Dams work best when filled up high so that it would seem that free hydro could not work with dams. Yet, the two could work well together.
Ideally, energy should be taken from moving water before reaching an area with a dam and dams should be limited in working height but extended up for flooding control. This would mean a seasonal control of water and power production for areas faced with flooding and drought cycles.
During seasons of normal and heavy rain, free flow hydro would be depended upon to produce maximimu power while dams could be used below maximum but be filled up to prepare for the dry season.
Since, with Global Warming, greater extremes may be expected with drought and rainfall, dams could work well with free hydro in terms of these cyclic water changes. By extracting energy by free hydro upstream or even downstream, the power requirements for particular dams might be lessened so as to run on fewer turbines. This would have the effect of better utilization of the water sources.
Dams could be used more effectively as shock absorbers for drought and floods with free current hydro assiting in power production.
The use of free current along rivers with changing altitude has several effects:
1. Production of electricity
2. Slowing down of the water in that location as water velocity runs the turbines
3. Permitting the unhindered natural passage of fish and the habitation of wild life in that part of the river
There would be absolutely no effect on dams in terms of power production because the free flow turbines would be located at higher altitudes than the level at the top of the dam or at altitudes lower than the bottom of the dam.
Difficulties encountered might be:
1. Installation and maintenence of turbine equipment
2. Installation and maintenence of grid connecting lines.
Premier sponsors include
Lead sponsors/partners include
All sponsors | All partners
Dams and free hydro working together.
Submitted on July 31st, 2007 by InterestedReaderDams work best when filled up high so that it would seem that free hydro could not work with dams. Yet, the two could work well together.
Ideally, energy should be taken from moving water before reaching an area with a dam and dams should be limited in working height but extended up for flooding control. This would mean a seasonal control of water and power production for areas faced with flooding and drought cycles.
During seasons of normal and heavy rain, free flow hydro would be depended upon to produce maximimu power while dams could be used below maximum but be filled up to prepare for the dry season.
Since, with Global Warming, greater extremes may be expected with drought and rainfall, dams could work well with free hydro in terms of these cyclic water changes. By extracting energy by free hydro upstream or even downstream, the power requirements for particular dams might be lessened so as to run on fewer turbines. This would have the effect of better utilization of the water sources.
Dams could be used more effectively as shock absorbers for drought and floods with free current hydro assiting in power production.
The use of free current along rivers with changing altitude has several effects:
1. Production of electricity
2. Slowing down of the water in that location as water velocity runs the turbines
3. Permitting the unhindered natural passage of fish and the habitation of wild life in that part of the river
There would be absolutely no effect on dams in terms of power production because the free flow turbines would be located at higher altitudes than the level at the top of the dam or at altitudes lower than the bottom of the dam.
Difficulties encountered might be:
1. Installation and maintenence of turbine equipment
2. Installation and maintenence of grid connecting lines.
adrianakau2aol.com