Components of a hydroelectric power plant

Written by: Haresh Khemani • modified by: Lamar Stonecypher • updated: 6/5/2013

This informative article defines the main the different parts of hydroelectric energy flowers and just how it works to convert energy from water into electric energy. The most crucial part of the hydroelectric power-plant could be the dam, which acts as water reservoir.

• Water-flowing inside lake is made up of kinetic power and possible energy. In hydroelectric power flowers the possibility energy of water is utilized to produce electricity. There a handful of important components of the hydroelectric power plant which we will review within brief and informative article.

• Hydroelectric Dam

• 1) Dam

  The dam is the most important component of hydroelectric power-plant. The dam is created on a big lake which have abundant level of water over summer and winter. It should be built at a location where the level regarding the lake is sufficient to get the maximum feasible potential power from liquid.

• 2) Liquid Reservoir

  The water reservoir is the destination behind the dam in which liquid is kept. Water in the reservoir is situated greater than all of those other dam structure. The height of water when you look at the reservoir chooses exactly how much prospective energy the water possesses. The larger the height of water, the greater amount of its prospective energy. The large place of liquid into the reservoir also enables it to move downwards effectively.

  The height of water within the reservoir is higher than the all-natural level of water flowing in the lake, therefore it is regarded as have a modified balance. And also this helps you to increase the total potential energy of water, which helps ultimately produce more electrical energy in energy generation product.

• 3) Intake or Control Gates

  They are the gates built on the inside regarding the dam. The water from reservoir is released and managed through these gates. These are called inlet gates because water comes into the power generation device through these gates. If the control gates are exposed the water flows due to gravity through penstock and towards turbines. Water flowing through gates possesses potential along with kinetic power.

• 4) The Penstock

  The penstock is the long pipeline or even the shaft that carries the water moving from the reservoir to the power generation product, composed of the turbines and generator. Water in penstock possesses kinetic power because of its motion and prospective power due to its level.