Pumped Hydro System Designer
Design pumped hydro systems with rapid hydraulic modeling and equipment selection
What You Can Do
You can rapidly prototype pumped hydro storage systems by performing gross head calculations from topographic data, optimizing reservoir dimensions for target storage durations, and selecting appropriately sized pump-turbine units. Claude guides you through penstock diameter optimization, validates operating points against IEC and IEEE standards, and generates preliminary civil works estimates and equipment specifications ready for stakeholder review or financing submissions.
Features
Example Output
Example 1: Reservoir Sizing for 8-Hour Storage Duration
- Upper reservoir volume: 12.5 million m³
- Lower reservoir volume: 8.2 million m³
- Gross head: 385 m (from DEM analysis)
- Estimated embankment volume: 2.8 million m³
- Storage capacity: 1,250 MWh
Example 2: Pump-Turbine Selection Output
- Selected unit: 200 MW variable-speed pump-turbine
- Turbine operating range: 70–110% nominal head
- Pump operating range: 90–105% nominal head
- Efficiency at rated point: 93.2% (combined round-trip)
- Penstock diameter: 3.2 m (friction loss: 2.1 m at rated flow)
Example 3: Design Comparison Matrix
| Configuration | Upper Vol. | Embankment Cost | Round-Trip Eff. | CAPEX Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Case | 12.5M m³ | $180M | 93.2% | 1.0 |
| Compact | 10.2M m³ | $145M | 91.8% | 0.85 |
| Extended Storage | 15.8M m³ | $220M | 93.5% | 1.15 |
What's Included
- SKILL.md instruction file: core prompting logic for hydraulic calculations and design workflows
- Hydraulic modeling framework: gross head, net head, and efficiency calculation templates
- Reservoir dimensioning checklist: step-by-step guide for volume, embankment, and spillway sizing
- Pump-turbine selection matrix: equipment comparison tool with duty point verification
- Design scenario template: structured format for 2-3 alternative configurations with trade-off analysis
Who It's For
- Pumped hydro engineers conducting feasibility and pre-FEED studies
- Renewable energy project managers preparing business cases and financing submissions
- Civil engineers designing reservoir embankments and penstock networks
- Utilities and energy storage developers evaluating site potential and technology options
- Engineering consultants supporting greenfield and retrofit energy storage projects
Best For
- Feasibility studies for greenfield pumped hydro projects (pre-FEED phase)
- Design alternative analysis and sensitivity testing across 2-3 configurations
- Rapid preliminary dimensioning for stakeholder and board presentations
- Hydraulic validation and compliance checking against IEC/IEEE standards
- Equipment specification generation for vendor RFQs and procurement
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