Hydro Power - The Secrets Behind Hydro Power
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Using the water's power is an age-old phenomenon. Over the years it has been employed for irrigation and working a variety of machines, including water-wheels. But today, it is used more importantly as a alternative energy source.
Electricity from hydro-power can be generated in three different ways: in hydroelectric dams, using the tides, and through the ocean's waves and currents.
Hydroelectricity:
Hydro-electric dams produced up to 90% of the world's alternative energy, so it plays a vital role. Here, dams release water through huge turbines, which are spun by the force of the water.
What makes hydro-electric dams so popular is that they have two very important roles - to store and distribute water to various cities, and generate thousands of megawatts of electricity at the same time.
The disadvantage is the devastating effect dams can have on plants, animals and even humans. When dams are built they flood large tracts of land that were once occupied by various species and communities of people. Furthermore, the water-borne animals, such as fish can also be affected. An example would be salmon that are blocked from swimming upstream to spawn by the newly erected dam.
Tidal Energy:
With tidal energy, hydro-power is generated as the tides comes in and goes out.
It has been used in Russia and France since the 1960's in large estuaries and bays. On method is used where water from the high tide is blocked and then channeled through turbines back into the sea as the tide goes out.
Although the tides are very predictable and consistent, the problem with this system is that the turbines only operate every 6 hours (once every tide).
A second, more recent, tidal system looks very much like an underwater wind turbine. Large windmill like turbines are sunk in shallow water, where they are slowly spun by shifting tidal water.
Since this system is an underwater version of a wind turbine, the technology is up to date and refined. Also, water has a high density than air, so the turbines can spin in the lightest of currents.
The drawback is that the current systems can only be built in shallow water, where tidal activity is greatest. This is very limiting since many other economic activities - like oyster farming - occur in the shallows. Furthermore, these structures can damage marine life on the seafloor.
Wave Power:
Harnessing the power of the waves is the newest type of hydro-power. The system works where surface waves, are used to displace air, which is then compressed and release through turbines, that then spins to make electricity. Two type currently exist - the first is built along the shore-line, where waves constantly break, and the second is built on floating devices in the deep oceans.
Although this technology is relatively new, it has been estimated that there is enough energy in ocean waves to produce up to 2000 Megawatts of power.
But, like any renewable energy system, there are environmental implications. These systems can damage the various corals and other ocean species along our coastlines. And the hydraulic fluid used could cause major water pollution if it ever leaked out into the sea.
Closing thought:
Over the years we have come up with advanced methods of using water to produce power. Though there are a variety of benefits to using this kind of renewable energy, there are still a number of social and environmental concerns.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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