Modern State of Hydropower and Construction of Hydro Turbines in Russia and Abroad

Abstract

The role that hydropower plays in the world’s energy balance is considered, and a comparative analysis of using hydropower resources in Russia and abroad is presented. It is shown that Russia occupies the world’s second place in its hydropower potential after China; however, no more than 20% of the country’s hydraulic power resources have presently been harnessed. This is significantly lower than in Germany, France, Sweden, and Japan, countries in which 65–90% of their available hydraulic power resources are used. In view of a great variety of natural conditions, turbines of different types are used in the hydraulic power industry. It has been determined that the power performance indicators (efficiency and capacity) of the hydraulic machines that are presently produced in Russia correspond, as in the years of the former Soviet Union, to world-class standards. Trends in the development of hydropower and construction of hydraulic turbines are analyzed. It is shown that, given insignificant scales of constructing new hydroelectric power plants in Russia, replacement of the equipment at the existing hydroelectric power plants that had worked out its standard service life long ago is the industry’s main development line for the nearest (10–15 years) future. The need to replace the operating hydraulic machines mainly stems from inefficient utilization of water stream at the existing hydroelectric power plants. It is pointed out that, despite the emerged tendency toward decreasing the reliability of hydraulic power units that have been in operation for a long period of time, its catastrophic drop is not observed at any of the examined hydroelectric power plants even though their machines have been in operation for twice as much as their standard service life (30 years) or even more. Refurbishment of the machines makes it possible and shall mandatorily improve the power performance characteristics of the machines, resulting in an increased power capacity or improved efficiency (of energy generation). An improvement in the power performance characteristics of new hydraulic turbines is achieved almost solely due to the use of more advanced runners while keeping the other flow path elements unchanged.