objekata trenutno u izgradnji pokazuju da će se energetska strategija u BiH i u budućnosti snažno oslanjati na iskorištenje hidroenergije što je u skladu i sa trenutnim evropskim i svjetskim trendom uvođenja u upotrebu što je moguće više obnovljivih izvora energije.
Osim tradicionalne uloge hidroenergije u BiH kojom je osigurana stabilnost i sigurnosti elektroenergetskog sistema, u ne tako dalekoj budućnosti moguća je i njena nova uloga jeftinog i pouzdanog skladišta energije realizacijom planiranih pumpnih reverzibilnih hidroelektrana što će otvoriti mogućnost integrisanja veće količine energije proizvedene iz neupravljivih izvora obnovljive energije kao što su vjetar i sunce. Osim hidroenergije iz tradicionalnih velikih postrojenja u Bosni i Hercegovini je u ovom trenutku, nažalost nakon dugogodišnje stagnacije, a možda i na sreću, u toku planiranje i izgradnja velikog broja malih hidroenergetskih objekata koji kao distribuirani izvori, ako budu izgrađeni s pažnjom i u skladu s modernom paradigmom održivog razvoja mogu dodatno osigurati stabilnost elektroenergetskog sistema.
Bez obzira na to što raspoloživi hidropotencijal to omogućava, dugoročno, nije realno očekivati značajnije povećanje udjela hidroenergije u ukupnoj proizvodnji električne energije u BiH zbog planova o izgradnji novih i zamjeni postojećih termoelektrana, i planiranog većeg udjela proizvodnje iz prespektivnih obnovljivih izvora što su u BiH vjetro i fotonaponske elektrane.
stoji stoji činjenica da se već uveliko odvija proces tranzicije korištenja energije u saobraćaju u korist električne energije koji će potrajati narednih nekoliko desetina godina, ali je neminovan. Procjena za BiH pokazuje da će za taj dio potreba biti potrebno obezbjediti dodatnih oko trideset procenata više proizvedene električne energije u odnosu na trenutnu proizvodnju.
Uzimajući u obzir preuzete obaveze BiH u razvoju energetske oblasti pa tako i u korištenju hidroenergije pitanje je kako istovremeno zadovoljiti dva suprotna zahtjeva: graditi nove hidroenergetske objekte i zadovoljiti rastuće potrebe za energijom, a istovremeno ukloniti ili ublažiti utjecaj proizvodnje energije na okolinu i društvo. Odgovor na to može dati pretpostavka održivog razvoja kojom se podrazumijeva da su okolina i razvoj međusobno zavisni i u osnovi se potpomažu. Bez zaštite okoline nije moguće imati održivi razvoj. Bez održivog razvoja nije moguće održati visok kvalitet zaštite okoline niti poboljšati kvalitet života stanovništva u Bosni i Hercegovini.

Generally, hydropower systems use the energy of flowing water to produce electricity or mechanical energy as the case may be. Large hydropower schemes have proven to be detrimental to the environment and they are too expensive to run. In addition, remote areas such as most of our rural areas are difficult to be connected to the centralized national grid. Thus, small hydropower schemes, that are simple and relatively cheap to establish and managed, are becoming attractive to many policy makers world wide. Furthermore, they can be operated in a decentralized manner.

This paper has tried to highlight the various hydrological studies that are required to assess the viability of the planned project and the appropriateness of the site. In addition, the various methods presented are appropriate for the effective planning of small hydropower schemes and easy-to-use procedures.

This paper presents a simplified design considerations for a propeller hydro-turbine, including tabulated relevant
mathematical expressions of operating parameters. In the design calculation, a 2.5 m head and 0.183 m3/s flow rate
were used as river data for power of 2.61 kW. A four-blade propeller with an outer diameter of 0.226 m and a hub
diameter of 0.079 m was considered suitable for the low head application. Dimensionless performance parameters for
various power (2–10 kW) and flow rate (0.2–0.6 m3/s) were evaluated (using constant head and rotational speed), the
results were tabulated and graphs plotted. The static axial force on the blade and hub analysis was carried out and results
shown satisfactory performance of aluminum 6061-T6 alloy as the blade material. Popularisation of small hydro power
(SHP) design and production technology in sub-Saharan Africa through domestic capacity building will accelerate local
fabrication of SHP plants and components. The study recommends that the design process be based on available materials
and manufacturing facilities. The provision of SHP for rural areas, industrial estates and standalone electrification will
provoke commercial and industrial activities in sub-Saharan Africa. This will consequently raise the productivity and the
standard of living of the people.

