HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS

Hydroelectric power plants are power plants in which the potential link with energy turbine is converted into mechanical energy, and it can be used in an electric generator to produce electricity. Hydropower provides 97% of all energy generated by renewable sources. In hydro power plants is increasing rapidly for several reasons: hydropower is clean, there is no waste; no fuel costs (water charge) provided under condition that there is in sufficient quantity; modern hydro can up to 90% of the energy of water converted into electricity; release of a hydropower plant in operation is very quickly and is used to cover the sudden increase in spending; lakes formed in the construction of hydropower plants contribute to the local economy and provides irrigation, tourism and recreation. Hydropower still lags significantly behind the production of nuclear and thermal power plants. The reason for this state lies in the facts that the use of hydro energy also have important technical and natural constraints(restrictions). The main limitation is the requirement for the existence of abundant sources of water throughout the year because the electrical energy storage is expensive and very damaging for the environment. In order to avoid fluctuations in water levels at certain locations is needed to build dams and reservoirs. The construction of reservoirs often require soaking large parts of the valley and sometimes entire villages. Except that in this way increases the cost of construction, there is a problem of occurrence of groundwater around the reservoir. Groundwater in fact affect the flora and fauna. A great danger can be caused by the earthquakes, so in some areas is need additional protection. Hydropower, unlike other ways of exploiting renewable energy sources, there is no problem with the lack of necessary technology, but also the lack of the necessary locations. Many of the best locations around the world have already been used. The term "possible production" means the maximum generation that could be realized by using the largest amounts of available water under the best conditions, taking into account the size of each hydropower plant construction. There are three basic types of hydroelectric power plants: flow, storage (Hydroelectric Dam) and reversible (Pumped-Storage Plants) hydropower. By definition, flow hydropower are the ones that have no upstream accumulation and its accumulation can be emptied in less than two hours at nominal capacity. Such hydro is easiest to perform, but they are very dependent on current flow. The advantage of such a performance of hydropower is a very small impact on the environment and has no occurrence of groundwater. Storage hydro power plants are the most common way of obtaining electric energy from hydropower. Problems arise in the summer months, when natural flow gets too small for the operation of the plant. In this case, the barrier must be sealed so as not to endanger the flora and fauna in the water. Electricity consumption depends on time of day, day of week, season, etc. To fill a maximum of consumption built hydro electric power plant. When the consumption of energy little water is pumped from the lower lakes in the upper accumulation. This is usually done at night, because right then is the lowest energy consumption. Reversible hydro power plant Bajina Basta is the only reversible hypo in Serbia.

According to the amount of water and height of a water fall that use, there are:

-Hydro power plants with large drops and relatively small amount of water; -Hydro power plants with medium and small falls and -Hydro power plants with small falls and a relatively large amount of water.

For large drops (200 meters) are relevant to a Pelton turbine, the high falls (up to 200 meters) using the so-called Francis turbine for small drops (up to approximately 40 meters), using the Kaplan turbine. When considering the amount of electricity produced in hydro power, during a period of time, one should distinguish two concepts: nominal power by the hydro power plants can be achieved when the whole period considered radial at full capacity and the actual force generated in the reporting period. The only countries that provide most of electric power using hydro power: Brazil, Paraguay, Canada, Norway, Switzerland and Venezuela. Paraguay does not only produce enough electricity through hydropower plants for domestic purposes, but he and exports its electricity Brazil and Argentina.

