Hydropower Engineering Syallabus New Course

 

Pokhara University

Bachelor of Civil Engineering

Course Code: WRE 410

Course Title: Hydropower Engineering (3-2-1)

Credits: 3

Full Marks: 100

Pass Marks: 45

Nature of Course: Theory and Practical

Total Lectures: 45 hours

Level: Bachelor Program: BCE/BCRE

1. Course Description

This course provides necessary insight of the fundamental principles, design, and operation of storage and ROR hydropower systems. It covers the theoretical and practical aspects of harnessing water energy for power generation, with emphasize on design of hydraulic structures. Key topics include site selection, energy calculations, design of headworks, penstocks, powerhouses, and environmental considerations in hydropower development.

2. General Objectives

The course is designed with the following general objectives:

• To familiarize the students with the phases of hydropower development and planning procedures for both storage and ROR projects
• To enable the students to analyze power and energy calculations in storage and ROR projects
• To enable the students to design headworks components, hydromechanical components, various Hydraulic components, and plan powerhouse for Hydropower projects

3. Contents in Detail

Specific Objectives	Contents
To explore the historical perspectives of hydropower development in Nepal To get knowledge on the policies, guidelines and treaties governing hydropower development in Nepal	Unit I: Introduction to Hydropower (4 hrs) 1.1 Energy Sources, Hydropower Development in a context; storage and ROR plants 1.2 History of Hydropower Development in the world and Nepal 1.3 Status of Hydro-Projects in Nepal and future trends, Hydro-Potential 1.4 Hydropower Development Policies of Nepal 1.5 Nepal Hydropower Guidelines 1.6 Cross-border power trade and future energy security, Water Treaties 1.7 Stakeholders in Hydro-Development, Role of Private sector Participation and Nepal Electricity Authority, other government agencies for Hydropower development, PPA
To explore stages of the hydropower development cycle from planning to commissioning with knowledge on processing hydrometeorological data	Unit II: Planning of Hydropower Projects (8 hrs) 2.1 Hydropower Development Cycle, Project planning stages: Desk study, Pre-feasibility, Feasibility and Detailed study, Specific work details, Report Formats (referring to GoN guidelines) 2.2 Difference between Storage and ROR projects in Planning 2.3 Processing of hydrometeorological data, Use of extreme and long-term hydrological data, flow duration curves and its applications 2.4 Reservoirs and their regulation, need for flow regulation, Source of sediment, sediment yield in Rivers and reservoirs, Sediment Transport in Himalayan River, sediment handing in reservoirs and RoR projects, sediment deposition and life of the reservoirs 2.5 Fundamentals of EIA, IEE and E-flows concept
To interpret energy and power duration curves for assessing power availability and capacity planning To assess the factors influencing the optimization of installed capacity to maximize economic and technical benefits	Unit III: Power and Energy Analysis (4 hrs) 3.1 Gross, operating, net and design heads, installed capacity, plant capacity 3.2 Firm and secondary power; energy and power duration curves 3.3 Load curve and load factor 3.4 Cost-benefit analysis: Best installed capacity, optimized Installed capacity 3.5 Power demand variation; daily, weekly, monthly and annual variation

