Marimbondo Dam
Encyclopedia
The Marimbondo Dam is an embankment dam on the Grande River
near Fronteira
in Minas Gerais
, Brazil
. The dam serves an associated hydroelectric power plant with a 1,440 MW installed capacity.
, the dam was their fourth power plant constructed. Construction began in 1971 and was complete in 1975 when the first generator went online. The last of the eight generators went online in January 1977.
with a concrete spillway
and power house
section. The total structural volume of materials for the dam is 14400000 cubic metre. The dam's spillway
contains nine floodgates that are 15 m (49.2 ft) wide and 18.85 m (61.8 ft) high each. In total, the spillway has a 21400 m3/s discharge capacity. The reservoir
created by the dam has a surface area of 438 square kilometre and capacity of 6150000000 cubic metre with 5260000000 cubic metre serving as live (active or "useful") storage. The normal reservoir level is 446.3 m (1,464.2 ft) above sea level and the maximum is 447.36 m (1,467.7 ft). The dam's power house is 25.3 m (83 ft) wide and 250.2 m (820.9 ft) long and contains eight 180 MW generators
that are powered by Francis turbine
s.
Grande River
The Grande River is river in south-central Brazil. It rises in the Mantiqueira Mountains in the state of Minas Gerais and descends inland, west-northwestward. Its lower course marks a portion of the Minas Gerais-São Paulo border...
near Fronteira
Fronteira, Minas Gerais
Fronteira is a municipality in the west of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. As of 2007 the population was 13,983 in a total area of 200 km². It became a municipality in 1943.-Location:...
in Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. The dam serves an associated hydroelectric power plant with a 1,440 MW installed capacity.
Background
Owned and maintained by Eletrobrás FurnasEletrobrás Furnas
Eletrobras Furnas is a regional power utility and a major subsidiary of Eletrobras. The company generates or transmits electricity to 51% of households in Brazil and more than 40% of the nation's electricity passes through their grid...
, the dam was their fourth power plant constructed. Construction began in 1971 and was complete in 1975 when the first generator went online. The last of the eight generators went online in January 1977.
Specifications
The Marimbondo Dam is a 3100 m (10,170.6 ft) long and 94 m (308.4 ft) high earth-fill embankment damEmbankment dam
An embankment dam is a massive artificial water barrier. It is typically created by the emplacement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil, sand, clay and/or rock. It has a semi-permanent waterproof natural covering for its surface, and a dense, waterproof...
with a concrete spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
and power house
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
section. The total structural volume of materials for the dam is 14400000 cubic metre. The dam's spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
contains nine floodgates that are 15 m (49.2 ft) wide and 18.85 m (61.8 ft) high each. In total, the spillway has a 21400 m3/s discharge capacity. The reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
created by the dam has a surface area of 438 square kilometre and capacity of 6150000000 cubic metre with 5260000000 cubic metre serving as live (active or "useful") storage. The normal reservoir level is 446.3 m (1,464.2 ft) above sea level and the maximum is 447.36 m (1,467.7 ft). The dam's power house is 25.3 m (83 ft) wide and 250.2 m (820.9 ft) long and contains eight 180 MW generators
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
that are powered by Francis turbine
Francis turbine
The Francis turbine is a type of water turbine that was developed by James B. Francis in Lowell, Massachusetts. It is an inward-flow reaction turbine that combines radial and axial flow concepts....
s.
See also
- Luiz Barreto (Estreito) DamLuiz Barreto DamThe Luiz Carlos Barreto de Carvalho Dam, formerly known as Estreito, is an embankment dam on the Grande River near Fronteira in São Paulo, Brazil. The dam serves an associated hydroelectric power plant with a 1,050 MW installed capacity.-Background:...
- Água Vermelha DamÁgua Vermelha DamThe Água Vermelha Dam is an embankment dam on the Grande River near Iturama in Minas Gerais/São Paulo, Brazil. It was constructed for hydroelectric power production and flood control. Construction on the dam began in 1973 and it was completed and operational by 1978...
- Furnas Dam
- List of power stations in Brazil