A master’s thesis at the Northern Technical University examines “Performance Evaluation of a Hydropower Plant”

A master’s thesis at the Technical College of Engineering – Kirkuk, submitted by student Hussein Mohammed Zainal, titled “Performance Evaluation of a Hydropower Plant”

The study addressed the implementation of an experimental hydropower plant and the testing of four types of turbines with different blade numbers (four and six), made of two alloys: carbon steel and galvanized steel, at different heights from the basin bottom (1.5, 3, 5, and 8 cm). The performance of each turbine was evaluated in terms of efficiency, angular velocity, torque, and output power.

The objectives of the thesis are:
1. To study the effect of design and operational variables on the overall system efficiency.
2. To study the effect of turbine height within the basin to determine the optimal height that enhances energy production efficiency.
3. To evaluate the effect of turbine weight to determine the ideal weight that balances efficiency and durability.
4. To analyze the effect of the number of turbine blades to determine the optimal number for achieving the highest efficiency.
5. Analyzing the effect of water flow rate to determine the flow rate that yields the highest energy output.
Key Results:
1. The best performance was recorded for a four-blade turbine made of carbon steel, with a maximum efficiency of 68% at a height of 3 cm, with a torque of 0.74 N·m.
2. A six-blade turbine made of the same alloy demonstrated an efficiency of 64% at approximately the same height.
3. Increasing the turbine height beyond the optimal level resulted in a decrease in efficiency.
4. It was observed that the weight and type of alloy used in the turbine’s construction had a significant impact on performance.

The discussion committee consisted of:
1. Prof. Ihsan Fadhel Abbas – Chairman
2. Prof. Dr. Obaid Majeed Ali – Member
3. Prof. Kamel Jalal Tawfiq – Member
4. Prof. Dr. Omar Khalil Ahmed – Member and Supervisor