Specific Objectives	Contents
To give insight on the principles and technical considerations involved in the design of concrete dams for storage projects To get acquainted with the principles and technical considerations involved in the design of spillways, intakes, and gates for efficient and safe hydropower operation	Unit IV: Design of Hydropower Components (15 hrs) 4.1 General Layout of typical storage plants and ROR plants; dam, spillway, under sluices and intakes, waterways, settling basins etc. 4.2 Classification of dams based on functions, materials, load transfer etc.; site selection and dam type selection 4.3 Gravity concrete dams Forces acting on the dam and their combinations (Available codes) 4.4 Design of concrete gravity dams: general considerations, cross-sectional profiles, stability analysis (Factor of safety against sliding, overturning), middle-third rule, stress and material failures, practical profiles and limiting height of dam; Ancillary Structures (drainage galleries), grouting for foundations 4.5 Failure modes of concrete and their preventive measures 4.6 Intakes - General arrangement of Intakes, Location, Hydraulics of intake, design principles 4.7 Spillways and Energy Dissipaters: purpose of spillways, general arrangement, types, and hydraulics of spillways, design principles, Hydraulic design of jump type stilling basin, the role of tail-water in energy dissipation 4.8 Types of gates and their location
To get insight on the tunneling methods and design the forebay To get acquainted with the design procedures for penstocks and surge tanks	Unit V: Design of Water Conveyance Structures (6 hrs) 5.1 Hydraulic Tunnels, Geometrical shapes, hydraulic considerations (velocities, sizing), tunneling methods 5.2 Forebay and Surge Tanks: importance, general arrangement, condition of their application, hydraulic design 5.3 Penstocks and Pressure shaft: importance, conditions of their application, general arrangement, hydraulic transients (water hammer), Computation of hydrodynamic pressure, sizing of penstock /pressure shaft and estimation of thickness of steel in penstock/pressure shaft, economic diameter of penstock
To get acquainted with design of turbines for hydropower projects To explore powerhouse design criteria	Unit VI: Hydro-mechanical and Electrical Equipment (8 hrs) 6.1 Hydromechanical installation in powerhouse; Type of turbines and their performance characteristics, Design of Pelton and Francis turbines. Selection of turbines and their specific speed, Turbine setting; scroll case and draft tube design, introduction to generators(types/sizes) 6.2 Types of Powerhouses; underground and surface, characteristics 6.3 General arrangement and layout 6.4 Dimensioning of powerhouse (using available Nepalese codes)

4. Methods of Instruction

The course primarily involves a series of lectures, field visit, assignments and tutorials to be submitted on a regular basis that help the students to gain sufficient insight on planning, design and implementation of hydropower projects.

5. List of Tutorials

The following tutorial activities should be conducted to cover all the required contents of this course.

1. Flow duration curve
2. Layout exercise of storage/ROR project
3. Stability analysis of Concrete Gravity Dam/Weir
4. Design of Intakes
5. Design of Hydraulic Jump type Stilling Basin
6. Design of Forebay and Surge tanks
7. Optimization of Penstock
8. Design of Pelton and Francis Turbine
9. Dimensioning and Layout of Powerhouse

6. Practical Works / Assignments / Field Trip

Practical

1. Performance characteristics of a Pelton Turbine
2. Performance characteristics of a Francis Turbine
3. Hydraulic Parameters of Spillways and Energy dissipator
4. Demo on Settling basin and its working principle

Fieldwork

One day observation trip to a hydropower plant in the vicinity followed by a brief report. (Attendance in Fieldwork is Compulsory)

7. Evaluation System and Students' Responsibilities

Evaluation System

In addition to the formal exam(s) conducted by the Office of the Controller of Examination of Pokhara University, the internal evaluation of a student may consist of class attendance, class participation, quizzes, assignments, presentations, written exams, etc.

Internal Evaluation

Component	Weightage
Theory
Attendance & Class Participation	10%
Assignments	20%
Presentations/Quizzes	10%
Internal Assessment	60%
Practical
Attendance & Class Participation	10%
Lab Report/Project Report	20%
Practical Exam/Project Work	40%
Viva	30%

Total Internal Marks: 50

Semester-End Examination: 50

Full Marks: 50 + 50 = 100

Students' Responsibilities

Each student must secure at least 45% marks in the internal evaluation with 80% attendance in the class to appear in the Semester End Examination. Failing to obtain such score will be given NOT QUALIFIED (NQ) and the student will not be eligible to appear in the End-Term examinations. Students are advised to attend all the classes and complete all the assignments within the specified time period. If a student does not attend the class(es), it is his/her sole responsibility to cover the topic(s) taught during the period. If a student fails to attend a formal exam, quiz, test, etc. there won't be any provision for a re-exam.

8. Text Books and References

Text Books

• Novak, P. et al., Hydraulic Structures, Taylor and Francis, London
• Dandekar and Sharma, Water Power Engineering, Vikas Publishing house, New Delhi
• Hydropower Design Manuals and Powerhouse Design Manuals; Department of Electricity Development, Government of Nepal

References

1. Mosonyi, E., Water Power Development, Volume 1: Low-head Hydropower Plants, Academia Kiado, Budapest
2. Mosonyi, E., Water Power Development, Volume 2: High-head Hydropower Plants, Academia Kiado, Budapest
3. Hydropower Development- Series (17 Volumes), Vol. 8, 9, 10,12,13,14; Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway

Pokhara University - Faculty of Science and Technology

WRE 410 - Hydropower Engineering Course Syllabus