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Advancements in Hydropower Design and Operation for Present and Future...
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Advancements in Hydropower Design and Operation for Present and Future Electrical Demand

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A3: Wind, Wave and Tidal Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 January 2022) | Viewed by 16462

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. John M. Cimbala

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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Interests: hydroturbines; turbomachinery; fluid mechanics; fluid dynamics; flow visualization; wind tunnels; computational fluid dynamics (CFD); neutron radiography; turbulence; turbulence modeling; air pollution; stratified tanks; indoor air quality; heat pipes; instrumentation
Prof. Dr. Bryan J. Lewis

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Co-Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Brigham Young University - Idaho, Rexburg, ID 83460, USA
Interests: hydroturbine CFD design analysis; numerical analysis; fluid mechanics; numerical methods; engineering education and assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With current infrastructure, meeting the ever-growing demand for electrical energy across the globe is increasingly more difficult. The widespread adoption of both commercial and residential non-dispatchable renewable energy facilities, such as solar and wind, further taxes the stability of the electrical grid, often causing traditional fossil-fuel power plants to operate at lower efficiency and with increased carbon emissions. Hydropower, as a proven renewable energy technology, has a significant part to play in the future global electrical power market, especially as increasing demand for electric vehicles will further amplify the need for dispatchable energy sources during peak charging times. Even with more than a century of proven experience, significant opportunities still exist to expand worldwide hydropower resources and more efficiently utilize existing hydropower installations.

Given this context, for this Special Issue of Energies, we aim to collect original research and field studies covering the advancements in hydropower design and operation. We invite you to submit articles on topics including hydro-turbine and pump-turbine design, power plant operation, pump-storage site selection and design, turbine manufacturing and maintenance, the environmental and economic impacts of new hydropower installations, the impacts of non-dispatchable energy sources on grid stability, and the policy aspects related to the regulation of hydropower. Papers selected for this Special Issue will undergo a rigorous, yet prompt, peer-review procedure, with the goal of the timely publication of research developments and applications.

We invite you to submit your original work to this Special Issue of Energies, and we look forward to receiving your exceptional research.

Prof. Dr. John M. Cimbala
Prof. Dr. Bryan J. Lewis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hydro-turbine and pump-turbine design
  • power plant operation
  • pump-storage site selection and design
  • turbine manufacturing and maintenance
  • environmental and economic impacts of new hydropower installations
  • impacts of non-dispatchable energy sources on grid stability
  • sustainability
  • Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
  • policy and regulation

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 147 KiB  
Editorial
Advancements in Hydropower Design and Operation for Present and Future Electrical Demand
by John Cimbala and Bryan Lewis
Energies 2022, 15(7), 2362; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15072362 - 24 Mar 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1455
Abstract
With the current infrastructure, meeting the ever-growing demand for electrical energy across the globe is becoming increasingly difficult [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Hydropower Design and Operation for Present and Future Electrical Demand)

