Generation of Electricity from River Flow: Feasibility & Costs!
Submitted by iwp on November 19, 2009 - 05:08
Is it possible to generate electricity from the flow of a river ? What are the costs involved on a small scale. Could a causeway that currently rus across the river be used to facilitate the same? The river in question is the Ken in Madhya Pradesh with a width of 700m where the causeway exists.
The query has been raised by the area M.L.A, and is intended to generate responses regarding the suitability of utilizing the existing infrastructure to generate electricity from the flow of the river and also an estimate of the costs involved in the same. Comments on the feasibility of the same, examples of current or implemented projects are also welcome.
Lokendra Singh M.L.A
1/20 New Family quarters MLA rest house Bhopal
(Madhya Pradesh). Phone: 550184
Comments
1. Generation of Electricity From River Flow
Dear Lokendra Singh,
It is certainly possible to generate electricity from flow of a river. However, usage of causeway, costs & available site usage are areas which are to be not only to be viewed from a technical viewpoint but also from statutory compliances as well. It may be better to engage an agency WAPCOS to provide you with the accurate feedbacks on the issue. It may not be prudent for the forum to advice you on aspects which are more than purely advising in nature.
With best regards,
Taral Kumar
Executive Director
Akar Impex Pvt. Ltd.
Noida, Uttar Pradesh
2. Generation of Electricity From River Flow
Dear Lokendra Singh,
I would suggest you to visit the following links as one of them is from a source located in India and could provide cost and other data:
www.green-trust.org/hydo.htm
http://designcentre.kullu.googlepages.com/
You can find an enormous amount of information on this just by resorting to a Google search.
Regards,
S.S. Ranganathan
Advisor
Ion Exchange
Bangalore
3. Electricity from River Flow
Dear Sir,
The type of question you have asked has two answers. One, a purely
theoretical answer. Two, an answer from practical considerations.
Theoretically, it is possible to generate electricity from river flow.
Flowing water has energy and it should be possible to convert this
mechanical energy in to electrical energy. The ages-old water wheel was
turned by flowing water. It was connected to a device to pound grain, or
such tasks. But one can think of connecting it to a generator, and thus
produce electricity.
However, from practical considerations, the answer is 'No'. There are two
main considerations. How much energy will be generated, and what will be the
cost. In fact attention to these two issues is what differentiate between a
purely theoretical analysis, and a practical analysis.
The energy contained in the velocity of water flowing in a river channel is
not sufficient to produce any significant quantity of electricity. Therefore
hydro-power projects require a level difference, called 'operating hydraulic
head', between the source of water and the turbine. This head is developed
either by storing the water to some height behind a dam; or by diverting the
water in a pipeline/ canal and then guiding this pipe/canal for some
distance at a slope that is gentler than the river slope, creating a head
difference after some distance. Some times river or canals negotiate a
significant change in ground level by a 'fall' and this 'fall' also provides
some level difference. Turbines have been developed to utilize head as low
as a few meters. But some head difference is essential to make the endevour
worthwhile.
A particular type of turbine known as 'Kaplan turbine' (named after its
inventor) is used in low-head situations. This turbine requires the water to
flow under pressure, in a closed conduit. (flow in an open channel is under
atmospheric pressure). You have stated that the width of the river is 700 M.
Now, a turbine can't be 700 M wide. Obviously the flow will have to be
guided in a much narrower channel, and then to the turbine. But the
structure that gathers the flow thus, will have to be designed to withstand
the high floods during monsoon. All this entails a cost that is likely to be
disproportionate to the benefits for a very small head. (opposing large
dams, the activists often pose 'why not a cascade of many small projects?'
The above explains one reason why not. Whether the height of the structure
is 2 meters, or 20 meters, or 200 meters, it has to be designed to withstand
the yearly high floods. For low heads, the benefits do not
justify the cost. Therefore, low head power projects are invariably on
canals, becuase in canals the flow is already 'gathered' and protacted from
floods).
Finally, the above explanation is only a general analysis. For a more
accurate assessment, a technically competent consultant needs to make a
location specific study.
Chetan Pandit
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