Question

The Gunnison has an average flow rate, Q, of approximately 2570 ft3/s. The dam operates with a peak height difference, ∆H, of 360 ft. There is a single penstock feeding the power station, which has a diameter, D, of 16 ft. Its length, L, is estimated at 220 ft, and its wall roughness, ε, is approximately 3 mm. In the power station, the flow divides to feed two Francis turbines, resulting in a minor loss coefficient, KL, of 2.4. The turbine efficiency, ηt, is estimated at 92%, while the generator efficiency, ηg, is estimated at 96%.

a. Estimate the electrical power production, (in MW) from this dam.