Hydropower Water Usage Calculator

Formulas

The Water Usage Calculator estimates annual water volume:

• Water Usage (\( V \)) = \( Q \times H \times 3600 \)
• Where:
  • \( Q \) = Average flow rate (m³/s)
  • \( H \) = Operating hours per year (hours)
  • 3600 = Seconds per hour (to convert to m³/year)
• Effective Usage (\( V_e \)) = \( V \times \eta \)
• Where:
  • \( \eta \) = Efficiency (decimal, e.g., 85% = 0.85)

How to Use

1. Enter the average flow rate (in m³/s) in the “Average Flow Rate” field.
2. Enter the operating hours (in hours/year) in the “Operating Hours” field.
3. Enter the efficiency (in %) in the “Efficiency” field.
4. Optionally, click an adjust button to set typical values (e.g., Low Flow).
5. Click “Calculate Water Usage” to see the estimated water volume.
6. Scroll to the “Results” section for details.

Examples

1. Example 1: Flow = 1.5 m³/s, Hours = 4000h, Efficiency = 85%
   Usage ≈ 1.5 × 4000 × 3600 = 21,600,000 m³/year; Effective ≈ 21,600,000 × 0.85 = 18,360,000 m³/year
2. Example 2: Flow = 3 m³/s, Hours = 6000h, Efficiency = 90%
   Usage ≈ 3 × 6000 × 3600 = 64,800,000 m³/year; Effective ≈ 64,800,000 × 0.90 = 58,320,000 m³/year
3. Example 3: Flow = 1 m³/s, Hours = 3000h, Efficiency = 70%
   Usage ≈ 1 × 3000 × 3600 = 10,800,000 m³/year; Effective ≈ 10,800,000 × 0.70 = 7,560,000 m³/year