how does a hydroelectric plant work?

Answer 1

http://people.howstuffworks.com/hydropower-plant.htm
This sight should answer all your questions but basically like every other power plant just uses falling water to turn the generator

Answer 2

Hydroelectricity is electricity obtained from hydropower. Most hydroelectric power comes from the potential energy of dammed water driving a water turbine and generator. Less common variations make use of water's kinetic energy or undammed sources such as tidal power. Hydroelectricity is a renewable energy source.

The energy extracted from water depends not only on the volume but on the difference in height between the source and the water's outflow. This height difference is called the head. The amount of potential energy in water is directly proportional to the head. To obtain very high head, water for a hydraulic turbine may be run through a large pipe called a penstock.

While many supply public electricity networks, some projects were created for private commercial purposes. For example, aluminium processing requires substantial amounts of electricity, and in Britain's Scottish Highlands there are examples at Kinlochleven and Lochaber, designed and constructed during the early years of the 20th century. Similarly, the 'van Blommestein' lake, dam and power station were constructed in Suriname to provide electricity for the Alcoa aluminium industry. In many parts of Canada (the provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador) hydroelectricity is used so extensively that the word "hydro" is used to refer to any electricity delivered by a power utility. The government-run power utilities in these provinces are called BC Hydro, Manitoba Hydro, Hydro One (formerly "Ontario Hydro"), Hydro-Québec and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro respectively. Hydro-Québec is the world's largest hydroelectric generating company, with a total installed capacity (2005) of 31,512 MW.

Answer 3

Hydroelectric is a process where flowing or moving water is used to turn the turbine of the generator, in turn producing electricity. That's why river flow or large damps were built to control the flow of water into the turbine. The turbine is no more than a fin similar to propeller like a fan. But in order to produce electricity, the generators are desinged and built similar to a DC motor, where you have your amatuer, coil, and magnets. the reason for coil of wires and magnet is that in a DC motor for instance, you can cause the amatuer to spin by applying electiricity to it. By the same token a moving coil passing through the magnetic field will produce an EMF (electro-motive force), and therefore will cause current to flow if a load is applied.

Answer 4

A dam is built on a river in order to raise the level of water on the upstream side, creating pressure, or 'head' and is then ducted through huge conduits in the dam which turns 'fans' that are connected to generators. The water flows through the turbines and is released into the downstream side of the dam into the river. Result: clean, reliable power. Downside is the huge lake created by the dam engulfs everything for miles.

Answer 5

Hydro means Water

Electricity through Water.

Water is routed through channels to fall from a height onto the Turbine Blades. This rotates the turbine at a very high speed.(As in a Dam...water is stored for this purpose).

The other end of the turbine is connected to an Alternator. This alternator rotates at a very high speed and produces electricity.

Answer 6

The potential energy water used to run the turbine which is coupled with the generators.The generators produced the power.The potential Energy of water is created by storing of water in very hieght(normally in a hily places)

Answer 7

Running water is diverted to turn a wheel, the wheel is connected to a generator ( also called a turbine instead of a wheel).