Hydropower
HYDROELECTRIC POWER
What is Hydroelectric Power?
Hydroelectric power uses falling water.
The Origin of Hydro Power
Hydro Power was first used in Ancient Egypt. They used flowing water to make a machine work and grind their crops.
The History
The first recorded use of hydro power was a clock. It was built in 250 BC. The first hydro electric power plant was at Niagara Falls, in Canada. The early hydro-electric power plants were much more reliable than the fossil fuel plants. There was a high electricity demand in the middle years of this century.
The Size
Hydro power plants today range in size from several hundred kilowatts to several hundred megawatts. Some of the larger plants have capacities up to 10,000 megawatts and supply electricity to millions of people.
How It Works
Water is needed to run a hydroelectric unit. The force of the water being released through the dam spins the blades of a turbine. The turbine is connected to a generator. The generator produces electricity. When ever the water is done going through the turbine, the water go back to the river.
|The Production of Power from Hydro Energy |
|Step 1 :A hydroelectric power plant uses the force of falling water from a reservoir to turn a| |
|turbine that drives a generator. | |
|Step 2 :An exciter powers the rotator. | |
|Step 3 :As the rotator and its magnetic field turn, an electric charge is created in the | | |
|stator. | | |
|Step 4 :A transformer increases the voltage of the current coming from the starter. | | |
[pic]
|The Advantages |The Disadvantages |
|Hydropower plants have a Long life and low operating cost. It is
What is Hydroelectric Power?
Hydroelectric power uses falling water.
The Origin of Hydro Power
Hydro Power was first used in Ancient Egypt. They used flowing water to make a machine work and grind their crops.
The History
The first recorded use of hydro power was a clock. It was built in 250 BC. The first hydro electric power plant was at Niagara Falls, in Canada. The early hydro-electric power plants were much more reliable than the fossil fuel plants. There was a high electricity demand in the middle years of this century.
The Size
Hydro power plants today range in size from several hundred kilowatts to several hundred megawatts. Some of the larger plants have capacities up to 10,000 megawatts and supply electricity to millions of people.
How It Works
Water is needed to run a hydroelectric unit. The force of the water being released through the dam spins the blades of a turbine. The turbine is connected to a generator. The generator produces electricity. When ever the water is done going through the turbine, the water go back to the river.
|The Production of Power from Hydro Energy |
|Step 1 :A hydroelectric power plant uses the force of falling water from a reservoir to turn a| |
|turbine that drives a generator. | |
|Step 2 :An exciter powers the rotator. | |
|Step 3 :As the rotator and its magnetic field turn, an electric charge is created in the | | |
|stator. | | |
|Step 4 :A transformer increases the voltage of the current coming from the starter. | | |
[pic]
|The Advantages |The Disadvantages |
|Hydropower plants have a Long life and low operating cost. It is