Micro hydro power is a type of hydroelectric power that typically produces up to 100 kW of electricity using the natural flow of water. These installations can provide power to an isolated home or small community, or are sometimes connected to electric power networks. There are many of these installations around the world, particularly in developing nations as they can provide an economical source of energy without the purchase of fuel. Micro hydro systems complement photovoltaic solar energy systems because in many areas, water flow, and thus available hydro power, is highest in the winter when solar energy is at a minimum. Micro hydro is frequently accomplished with a pelton wheel for high head, low flow water supply. The installation is often just a small dammed pool, at the top of a waterfall, with several hundred feet of pipe leading to small generator housing. Micro hydro systems are very flexible and can be deployed in a number of different environments. They are dependent on water flow from the source (creek, river, and stream) as well as the flow's velocity. Energy can be stored in battery banks at sites that are far from a facility or used in addition to a system that is directly connected so that in times of high demand there is additional reserve energy available. These systems can be designed to minimize potential damage regularly caused by large dams or other mass hydroelectric generation sites.

This is a Pilot Project to use Canadian Eco Siphon Hydro Power Stations on existing irrigation canals in Sri Lanka.  This technology is in use in Canada very successfully for over 25 years and the engineers of the Canadian technology provider visited a number of potential sites in Sri Lanka and decided to do the Pilot Project at this location on the Ulhitiya Canal Branch 2 (Drop 1), in the Ampara District in Dehiattakandiya Divisional Secretariat division. 

The project aims to promote development of clean and renewable energy sources for public utilization using innovative and patented Canadian Eco Siphon Hydro Technology. The proposed hydroelectric plant will consist of Eco Siphon Hydro Power Station, Power House and the Transmission line. The Project involves no new water diversion or water storage and does not modify the timing of water diversion or storage within the canal in any way.

This research focuses on the gravitational creation of a water vortex stream, which is a novel technique in hydropower engineering. The water enters a wide straight inlet and then through a vertical conical tube, creating a vortex that exits at the shallow basin's centre floor. The blades of the turbine can spin in the vortex, which generates electricity from a generator. The gravitational vortex turbine is the name for this kind of turbine. The turbine is driven by the vortex's dynamic force rather than the pressure differential. Since no discretization of the flow domain is needed, this study relies on simulation to provide the specifics of water vortex creation. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models' boundary conditions are added depending on the experiment configuration. Two different hole sizes for water discharge were tested in two different environments. The first condition's effect shows that the vortex heights in the experiment and CFD agree. The final vortex height of the CFD model differs from the experiment outcome in the second condition. More turbulent flow has set in as the discharge hole becomes larger, creating more errors in the CFD model's prediction of water vortex formation.

Increase in human population has increased the demand for energy. Fossil fuels are the major source to meet the world energy requirements, but its rapidly dwindling supply and its adverse effects on our ecological system are of major concern. In India over 70 % of the electricity generated is from coal based power plants. Other renewable such as wind, geothermal, solar, and hydroelectricity represent a 2% share of the Indian fuel mix. Fossil fuels (coal) are a major source of power production in India. Our concept features the run of river active setup of micro hydro power generation using simple gear mechanism. This concept is based on the collection of mechanical energy from two rotors spinning by the effect of higher river velocity and transmission of power from the rotors to a small pinion gear which runs the generator shaft, through two large driver gears attached to the shafts of two rotors. This method of power production is comparatively simpler than others. The objectives of our project include low cost, higher output, environment friendly power production, multiple setups in one row, and decrease the power shortage in India.

