History of Water Energy Utilization
3 min read · Energy Atlas Editorial
The energy of water was used since ancient times for grinding grain or irrigation. Later it powered mills or hammers, and finally a turbine was invented.
Mankind has been using water, as well as its energy, for a very long time. Water can be drunk, it sustains fish that can be eaten, one can wash in it and bathing can be very relaxing. These are obvious uses but very early on people realized that water can also be harnessed as a source of energy. The first machines to use energy from water were simple water wheels which helped with some of the heavy work.
The earliest known water-powered machines date back to the last centuries BC and were used by ancient civilisations including the Greeks, Romans and Chinese. In those times, water energy was used mainly for grinding grain and raising water for irrigation. With time, water energy started driving sawmills, trip hammers and various other machines. Finally, people started using it to power electric generators. The use of water energy became much more efficient with the invention of the water turbine. As the turbines were connected to dynamos, the first hydroelectric power plants came about.
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Articles
The Physical Properties of Water
Water is a chemical compound made from one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms. At normal conditions, it is a colourless, clear, and odourless liquid.
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The Origin of Water Energy
The Sun warms surface water and evaporates it. After condensation, the water falls on the land with exploitable potential energy relative to ocean level.
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Water Energy and Its Uses
The amount of available water energy, kinetic and potential, depends on hydrologic potential, mostly on hydraulic head and flow rate.
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Dams and Reservoirs
The dams create water reservoirs for hydro power plants, to prevent floods or to collect drinking water. Typical dams are gravity or concrete arch dams.
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The Highest Dams and Largest Reservoirs
The highest dam is the 305 m high, concrete arch-shaped Jinping-I dam in China. The largest reservoir is Lake Kariba in Zambezi, with a volume of 180 km3.
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The Segner Wheel
The Segner wheel was an important step on the way to modern turbines. Its principle is today used in rotating irrigation sprinkler systems.
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Francis Turbine
The Francis turbine has a radial-axial design, variable pitch guide vanes, and fixed runner blades. The largest one has a diameter of 10 m.
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Kaplan Turbine
The Kaplan reaction water turbine with adjustable blades, invented in 1918, is used in places with minimal heads and relatively high, variable flow rates.
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Pelton Turbine
The Pelton turbine is an isobaric impulse action turbine. The water jet is directed tangentially at the spoon-shaped buckets on the runner.
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Choosing a turbine (Turbine selection graph)
The turbine selection graph helps to select the best turbine type for the given hydraulic head and rate of flow.
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Hydroelectric Power Plant Operating Principles
In hydroelectric power plants, the water propels the turbine blades, and the generator transforms the energy of a rotating turbine shaft into electricity.
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Types of Hydroelectric Power Plants
The hydroelectric power plants can be divided into accumulation ones with a reservoir, run-of-the river without a dam, derivational, and pumped-storage.
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The Largest Hydroelectric Power Plants in the World
The largest hydroelectric dams in the world are the "Three Gorges Dam" in China, Itaipú Dam and Guri Dam in South America.
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Tidal Energy and Sea Wave Power
Tidal power plants use ebb-tide energy from turbines in the dam enclosing a tidal basin, while tidal stream generators are turbines anchored to the seabed.
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Marine Current Power and Ocean Thermal Energy
Energy contained in ocean currents can be exploited by various underwater turbines or by an OTEC system that uses ocean temperature differences.
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Environmental Impact of Hydropower
The construction of a hydroelectric power plant affects a large area ecosystem and often leads to people's relocation. Then a new balance is established.
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