ID:
504126
Duration (hours):
23
CFU:
3
SSD:
IDRAULICA
Year:
2025
Overview
Date/time interval
Primo Semestre (29/09/2025 - 16/01/2026)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course is subdivided into two independent sections: Hydropower Plants and Wind Power Plants. These sections are equivalent in terms of classroom activity, and equally contribute to the final exam grade.
Hydropower Plants:
At the end of the course, the student will acquire knowledge and understanding concerning: hydropower generation at local (Italy), and global scale; basic operating principles and computation of energy generation of the more common hydropower schemes; essentials of environmental impact of hydropower; essentials of water turbines; essentials of damming structures. Moreover, the student will apply knowledge and understanding to perform: estimate of reservoir storage for different operating rules, assessment of the operating rule for given reservoir storage; estimate of the energy output for peak energy plants (reservoir, high head) and run-of-the-river plants (low/high head); preliminary design of water turbines (diameter and spinning speed of the runner) for given flow/head, and cavitation assessment for reaction turbines.
Wind Energy Systems:
The main objective of the course is to provide an introduction to the field of wind energy. The learning outcomes are as follows:
• Understanding the role of wind energy in the societal decarbonization process.
• Understanding the basic aerodynamic functioning of a horizontal-axis wind turbine and its physical limit (Betz's limit).
• Understanding power regulation strategies of a horizontal-axis wind turbine.
• Qualitative understanding of the loads acting on a wind turbine and structural design.
• Understanding the operating principle of a vertical-axis turbine.
• Understanding the operating principle of an airborne wind energy system.
• Understanding the economic dimension of wind energy.
• Understanding the environmental impact of a turbine.
Hydropower Plants:
At the end of the course, the student will acquire knowledge and understanding concerning: hydropower generation at local (Italy), and global scale; basic operating principles and computation of energy generation of the more common hydropower schemes; essentials of environmental impact of hydropower; essentials of water turbines; essentials of damming structures. Moreover, the student will apply knowledge and understanding to perform: estimate of reservoir storage for different operating rules, assessment of the operating rule for given reservoir storage; estimate of the energy output for peak energy plants (reservoir, high head) and run-of-the-river plants (low/high head); preliminary design of water turbines (diameter and spinning speed of the runner) for given flow/head, and cavitation assessment for reaction turbines.
Wind Energy Systems:
The main objective of the course is to provide an introduction to the field of wind energy. The learning outcomes are as follows:
• Understanding the role of wind energy in the societal decarbonization process.
• Understanding the basic aerodynamic functioning of a horizontal-axis wind turbine and its physical limit (Betz's limit).
• Understanding power regulation strategies of a horizontal-axis wind turbine.
• Qualitative understanding of the loads acting on a wind turbine and structural design.
• Understanding the operating principle of a vertical-axis turbine.
• Understanding the operating principle of an airborne wind energy system.
• Understanding the economic dimension of wind energy.
• Understanding the environmental impact of a turbine.
Course Prerequisites
Hydropower Plants:
Fundamentals of hydraulics, hydrology, and, possibly, water turbines
Wind Energy Systems:
Fundaments of mathematics, physics and fluid dynamics.
Fundamentals of hydraulics, hydrology, and, possibly, water turbines
Wind Energy Systems:
Fundaments of mathematics, physics and fluid dynamics.
Teaching Methods
Hydropower Plants:
Classroom lectures and exercises. Standard exercises supplied by the teacher. Solution of the problems by spreadsheets.
Wind Energy Systems:
Frontal lectures through slides provided to students on KIRO. Exercise sessions to prepare for the final exam.
Classroom lectures and exercises. Standard exercises supplied by the teacher. Solution of the problems by spreadsheets.
Wind Energy Systems:
Frontal lectures through slides provided to students on KIRO. Exercise sessions to prepare for the final exam.
Assessment Methods
Hydropower Plants:
Oral exam of approx. 0.5 hours, with discussion of the exercitations and – in case – of the supplementary research-work carried out by the student (teamwork is warmly suggested).