Puant saatlerde termik, doğalgaz ve hidroelektrik santraller tam yükte çalışmakta ancak üretimleri yeterli gelmemektedir. Enerji arzına en çok ihtiyaç duyulan bu saatlerde talebin karşılanabilmesi için elektrik ithalatı veya yeni santrallerin kurulması gündeme gelmektedir. Bu noktada pik yük ihtiyacının sağlıklı bir biçimde karşılanması adına pik yük santrallerinden olan Pompaj Depolamalı Hidroelektrik Santraller (PDHES) daha da önem kazanmaktadır.
Çalışmada, gerçek çalışma verileri kullanılarak, Trabzon ilinin Maçka ilçesinde bulunan Cevher I-II HES’lerin iyileştirilmesi için Cevher I-II PDHES Uygulanabilirlik Analizi gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu kapsamda Cevher I-II HES için iyileştirme amacıyla farklı ihtimaller ile uygulanabilecek beş farklı senaryo değerlendirilmiştir. Beş farklı senaryo arasından “DURUM I: Cevher I Rezervuarı’ndan Cevher I Yükleme Havuzu’na Pompalama” ile “DURUM II: Cevher I Rezervuarı’ndan Cevher II Yükleme Havuzu’na Pompalama” durumları uygun bulunmuştur. Bu çalışma kapsamında DURUM I için, üç farklı rezervuar hacmi için altı farklı uygulanabilirlik hesaplamaları yapılmıştır.
Sonuç olarak, hali hazırda çalışan bir hidroelektrik sistemin pompaj depolamalı hidroelektrik sisteme dönüşümünün geri ödeme süresi en kısa 13 yıl olarak hesaplanmıştır. Diğer bir deyişle, devlet desteği olmadan, mevcut sistemlerin pompaj depolamalı sistemlere dönüşümünün uygulanabilir olmadığı tespit edilmiştir.

In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods were adopted to predict the runner blade performance of the propeller turbine. The geometrical parameters and internal performance parameters, such as flowrate (0.08-0.2 m 3 /s), and the turbine runner model based on the three different blade angles (i.e., 25 degrees, 30 degrees, and 35 degrees), were analyzed, using Fluent ver.18.2. CFD commercial code. The Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equation with the shear stress transport k-ω turbulence models used to simulate the unsteady model, to predict the turbine performances by investigating dimensionless parameters such as tip speed ratio (λ), power coefficient (Cp), torque (T), etc. The performance characteristics of the runner blade on CFD data were compared with the reference case to analyze the suitability of the blade angle in potential energy extraction. The analysis found that the interaction between the flowrate and blade angle affects the performance of the turbine. The performance efficiency of the runner blade had also consistently shown the characteristic trend of nonlinear increases to peak to an optimum value, before decreasing with increased blade angle. Results found that both the power coefficient and the efficiency were higher for the blade angle of 25 degrees than for the blade angles of 30 degrees and 35 degrees.

This paper presents a proposal for the optimization of the operation of hydro power plants by the optimal distribution of the dispatched power among its power generating units. Some optimization algorithms are presented and com-pared for the simulation and optimization of the Rio Bonito small hydro. Effi-ciency curves of the units were obtained from field tests.

The electricity consumption of Turkey will duplicate until 2023. It is worth noting that during 2012 43% of electric production of Turkey was from natural gas and 99% of the natural gas was imported. It can be seen that this situation is leading towards the use of domestic renewable energy resources to meet the increasing energy demand. The Hydroelectric potential of Turkey is about 42,424 MWh with an installed capacity of approximately 20,069 MWh. These numbers illustrate that Turkey’s water resource is being sent to the seas without recovering 53 % of the available overall hydroelectric potential. Resulting in an annual cost to Turkey about $7-$8 billion US dollars. This paper focuses on the place of small hydro schemes in the energy policy of Turkey. The given data were derived from the projection reports, strategic plans, action plans and activity reports of the state authority companies. The goal of this research is to detail the small hydropower potential in Turkey, to value t...

Purpose-The paper presents a techno-economic analysis of the electromechanical equipment of traditional vertical axis water mills (VAWMs) to help investors, mill owners and engineers to preliminary estimate related benefits and costs of a VAWM repowering. Design/methodology/approach-Two sustainable repowering solutions were examined with the additional aim to preserve the original status and aesthetics of a VAWM: the use of a vertical axis water wheel (VAWW) and a vertical axis impulse turbine. The analysis was applied to a database of 714 VAWMs in Basilicata (Italy), with known head and flow. Findings-Expeditious equations were proposed for both solutions to determine: (1) a suitable diameter as a function of the flow rate; (2) the costs of the electromechanical equipment; (3) achievable power. The common operating hydraulic range of a VAWM (head and flow) was also identified. Reality checks on the obtained results are shown, in particular by examining two Spanish case studies and the available literature. The power generated by the impulse turbine (Turgo type) is twice that of a VAWW, but it is one order of magnitude more expensive. Therefore, the impulse turbine should be used for higher power requirements (>3 kW), or when the electricity is delivered to the grid, maximizing the long-term profit. Originality/value-Since there is not enough evidence about the achievable performance and cost of a VAWM repowering, this work provides expeditious tools for their evaluation.

