Generating Stations 23

through regulating gates all around the sides, changing direction in the runner to axial flow. This
causes a reaction force which drives the turbine.
3. Electrical equipment. The electrical equipment of a hydro-electric power station includes
alternators, transformers, circuit breakers and other switching and protective devices.
Example 2.6. A hydro-electric generating station is supplied from a reservoir of capacity
5 × 10 cubic metres at a head of 200 metres. Find the total energy available in kWh if the overall
6

efficiency is 75%.
Solution.
Weight of water available is
W = Volume of water × density
= (5 × 10 ) × (1000)
6 3
(3mass of 1m of water is 1000 kg)
= 5 × 10 kg = 5 × 10 × 9·81 N
9 9

Electrical energy available = W × H × ηoverall = (5 × 10 × 9·81) × (200) × (0·75) watt sec

9

(5 × 109 × 9 ⋅ 81) × (200) × (0 ⋅ 75)

= kWh = 2.044 × 106 kWh
3600 × 1000
Example 2.7. It has been estimated that a minimum run off of approximately 94 m 3/sec will be
available at a hydraulic project with a head of 39 m. Determine (i) firm capacity (ii) yearly gross
output. Assume the efficiency of the plant to be 80%.
Solution.
Weight of water available, W = 94 × 1000 = 94000 kg/sec
Water head, H = 39 m
Work done/sec = W × H = 94000 × 9·81 × 39 watts
= 35, 963 × 10 W = 35, 963 kW
3

This is gross plant capacity.

(i) Firm capacity = Plant efficiency × Gross plant capacity
= 0·80 × 35,963 = 28,770 kW
(ii) Yearly gross output = Firm capacity × Hours in a year
= 28,770 × 8760 = 252 × 10 kWh
6

Example 2.8. Water for a hydro-electric station is obtained from a reservoir with a head of
100 metres. Calculate the electrical energy generated per hour per cubic metre of water if the
hydraulic efficiency be 0·86 and electrical efficiency 0·92.
Solution.
H = 100 m ; discharge, Q = 1 m /sec ; ηoverall = 0·86 × 0·92 = 0·79
3
Water head,
Wt. of water available/sec, W = Q × 1000 × 9·81 = 9810 N
Power produced = W × H × ηoverall = 9810 × 100 × 0·79 watts
= 775 × 10 watts = 775 kW
3

∴ Energy generated/hour = 775 × 1 = 775 kWh

Example 2.9. Calculate the average power in kW that can be generated in a hydro-electric
project from the following data
Catchment area = 5 × 109 m2 ; Mean head, H = 30 m
Annual rainfall, F = 1·25 m ; Yield factor, K = 80 %
Overall efficiency, ηoveall = 70 %
If the load factor is 40% , what is the rating of generators installed ?

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24 Principles of Power System
Solution.
Volume of water which can be utilised per annum
= Catchment area × Annual rainfall × *yield factor
= (5 × 10 ) × (1·25) × (0·8) = 5 × 10 m
9 9 3

Weight of water available per annum is

W = 5 × 10 × 9·81 × 1000 = 49·05 × 10 N
9 12

Electrical energy available per annum

= W × H × ηoverall = (49·05 × 10 ) × (30) × (0·7) watt-sec
12

( 49 ⋅ 05 × 10 ) × (30) × (0 ⋅ 7)
12
kWh = 2 ⋅ 86 × 10 kWh
8
=
1000 × 3600
∴ Average power = 2·86 × 10 /8760 = 32648 kW
8

Average demand 32648

Max. demand = = = 81620 kW
Load factor 0⋅4
Therefore, the maximum capacity of the generators should be 81620 kW.
Example 2.10. A hydro-electric power station has a reservoir of area 2·4 square kilometres and
capacity 5 × 10 m . The effective head of water is 100 metres. The penstock, turbine and generation
6 3

efficiencies are respectively 95%,90% and 85%.

