Download U2_1_L3_Hydroelectric Power Plants

Do Now:
The Parts of a
Hydroelectric Plant
Essential Questions
How is moving water an energy source?
 How can flowing water do work?
 What is hydropower’s potential?

The Water Cycle
The Water Cycle ensures that water flows from
mountain peaks, down rivers and streams back
into the ocean. That continuous flow of water
carries with it a large amount of kinetic energy.
…kinetic energy that can be
transformed into electrical
energy, with the aid of
hydroelectric power plants,
to power our homes and
businesses!
Hydroelectric Power Plants
Water enters hydroelectric plants from a
river or reservoir; each plant has essentially
8 different elements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Reservoir
Penstock
Turbine Blades & Shaft
Generator
Step-up Transformer
Transmission Lines
Tailrace
Dam & Spillway
Reservoir

The reservoir for a hydroelectric plant is
a man-made lake/pond where water
stored so that it backs up behind a dam;
the height of such a mass of water is a
way of storing gravitational potential
energy.
Penstock

Penstock is the pipe that channels water
from the reservoir to the blades of the
turbine. As the water moves through the
penstock, its potential energy is
transformed into kinetic energy.
Turbine Blades & Shaft

The turbine blades transform the
kinetic energy of the water into
mechanical energy which the shaft
transmits on to the generator.
Generator

The generator transforms the
mechanical energy transmitted from the
turbine blades into electricity, into
electrical energy.
Step-up Transformer

The step-up transformer increases the
voltage of the electrical current generated
so that it can be transmitted long
distances more efficiently.
Dam & Spillway

A Dam is a barrier that blocks the
regular flow of a river or stream, causing
the water to back up behind it.

Spillways are holes in the dam that can
be opened to allow water to flow past
the dam to prevent water from
overflowing the dam.
What’s Coming Up?
Hydropower & Water Turbines
 Impacts on Environment/Society

Types of Hydroelectric Plants

There are 3 main types of hydroelectric
plants:
3.
1.
2. Run-of-River
Traditional
Pumped Storage