A Review of the Transient Process and Control for a Hydropower Station with a Super Long Headrace Tunnel

The hydropower station with a super long headrace tunnel is a significant development type for hydropower energy. By constructing a super long headrace tunnel, the huge natural water fall head can be utilized to generate more electricity. With the development of hydropower energy, a hydropower station with a super long headrace tunnel becomes more and more competitive. Compared with a hydropower station with a short headrace tunnel, the transient process and control for a hydropower station with a super long headrace tunnel is much more complicated and becomes an intractable challenge. It is well known that the transient process and control is the basis of the design and operation of a hydropower station. To overcome the challenge of the transient process and control, much research has been carried out. This paper provides a systematic review on the latest research progress of the transient process and control for hydropower stations with a super long headrace tunnel. Firstly, two key issues for the transient process and control, i.e., hydraulic design optimization of the surge tank and operation control of unit, are illuminated. Secondly, for both single surge tanks and surge tanks with special types or combinations, the hydraulic design optimization methods are described. The most disadvantageous design and advantageous operation of surge tanks under combined operating conditions are discussed. Thirdly, the stability and regulation quality of the hydro-turbine governing system under isolated and grid-connected operation conditions are presented. Finally, some trends and recommendations for future research directions are made. A research thought for establishing the complete theory and application system of the transient process and control for hydropower stations with a super long headrace tunnel from the perspective of multi-slice and multi-scale is proposed.