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Discover why hydraulic energy is the leader in renewable sources. See how hydroelectric plants transform the power of water into electricity and its impacts
Hydraulic energy is obtained from the use of gravitational potential of water, that is, the energy that can be obtained thanks to the displacement of water from a high point to a lower level. The systems that determine this type of energy are called micro turbines.
The greatest use of hydraulic energy is made in the water jumps of the dams. Water is usually held in reservoirs or artificial lakes. These are large deposits created artificially, closing the mouth of a valley by means of a dike or dam, where the waters of a river are retained.
This stored water can later be used for irrigation, supplying populations or for the production of electricity in a hydroelectric plant. The majority of hydraulic dams are intended for the production of electrical energy. However, in times of scarcity, they can have other uses.
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Hydropower is the largest global source of electricity
Countries with great hydraulic potential obtain most of their electricity from hydroelectric plants due to their great advantages. Among them is the fact that it is an inexhaustible resource that is renewed freely and constantly in nature, and the surplus can be used for other purposes.
However, hydraulic power also has disadvantages. It is not possible to make exact predictions, as they depend on annual rainfall. It is impossible to know precisely whether there will be drought or abundant rain. Therefore, although it is one of the main sources of renewable energy, its reliability can be cyclical.
Hydroelectric installation sites tend to be far from large populations, making it necessary to transport the electrical energy produced through expensive networks. Another unfavorable aspect is the negative effect that the creation of a reservoir can have on the environment. In addition to the possible problems of altering water courses, erosion, impacts on populations and the loss of fertile soil, among others.
These inconveniences, added to the large investments required for hydraulic power plants and the increasingly difficult location of suitable sites, are what prevent greater use of this energy source. However, hydraulic energy continues to be the most used among renewable energy sources for the production of electricity.
A very reliable technology
The technology of the main installations has remained the same throughout the 20th century. Plants that use hydraulic energy depend on a large reservoir of water contained by a dam. The water flow is controlled and can be kept almost constant. Water is transported through conduits or penstocks, controlled with valves and turbines to match water flow to electricity demand.
The water that enters the turbine leaves through the discharge channels. The generators are located just above the turbines and connected to vertical shafts. Turbine design depends on water flow. Francis-Kaplan turbines are used for large flows and medium and low jumps. And Pelton turbines for big jumps and small flows.
Hydraulic turbines are used to harness the energy of moving water. The Kaplan turbine is similar to a ship's propeller. The turbine's wide blades or blades are driven by high-pressure water released from a gate.
The Pelton turbine is a 19th century model whose operation is more similar to that of a traditional water mill. The wheel rotates when the water from the conduit is forced, hitting the pallets or alabes. The water comes out at high pressure through the nozzle and drives the alabes that turn an axis.
In addition to the plants located in containment dams, which depend on the reservoir of large quantities of water, there are some plants that are based on the natural fall of water, when the flow is uniform. All of them are used almost all over the world, due to their efficiency and long useful life.