Wind Energy Systems:
The final evaluation is based on:
• Group report (maximum 3 students) on a topic of choice related to the course. The topic is to be agreed upon with the instructor through the definition of a methodological sheet. The report accounts for 60% of the final grade.
• Presentation of the report + oral discussion. The oral discussion accounts for 40% of the final grade.
Oral exam of approx. 0.5 hours, with discussion of the exercitations and – in case – of the supplementary research-work carried out by the student (teamwork is warmly suggested).
Wind Energy Systems:
The final evaluation is based on:
• Group report (maximum 3 students) on a topic of choice related to the course. The topic is to be agreed upon with the instructor through the definition of a methodological sheet. The report accounts for 60% of the final grade.
• Presentation of the report + oral discussion. The oral discussion accounts for 40% of the final grade.
Texts
Hydropower Plants:
Texts, exercises, websites, further scientific references (to support advanced research) are supplied by e-mail
Wind Energy Systems:
The following text can be found online as pdf
• J. F. Manwell, J. G. McGowan, A. L. Rogers, “Wind Energy Explained: Theory, Design and Application”, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, April 2002, ISBN 978-0471499725
• M.O.L. Hansen, “Aerodynamics of wind turbines”, James and James Ltd, 2nd edition, 2008
• F. Trevisi, “Conceptual design of windplanes”, PhD thesis 2024
• Course slides
Texts, exercises, websites, further scientific references (to support advanced research) are supplied by e-mail
Wind Energy Systems:
The following text can be found online as pdf
• J. F. Manwell, J. G. McGowan, A. L. Rogers, “Wind Energy Explained: Theory, Design and Application”, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, April 2002, ISBN 978-0471499725
• M.O.L. Hansen, “Aerodynamics of wind turbines”, James and James Ltd, 2nd edition, 2008
• F. Trevisi, “Conceptual design of windplanes”, PhD thesis 2024
• Course slides
Contents
Hydropower Plants:
Hydropower projects and related energy output, at local (Italy), and global scale; basics of hydropower development of a catchment (with specific reference to an Alpine catchment in Lombardy); basic operating principles and computation of energy generation of selected hydropower schemes (reservoir/high-head, run-of-the-river high and low-head); essentials of environmental impact of hydropower; essentials of water turbines; essentials of damming structures.
Wind Energy Systems:
• Introduction to wind energy, historical overview, and projections for decarbonization goals.
• Aerodynamics of horizontal-axis wind turbines: 1D momentum theory and Blade Element Momentum theory.
• Overview of regulation, loads, and structural design of horizontal-axis wind turbines.
• Introduction to vertical-axis turbines: overview of concepts and power equations.
• Introduction to airborne wind energy: overview of concepts and power equations.
• Brief overview of economics and environmental impact
Hydropower projects and related energy output, at local (Italy), and global scale; basics of hydropower development of a catchment (with specific reference to an Alpine catchment in Lombardy); basic operating principles and computation of energy generation of selected hydropower schemes (reservoir/high-head, run-of-the-river high and low-head); essentials of environmental impact of hydropower; essentials of water turbines; essentials of damming structures.
Wind Energy Systems:
• Introduction to wind energy, historical overview, and projections for decarbonization goals.
• Aerodynamics of horizontal-axis wind turbines: 1D momentum theory and Blade Element Momentum theory.
• Overview of regulation, loads, and structural design of horizontal-axis wind turbines.
• Introduction to vertical-axis turbines: overview of concepts and power equations.
• Introduction to airborne wind energy: overview of concepts and power equations.
• Brief overview of economics and environmental impact
Course Language
Italian
More information
Hydropower Plants:
For any further information, please contact:
paolo.espa@unipv.it
Wind Power Plants:
-
For any further information, please contact:
paolo.espa@unipv.it
Wind Power Plants:
-
Degrees
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CIVIL ENGINEERING
Master’s Degree
2 years
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
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2 years
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Master’s Degree
2 years
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
Master’s Degree
2 years
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