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- Conventional Hydro
Pilot Scale Tests Alden/Concepts NREC Turbine
Lead Companies
Department of Energy and Alden Research Laboratory
Lead Researcher (s)
- Thomas Cooke, George Hecker, Steve Amaral, Philip Stacy
Alden Research Laboratory, Inc. (Alden) has completed pilot scale testing of the new Alden/Concepts NREC turbine that was designed to minimize fish injury at hydropower projects. The test program was part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Hydropower Turbine Systems Program. The prototype turbine operating point was 1,000 cfs at 80 ft head and 100 rpm. The turbine was designed to: 1) limit peripheral runner speed; 2)have a high minimum pressure; 3) limit pressure change rates; 4) limit the maximum flow shear; 5) minimize the number and total length of leading blade edges; 6) maximize the distance between the runner inlet and the wicket gates and minimize clearances (i.e., gaps) between other components; 7)maximize the size of flow passages. A pilot scale facility was designed and constructed to test a 1:3.25 reduced scale turbine with and without wicket gates. The test loop was operated at flows ranging between 50-95 cfs and 35-85 ft heads and the pilot scale turbine was operated at speeds ranging between 200-375 rpm to determine the Best Efficiency Point (BEP) over the range of wicket gate positions. Engineering tests were conducted to define the turbine BEP speed and head/flow combinations without and with wicket gates. Biological testing was conducted to evaluate turbine passage survival relative to: 1) fish injection location at the turbine inlet; 2) size of fish; 3) species; 4) high and low turbine speed/head/flow conditions; 5) BEP with and without wicket gates, and; 6) off-BEP wicket gate positions. A final CFD analysis was completed as part of the pilot scale study to investigate the turbine flow patterns at off-BEP wicket gate positions for comparison to the flow patterns at the BEP gate position and observed fish injury at the different gate settings. The pilot scale test results indicate that the Alden/Concepts NREC turbine has the potential to pass fish at hydroelectric projects with minimal injury and mortality.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Powerhouse Equipment
Research Sub-Category
Turbine
Status
complete
Completion Date
2003
- Conventional Hydro
Powell Center Synthesis of Dam Removal Literature
Lead Companies
U.S. Geological Survey
Lead Researcher (s)
- Jeff Duda, Jim O'Connor, Amy East, Chauncey Anderson
Examination and synthesis of dam removal literature with observations, framed and tested as hypotheses and conceptual models to provide better understanding of the multifaceted and interrelated consequences of dam decommissioning, thereby providing a basis for formulating realistic expectations for river restoration in addition to identifying key information gaps and research needs.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Water Resources
Status
complete
Completion Date
2018
- Conventional Hydro
Power Flow and Stability Models [HydroWIRES]
Lead Companies
PNNL, NREL, INL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Abhishek Somani, abhishek.somani@pnnl.gov
Operational needs of U.S. power systems are changing due to increasing penetration of variable renewable energy (VER) resources and retirement of conventional fossil fuel-based generation. The nature of grid services, such as inertia and primary frequency response, may also change as more of these services are likely to be provided by inverter-based VERs and batteries. Consequently, the role of hydropower is also expected to change, as it relates to provision of these grid services. Modeling of hydropower plants in power systems analysis has been studied for decades but there are still modeling gaps that are being acutely realized due to the changing nature of power system operations. For instance, the modeling of hydropower resource capabilities in short-term power flow and dynamic stability models, which are used for analysis of system (and resource) response to contingency events, such as loss of a large generator. These modeling gaps need to be addressed urgently to create better opportunities and challenges for hydropower resources in a changing power grid landscape. The project will produce a report on a list of hydro units modeling gaps in steady-state power flow and dynamic stability models, developed through an extensive stakeholder engagement process. Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Power Systems with High Renewable Energy Sources: A Review of Inertia and Frequency Control Strategies Over Time
Lead Companies
NREL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Ed Muljadi