(i) Calculate the total electrical energy that can be generated from the power station.
(ii) If a load of 15,000 kW has been supplied for 3 hours, find the fall in reservoir level.
Solution.
(i) Wt. of water available, W = Volume of reservoir × wt. of 1m of water
3

= (5 × 10 ) × (1000) kg = 5 × 10 × 9·81 N
6 9

Overall efficiency, ηoverall = 0·95 × 0·9 × 0·85 = 0·726

Electrical energy that can be generated
= W × H × ηoverall = (5 × 109 × 9·81) × (100) × (0·726) watt-sec.
(5 × 109 × 9 ⋅ 81) × (100) × (0 ⋅ 726)
= kWh = 9,89,175 kWh
1000 × 3600
(ii) Let x metres be the fall in reservoir level in 3 hours.
Area of reservoir × x 2 ⋅ 4 × 10 × x
6
= = 222 ⋅ 2 x m
3
Average discharge/sec =
3 × 3600 3 × 3600
Wt. of water available/sec, W = 222·2x × 1000 × 9·81 = 21·8x × 10 N
5

Average power produced = W × H × ηoverall

= (21·8x × 105) × (100) × (0·726) watts
= 15·84x × 10 watts = 15·84x × 10 kW
7 4

But kW produced = 15,000 (given)

∴ 15·84x × 104 = 15,000
15,000
or x = 4 = 0 ⋅ 0947 m = 9.47 cm
15 ⋅ 84 × 10
Therefore, the level of reservoir will fall by 9·47 cm.

* The total rainfall cannot be utilised as a part of it is lost by evaporation or absorption by ground. Yield
factor indicates the percentage of rainfall available for utilisation. Thus 80% yield factor means that only
80% of total rainfall can be utilised.

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Generating Stations 25
Alternative method
Vol. of reservoir = 5 × 10 = ⋅
6
Level of reservoir = 2 083 m
Area of reservoir 2 ⋅ 4 × 106
kWh generated in 3 hrs = 15000 × 3 = 45,000 kWh
If kWh generated are 9,89,175 kWh, fall in reservoir level = 2·083 m
If kWh generated are 45,000 kWh, fall in reservoir level
=
2 ⋅ 083 × 45,000 = 0 ⋅ 0947 m = 9.47 cm
9,89175
,
Example 2.11. A factory is located near a water fall where the usable head for power genera-
tion is 25 m. The factory requires continuous power of 400 kW throughout the year. The river flow
in a year is (a) 10 m3/sec for 4 months, (b) 6 m3/sec for 2 months and (c) 1·5 m3/sec for 6 months.
(i) If the site is developed as a run-of-river type of plant, without storage, determine the standby
capacity to be provided. Assume that overall efficiency of the plant is 80%.
(ii) If a reservoir is arranged upstream, will any standby unit be necessary ? What will be the
excess power available ?
Solution.
(i) Run of river Plant. In this type of plant, the whole water of stream is allowed to pass
through the turbine for power generation. The plant utilises the water as and when available. Conse-
quently, more power can be generated in a rainy season than in dry season.
3
(a) When discharge = 10 m /sec
Wt. of water available/sec, w = 10 × 1000 kg = 104 × 9·81 N
= w × H × ηoverall = (10 × 9·81) × (25) × (0·8) watts
4
Power developed
= 1962 × 10 watts = 1962 kW
3

3
(b) When discharge = 6 m /sec
Power developed = 1962 × 6*/10 = 1177·2 kW
3
(c) When discharge = 1·5 m /sec
Power developed = 1962 × 1·5/10 = 294 kW
3 3
It is clear that when discharge is 10 m /sec or 6 m /sec, power developed by the plant is more
3
than 400 kW required by the factory. However, when the discharge is 1·5 m /sec, power developed
falls short and consequently standby unit is required during this period.
∴ Capacity of standby unit = 400 − 294 = 106 kW
(ii) With reservoir. When reservoir is arranged upstream, we can store water. This permits
regulated supply of water to the turbine so that power output is constant throughout the year.
(10 × 4) + (2 × 6) + (1 ⋅ 5 × 6)
Average discharge = = 5 ⋅ 08 m 3 / sec.
12
∴ Power developed = 1962 × 5·08/10 = 996·7 kW
Since power developed is more than required by the factory, no standby unit is needed.
∴ Excess power available = 996·7 − 400 = 596·7 kW
Example 2.12. A run-of-river hydro-electric plant with pondage has the following data :
Installed capacity = 10 MW ; Water head, H = 20 m
Overall efficiency, ηoverall = 80% ; Load factor = 40%

* If discharge is 10 m3/sec, power devloped = 1962 kW

If discharge is 1 m3/sec, power devloped = 1962/10
If discharge is 6 m3/sec, power devloped = 1962 × 6/10

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26 Principles of Power System
3
(i) Determine the river discharge in m /sec required for the plant.
3
(ii) If on a particular day, the river flow is 20 m /sec, what load factor can the plant supply ?
Solution.
(i) Consider the duration to be of one week.
Units generated/week = Max. demand × L.F. × Hours in a week
= (10 × 10 ) × (0·4) × (24 × 7) kWh
3

