Estimation of gross hydropower potential by flow duration curves and selection of turbine type at the Black Sea Basin

Energy consumption that ascends day by day is the main factor for determining the development levels of countries and it can be understood that it will continue to increase according to the needs of people. Energy requirements are constantly increasing due to the development, population growth and industrialization in today's Turkey. In order to provide this energy requirement, available energy potential must be used efficiently. Hydroelectric energy, which is one of the renewable energy sources, is clean, local and reducing foreign-source dependency. Therefore, it stands out within available resources. It has been plenty of methods in order to determine gross hydroelectric potential. In this study, flow duration curves method has been considered. It has been dwelt on "Flow Duration Curves" method in detail in this study. The basis of this method is based on the probability of exceedance obtained from the discharge of the river's historical records. This curve is converted into power duration curve with the help of the water power equation and hydroelectric potential is calculated with power duration curve. Turbine selection is an important parameter to produce energy in hydropower plants. The type of turbine significantly affects both yield that can be taken and costs. Turbine selection depends on many factors such as discharge, net head, cost, and rotational wheel speed. In this study, turbine type selection is briefly mentioned on the basis of discharge and net head, and then turbine type estimating is made. In this study, gross hydropower potential has been identified by using the flow duration curve method applied to the 39 selected gauging stations in the Eastern Black Sea Region. Power duration curve and hydropower calculations by using it have been made by using the area under the flow duration curve drawn by the 10-year average daily discharge data for every station. Also total installed capacity has been evaluated to be obtained by flow value of Q30 and each DGS's sample turbine selection studies has been made for HEP run of river type and a turbine selection flowchart has been formed.