Design and Study of Hydroelectric Power Plant by Using Overshot and Undershot Waterwheels

Introduction

Hydropower refers to the conversion of potential energy of water and kinetic energy into electrical energy or mechanical energy. The use of hydropower has become a long tradition in Germany because it is clean and emission-free energy. With the development of different types of turbines and the construction of hydropower plants, hydroelectric power became an essential part of the energy supply. Due to the rapid shortage of fossil fuels, regenerative energy sources will in the future provide an even more significant contribution to the global energy supply.

In many developing countries, there is no general supply of electrical energy. The use of renewable energy “hydropower” is placed in regions with high hydropower potential. The life situation of the people has improved as well as the sustainability and the protection of the environment; resources are spared, and emissions avoided. As a result of rapid development in all areas of technology, electricity is most crucial for human development. Electricity is fundamental for some basic activities such as cooling, lighting, the operation of household appliances, etc. (Warth, 1984). The recent increase in the demand for electricity supply in countryside areas of developing countries has given additional attention to study the using hydroelectric power as a renewable energy source and to study the possibility of construction waterwheel in a hydroelectric power plant. Those studies aim to meet the electrical desires of the villages in rural areas of developing countries such as our country Iraq.

The present situation in rural areas of Iraq is ruthless; electricity is still unfortunate, about 45% of the villages have not realized what electricity is! Iraq is an agricultural state and a community with a large water wealth. There are two main long rivers in Iraq that are passed through many rural areas, and 50% of Iraq’s population lives in those areas. It is imperative for us to think about improving the country's situation by evolving electric power projects, especially in villages and remote areas where electricity is still unavailable and there is the fast stream of water (Hameed, Saeed and Rajab, 2018).

The improvement of hydraulic engineering has led to producing a new form of energy by using new materials, so the effectiveness of waterwheels has dramatically improved. Although the advent of steam engines and water turbines, waterwheels have developed further, especially in Germany and Switzerland. In addition to using this technology to produce electricity, it can be used as a water pump for farming and irrigation without the need for fossil energy or primeval energy. The growth of technologies in the field of wind and solar energy has been an important focus of research in engineering for many years. In the field of wind energy, installed capacity has seen considerable growth in many countries. However, in the field of hydropower, use micro-power plants, further interdisciplinary research is required.