= 67·2 × 10 kWh
4
... (i)
3
Let Q m /sec be the river discharge required.
Wt. of water available/sec, w = Q × 9·81 × 1000 = 9810 Q newton
Average power produced = w × H × ηoverall = (9810 Q) × (20) × (0·8) W
= 156960 Q watt = 156·96 Q kW
Units generated/week = (156·96 Q) × 168 kWh = 26,369 Q kWh ... (ii)
Equating exps. (i) and (ii), we get,
26,369 Q = 67·2 × 10
4

67 ⋅ 2 × 10
4
∴ Q = = 25.48m3/sec
26,369
3
(ii) If the river discharge on a certain day is 20 m /sec, then,
Power developed = 156·96 × 20 = 3139·2 kW
Units generated on that day = 3139·2 × 24 = 75,341 kWh
75,341
Load factor = 4 × 100 = 31.4%
10 × 24
Example 2.13. The weekly discharge of a typical hydroelectric plant is as under :
Day Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat
3
Discharge(m /sec) 500 520 850 800 875 900 546
The plant has an effective head of 15 m and an overall efficiency of 85%. If the plant operates
on 40% load factor, estimate (i) the average daily discharge (ii) pondage required and (iii) in-
stalled capacity of proposed plant.

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Generating Stations 27
Solution.
Fig. 2.5 shows the plot of weekly discharge. In this graph, discharge is taken along Y-axis and
days along X-axis.
500 + 520 + 850 + 800 + 875 + 900 + 546
(i) Average daily discharge =
7
4991 = 7
= 713 m3/sec
7
(ii) It is clear from graph that on three dyas (viz., Sun, Mon. and Sat.), the discharge is less than
the average discharge.
Volume of water actually available on these three days
= (500 + 520 + 546) × 24 × 3600 m = 1566 × 24 × 3600 m
3 3

Volume of water required on these three days

= 3 × 713 × 24 × 3600 m3 = 2139 × 24 × 3600 m3
= (2139 − 1566) × 24 × 3600 m = 495 × 10 m
3 5 3
Pondage required
(iii) Wt. of water available/sec, w = 713 × 1000 × 9·81 N
Average power produced = w × H × ηoverall = (713 × 1000 × 9·81) × (15) × (0·85) watts
= 89180 × 10 watts = 89180 kW
3

Installed capacity of the plant

Output power 89180
= = = 223 × 103 kW = 223 MW
Load factor 0×4
TUTORIAL PROBLEMS
1. A hydro-electric station has an average available head of 100 metres and reservoir capacity of 50 million
cubic metres. Calculate the total energy in kWh that can be generated, assuming hydraulic efficiency of
[10·423 × 10 kWh]
6
85% and electrical efficiency of 90%.
2. Calculate the continuous power that will be available from hydroelectric plant having an available head
of 300 meters, catchment area of 150 sq. km, annual rainfall 1·25 m and yield factor of 50%. Assume
penstock, turbine and generator efficiencies to be 96%, 86% and 97% respectively. If the load factor is
40% what should be the rating of the generators installed ? [7065 kW, 17662 kW]
3. A hydroelectric plant has a reservoir of area 2 sq. kilometres and of capacity 5 million cubic meters. The
net head of water at the turbine is 50 m. If the efficiencies of turbine and generator are 85% and 95%
respectively, calculate the total energy in kWh that can be generated from this station. If a load of 15000
[5·5 × 10 kWh ; 27·8 cm]
5
kW has been supplied for 4 hours, find the fall in reservoir.
3
4. It has been estimated that a minimum run-off of approximately 94 m /sec will be available at a hydraulic
project with a head of 39 m. Determine the firm capacity and yearly gross output.
[3600 kW, 315·36 × 106 kWh]

Hint. Wt. of water flowing/sec =

a f
94 × 100
3
kg
1000
2
5. A hydroelectric power station is supplied from a reservoir having an area of 50 km and a head of 50 m.
If overall efficiency of the plant is 60%, find the rate at which the water level will fall when the station
is generating 30,000 kW. [7·337 mm/hour]
6. A hydro-electric plant has a catchment are of 120 square km. The available run off is 50% with annual
rainfall of 100 cm. A head of 250 m is available on the average. Efficiency of the power plant is 70%.
Find (i) average power produced (ii) capacity of the power plant. Assume a load factor of 0.6.
[(i) 3266 kW (ii) 5443 kW]

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