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- Conventional Hydro
Modeling Smart Microgrids for the Developing World with Probabilistic Supply and Demand Inputs
Lead Companies
Carnegie Mellon University
Lead Researcher (s)
- Jesse Thornburg
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Future Grid
Status
complete
Completion Date
2018
- Conventional Hydro
Modifications to the Runner Blade to Improve Off-Design Efficiencies of Hydraulic Turbines
Lead Companies
The Pennsylvania State University
Lead Researcher (s)
- Matthew Erdman
Hydroturbines are known to have very high efficiency at their best efficiency point (BEP). However, it has become increasing beneficial to run some hydroturbines at conditions that are significantly different than BEP. This is a direct result of volatile price fluctuations on the electric market, limited storage capabilities, and environmental rules and regulations. Running the hydroturbine at off-design conditions can result in a significant amount of residual swirl in the draft tube. The presence of this residual swirl is particularly detrimental to the performance of Francis hydroturbines since they rely on a pressure head to generate power. Previous research at The Pennsylvania State University numerically discovered that injecting water through the trailing edge of the wicket gates could change the bulk flow direction upstream of the runner blades. In this manner, the flow rate and swirl angle entering the runner blade could be altered to limit residual swirl in the draft tube. The research determined that properly tuned jets could result in a significant improvement in turbine efficiency when the hydroturbine was operating at low flow. However, this required pumping water through channels into a region of relatively high pressure. This pump requirement lessened the effectiveness of the wicket gate trailing edge injection. The concept of water jet injection was further explored in the present work. However, instead of injecting water into a region of relatively high pressure, water jets were placed at the trailing edge of the runner blades where there is a region of relatively low pressure. It was determined that, although this water jet injection improved the off-design efficiency of a low flow case by 0.8%, the hydroturbine now required a larger head in order to maintain the flow rate. The present work found no increase in efficiency for the high flow case with the added water jet injection technique.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Powerhouse Equipment
Research Sub-Category
Turbine
Status
complete
Completion Date
2016
- Conventional Hydro
Modular Helical Fish Passage for Low Head Applications
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Lead Researcher (s)
- Brett Pflugrath
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Modular Pumped-Storage Hydropower Feasibility and Economic Analysis
Lead Companies
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Lead Researcher (s)
- Scott DeNeale (denealest@ornl.gov)
To date, most global and domestic pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) development has focused on the construction of large (greater than 100 megawatts), site-customized plants. Industry and the research community have actively discussed the viability of alternative design paradigms for PSH technologies. This project aimed to analytically determine the technological feasibility and potential economic viability of modularizing the design of PSH units. This project aimed to produce (1) a rough characterization of the resource that can be tapped by modular PSH; (2) the design and cost characteristics of modularized design; (3) the current business case; and (4) a general evaluation of cost-reduction opportunities (if modular PSH appears feasible).
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Research Sub-Category
Status
complete
Completion Date
2015
- Conventional Hydro
Monitoring Detritus Deposition and Scour Downstream of Minidoka Dam with Implications to Snake River Physa Snail Habitat and Irrigation Canals.
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Daniel Dombrowski
This project will study the impact of sedimentation and detritus production on the endangered species Snake River Physa Snail (Physa). This snail lives in the spillway channel below Minidoka dam. It is theorized that deposition of detritus is creating anoxic conditions detrimental to survival of the species. The scope of proposed study includes a collaborative effort to monitor sediment entrainment and transport, measure local flow velocities, and relate the effects on the ecology to dam operations.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2022
- Conventional Hydro
Monitoring Suspended Sediment: An Investigation Coincident with the Cherry Creek Reservoir Annual Flush
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Daniel Dombrowski
The focus of this proposal is to address the need for more comprehensive suspended sediment monitoring by exploring the capabilities and limitations of emerging techniques for suspended-sediment surrogate monitoring using acoustic technology. The use of suspended-sediment surrogate methods, such as turbidity, laser-diffraction, and acoustic methods, offer the benefits of continuous temporal monitoring, lower cost, and safer implementation than conventional hand-held methods. The benefit of developing the capability may be widespread within Reclamation; the acquired data could be used to refine computational and theoretical tools, as well as gauge the sediment-related effects of reservoir operations including sedimentation rates and downstream water quality.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Water Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2022
- Conventional Hydro
Monitoring Technology Development for Sensitive Species (Eel/Lamprey Tag Development)
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Lead Researcher (s)
- Daniel Deng
The objectives of this project are to design, prototype, and perform laboratory and field tests of an injectable, acoustic micro-transmitter that can be used to study the behavior and survival of sensitive fish species (specifically juvenile eel and lamprey initially). Additionally, the project will provide information to develop mitigation measures for safer passage of eel and lamprey and reduce the environmental impacts hydropower production has on these species. Future research could build on this project, expanding the use of the tiny tags to many other species, such as American shad, delta smelt, and river herring. This project is a partnered research effort with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Memorandum of Understanding for Hydropower.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Monitoring the Movements of Juvenile Pacific Lamprey in the Yakima River using Acoustic Telemetry
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Patrick Monk
The primary objectives of this project are to (1) test a non-commercially available acoustic telemetry tag designed for Pacific lamprey, and (2) to monitor the movements of juvenile lamprey in the Yakima River and in the Columbia River in order to better understand these unique fish and to inform future management actions. Entrainment of migrating lamprey in to canals and potentially through fish screens is considered a significant threat for Pacific Lamprey in the Yakima Subbasin This is the only type of study that will be able to finally provide answers about the rate of entrainment into the diversion, and rate of return through the bypass. Predation is also another critical threat for Pacific Lamprey. Recent studies on Northern Pike Minnow predation in the lower Columbia River have continuously shown that predation on juvenile Pacific Lamprey, despite the depressed numbers of lamprey, happens as frequently or more frequently than juvenile salmonid predation.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2021
- Conventional Hydro
National Water Model Assessment for Reclamation’s Water Management Needs
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Ken Nowak
Reclamation depends on streamflow forecasts across the temporal continuum of water management. As part of the recently launched NOAA National Water Initiative, the National Water Model (NWM) is being adopted. In the interest of being an informed user and exploring new potential water management utility of the NWM, Reclamation seeks to seize the opportunity to partner with NOAA at the outset of this new modeling framework. Understanding the NWM will be important for Reclamation as NOAA begins to use its output in forecasts.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Water Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
NC5 R&D Gap Analysis for Flexible Technology R&D Roadmap
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Lead Researcher (s)
- Daniel Deng
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
Don’t see your waterpower research?
Have questions about WaRP?
Contact Marla Barnes at: marla@hydro.org