How Hydropower and Hydropower Plants Work?

The electricity generated using the flow or flow of water or water is called hydropower or hydroelectric power.
Today I will try to explain how hydropower and hydropower plants work.

Hydropower plant _source

We have read in 8th or 9th grade books that there is no creation or destruction of energy. Energy can only be transformed from one form to another, which is called the eternal source of energy.

^{Principle of hydroelectricity power generation}_source

In the case of hydroelectricity, the power is generated by turning the turbine through the power of water or current of water. A hydroelectric power plant does not require fuel like all other power plants. Here, water flow works like a fuel. Hydroelectricity is also a kind of form of renewable energy like solar power, windmills, or wind power.

How the hydropower plant works?

Hydropower generation is very simple. To generate hydroelectricity, water storage capacity is increased first by building dams on the river, which increases water pressure and allows the water supply to be maintained during the winter or dry season.

^{A simple model of a Hydropower plant}_source

A special type of pipe (Penstock) is used to carry water from the dam to the turbine at high pressure. Between the dam and the turbine, there is a trash rack attached to the Penstock pipe that removes the solid waste in the water.

Penstock pipes are also fitted with a pressure valve, which is used to control the pressure of water. The end of the Penstock pipe goes to the turbine chamber, and the shaft of the turbine in the chamber is connected to the generator. The other side of the chamber is connected to the draft tube through which the water again flows into the river or reservoir.

When water enters the turbine chamber at high pressure, the turbine rotates due to the pressure of the water, as well as the generator rotates and generates electricity. The electricity generated is sent to your house through the sub-station.

The amount of electricity that will be generated in a hydroelectric plant depends on 3 factors:

What is the depth of water? Because we know that water pressure depends on the depth, the higher the depth, the higher the water pressure.
How much water will flow through the turbine chamber per second?
What is the efficiency of the turbine and generator to be used in the plant?