hydro power
Opportunities and Problems With Dams:
A Main problem with the dams is the destruction of the environment around the dam to make the reservoir, killing everything within the area. Also having to redirect the water was a major problem faced when attempting to harness the power of water for electricity. A problem the Itaipu dam faced was a layer of rock that was not supportive to the weight of the dam. This problem was faced by Also a problem faced was concrete that sat in the sun resulted in concrete that was nowhere near strong enough. However they faced this problem by cooling the concrete before pouring it using cold air and ice. Also a problem that could be faced is mechanical issues like the Itaipu dam did. Problems the dam in China faced was the amount of concrete needed just because of the sheer size of the dam. Also a problem with using dams to create energy is the relocation of people who live in the area of the dam.
However Dams can have a positive influence on the area offering many opportunities. A positive attribute of a dam is clean cheap energy generated within the dam. As well as creating jobs for people to build the dam, and work the dam once it is built. For the Coulee Dam it allowed the desert to flourish from bringing water and energy into the desert. Dams also allow land irrigation in places where water normally isn't available.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCQNeJfpD_g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjwIsPEkWZI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8cCsUBYSkw
A Main problem with the dams is the destruction of the environment around the dam to make the reservoir, killing everything within the area. Also having to redirect the water was a major problem faced when attempting to harness the power of water for electricity. A problem the Itaipu dam faced was a layer of rock that was not supportive to the weight of the dam. This problem was faced by Also a problem faced was concrete that sat in the sun resulted in concrete that was nowhere near strong enough. However they faced this problem by cooling the concrete before pouring it using cold air and ice. Also a problem that could be faced is mechanical issues like the Itaipu dam did. Problems the dam in China faced was the amount of concrete needed just because of the sheer size of the dam. Also a problem with using dams to create energy is the relocation of people who live in the area of the dam.
However Dams can have a positive influence on the area offering many opportunities. A positive attribute of a dam is clean cheap energy generated within the dam. As well as creating jobs for people to build the dam, and work the dam once it is built. For the Coulee Dam it allowed the desert to flourish from bringing water and energy into the desert. Dams also allow land irrigation in places where water normally isn't available.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCQNeJfpD_g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjwIsPEkWZI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8cCsUBYSkw
Reflection
January 10-12:
In Foz de Iguacu we stayed in a hostel, which exposed us to several different people from different cultures, as well as a Barb-Q that was made for us by the owners of the hostel to welcome us to Iguacu.
The next day in Iguacu the group went to the Falls de Iguacu. The falls are one of the wonders of the world. While there we went for a boat tour under the falls, this tour was one of the best experiences of the trip and demonstrated the true power of the falls. We also took a trail/path that went adjacent to the falls and at the end was a pier that allowed us to see over the falls. While at the falls we were able to see raccoon like mammals, and different lizard species.
The next day, the group went to the Itapu Dam where we learned about the importance of the dam. The dam supplies power for not just Rio and Sal Paulo but also for parts of Paraguay. The border of Brazil and Paraguay actually splits the dam in half this allows both Brazil and Paraguay to run their sides of the Dam. The dam supplies hydropower from turbines, which run from water flowing through the dam. While at Itapu we learned about how the turbines work, how they were made as well as functions of Itapu. That night (our last night in Foz) the owner of the hostel took the group to a locales only style fish restaurant where you can swim in the Parana River, this is the river that splits Brazil and Argentina.
Pictures:
1: Center at the Falls
2: Itapu Dam
3: Diagram of how the Dam works
4: Control center split by the boarder
5: Inside look of a running turbine
6: Group picture from outside Itapu
7: Outside view of a turbine
8: A picture of the Parana River from our last night in Foz
In Foz de Iguacu we stayed in a hostel, which exposed us to several different people from different cultures, as well as a Barb-Q that was made for us by the owners of the hostel to welcome us to Iguacu.
The next day in Iguacu the group went to the Falls de Iguacu. The falls are one of the wonders of the world. While there we went for a boat tour under the falls, this tour was one of the best experiences of the trip and demonstrated the true power of the falls. We also took a trail/path that went adjacent to the falls and at the end was a pier that allowed us to see over the falls. While at the falls we were able to see raccoon like mammals, and different lizard species.
The next day, the group went to the Itapu Dam where we learned about the importance of the dam. The dam supplies power for not just Rio and Sal Paulo but also for parts of Paraguay. The border of Brazil and Paraguay actually splits the dam in half this allows both Brazil and Paraguay to run their sides of the Dam. The dam supplies hydropower from turbines, which run from water flowing through the dam. While at Itapu we learned about how the turbines work, how they were made as well as functions of Itapu. That night (our last night in Foz) the owner of the hostel took the group to a locales only style fish restaurant where you can swim in the Parana River, this is the river that splits Brazil and Argentina.
Pictures:
1: Center at the Falls
2: Itapu Dam
3: Diagram of how the Dam works
4: Control center split by the boarder
5: Inside look of a running turbine
6: Group picture from outside Itapu
7: Outside view of a turbine
8: A picture of the Parana River from our last night in Foz