The impact of residual flow on energy generation in hydroelectric power plants
Abstract In Brazil, 65% of the electric power production comes from hydroelectric power plants (HPPs). In some cases, these power plants divert the course of rivers, resulting in regions impacted by the absence of water, which are known as reduced fow sections (RFS). These sections are regulated by...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Fundação Gorceix
2023-12-01
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| Series: | REM: International Engineering Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2448-167X2024000100039&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1797386396849143808 |
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| author | Walker Matheus Ferreira da Silva Adriano Silva Bastos Edna Maria de Faria Viana Carlos Barreira Martinez |
| author_facet | Walker Matheus Ferreira da Silva Adriano Silva Bastos Edna Maria de Faria Viana Carlos Barreira Martinez |
| author_sort | Walker Matheus Ferreira da Silva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In Brazil, 65% of the electric power production comes from hydroelectric power plants (HPPs). In some cases, these power plants divert the course of rivers, resulting in regions impacted by the absence of water, which are known as reduced fow sections (RFS). These sections are regulated by legislation and aim to maintain the minimum fow necessary to preserve the fauna, flora, fish, and human consumption in the region. Depending on the time of year, this minimum flow, also known as ecological flow (residual flow), can reach significant values, resulting in the interruption of power generation in these HPPs. This article presents a study case of two hydroelectric power plants located in different Brazilian states. The objective of this study is to explore the feasibility of implementing auxiliary generator groups that can operate uninterruptedly at different drop heights while ensuring the preservation of residual flow during low flow periods or taking advantage of the overflow flow by spillways during high flow periods. This auxiliary system would use the same set of structures and transmission systems as the main power plant, minimizing environmental impacts and implementation costs, allowing this solution to be implemented in HPPs that face this type of problem in Brazil. The results obtained indicate that HPPs with larger reservoirs have a greater ability to maintain residual flows with minimal generation loss and that run-of-the-river power plants are the most impacted by the maintenance of residual flow. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:08:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf4e32b9237e4944b9541404824074d4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2448-167X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:08:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Fundação Gorceix |
| record_format | Article |
| series | REM: International Engineering Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf4e32b9237e4944b9541404824074d42023-12-19T07:49:31ZengFundação GorceixREM: International Engineering Journal2448-167X2023-12-01771394810.1590/0370-44672023770013The impact of residual flow on energy generation in hydroelectric power plantsWalker Matheus Ferreira da Silvahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3471-3060Adriano Silva Bastoshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4879-4295Edna Maria de Faria Vianahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3853-1355Carlos Barreira Martinezhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0653-5298Abstract In Brazil, 65% of the electric power production comes from hydroelectric power plants (HPPs). In some cases, these power plants divert the course of rivers, resulting in regions impacted by the absence of water, which are known as reduced fow sections (RFS). These sections are regulated by legislation and aim to maintain the minimum fow necessary to preserve the fauna, flora, fish, and human consumption in the region. Depending on the time of year, this minimum flow, also known as ecological flow (residual flow), can reach significant values, resulting in the interruption of power generation in these HPPs. This article presents a study case of two hydroelectric power plants located in different Brazilian states. The objective of this study is to explore the feasibility of implementing auxiliary generator groups that can operate uninterruptedly at different drop heights while ensuring the preservation of residual flow during low flow periods or taking advantage of the overflow flow by spillways during high flow periods. This auxiliary system would use the same set of structures and transmission systems as the main power plant, minimizing environmental impacts and implementation costs, allowing this solution to be implemented in HPPs that face this type of problem in Brazil. The results obtained indicate that HPPs with larger reservoirs have a greater ability to maintain residual flows with minimal generation loss and that run-of-the-river power plants are the most impacted by the maintenance of residual flow.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2448-167X2024000100039&lng=en&tlng=engeneration lossesecological flowhydroelectric power plants |
| spellingShingle | Walker Matheus Ferreira da Silva Adriano Silva Bastos Edna Maria de Faria Viana Carlos Barreira Martinez The impact of residual flow on energy generation in hydroelectric power plants REM: International Engineering Journal generation losses ecological flow hydroelectric power plants |
| title | The impact of residual flow on energy generation in hydroelectric power plants |
| title_full | The impact of residual flow on energy generation in hydroelectric power plants |
| title_fullStr | The impact of residual flow on energy generation in hydroelectric power plants |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of residual flow on energy generation in hydroelectric power plants |
| title_short | The impact of residual flow on energy generation in hydroelectric power plants |
| title_sort | impact of residual flow on energy generation in hydroelectric power plants |
| topic | generation losses ecological flow hydroelectric power plants |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2448-167X2024000100039&lng=en&tlng=en |
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