How does hydropower work?

--Social Media--

[ozgamerab]

Just to remind you, environmental effects are also at play, since we are tampering with a river ecosystem here.

[alexafrouzi]

what do you mean when you say the diffrence in height between the source and the waters outflare

[fredfromspongebobofficialc]

What happened to the families who lived in the area that became the Connecticut Lake?

[Ioraek]

Hello. I'm quite interested in hydro power generation, I think it could have an important part to play here in Australia in our future energy mix.

I'm also keenly interested in how energy generation can be best harmonized with the local and regional environment.

When it comes to hydropower, and especially dammed hydro, are the installations able to ensure that the rivers they are build on still experience their natural seasonal flow patterns, like floods and high-flow events? How is it ensured that the water released back into rivers is of good quality (not abnormal temperature and deoxygenated as a result of sitting in a dam)?

I am not trying to shoot down hydro at all, far from it, I am just interested in how these concerned are approached. If you are able to direct me to any literature I'd be very grateful.

[simonbowman]

you wish to make a difference??
Hydro electricity
The Frozen technology
An open letter to the world
By Simon Bowman
Australia
Since the beginning the growth of hydro science has been slow and we have made very little forward movement in the past 40 years.
The ideas that might make it leap forward with more efficient use of the water are stifled by education being thought of as immovable .
What was wrong yesterday will be wrong forever and new tech can't get around a problem.

This is not a problem solving mind set

Australia has forced many an idea to leave this country to grow
just because we have an issue with new ideas

A classic example was Metal Storm a new type of fire arm that had no magazine and no brass cartridges to hold the propellent.
all the bullets are held in the barrel and with this configuration the barrels can be stacked this gives it a rate of fire unmatched anywhere
It had to leave Australia to become a product or stay and die.

This I fear is the same story about to happen with the hydroelectric field
For the past two years RDP Marine Australia has been working on a system that can be retro fitted to all dams with tailraces longer than the turbine hall needs so it has to deal with a backpressure higher than is ideal creating a loss that can now be recovered

At this point it should also be noted that the inventor asks where is it written that water storage dams can’t make hydro power to ?

So is this inventor saying “This is the answer to all ur power needs?”

No of course not but like all good things it is a part of a solution it will fill the gap for base load green power
Lets not forget at the location where these units will be fitted has most of the infrastructure already in place to build the system

NOW TO THE ISSUES
There are three main issues right of the top that are the most commonly raised as why it will not happen
So lets stomp on them straight off

1, fit an item into the tailrace and backpressure will rise in the turbines
No this is not true as a this system if done right it can be fitted to be like a tuned exhaust for a car

2, There will be to little back pressure so RPM will not be constant
Again No if the system is correctly fitted this to is a dead issue

3, Dissolved gasses that are held in suspension
This is a minor issue and most chief engineers are well capable to work with this

4, NOW this one can be a deal-breaker it is to do with a what if question.
So what if the new set of turbines go down or just one ?
Well if one or all freeze up the main turbine hall will be unaffected and no issues flowing up hill
These four issues are the most common reasons I am told No

It is this closed thinking (knee jerk response) to a new idea from the same family of being blinded by their education that stifles the industry moving forward

The one question I have no answer to is time
How long to install?

How long to service the new turbines?
To service time i still don't know but the system is set to allow a swap out setup so actual down time for that turbine slot is less than two hours and the rest of the system remains running during the swap

How much will it cost?
I can guess only the price but the price is not so high as to be to costly

Whats its life span?
Well with servicing I can see it giving service for the life of the dam

NOW the big question Money!!
this is a fluid issue shall we say the rate changes and i have stated previously money values but the income is in two parts the improved tailrace efficiency and the second bank of turbines should be close to 10% extra income

The one main issue I find so wrong is the time line needed from this point to the world seeing a working unit.
The tech is there to make it
The skills are available to hire
The market is in need of this item

But the price will rise with demand as the population is getting bigger but the book keepers are happy to see it remain as a rare item with a limited output that pushes up the price

The first adopters have always been the biggest winners I wonder in this area if it will be the big four or will a player from left field run on and wipe the floor with the rest standing with their hands in their pockets confused as to what just happened

Well, I hope this has given you food for thought and made you pause your thinking and look into what I have said I do not expect you to just except what I have stated as fact nor do I know it all so I can learn a new thing to.

Please pass this around let the open minded look it over and pass judgment after all the driver in the end is the need and the ability to see what is needed down the road is the saving grace of the human species to plan ahead

If you think i have missed a point or you have questions please comment i will respond well within 24hr and as i have said many times i don't know it all and you never stop learning