Quote:
Originally Posted by Hersbird
The big Columbia River dams don't have that much height to them, you can have height, or you can have volume. The turbines can be designed to work with either.
The new British Columbia hydro projects use the heights and lower volume and don't pool a reservoir at all. Well maybe a little one or just a diversion dam, then pipe the water down the mountain. Lots of pressure, not as much volume.
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The turbine/generator load,plus internal wall friction of the inlet/outlet piping would introduce a flow restriction which would have to be overcome by the momentum of the water in order to produce any power;which in itself,would be dependent upon dynamic pressure of the rivers velocity. In the absence of additional gravity head,there would be a load point,beyond which the water would just stall behind the restriction,and the water would just flow around the penstock opening as if it were a choked-down valve.