Optimizing hydro production with a detailed simulation model

The increasing demand for electrical energy emphasizes the need for improving the energy output of hydro plants. This can be achieved efficiently by using a model that simulates in detail both turbine energy production and sources of energy losses. This way, one can thus optimize total energy production according to powerplant operational constraints. This paper presents a model developed for a 71 MW storage powerplant in Switzerland, involving four Francis turbines. The potential for additional energy output by numerical optimization of turbine operations is clearly outlined and very promising.