Hydroelectric Power

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Hydroelectric Power

• Courtesy of Daniel Klausner, Benjamin Sacks, and
  Max(well) Sittenfield

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How does it work?

• Hydropower plants capture energy of falling
  water to generate electricity.
• A turbine converts the KE (kinetic energy) of
  falling water into ME (mechanical energy).
• Then, a generator converts the ME from the
  turbine into EE (electrical energy).

Parts of a Hydroelectric plant

• Dam Raises the water level of the river to
  create falling water, controls water flow (it is
  pretty much a stored energy warehouse).
• Turbine Force of falling water pushing against
  turbines blades causes them to spin (think
  windmill, except the energy is provided by water,
  not wind). The turbine then converts the KE of
  falling water into ME.
• Generator Connected to the turbine, and when
  the turbine spins it cases the generator to spin
  as well ? Converts ME from turbine into EE.
• Transmission lines Conduct electricity from the
  hydropower plant to homes and businesses.

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Is this a God dam? Uh huh huh.
Shut up, Beavis, you stupid ass goblin.
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Costs

• Gasoline generators 500, life expectancy of 2
  years more than 602 worth of gas per year, with
  an annual operating cost of 852.

• Hydroelectric systems 60, life expectancy of 6
  months total annual operating cost of 175.

Vs.
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Environmental and Legal Issues

• Dams flood large regions
• Destroy natural habitats
• Interrupt river flow, which yields interrupted
  fish migration
• Water pollution
• Change water temperature

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Long-Term Solutions
Short-Term Solutions

• Creates recreational lands that can be used for
  fishing, boating, waterskiing, and swimming.
• Helps control floods.

• Hydroelectric power is a long-term sustainable
  solution.
• Water is a renewable source which can be used
  repeatedly in the hydroelectric process.
• Does not produce CO2 or greenhouse emissions.
• Does not use non-renewable resources.
• Offer expanded habitats for non-migratory fish,
  ducks, geese, pelicans, eagles, and ospreys.
• Provides storage for water.
• Helps control floods.

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Present State of Technology
Little development has been made since the
improved efficiency created by Lester Pelton. He
noticed that the key holding a water wheel in
alignment had fallen out, and therefore the wheel
was entering the water at a titled angle off to
the side. Instead of the stream of water hitting
the cup in its center, it was hitting near the
edge. The water which went into the cup would
then swirl around to the other side and come back
out, going in the opposite direction. To Peltons
amazement, the wheel spun faster. Using what he
learned from this observation, he created a new
system in which two smaller cups were placed
side-by-side. The water would hit between them,
and in each cup the half-circle course would be
taken by the water, leading to 90 efficiency.
That is, 90 of the KE striking the wheel could
now be transformed into usable power. Pelton had
this conceptwhich is still the one used
todaypatented in 1880.
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Predictions About Future Use

• Researchers are working to combine hydropower
  with other renewable technologies, such as solar
  power and wind power, to allow it to become a
  dominant energy source.
• Using free-flowing water instead of dams
  (efficiency is less, but with none of the
  negative attributes of a dam).
• More efficient use of current dams. Using new
  materials and more efficient processes, we can
  upgrade output from existing hydroelectric
  plants.
• Higher-flowing heads ? the turbines can turn
  faster, thus yielding a higher energy output.
• Most new technologies are expected to be
  implemented by 2010.

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Ethics Involved in Development or in Use of
Hydroelectric Power

• Side 1
• The lack of CO2 and greenhouse emissions will
  lead to cleaner air and better air quality.
• Renewable resource, very efficient.
• Helps control floods and provides water-storage
  area.
• Essentially non-polluting and releases no heat.
• Risk of disaster is low.

• Side 2
• Animal habitats disrupted.
• Flooding in surrounding areas.
• Noise pollution.
• Unknown consequences (migration, etc.)
• Fish can be killed in turbines.
• Water becomes stratified.
• Silt builds up at dam, creating unlivable
  conditions.

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Limitations

• Land claim disputes.
• Has to be environmentally safe (follow the
  required safety standards, which increases cost).
• Access to a body of water.
• Must be appropriately spaced from one another
  (windmills can be near each other, dams cannot).

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Works Cited

• http//www.wvic.com/hydro-works.htm
• http//www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/hydroelectricty
• http//www.eas.asu.edu/holbert/eee463/HYDRO.HTML
  
• http//www.ece.umr.edu/links/power/hydropow.htm
• http//inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bl_l
  ester_pelton.htm
• http//www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/34916.pdf
• http//www.ornl/gov/info/ornlreview/rev26-34/hydm
  ain.html
• http//coe.west.asu.edu/students/scondojani/shydr
  o.htm