The Effect of Temperature on Power Output from a Hydroelectric Penstock

Hydroelectric power is a form of renewable energy that uses the power from water to generate electricity. One of the ways this is done is by diverting water from a river with a penstock leading to a turbine. Hydroelectric systems rely on water as the source of power, and the viscosity of water varies with temperature. When temperatures are low, viscosity is high, and when temperatures are high, viscosity is low. Other works have studied the optimal dimensions of penstocks for power generation and the effect of hydroelectric power on river temperatures. In this research, the effect of temperature on available power output was examined. A penstock connected to a flowing river was analyzed using the Navier-Stokes equations and Bernoulli’s Equation with Head Loss to find the output pressure from the penstock and the available power generation from the water due to the total head. The results show that the output pressure from a penstock increases as temperature increases. This also leads to the results showing how available power generated from the water increases with increasing temperature. When different internal flow losses are considered, the pressure and power values change minimally, and the overall relationship stays constant. Therefore, more power is available when temperatures are high, and less power is available when temperatures are low