Onshore Hydropower

The principles and practice of hydropower engineering is introduced in this course. Focus is on design of dam, diversion, and run of river powerplants, including the civil (structural, geotech, hydraulic), mechanical (turbines), and electrical (generation) components of these facilities. Newer technologies to be introduced in this course include low-head hydro, small hydro, in-conduit pressure recovery hydro and pumped hydro storage. Practical in class exercises are included which range to finding optimal hydropower sites based on GIS-tools to Assessing the stability of different types of dams. A major component of the course evaluation will be a group design of a hydropower project. The main topics of the course are:

1. Hydropower fundamentals

2. Small hydropower

3. Low head hydropower

4. High head hydropower

5. Dams

6. Dam Safety

7. Spillways

8. Foundations

9. Power waterways

10. Powerhouses and electromechanical equipment

11. Turbines

12. Project planning and costs

13. Pumped storage

14. Tidal Barrages and Hydro-kinetic Hydropower

15. Reservoir Operation