CEH 433

Water Resources Engineering

5 Hydropower
Facilities
Prof. Melvin Blanco Solomon
Associate, Civil Engineering Department
FEU Institute of Technology
Hydropower Energy
Topographic Factor

Topography of Surface
Hydrologic Factor
Hydrology of Rainfall and Streamflow in Rivers

Davao
Cebu
Baguio
Hydropower Site
A very good hydropower site have:
HIGH stream flow and
large basin are and
high ridge enclosure
Hydropower Systems

Hydropower system:
Weir or Dam-blockage
Intake-water collection
Canal- or headrace (open
Headrace
channel that transports water
from intake to forebay)
Forebay-storage and basin
Penstock-drops water from
forebay to powerhouse rapidly
Powerhouse-have turbines
generating power (from
Kinetic energy to Electrical
eneergy)
Tailrace- open channel that
Tailrace
transports water from
powerhouse back to river.
Hydropower Potential
Water Unit Weight
= 9810 kN/m3

Power P HQ

Hydrologic
Factor
Topographic
Factor Gamma = kN/m3
H = meter
Q = m3 /s
P = kiloWatts
Dam Head (H)

P HQ Topographic Factor:

Dam Head dictates the height of

drop water

Dam Crest Length indicates

amount of materials to be used for
blocking the water in river

Best Combination is:

Topographic HIGH Dam Head

Factor SHORT Dam Crest Length
Dam Head (H)
Topographic Factor:
Dam Head dictates the height of drop water
Dam Crest Length indicates amount of materials to be
used for blocking the water in river

Question: in which section you will place your dam as best location?
Site Selection
Site Selection
Site Selection
Dam Height (h)
Discharge (Q)
Discharge Flow Duration Curve (FDC)

Dependability (% Exceedance)
 Flow Duration Curve (FDC)

Dependable Flow: based on % time exceeded

Low Flow-high dependability

High Flow-low dependability
Discharge

Dependability (% Exceedance)
 Flow Duration Curve (FDC)

90% dependable power: P=HQ90

50% dependable power: P=HQ50
30% dependable power: P=HQ30
Discharge

Dependability (% Exceedance)
 Flow Duration Curve (FDC)

How to make a FLOW

Duration Curve?
Discharge

Dependability (% Exceedance)
Flow Duration Curve (FDC)

How to make a FLOW

Duration Curve?

1. Gather historical river

streamflow data
2. It can have an interval of
hourly to daily flow.
3. Do not use weekly,
monthly, and annual data
4. Generate distribution curves
Flow Duration Curve (FDC)
Flow Duration Curve (FDC)

What is the hydropower potential with

50% dependable flow if the dam site
has a height or head of 10meters?

P=( )( )( ) = _______
 Summary

Hydropower: Any Question?

Site Topography
P HQ

Hydrology of River
Hydropower Example

Flow in LPS and

Elevation in meters
Dam
Determine potential
Headrace Hydropower of in kW:
a. Blue Line with
Forebay 70% dependable
flow?

b. Orange line with

Powerhouse 80% dependable
Penstock flow?

Powerhouse
Assignment

1. Construct a Flow Duration Curve given a

stream flow data as uploaded.

2. Plot the Hydropower Potential (P) vs.

Dependable Flow (%).

3. This is due on April 11 or 13 (during our exam).