This paper deals with the application of genetic algorithms for optimizing the parameters needed for conventional automatic generation control (AGC) applied to interconnected hydro power systems. A two-area hydro power system is considered to exemplify the optimum parameter search. Digital simulations are performed aided by the integrated Simulink/Matlab environment in conjunction with the genetic optimization process. Several integral performance indices, or cost functions, are considered in the search for the optimal AGC parameters. The work utilize a more elaborate feedback control strategy, such as the proportional-plus-integral-plus-derivative type, within the decentralized frame. The results reported in this paper have not been obtained before and they demonstrate the effectiveness of the genetic algorithms in the tuning of such a process.

This article contributes to an emerging body of literature about the micropolitics of the transition to renewable
energy by examining how community leaders, in order to protect their territories, contest the energy transition.
We present findings from two ethnographic case studies of small hydropower plants (SHPs) in indigenous Mapuche territory. As SHPs up to 20 MW are considered renewable projects by law, Chilean national authorities consider them as a non-invasive eco-friendly solution and, consequently, most of these projects are approved
without carrying out an indigenous consultation and, thus, ignoring community leaders’ demands for territorial autonomy. Following a micropolitical ecology approach, this paper analyses community leaders’ resistance towards
SHPs in Mapuche territories by discussing three key aspects: 1) access to information, 2) participation in decision-making processes, and 3) changes in community politics. These are different dimensions of the ‘micropolitical life of SHPs’, a heuristic tool, defined in collaboration with community leaders to explore the
contentious political dynamics that community leaders experience in their resistance against SHPs on the one hand, and to describe how community leaders’ political practices shape and are shaped by contingent encounters and alliances in specific historical and territorial settings on the other. We conclude that despite the anguish that SHPs cause, community leaders bring about hope that may create possibilities to transform their territories.

This research focuses on the gravitational creation of a water vortex stream, which is a novel technique in hydropower engineering. The water enters a wide straight inlet and then through a vertical conical tube, creating a vortex that exits at the shallow basin's centre floor. The blades of the turbine can spin in the vortex, which generates electricity from a generator. The gravitational vortex turbine is the name for this kind of turbine. The turbine is driven by the vortex's dynamic force rather than the pressure differential. Since no discretization of the flow domain is needed, this study relies on simulation to provide the specifics of water vortex creation. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models' boundary conditions are added depending on the experiment configuration. Two different hole sizes for water discharge were tested in two different environments. The first condition's effect shows that the vortex heights in the experiment and CFD agree. The fin...

A new fuzzy control method for hydropower generation in the presence of input random variables is investigated in this paper. Firstly, they decomposed the annual input variables like the net head of the turbine, and flow rate of water into a certain number of detail signals through artificial neural network (ANN) transform. ANN model used to predict the annual power generation. After the stationary simulation prediction model is obtained, the prediction resuts were superposed. The superposed prediction results are corrected by using tuning fuzzy artificial neural network (TFANN). The control method hasn't had a good robustness, which could resist the random disturbances. Finally, simulation results have demonstrated the robustness and effectiveness of this new approach when compared with the existing one.

This is a brief and comprehensive guide hydroelectric power investment in Indonesia. This guide explains step by step and what needs to be prepared by potential investors or prospectors. This guide will be very helpful for potential investors and prospectors who will explore renewable investments in Indonesia.

