Renewable & Clean Energy

Hydro-Electric Dams

Lecture Notes
Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia

Hydro-Electric Dams

Hydro-electricity can be generated in numerous ways: dams, rivers, tides and waves. Here we describe the simplest and oldest method, the dam. The analysis can easily be applied to run-of-the-river power generation.

Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia

Hydro-Electric Dams

The energy transformations are: Solar radiation evaporates water from the ocean Rain falls on mountains, and runs into lakes The runoff is interrupted by a reservoir and dam Water is extracted at the base of the dam to turn generators
Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia

Hydro-Electric Dams

A reservoir (may be a natural lake): h height below water level the water is extracted Q flow rate (in m3/s) A - surface area

Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia

Hydro-Electric Dams

In principle, one can calculate a maximum value of Q from h and the size of the hole using Bernoullis principle. In real hydro-electric dams Q is determined by the amount of rainfall landing on the catchment area A of the lake.

Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia

Hdro-Electric Dams

Lets look at the W.A.C. Bennett Dam in north-eastern BC. A = 70 000 km2 Rainfall = 600 mm/year
2 m m 1 year 2 6 Q (70,000 km )(10 )(0.6 )( ) 2 7 km year 3.15x10 s

1300 m3 /s

Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia

Hydro-Electric Dams

Potential energy per unit volume at the surface is gh (in J/m3) Potential energy at the turbines is ghQ = density of the water = 1000 kg/m3 h = 186 m Efficiency = Pturbines= ghQ
Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia

Hydro-Electric Dams

Assuming generators = 1 The calculated maximum available power is 2.4 GW The maximum power rating of the dam and its 10 turbines is 2.73 GW The maximum power cannot be sustained as it is greater than the calculated value when assuming 100% efficiency and no evaporation
Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia

Hydro-Electric Dams

The annual average power generated is given to be 13 100 GWh per year.

13,100 GWh 1 year ( )( ) 1.5 GW 1 year 8760 h

This is of the same order as, but comfortably less than, our ideal maximum value of 2.4 GW

Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia

Hydro-Electric Dams

GHG emissions from hydro-electric dams are small to other means of electricity generation, but not negligible They arise from the construction and decay of biomass in the flooded valley (if that is how the project is constructed)

Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia

Hydro-Electric Dams

The proposed Site-C dam is just downstream of the Bennett Dam This project has a rated power of ~1 GW and flood 10 000 hectares A study predicts ~150 000 tonnes of CO2 will be emitted for the first 20 years, half from construction and half from biomass decay in the artificial lake. 10 000 000 tonnes/GWh of electricity is produced by coal-fired plants
Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia

Home Heating

1. BC Hydro. The Peace/Williston Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (PWFWCP) (online). http://www.bchydro.com/pwcp/program.html [12 May 2010]. 2. Natural Resources Canada. The Atlas of Canada (online). http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environme nt/climate/precipitation/precip [12 May 2010]. 3. The Vancouver Sun. Site C Dam No Green Power Project, Critics Say (online). http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=2 97338f7-f072-47d5-babb-1a20e58664ab&k=49198 [9 April 2010]. 4. MacKay DJC. Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air (online). UIT Cambridge.http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/sustainable/book/tex/p s/1.112.pdf [12 May 2010].

Physics and Astronomy Outreach Program at the University of British Columbia