Известия Томского политехнического университета: Инжиниринг георесурсов (Sep 2017)
Evaluation of energy potential of small rivers of the Tom
Abstract
The relevance of the research is in the interest of certain regions of the country and the Russian economy as a whole in rapid implementation of small and micro hydropower, relatively low cost in construction and subsequent operation and environmentally less hazardous than larger waterworks, to generate electricity from the potential hydraulic energy of small streams. The novelty of the research lies in calculation of hydropower potential of small rivers of the basin of the Tom (rivers with a catchment area less than 2000 km2) as a proof of real possibility of a stable year-round operation of small and mini hydroelectric power stations in Siberian regions, erected on small watercourses. The main aim of the study is to study comprehensively the factors and conditions which have favorable and negative impact on use of hydropower potential of small surface water bodies located in the territory of Western Siberia, by the example of calculation of energy potential of small tributaries of the Tom as a constantly renewable source of hydraulic power. The methods used in the study: comparative geography when evaluating hydro-morphological characteristics of rivers, mathematics in calculating long-term average annual flow of watercourses studied and their potential energy capacity, analysis and synthesis in the findings. The results. The author has found out that the area of the Tom basin has certain promising areas for successful development of small power by geographical and hydrological characteristics. The calculations confirmed a real possibility of a stable year-round use of the energy potential of medium-sized watercourses in Siberia. The widespread construction of small hydro power plants, in contrast to their widespread use in the developed foreign countries, is constrained in Russia by a weak legal framework in the field of application of the alternative energy sources.
