Short-cut design of small hydroelectric plants

The problem of designing small hydroelectric plants has been properly analy sed and addressed in terms of maximizing the economic benefits of the inves tment. An appropriate empirical model describing hydroturbine efficiency wa s developed. An overall plant model was introduced by taking into account t heir construction characteristics and operational performance. The hydrogeo graphical characteristics for a wide range of sites have been appropriately analyzed and a model that involves significant physical parameters has bee n developed. The design problem was formulated as a mathematical programmin g problem, and solved using appropriate programming techniques. The optimiz ation covered a wide range of site characteristics and three types of comme rcially available hydroturbines. The methodology introduced an empirical sh ort-cut design equation for the determination of the optimum nominal flowra te of the hydroturbines and the estimation of the expected unit cost of ele ctricity produced, as well as of the potential amount of annually recovered energy. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.