Browsing by Author "Pathiraja, MPW"

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    item: Conference-Full-text
    Optimization of the usage of Samanalawewa water resource for power generation
    (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., 2016-12) Pathiraja, MPW; Wijayapala, WDAS; Rajapakse, A; Prasad, WD
    Samanalawewa hydropower project includes a reservoir, a water way system and a 120MW power plant as the stage I development. Some provisions have been kept for stage II development to add another 120MW power plant to operate as a peak serving power plant. Since the impounding of the reservoir, there is a water leak which causes more than one fifth of energy loss of the current energy generation by Samanalawewa power plant. The construction of stage II is suspended with lower energy generation due to the leak. This research discusses about a Leak Pump Back System which will curtail the net water outflow from the leak. The leaked water pumping head is much lower than the design head of Samanalawewa power plant, resulting in high net energy gain. Since the pumped back water is regulated by the reservoir, the extra energy generation is dispatchable. This will further improve the feasibility of Samanalawewa stage II development. Currently Samanalawewa mini-hydropower plant is operating using the leaked water. The mini hydro plant can recover less than one third of energy which could be recovered by leak pump back system. Therefore the combined operation of mini hydro and leak pump back system will give more benefits, though the leak pump back system is going to limit the water supply to the mini hydro plant.
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    item: Thesis-Full-text
    Optimizing Of The Usage Of Samanalawewa Water Resources For Power Generation
    Pathiraja, MPW; Wijayapala, WDAS
    Samanalawewa hydroelectricproject is based on Walawe basin in southern region of Sri Lanka. It includes Samanalawewa reservoir, a water way system and a 120MW power plant as stage (I).Some provisions have been kept for stage (II) to add another 120MW power plant to meet the peak power demand with low cost hydro power. Since the impounding of the reservoir there is a leak around 2.44m3/s and past leak mitigation activities have not succeeded. The leak accounts for more than one fifth of energy loss ofthe current energy generation by Samanalawewa power plant. The construction of stage (II)is suspended with lower energy generation than expected. This research discussesabout a Leak Pump Back System (LPBS) which will curtail the net water outflow from the leak. The LPBS will pump back the leak water to the reservoir and this additional water input can be used to generate power by SPP.The pumping head of LPBS is much lower than the design head of SPP. Therefore The LPBSwill consume lower energy than the extra energy generation bySPP. Since the pumped back water isregulated by the reservoir, the extra energy generation is dispatch-able. This will improve the viabilityof Samanalawewa stage (II). Construction works for a mini hydro power plantis underway using the leaked water. This mini hydro plantcan recover less than one third of energy which could have been recovered by LPBS.The LPBS will not divert total leaked water since LPBS will not operate during peak hours and downstream irrigation water demand needs to be provided with leaked water. Therefore the combined operation of mini hydro and LPBS will give more benefits,though the LPBS is going to limit the water supply to the mini hydro plant.