zek HYDRO 2016 by zek Magazin

Verlagspostamt: 4820 Bad Ischl · P.b.b. „03Z035382 M“ – 14. Jahrgang

zek HYDRO 2016

2016 INTERNATIONAL HYDRO

FUTURE TECHNOLOGY

COMPACT HYDRO Leading global supplier for small hydropower plants photo credits: Kössler

HYDRO

Hydrovision

2016

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ANDRITZ HYDRO GmbH Eibesbrunnergasse 20, 1120 Vienna, Austria Phone: +43 50805 0, Fax: +43 50805 51015 contact-hydro@andritz.com

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Surprisingly sustainable.

GRP pipework systems for hydropower facilities Flowtite pipes are manufactured from glass-fibre reinforced polyester resin (or GRP for short). GRP has very low weight but is extremely durable and remarkably flexible. Efficiency, quality and service life make them a convincing proposition. They complement traditional materials such as steel and cast iron for the construction of pressure pipelines. Some key benefits of pipework systems made from GPR: • Variable diameter, from DN 100 to DN 4000 • High pressure resistance, up to 32 bar • Flexible length (standard lengths are 3, 6 and 12 m)

Germany / South East Europe / Benelux:

Amiantit Germany GmbH info-de@amiantit.eu www.amiantit.eu Austria:

ETERTEC GmbH & Co.KG oﬃce@etertec.at www.etertec.at Switzerland:

APR (Schweiz) AG info@apr-schweiz.ch www.apr-schweiz.ch Amiantit Germany GmbH · Am Fuchsloch 19 · 04720 Döbeln · Tel.: + 49 34 31 71 82 - 0 · info-de@amiantit.eu · www.amiantit.eu · Member of the AMIANTIT Group

Troyer offers high-quality construction of water turbines and hydroelectric power plants. For generations, our tailor-made solutions have helped our customers optimizing energy generation from waterpower in a safe, efficient, eco-friendly and sustainable way. Troyer SpA info@troyer.it Tel. +39 0472 765 195

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To the point

BIG STUMBLING BLOCKS LEFT ON THE ROAD TO AN ENERGY TURNAROUND A big obstacle to be overcome on the way to a decarbonised energy future is the remaining concern that CO2 reductions threaten economic growth. Many still hold on to the idea that growth depends on the exploitation of fossil fuels. This is particularly the case in developing countries and nations with emerging economies. In view of this trend, experts are stressing, more and more urgently, the need to finally overcome this association of CO2 emissions with economic growth. The problem obviously calls for a global solution, specifically a universal and value-based pricing of CO2 emissions. Still, this kind of approach can only be effective if the two big players – the U. S. and China – join the effort. This is the second basic condition. A true energy turnaround is achievable only under general conditions that are driven by innovation and market requirements – that much is clear. Experts largely agree that a decarbonised energy future also holds interesting perspectives for small-scale and large-scale hydropower. At the moment, however, this energy sector is facing tough framework conditions. Energy prices at the EEX have fallen from an already low level to a record low over the past year. For many power plant operators this is an economic disaster. It is no wonder, then, that only very few new projects are currently being realised throughout Central Europe. Plans for necessary investments in refurbishment, expansion or even new constructions are increasingly being put on ice. And it is not just small, private operators that are affected, but large-scale and public operations as well. At present, Austria alone has projects amounting to a total of 4 TWh in the pipeline. Switzerland is facing a similar situation, with plans for many large expansion projects being shelved. This is despite the fact that Energy Strategy 2050 explicitly calls for an expansion of hydropower. Although there has been much talk recently of a subsidy network that it supposed to be established around small hydropower, but in the end that seems not very likely. In the sort run, the situation for hydropower operators in the DACH countries is set to remain difficult. However, there is potential for improvement in the medium and long term. In Switzerland, for example, the Mühleberg nuclear facility will be switched off in 2019, Germany is planning to take all its nuclear reactors off the grid by 2022, and there is no big future in coal-fired power stations either. So there is a fair chance of energy rising in value again, especially base-load and control energy that hydropower is able to provide. The cloud, it seems, does have a silver lining after all. The significance of hydropower for countries such as Austria is clear from the latest statistics provided by Österreichs Energie: According to these figures, hydropower – depending on the respective energy price levels – has reached a marketable production value of somewhere between € 2.7bn and € 1.3bn. This helps to support around 6,500 jobs throughout the country. Investments into the energy market of currently € 450m p.a. translate into a production value of around € 1bn. Where climate protection is concerned, the numbers also speak for themselves: In Austria alone, hydropower utilisation reduces CO2 emissions by 15 million tonnes every year. Besides, hydropower’s storage capacity helps to integrate other renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power. Taken together, Austria, Switzerland and Germany contribute 43 per cent of Europe’s installed pumped-storage capacity. The swansong of hydropower that certain media publications have been singing recently is definitely premature. Both small-scale and large-scale hydropower will have an important role to play in the European energy turnaround for a long time to come. I wish all our valued readers an enjoyable and informative time reading the latest edition of zek HYDRO Best regards, Roland Gruber Editor-in-Chief