SMALL HYDRO POWER

Small hydro power facilities are up to 10 MW and fall(join) into the category of privileged producers of energy. For small hydropower plants are considered to have no adverse impact on the environment. Large quantities of fresh water in the pipes come to mind as a potential source of energy. Setting up the turbine and generator are procedures that do not threaten the purity of drinking water while producing electricity. The difference between the hydroelectric power plants and small hydropower plants is in installed capacity. Utilization of the total energy potential of small hydro power plants can produce about 4.7% of the total electricity produced in Serbia and about 15% of current electricity production in hydro power plants. Problems related to the design(project) and commissioning of small hydro power plants lie in the economic and legislative sources. Construction of small hydro power is an economically challenging project. An additional problem is often unresolved property issues on potential locations for construction of small hydropower plants. Generally, large hydropower plants have little difficulty in competing with conventional generation. The initial investment costs per kW are great (big,large), but the cost of small hydropower plants is very low, since there is no need to pay for fuel. Using existing dams, bulkheads, tanks and lakes can be substantially reduced environmental impact and costs. Power plants with a small head and large flow require higher initial investment because construction works and turbine machinery must submit a larger flow of water.

THE ADVANTAGES OF HYDROPOWER

The key advantage of renewable energy, including hydropower, is reduced or completely eliminated emissions of greenhouse gases. The main reason is they do not use fossil fuel as the engine turbine and electrical generator. This electrical energy is derived from hydro power plants become more profitable and independent of the price and supply of fossil fuels on the market. Hydroelectric power plants also have provided a longer life span than fossil fuel power. What is important in the consideration of hydropower from the economic point of view, is that today's modern hydroelectric power plants require a very small number of staff, because a large percentage of automation. Furthermore, the value of the investment in construction of hydropower plants are recovered in the period up to ten years. Greenhouse gas emissions is completely eliminated, if only just seen the process of producing electricity. The same can not be said for the entire hydroelectric plant, as a building made up of dams, turbines and electric generators and storage lake. However, an interesting study that was conducted in cooperation Paul Scherrer Institute and the University of Stuttgart. It showed that among all sources of energy, hydropower are smallest producers of greenhouse gases. It is important to note that the studies done for the climate in Europe and can be applied to areas of North America and North Asia. Hydropower reservoirs can be in addition to its primary function may have several positive aspects. The sheer size may attract tourists, and on their surface can be carried out various water sports. Also, large dams (flood-gate) can play a significant role in irrigation and river flow regulation.

DISADVANTAGES OF HYDROPOWER
A key part of hydroelectric is their flood-gate. The collapse of flood-gate can lead to great disaster for the entire ecosystem downstream of the dam. The quality of construction, construction and maintenance of the dam is not sufficient to guarantee that the dam against the damage. Dams are a very attractive target during military operations, acts of terrorism and such similar situations. Also an example that testifies danger to human life is the Three Gorges Dam hydropower plant (English Three Gorges Dam) in China. Three Gorges Dam is the largest hydropower plant in the world. In fact, hydropower is located on the river Yangtze. It is the largest Chinese rivers and consequently the richest river water, which justifies the construction of hydropower plants on it. However, the reservoir and the dam is so great that their weight burdens the earth's crust. If we take into account that the area is geologically unstable, it is clear that there is a reasonable risk of earthquakes. While experts fear the earthquake and the collapse of the dam, politicians affirm that such risk does not exists. The river water carries its course material in the form of sand and silt. This eventually leads to deposition of the material in a water basin(pool water) as a consequence, reduce the depth of the water basin. As a result, the water, is loseing its role. Also, a significant negative aspect of the construction of dams is a necessity for the destruction of farms, cultural and natural resources. When charging the

storage lake comes up to the required soaking everything that was found beneath the surface of the lake. Fauna of the area was forced to move, so are people. As for flora, the situation is slightly different mainly in tropical areas. In these areas, where the temperature is higher, in decay, decomposition of plant remains trapped under water in antioxygen conditions results in the generation of greenhouse gases. Primarily caused carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4)The creation of carbon dioxide is not really worrying. He was already circulating in the atmosphere and was recorded during their growth process of photosynthesis into their tissues. This is not liberated carbon dioxide, such as occurs during combustion of fossil fuels. It is interesting to say that the carbon dioxide released into a reservoir higher than in plants which burn fossil fuel, if the pool water before filling the forest was cleared and pokrena. Much bigger problem is the creation of methane, which helps going into the atmosphere the greenhouse effect.