Utilizing energy from hydropower plant overflow water

Climate change poses significant challenges to the hydropower sector by altering hydrological patterns and increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. These shifts necessitate improved strategies for infrastructure protection, spillway operation, and mitigation of environmental...

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Main Authors: Gorazd Hren, Andrej Predin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Results in Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025021887
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author Gorazd Hren
Andrej Predin
author_facet Gorazd Hren
Andrej Predin
author_sort Gorazd Hren
collection DOAJ
description Climate change poses significant challenges to the hydropower sector by altering hydrological patterns and increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. These shifts necessitate improved strategies for infrastructure protection, spillway operation, and mitigation of environmental impacts such as flooding and riverbed erosion. This study proposes an innovative approach that redefines spillwater as a recoverable energy resource through the integration of siphon turbines. These systems are designed to capture and convert excess discharge during high-flow events into additional electrical energy. The concept is evaluated through physical modeling using a scaled siphon turbine in a controlled laboratory flume, complemented by analysis of operational data from an existing hydropower facility. Technical and economic feasibility assessments demonstrate that retrofitting existing infrastructure with siphon turbines can achieve an approximate 5 % increase in energy production. Additionally, the system enhances operational flexibility and resilience under extreme hydrological conditions. The findings highlight a practical and scalable solution for augmenting hydropower generation while improving the adaptability of renewable energy systems in response to climate variability.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2590-1230
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publishDate 2025-09-01
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series Results in Engineering
spelling doaj-art-8a3d8d7b8b2144f4b31beb7419c641ac2025-08-20T03:30:10ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302025-09-012710611610.1016/j.rineng.2025.106116Utilizing energy from hydropower plant overflow waterGorazd Hren0Andrej Predin1Corresponding author.; Faculty of Energy Technology, University of Maribor, Hočevarjev trg 1, SI-8270 Krško, SloveniaFaculty of Energy Technology, University of Maribor, Hočevarjev trg 1, SI-8270 Krško, SloveniaClimate change poses significant challenges to the hydropower sector by altering hydrological patterns and increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. These shifts necessitate improved strategies for infrastructure protection, spillway operation, and mitigation of environmental impacts such as flooding and riverbed erosion. This study proposes an innovative approach that redefines spillwater as a recoverable energy resource through the integration of siphon turbines. These systems are designed to capture and convert excess discharge during high-flow events into additional electrical energy. The concept is evaluated through physical modeling using a scaled siphon turbine in a controlled laboratory flume, complemented by analysis of operational data from an existing hydropower facility. Technical and economic feasibility assessments demonstrate that retrofitting existing infrastructure with siphon turbines can achieve an approximate 5 % increase in energy production. Additionally, the system enhances operational flexibility and resilience under extreme hydrological conditions. The findings highlight a practical and scalable solution for augmenting hydropower generation while improving the adaptability of renewable energy systems in response to climate variability.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025021887Climate changesSiphon turbineSpillway overflowRenewable energy
spellingShingle Gorazd Hren
Andrej Predin
Utilizing energy from hydropower plant overflow water
Results in Engineering
Climate changes
Siphon turbine
Spillway overflow
Renewable energy
title Utilizing energy from hydropower plant overflow water
title_full Utilizing energy from hydropower plant overflow water
title_fullStr Utilizing energy from hydropower plant overflow water
title_full_unstemmed Utilizing energy from hydropower plant overflow water
title_short Utilizing energy from hydropower plant overflow water
title_sort utilizing energy from hydropower plant overflow water
topic Climate changes
Siphon turbine
Spillway overflow
Renewable energy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025021887
work_keys_str_mv AT gorazdhren utilizingenergyfromhydropowerplantoverflowwater
AT andrejpredin utilizingenergyfromhydropowerplantoverflowwater