Hydropower is one of the oldest sources of energy. Hydropower was used thousands of years ago to turn paddle wheels to help grind grain. First industrial use of hydropower to generate electricity occurred in 1880, when 16 brush-arc lamps were powered using a water turbine at the Wolverine Chair Factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. Because the source of hydroelectric power is water, hydroelectric power plants are usually located on or near a water source.
Mechanical energy is harnessed from moving water
The amount of available energy in moving water is determined by the volume of flow and the change in elevation (or fall) from one point to another. Swiftly flowing water in a rivers, like the Lebanese Rivers that forms flow lines , carries a great deal of energy in its continues flow. Water descending rapidly from a high point, like Falls also has substantial energy in its flow.
Hydropower relies on the water cycle Understanding the water cycle is important to understanding hydropower. There are three steps in the water cycle :
• Solar energy heats water on the surface, causing it to evaporate.
• Water vapor condenses into clouds and falls as precipitation (rain, snow, etc.).
• Water flows through rivers back into the oceans, where it can evaporate and begin the cycle over again.
ENVI tech IN HYDRO FIELD
ENVI Tech can provide you with complete mini hydropower plants such as proposal and studies including design of concrete and earth fill dams, spillways, tunnels, intakes, penstocks, trash racks, gates, and specifications for electromechanical equipment are routine tasks performed by our specialists. We also provide cost estimates, contract documents, bid evaluations, environmental impact assessments and reports as well as general project management. Our specialists also design power transmission lines and electrical substations.