Electricity Production from Renewables Energies

4.1. Run-of-the-river hydraulics

4.1.1. Hydroelectricity

4.1.1.1. Historical background

The water-wheel was invented for grain grinding (watermills) during the 1^st Century BC. From the 11^th Century, watermills were used as industrial engines. Together with windmills, this was the only type of engine until the invention of the steam engine, in locations such as forges (protective bellows, hammer drive), sawmills, rolling mills, drawing mills, etc.

The foundations of hydrodynamics, fluid flows and the principles of turbomachinery were established in the 18^th Century by Daniel Bernoulli (1700-1782) and Leonhard Euler (1707-1783).

During the 19^th Century, the exploitation of hydraulic energy evolved significantly:

– 1827: first hydraulic turbine created by Benoît Fourneyron (1802-1867) in Pont-sur-Orgeon, Haute-Saône, France. This concept increased the efficiency and the captured power by using paddle wheels.

– 1869: first penstock enabling us to use a 200 m head, all the while producing a mechanical speed of 700 kW.

– 1882: first penstock with a 500 meter head and a production of 1.8 MW.

The main types of turbines were invented during this century:

– the Francis turbine by James Bicheno Francis (1815–1892);

– the Pelton turbine by Lester Allen Pelton (1829–1908);

– the Kaplan turbine by Viktor Kaplan (1876–1934).

At the same time, the discovery of the laws of electromagnetism and mechanical electrical conversion led to the alternator adjustment. Turbine power significantly increased ...