Hydropower Dams By: Brittany Marshall and Maddy Bergethon

Basics Relies on the water cycle AC (alternating current) or DC (direct current) AC is easier to use Mechanical energy is harnessed from the water and used to spin the turbines

History Using water for energy= back to Romans and Egyptians= water wheel First water source to make electricity was in began the rush of making them

Pros Very reliable power source Generates a lot of power

Cons  Causes lots of flooding  Displaces wildlife= suffering  Migrating fish= dying

Weird Fact New Scientist claims that hydropower dams actually produce more greenhouse gasses than fossil fuel plants By deforestation

Turbine Types Impulse- – changes potential energy to kinetic energy – uses Newton’s 2 nd law of motion – takes momentum of water and forces turbines to move – doesn’t have to be submerged or enclosed

Turbine Types Reaction  Use water pressure to spin turbine  Has to be incased or completely under water  Most common type  Uses Newton’s 3 rd law of motion Reaction  Use water pressure to spin turbine  Has to be incased or completely under water  Most common type  Uses Newton’s 3 rd law of motion

Maintenance Designed to run for a long time Little maintenance Water erosion Gets hit by rock/stick or other debris in water

Steps of Hydropower Dam 1.Dams holds water back in reservoir 2.Gates open and gravity pulls water through penstock and into powerhouse; pressure builds 3.Water hits large blades of turbine making them turn 4.Turbine blades turn together with series of magnets in generator 5.Magnets rotate past copper coils= AC current

Steps Continued 6. Transformer converts AC to higher voltage 7. Goes through power lines to customers 8. Used water is carried through overflow pipes and goes back to river; downstream

Hydropower in the US Largest renewable resource 7% of our power #2 producer with 306 billion kilowatts per hour (Canada = #1) Generate enough to support 28 million households = 50 million barrels of gas

Hydropower in the World 24% of the world electricity 674,000 megawatts Equivalent to 3.6 billion barrels of oil Supply 1 billion people with power 88% of the renewable energy sources Norway= 99%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

Hydropower in the World

Top 3 1. Three Gorges Dam- China, construction started in 2008 and has not yet been finished when finished will generate around 22,500 megawatts. 2. Itaipu- Brazil & Paraguay, finished in 2003, generates around 14,000 megawatts 3. Guri- Venezuela, completed in 1986, generates around 10,200 megawatts

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