Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.0
3.0
Journals
Water
Special Issues
Research Status of Operation and Management of Hydropower Station, 2nd...
water-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Water Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Research Status of Operation and Management of Hydropower Station, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydraulics and Hydrodynamics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 2212

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Dong Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Energy and Power Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450045, China
Interests: hydropower; simulation and modeling; performance evaluation; diagnosis and control; coordinated operation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yanhe Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Interests: hydropower; pumped storage; multi-energy system; modeling; control; intelligent diagnosis; operation and management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A new type of power system based on renewable energy is one of the most effective ways to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. With the continuous development and improvement of new power systems, the mission of hydropower stations has gradually changed from ‘power supply’ to ‘power supply and grid regulation’. Against this background, this Special Issue will publish original research related to the operation and management of hydropower stations or pumped storage power stations. Research covering the following areas is particularly welcome: the combined optimal operation of hydropower and new energy sources, the optimal control of hydropower/pumped storage units, system integration and stability analysis, intelligent monitoring, and early warning and diagnosis. This Special Issue will provide researchers, operators and policy makers in this field with new insights into the optimal operation of hydropower energy under the new power system, further enhancing the regulating role of hydropower in maintaining the stability of the power grid, and effectively respond to the challenges posed by the integration of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar energy, into the grid.

Dr. Dong Liu
Dr. Yanhe Xu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • conventional hydropower stations
  • cascade hydropower stations
  • pumped storage power stations
  • nonlinear modelling
  • combined operation
  • optimal control
  • multienergy systems
  • stability analysis
  • new power systems
  • performance evaluation
  • fault diagnosis
  • trend prediction and early warning
  • renewable energy
  • artificial intelligence
  • optimization algorithms

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 2241 KB  
Article
Multi-Objective Optimization and Adaptive Control for Frequency Regulation of Hydropower Units Under Variable Operating Conditions
by Dong Liu, Chen Li, Yanbo Xue, Xiaoqiang Tan and Xiaoyuan Zhang
Water 2026, 18(7), 881; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18070881 - 7 Apr 2026
Viewed by 447
Abstract
As a key part of the new power system, hydropower units (HPUs) are capable of maintaining the stability of system frequency through the flexible conversion of operating conditions. Fixed control parameters are generally adopted by existing HPU governors, which cannot meet the requirements [...] Read more.
As a key part of the new power system, hydropower units (HPUs) are capable of maintaining the stability of system frequency through the flexible conversion of operating conditions. Fixed control parameters are generally adopted by existing HPU governors, which cannot meet the requirements of variable operating conditions, and the flexibility of hydropower regulation is thus restricted. Therefore, an adaptive optimal control strategy for units in frequency regulation mode is proposed for a large hydropower station in this paper. Firstly, a segmented linearized mathematical model for HPU frequency regulation is established. On this basis, objective functions under frequency and load perturbation are constructed. Control parameters under each operating condition are optimized via an improved multi-objective particle swarm optimization based on the objective functions. The nonlinear relationship between optimal control parameters and operating conditions is fitted to obtain the adaptive adjustment strategy. Comparative verification with the fixed-parameter strategy shows that the proposed strategy improves comprehensive performance (frequency adjustment and recovery time) under 48 operating conditions. The improvement rate exceeds 50% under large opening conditions, with an overall average of 51.01%, fully proving its superiority. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Status of Operation and Management of Hydropower Station, 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

36 pages, 7570 KB  
Article
Design and Analysis of an ISSA-Optimized Hybrid H2/H∞ Robust Controller for Enhanced Stability in a Pumped Storage Unit Regulation System
by Xiang Li, Penghua Zhang, Litao Qu, Jiancheng Yang, Yu Zhou, Xiaohui Yang, Peilie Feng and Fang Dao
Water 2026, 18(7), 812; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18070812 - 28 Mar 2026
Viewed by 595
Abstract
This study introduces an intelligent output feedback hybrid H2/H∞ robust controller for a pumped storage unit regulation system (PSURS), utilizing an enhanced salp swarm algorithm (ISSA). A linearized PSURS model is developed through transfer function analysis. Utilizing this model, [...] Read more.
This study introduces an intelligent output feedback hybrid H2/H∞ robust controller for a pumped storage unit regulation system (PSURS), utilizing an enhanced salp swarm algorithm (ISSA). A linearized PSURS model is developed through transfer function analysis. Utilizing this model, a robust controller design is executed using linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) to craft an output feedback hybrid H2/H∞ controller that aims for both optimal and robust performance. The H2/H∞ controller designed in this paper boasts a straightforward structure that eliminates the need for multiple-state feedback, simplifying its integration into practical PSURS applications. In addition, the ISSA plays a critical role in the design phase by optimally tuning the weight parameters of the controller to ensure its effectiveness. Simulation tests have demonstrated that this newly developed intelligent output feedback hybrid H2/H∞ robust controller markedly enhances the stability of the PSURS. It shows superior control quality and robustness compared to traditional controllers. Furthermore, when applied to a multi-machine power system within PSURS simulations, this controller effectively improves system damping and helps mitigate frequency fluctuations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Status of Operation and Management of Hydropower Station, 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1735 KB  
Article
Small Kaplan Turbines Cause Lethal Injuries to Fish Populations During Downstream Passage
by Francisco Javier Sanz-Ronda, Juan Francisco Fuentes-Pérez, Ana García-Vega, Jorge Valbuena-Castro, Juan de María-Arnaiz and Francisco Javier Bravo-Córdoba
Water 2026, 18(2), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18020275 - 21 Jan 2026
Viewed by 771
Abstract
Fish passage through turbines is one of the main environmental impacts of hydropower. Turbine type is a key factor influencing fish survival, and widespread Kaplan turbines are generally considered less dangerous than other turbine types. Nevertheless, while large Kaplan turbines have been extensively [...] Read more.
Fish passage through turbines is one of the main environmental impacts of hydropower. Turbine type is a key factor influencing fish survival, and widespread Kaplan turbines are generally considered less dangerous than other turbine types. Nevertheless, while large Kaplan turbines have been extensively studied, there is limited empirical evidence about the biological impact of small, high-speed Kaplan turbines on fish survival. In this study, we conducted controlled in situ fish experiments at a small and low-head hydropower plant (1 MW; head 8 m) using balloon tags and pressure sensors to quantify real mortality in two horizontal Kaplan turbines operating at full capacity: one small turbine (1.2 m Ø, 500 rpm, and 5 m3/s) and one larger unit (1.55 m Ø, 300 rpm, and 8 m3/s). Fish (95–190 mm) were released into the intake flow and monitored post-passage. Results showed higher mortality in the small turbine, with ~80% in 24 h, many exhibiting severe mechanical injuries such as complete sectioning of the head or spinal cord, with significantly higher mortality in larger fish. In contrast, the larger turbine showed a ~60% mortality rate and fewer traumatic injuries. Our findings highlight the underestimated impact of small, high-rpm Kaplan turbines on fish survival and underscore the need for adaptive turbine operation or structural modifications to minimize ecological damage during critical migration periods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Status of Operation and Management of Hydropower Station, 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop