Method for operation of hydropower reservoir with a 2-parameter elevation rule curve
OwnerHoracio L. Velascoinventor
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a novel method for operating a hydropower reservoir which is an improvement over the existing single-parameter (the current month) USACE Rule Curve approach, the improvement comprising the consideration of a second parameter, namely the water level of the reservoir at the beginning of the month, in the decision-making process for operation of the reservoir.
Claims3
A method for operating a hydropowered reservoir, the method providing an increase in average annual energy produced by the reservoir in comparison with energy generated by the reservoir when operated in accordance with a Rule Curve generated in accordance with a United States Army Corps of Engineers (“USACE”) operational strategy, without reducing annual firm energy yield for the reservoir, the method comprising:
- estimating continuous power and firm energy yield of the reservoir in accordance with the USACE operational strategy;
- determining a first Rule Curve for the reservoir in accordance with the USACE operational strategy;
- determining two variants of a composite monthly maximum parameter for generation of continuous power and firm energy at the reservoir;
- generating a second Rule Curve for the reservoir which considers the level of the reservoir at the beginning of each month and one of the two variants of the composite monthly maximum parameter or a linear combination of the two variants of the composite monthly maximum parameter;
- and
- operating the reservoir in accordance with the second Rule Curve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.