Hoover Dam on the Colorado River is the highest dam in the United States at 221 m, with an output of 1300 MW. The dam generates electricity with water taken from a depth of 100 m and an average flow rate of 640 m3/s (a) Calculate the power in this flow in watts. 627200000XW Enter a number
(b) What is the ratio of this power to the facility's average of 680 MW? Additional Materials Reading

a) 627840000 W

b) 0.9233

Explanation:

The rate at which energy flows through the dam for the generation of electricity is proportional to the volulme flow rate times the potential energy per unit volume.

Mathematically,

P = Q(ρgh)

Where, ρ is water density, g is accelaration due to gravity, h is height through which water falls over the turbine and Q is the discharge.

a) The power can be calculated as

P = 640(1000×9.81×221)

P = 627840000 W

b) The ratio = Calculated power / avarage power

= 62784×10^4/680×10^6

= 0.9233