Many people are interested to know what a hydropower plant is. First of all, it is a type of hydraulic structure that uses water flows, which often flow in the channel of rivers or other water bodies, to generate electricity. But this is not the end of the definition of what a hydroelectric power plant is, as there are important factors for its operation:
- availability of water all year round;
- high angle of inclination of the river;
- seismicity.
Principle of operation and structure of hydropower plants
The capacity of a hydroelectric power plant depends on many aspects, including the structure of the hydropower plant. It consists of the following components that generate electricity
- generator;
- stator;
- turbine;
- rotor;
- blades and vanes;
- rotating shaft.
The essence of a mini hydroelectric power plant or a conventional hydroelectric power plant is the rotation of generators that create electricity due to the water pressure that enters the turbine blades from a reservoir or an artificial dam. The main advantage of such a facility is that it generates electricity in an environmentally friendly way.
Microgas as an energy source
It should be noted that the construction of a mini-gas plant can cost $10 thousand dollars. It is usually designed and built for private households that are far from power lines. Micro-hydroelectric power plants are typically capable of producing from 4 to 10 kW. Such a home hydroelectric power plant will be a lifeline for country houses and cottages that are unable to get electricity in any other way.
Many people confuse microhydro with small hydropower. The latter is considered a full-fledged structure, like our Zaporizhzhia hydroelectric power plant, except that it produces less electricity, but it is significantly superior to home hydropower plants.
However, hydropower plants do not differ from each other in terms of their design, but there are some facilities that cannot be overlooked. For this purpose, we have created the top 10 hydroelectric power plants. But before that, let’s take a look at one facility that was not included in this list, but still deserves special attention.
Let’s take a look at the most famous hydropower plants.
- Three Gorges HPP.
China is famous not only for its developed economy, but also for the capacity of the Three Gorges hydroelectric power plant. It is capable of generating more than 22 GW. The dimensions of its dam are also striking in their grandeur – it is 2309 meters wide and 185 meters high. Having seen such a miracle “live”, you may wonder what a hydroelectric power plant is. The comprehensive answer will be before your eyes. - Itaipu HPP.
This power plant rightfully takes the second place in this TOP. Its capacity can reach 14 GW. It is located in Brazil and interacts with the Parana River. This facility is unique in that it provides high-quality electricity to Paraguay and Brazil. The height of the facility reaches 196 m and its length is almost 8 km. US composer Philip Glass created a symphonic cantata in its honor. It was Itaipu that became his muse. - Hydroelectric power plant “Silodu”
The presented facility has a capacity of 13.8 GW. Like the first power plant in the top, it was built in China, on the Jinsha River. Its dimensions are impressive. For example, its height reaches 285 meters. - Guri hydroelectric power plant
The Guri power plant is located on the Caron River in Venezuela. It took the fourth place in our TOP. Its capacity is more than 10 GW, which provides electricity to almost 70% of the country. The facility is 1300 meters long and 162 meters high. - Tukurui hydroelectric power plant
This hydroelectric power plant is located on the Tocantins River in Brazil. Its capacity is more than 8 GW. It is 11,000 meters long and 78 meters high. - Like the previous facilities, this power plant has had a major impact on the environment. The diversity of flora and fauna in the river has greatly decreased. In addition, a large amount of forest was destroyed. For this reason, Brazilian Indian tribes have left their indigenous habitats.
- Hydroelectric power plant “Grand Cooley”
This power plant is located in North America, on the Columbia River. “Grand Coulee is capable of generating more than 6.7 GW of electricity. It is about 1.5 km long and 168 meters high. - “Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP
The Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP is in seventh place. Its capacity is 6.4 GW. This facility is located in the Russian Federation on the Yenisei River. The length of the hydroelectric power plant is just over 1 km, and its height is 245 meters. It is capable of generating cheap electricity, while supplying various industrial enterprises.