Research

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18 pages, 10085 KiB  
Article
Flow Deflection between Guide Vanes in a Pump Turbine Operating in Pump Mode with a Slight Opening
by Qingfeng Ji, Guoying Wu, Weili Liao and Honggang Fan
Energies 2022, 15(4), 1548; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15041548 - 19 Feb 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1986
Abstract
During the startup and shutdown processes of a reversible-pump turbine (RPT) working in pump mode, abnormal sounds and vibrations usually occur in the distributor when the guide vanes (GVs) are at a slight opening (max opening of about 6%). The objective of this [...] Read more.
During the startup and shutdown processes of a reversible-pump turbine (RPT) working in pump mode, abnormal sounds and vibrations usually occur in the distributor when the guide vanes (GVs) are at a slight opening (max opening of about 6%). The objective of this paper is to apply a three-dimensional numerical CFD method to study the unsteady flow behavior in the guide vane region of a pump turbine operating in pump mode. The dynamic meshing technique is introduced to simulate the startup and shutdown processes, and it is shown to be critical in accurately capturing the details of the flow pattern variations. In addition, the RNG k-epsilon two-equation turbulence model is applied and the governing equations are discretized with the finite volume method. Moreover, the boundary conditions are set through the calculation of the transient process of the power station. The results show that the main flow between the GVs is deflected during the startup and shutdown processes. In the shutdown process, the deflection occurs when the guide vane opening (GVO) is between 1.99 and 5.32 degrees, on average. In the startup process, the deflection occurs when the GVO is between 2.83 and 4.11 degrees, on average. In these processes, the velocity field and pressure field change dramatically. Simultaneously, the hydraulic torque (HT) on the GVs has a sharp change. The abrupt change in the HT leads to vibrations and abnormal sounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Hydropower Design and Operation for Present and Future Electrical Demand)
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23 pages, 7332 KiB  
Article
Neural Network-Based Control for Hybrid PV and Ternary Pumped-Storage Hydro Plants
by Soumyadeep Nag and Kwang Y. Lee
Energies 2021, 14(15), 4397; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14154397 - 21 Jul 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1896
Abstract
The growth in renewable energy integration over the past few years, primarily fueled by the drop in capital cost, has revealed the requirement for more sustainable methods of integration. This paper presents a collocated hybrid plant consisting of solar photovoltaic (PV) and Ternary [...] Read more.
The growth in renewable energy integration over the past few years, primarily fueled by the drop in capital cost, has revealed the requirement for more sustainable methods of integration. This paper presents a collocated hybrid plant consisting of solar photovoltaic (PV) and Ternary pumped-storage hydro (TPSH) and designs controls that integrate the PV plant such that the behavior and the controllability of the hybrid plant are similar to those of a conventional plant within operational constraints. The PV array control and hybrid plant control implement a neural–network-based framework to coordinate the response, de-loading, and curtailment of multiple arrays with the response of the TPSH. With the help of the designed controls, a symbiotic relationship is developed between the two energy resources, where the PV compensates for the TPSH nonlinearities and provides required speed of response, while the TPSH firms the PV system and allows the PV to be integrated using its existing infrastructure. Simulations demonstrate that the designed controls enable the PV system to track references, while the TPSH’s firming and shifting transforms the PV system into a base load plant for most of the day and extends its hours of operation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Hydropower Design and Operation for Present and Future Electrical Demand)
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16 pages, 5065 KiB  
Article
Investigations of Rake and Rib Structures in Sand Traps to Prevent Sediment Transport in Hydropower Plants
by Mads Mehus Ivarson, Chirag Trivedi and Kaspar Vereide
Energies 2021, 14(13), 3882; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14133882 - 28 Jun 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2526
Abstract
In order to increase the lifespan of hydraulic turbines in hydropower plants, it is necessary to minimize damages caused by sediment erosion. One solution is to reduce the amount of sediments by improving the design of sand trap. In the present work, the [...] Read more.
In order to increase the lifespan of hydraulic turbines in hydropower plants, it is necessary to minimize damages caused by sediment erosion. One solution is to reduce the amount of sediments by improving the design of sand trap. In the present work, the effects on sand trap efficiency by installing v-shaped rake structures for flow distribution and rib structures for sediment trapping is investigated numerically using the SAS–SST turbulence model. The v-shaped rake structures are located in the diffuser near the inlet of the sand trap, while the ribs cover a section of the bed in the downstream end. Three-dimensional models of the sand trap in Tonstad hydropower plant are created. The present study showed that integrating rib type structure can reduce the total weight of sediments escaping the sand trap by 24.5%, which leads to an improved sand trap efficiency. Consequently, the head loss in the sand trap is increased by 1.8%. By additionally including the v-shaped rakes, the total weight of sediments escaping the sand trap is instead increased by 48.5%, thus worsening the sand trap efficiency. This increases head loss by 12.7%. The results also show that turbulent flow commencing at the sand trap diffuser prevents the downstream settling of sediments with a diameter of less than one millimeter. The hydraulic representation of the numerical model is validated by comparison with particle image velocimetry measurements of the flow field from scale experiments and ADCP measurements from the prototype. The tested rib design has not previously been installed in a hydropower plant, and can be recommended. The tested v-shaped rakes have been installed in existing hydropower plants, but this practice should be reconsidered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Hydropower Design and Operation for Present and Future Electrical Demand)
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17 pages, 17721 KiB  
Article
Flow Characteristics of Preliminary Shutdown and Startup Sequences for a Model Counter-Rotating Pump-Turbine
by Jonathan Fahlbeck, Håkan Nilsson and Saeed Salehi
Energies 2021, 14(12), 3593; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14123593 - 16 Jun 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2432
Abstract
Pumped Hydropower Storage (PHS) is the maturest and most economically viable technology for storing energy and regulating the electrical grid on a large scale. Due to the growing amount of intermittent renewable energy sources, the necessity of maintaining grid stability increases. Most PHS [...] Read more.
Pumped Hydropower Storage (PHS) is the maturest and most economically viable technology for storing energy and regulating the electrical grid on a large scale. Due to the growing amount of intermittent renewable energy sources, the necessity of maintaining grid stability increases. Most PHS facilities today require a geographical topology with large differences in elevation. The ALPHEUS H2020 EU project has the aim to develop PHS for flat geographical topologies. The present study was concerned with the initial design of a low-head model counter-rotating pump-turbine. The machine was numerically analysed during the shutdown and startup sequences using computational fluid dynamics. The rotational speed of the individual runners was decreased from the design point to stand-still and increased back to the design point, in both pump and turbine modes. As the rotational speeds were close to zero, the flow field was chaotic, and a large flow separation occurred by the blades of the runners. Rapid load variations on the runner blades and reverse flow were encountered in pump mode as the machine lost the ability to produce head. The loads were less severe in the turbine mode sequence. Frequency analyses revealed that the blade passing frequencies and their linear combinations yielded the strongest pulsations in the system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Hydropower Design and Operation for Present and Future Electrical Demand)
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Other

