Hydropower Upgrades to Yield Added Generation…Without New Dams

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://energy.gov/news2009/8260.htm

November 4, 2009

Hydropower Upgrades to Yield Added Generation at Average Costs Less Than 4 cents per kWh - Without New Dams

$30.6 million Recovery Act investment by the Department of Energy highlights the additional potential of hydro power

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced up to $30.6 million in Recovery Act funding for the selection of seven hydropower projects that modernize hydropower infrastructure by increasing efficiency and reducing environmental impacts at existing facilities. The expanded hydro generation projects have estimated incremental costs of less than 4 cents per kWh on average.

The selections announced today will deploy innovative technologies such as high-efficiency, fish-friendly turbines, improved water intakes, and advanced control systems in order to increase power generation and improve environmental stewardship. Under Secretary Kristina Johnson made the announcement while visiting Voith Hydro Inc.’s manufacturing plant in York, Pennsylvania.

“One of the best opportunities we have to increase our supply of clean energy is by bringing our hydropower systems into the 21st Century,” said Secretary Chu. “With this investment, we can create jobs, help our environment and give more renewable power to our economy without building a single new dam.”

…

[imdjh]

1. Wouldn't paddlewheels work?

I realize that there is a hydropower plant at Niagara but wonder why there aren't also paddle wheels in the Niagara and every other swift flowing river. Can you not generate power with paddle wheels?

[opihimoimoi]

2. Yes we can but the generating facility might be offensive to those who love

beauty in the woods, river, channel, flumes, etc...mankinds back is to the wall, we will soon a higher effort to eliminate mass fossil burning

[OKIsItJustMe]

3. The question isn't so much whether they work or not, it's whether they work well or not

For small applications, water wheels actually work pretty well. However, imagine a Niagara-scale water wheel…

[imdjh]

4. I was actually thinking about putting it above the falls.

I was thinking that you could have water wheels in the river above the falls, since it is not navigable. I shouldn't think they would have to be huge in height, the river is so fast there that they could skim the top foot of water. The only problem I could see would be that they might have a problem with ice in the cold season.

[OKIsItJustMe]

5. Oh! An "Undershot" wheel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_wheel#Undershot_wheel

…

Undershot wheel

A undershot wheel (also called stream wheel) is a vertically-mounted water wheel that is rotated by water striking paddles or blades at the bottom of the wheel. The name undershot comes from this striking at the bottom of the wheel. This type of waterwheel is the oldest type of wheel. It is also regarded as the least efficient type, although subtypes of this waterwheel (eg the Poncelet wheel, Sagebien wheel and Zuppinger wheel) allow somewhat greater efficiencies than the traditional undershot wheels. The advantages are that is somewhat cheaper and simpler to build, and they are also have a less great environmental impact as they do not constitute a major change of the river. The disadvantages are as mentioned before the smaller effciency, which means that they generate less power and can only be used where the flow rate is sufficient to provide torque.

Undershot wheels gain no advantage from head. They are most suited to shallow streams in flat country.

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[Fumesucker]

6. Something like this might work better, paddlewheels are actually pretty inefficient..

These are underwater turbines for generating power.. The reason ships stopped using paddlewheels is because they are not very efficient.

http://litoralis.blogspot.com/2007/08/using-tides-to-create-electric-power.html