Rapid expansion of hydropower dams threatens many of the remaining free-flowing rivers in the biodiverse tropical regions of the world, interrupting the migrations of freshwater fishes on which millions of people rely directly for their livelihoods 1-3. As a consequence, there is a growing need to carefully balance the trade-offs between hydropower production and ecosystem functioning to avoid biodiversity losses and ensure long-term food security and income 3,4. Considerable scientific activity and international scrutiny remain focused on LHPs, whereas the environmental repercussions of smaller projects have been largely overlooked in broad-scale energy policies and garner little public attention. Despite (and perhaps due to) this oversight, a series of political and economic incentives for renewable energies have been implemented across the world to benefit projects that are labelled as SHPs-which are often defined as plants with a generation capacity of less than 10 MW-but this threshold may vary among countries 5. These incentives assume that, in addition to the lower energy generation capacity of SHPs, 'small' also equates to low environmental impacts. This has ultimately led to licensing exemptions, favoured energy prices (for example, feed-in tariffs) and subsidized loans that fuel increased construction 5-8. However, emerging scientific evidence suggests that the ecological impacts of SHPs can be dispro-portionally high for their societal benefits 9,10. The primary concern with rapid SHP development is that their number dwarfs that of LHPs. Today, more than 80,000 SHPs are operating in at least 150 countries (11 times the number of LHPs) and the construction of tens of thousands of new dams is projected 5. Despite being widespread, the aggregate contributions of SHPs to electrical grids are often quite low. For example, according to Brazilian regulations, SHPs are defined as those with a generation capacity below 30 MW. Although they represent more than 85% of the 1,517 hydropower plants operating in the country, they are responsible for only 7% of total generation capacity 11. The imbalance between the number of power plants and their generation capacity calls into question whether the marginal contributions by SHPs to national-level energy requirements are worth their potential environmental and societal costs. The cumulative impacts of SHPs on basin-wide hydrology and habitat connectivity may exceed that of LHPs when standardized by hydropower generation 9,10 , therefore challenging the majority of environmental policies that focus on the impacts of individual, and often large, dams 5,12. Owing to their sheer number and geographical extent, the widespread proliferation of SHPs may be an important, yet underappre-ciated, threat to the persistence of migratory fishes and the fisheries and diverse societal values that they support 3,13. Dams constrain the movement of migratory fish along river networks and isolate critical habitats that are necessary for their life history (for example, spawning and feeding grounds), resulting in local extinctions, population declines and collapses of fishery stocks 14-16. As a consequence, migratory fish species are among the most vulnerable organisms to hydropower development in the tropics 17 , which is concerning considering their high ecological and socioeconomic importance. For example, migratory species have key roles in food webs and ecosystem functioning 18,19 , and are included among the top-ranked inland fisheries on the basis of market values and cultural preferences 15,20. Past and planned dam construction greatly exacerbates the loss and fragmentation of habitat in dendritic river networks through the cumulative effects of multiple barriers 21,22 and therefore threatens the persistence of migratory fish and the resilience of fisheries 23. Optimal siting of new dam construction is paramount when attempting to balance the trade-offs between hydropower generation and the river fragmentation that threatens migratory fish 24 , yet it is noticeably absent from many national energy plans. Managers and decision makers have a wide range of options to help to guide the location on the landscape at which prospective hydropower projects may be constructed 25. Recent attention has focused on the use of trade-off assessments of multiple objectives to identify win-win management opportunities and provide more prescriptive recommendations , which are both highly desirable in decision-making 26. Small hydropower plants (SHPs) are proliferating globally, but their cumulative threat to blocking migratory fish and the fisheries that these fish sustain has been underappreciated when compared with large hydropower plants (LHPs). Here, we quantified the trade-offs between hydroelectric generation capacity and the impacts on river connectivity for thousands of current and projected future dams across Brazil. SHPs are the main source of river fragmentation, resulting in average connectivity losses of fourfold greater than LHPs. Fragmentation by SHPs is projected to increase by 21% in the future, and two-thirds of the 191 migratory species assessed occupy basins that will experience greater connectivity losses due to SHPs than LHPs. A Pareto frontier analysis identified future dam portfolios that could halve the number of hydropower plants that are required to deliver the same energy-generation capacity compared with the least-favourable solutions, while simultaneously resulting in lower river fragmentation and protecting numerous undammed basins. Our results highlight the need for strategic planning that considers the unprecedented growth and cumulative effects of SHPs.

A new fuzzy control method for hydropower generation in the presence of input random variables is investigated in this paper. Firstly, they decomposed the annual input variables like the net head of the turbine, and flow rate of water into a certain number of detail signals through artificial neural network (ANN) transform. ANN model used to predict the annual power generation. After the stationary simulation prediction model is obtained, the prediction results were superposed. Secondly, based on hydro power generation stability theory, a novel normalized firefly fuzzy control method (NFANN) is designed for stability control of a hydro-turbine system. Thirdly, the control method has almost good robustness, which could resist the random disturbances. Finally, simulation results have demonstrated the robustness and effectiveness of this new approach when compared with the existing one.

This paper has been written to investigate the possibility
of using and developing hydrokinetic power to supply
reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity to remote,
rural and isolated areas of Uttarakhand, where
reasonable water resources are available. Apparently,
most hydrokinetic studies mainly concentrate on largescale technologies such as waves, tides and ocean current
applications. This paper explains the current status of
hydrokinetic river technology for rural applications. A
model of a hydro kinetic turbine of 1kW rating capacity
has been discussed with detail design specification and
power output calculation. The concept of double casing
for better pressure drop is introduce and a two rings of
turbine blade with four blade in each ring is attached
with shaft which drive a generator by chain drive
mechanism. Graph for power output with water velocity,
water density, numbers of blade angle has been discussed.