Traditionally, inertia in power systems has been determined by considering all the rotating masses directly connected to the grid. During the last decade, the integration of renewable energy sources, mainly photovoltaic installations and wind power plants, has led to a significant dynamic characteristic change in power systems. This change is mainly due to the fact that most renewables have power electronics at the grid interface. The overall impact on stability and reliability analysis of power systems is very significant. The power systems become more dynamic and require a new set of strategies modifying traditional generation control algorithms. Indeed, renewable generation units are decoupled from the grid by electronic converters, decreasing the overall inertia of the grid. ‘Hidden inertia’, ‘synthetic inertia’ or ‘virtual inertia’ are terms currently used to represent artificial inertia created by converter control of the renewable sources. Alternative spinning reserves are then needed in the new power system with high penetration renewables, where the lack of rotating masses directly connected to the grid must be emulated to maintain an acceptable power system reliability. This paper reviews the inertia concept in terms of values and their evolution in the last decades, as well as the damping factor values. A comparison of the rotational grid inertia for traditional and current averaged generation mix scenarios is also carried out. In addition, an extensive discussion on wind and photovoltaic power plants and their contributions to inertia in terms of frequency control strategies is included in the paper.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Research Sub-Category
Markets
Status
complete
Completion Date
2018
- Marine Energy
Powering the Blue Economy Foundational R&D and Systems of Innovation
Lead Companies
NREL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Ben Maurer, ben.maurer@nrel.gov
- Senu Sirnivas, senu.sirnivas@nrel.gov
- Jenny Wiegele, jenny.wiegele@nrel.gov
To spur economic growth and revitalize the ocean, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) launched the Powering the Blue EconomyTM (PBE) initiative, which aims to foster long-term, sustainable growth of the blue economy by protecting the ocean and understanding and leveraging its immense power, learning the power needs of emerging coastal and maritime markets, and advancing marine renewable energy technologies. NREL is helping achieve PBE goals through early-stage research and development by investigating power needs for blue economy sectors, such as offshore marine aquaculture, underwater vehicle charging, ocean observation, desalination, and seawater mining. For example, NREL researchers are exploring the feasibility of using marine energy to provide power at sea and build resiliency in coastal communities, with a focus on disaster recovery. To this end, the team is researching designs for small-scale marine energy technologies.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Research Sub-Category
Environmental Impact, Fish and Aquatic Resources, Water Resources
Status
complete
Completion Date
2022
- Pumped Storage
Predicting Unique Market Pumped Storage Significance [HydroWIRES]
Lead Companies
EPRI
Lead Researcher (s)
- Aidan Tuohy, atuohy@epri.com
While no new PSH plants have been developed in the past two decades, there is renewed interest in the technology due to increases in VRE penetration. The objective of this project is to develop a framework and outline the parameters needed to analyze the energy and ancillary services PSH provides to the electricity grid currently and how that value may change as the generation asset mix—especially as it relates to increased penetration of VRE—changes over time. A key focus will be to develop understanding of the trends that impact PSH value so that utilities can determine strategy for further development of PSH. Technology Application
Pumped Storage
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Prediction of Reservoir Sediment Pressure Flushing
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Blair Greimann
Reservoir sedimentation affects all Reclamation reservoirs to some extent. In some cases reservoir sediment is beginning to approach the intake elevation for either a penstock or water diversion. A gated intake at a lower elevation can be used to remove sediment in the vicinity of the gate and prevent sediment from entering the penstock or water diversion. Can we construct numerical models to assist in the design and operation of these low level outlets? Many Reclamation facilities are approaching an age of 100 years. Often, the intake elevation for penstocks leading to hydroelectric facilities was set at the elevation expected after 100 years of sedimentation. Our current numerical modeling tools are lacking in their ability to simulate pressure flushing as may occur at facilities where they are attempting to keep the penstock intake clear of sediment by flushing sediment at a lower level intake while keeping the reservoir nearly full. Our current sediment models can only model flushing of sediment when the reservoir is drawdown completely and there is not appreciable reservoir pool left. Therefore, to design appropriate low level outlets and to analyze various operations, it will be necessary to have a numerical model that can simulate this process.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Water Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
Predictive Dreissenid Mussel Modeling for the Western United States
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Jacque Keele
The presence of dreissenid mussels triggers a need for large budgets to manage water bodies that contain these mussels. Based upon dreissenid mussel behavior in the eastern US, it was assumed that mussels would be widely invasive in western US waters. After five years of monitoring, it appears that not all environments trigger invasive populations. The goal of this research is to utilize predictive modeling techniques to inform decisions regarding stewardship of natural resources.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
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Have questions about WaRP?
Contact Marla Barnes at: marla@hydro.org