Hydrostatic head
As shown in this drawing, the hydrostatic head is the vertical distance between the water level in the reservoir and the turbine that is turned by the flowing water.
When generating hydropower, the head is the distance that a given water source has to fall before the point where power is generated. Ultimately the force responsible for hydropower is gravity, so a hydroelectricity plant[1] with a tall/high head can produce more power than a similar plant with a short/low head. In short, for a given water flow, a larger head will be converted into greater kinetic energy. That energy is then harnessed by a water wheel or water turbine to create usable hydropower.
Notes
- ↑ Alternatively, again for a given water flow, a larger head could produce the same power with smaller equipment.
See also
- Hydraulic head for a more technical description of the physical principle of hydraulics
- Tents, as Hydrostatic head is used as a measurement of the waterproofness of a tent
References
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Glossary (See “Head”)
- U.S. Minerals Management Service: Glossary (See “Hydraulic head”]
- Society of Petrophysicists & Well Log Analysts: Glossary (See “Hydraulic head”)
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