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14 pages, 3790 KiB  
Case Report
Community-Based Business on Small Hydropower (SHP) in Rural Japan: A Case Study on a Community Owned SHP Model of Ohito Agricultural Cooperative
by Zafar Alam, Yoshinobu Watanabe, Shazia Hanif, Tatsuro Sato and Tokihiko Fujimoto
Energies 2021, 14(11), 3349; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14113349 - 7 Jun 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4989
Abstract
Energy is the prerequisite for social and economic development of a community and country. In Japan, national government is promoting small hydropower (SHP) through a renewable energy policy by providing a high FIT price of 34 yen (≒0.32 US$/kWh) on energy generated from [...] Read more.
Energy is the prerequisite for social and economic development of a community and country. In Japan, national government is promoting small hydropower (SHP) through a renewable energy policy by providing a high FIT price of 34 yen (≒0.32 US$/kWh) on energy generated from an SHP of less than 200 kW. Until now, the energy generation was controlled by national government agencies, but now independent power generation businesses are growing at the local community level in rural Japan. For the future growth of SHP, it is necessary to make electricity generation at the local community level. Therefore, these local communities will install and manage their renewable electricity by themselves. It will help to make the community self-sustainable and independent from the national government, and at the same time, it will also lead them to achieve the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) target from community-based action. This paper aimed to discuss an SHP development business model in which local community will become the business owner of the SHP. It means “of the community, by the community and for the community”. The community identifies their renewable energy potential and needs, they borrow money from the financial organization or banks, install the power plant and do necessary maintenance and management by themselves. The revenue earned by selling electricity is used to repay the loan, and the rest is used for community development directly (such as local roads construction, agriculture land improvements, community hall maintenance, waterways maintenance, welfare, etc.). This paper also discussed a community-based 50 kW SHP installed in Miyazaki prefecture of Japan as a case study. This SHP is one of the best examples of a community ownership model (Community-based business model). A detailed explanation from planning to investment has been discussed. The local community is getting approximately 112,000 USD per year by selling the electricity, and 162-ton CO2 is estimated to decrease yearly, which will support the achievement of SDGs. Finally, installing this kind of SHP in remote areas will provide managerial skills to the local community directly, plant operation knowledge, and education to local students. Local communities learn the problem-solving skills, which lead them to solve the local problem on a community level by themselves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Hydropower Design and Operation for Present and Future Electrical Demand)
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