May 2016

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www.schubert.tech

WATER FLOWS CONSTANTLY ONWARDS. OUR TECHNOLOGY TOO. Since 50 years we have been developing efficient and sustainable technologies for producing energy from hydropower while stressing innovation and workmanship in the manufacture of our systems. More information at www.schubert.tech.

HYDRO

18 PP TULILA (EAT)

25 PP SEBIL (TR)

33 PP OXEC (GCA)

Short Cuts

16 New EU electricity market design to bolster SHP development

08 Short News out of the World of Hydropower [ SWITZERLAND ]

03 Editorial 06 Table of Content 08 Masthead

May 2016

EREF STATEMENT

40 PP ZAPECE (RS)

36 Gundelfingen Marks the Start for the Overhaul Programme at Danube [ GERMANY ]

18 Experienced Partners build Small Hydro Power Plant in Tanzania [ TANZANIA ]

40 Power Plant contributes to enhanced Electricity Supply [ REPUBLIKA SRPSKA ]

25 Southern Turkish Peak Power Plant has gone on Grid [ TURKEY ]

43 Increase in Efficiency thanks to New Kaplan Turbines [ BELGIUM ]

28 Power Plant in Norway goes live utilizing leading Technology [ NORWAY ]

46 Storage Power Plant converted into Pumped-Storage Plant [ LIECHTENSTEIN ]

30 Teamwork and Short Communi cation Channels to Success [ ITALY ]

48 Cross-Flow Turbine provides Electricity from a water channel [ PHILIPPINES ]

32 New Trash Rack Cleaning System for Susasca Power Plant [ SWITZERLAND ]

50 Four Kilometer Penstock for Power Plant Greith in Styria [ AUSTRIA ]

33 Record Breaking Turbines for High Pressure Power Plant in Guatemala [ GUATEMALA ]

52 From the Far North to the Deep South of Europe [ GLOBAL ]

HYDRO

PP BULANAO (PH)

PP RUFI (CH)

TRASH RACK CLEANER

54 Reisseck II - Gigantic Shut-off Valves soon to be commissioned [ AUSTRIA ]

70 RENEXPO INTERHYDRO Salzburg is taking Shape [ TRADE FAIR & CONFERENCES ]

56 Strong Weir Segment ensures Safety of New Power Station [ SWITZERLAND ]

72 Online partial dischargemonito- ring system for rotating machines [ ENERGY TECHNOLOGY ]

58 Cast Iron Pipe Technology in Res ponse to difficult Ground Conditions [ ITALY ]

74 Clean Energy with HOBAS Hydropower Systems [ USA / GUATEMALA / AUSTRIA ]

61 More Green Energy with Innovative Technology [ LOW HEAD TECHNOLOGY ]

76 New trash rack cleaner ensures free flow [ FRANCE ]

64 Pipe Installation at the Neumagen Power Plant Completed [ GERMANY ]

78 Austria’s first fish lift inaugurated at the Runserau intake [ AUSTRIA ]

66 New outlet equipment for Rotlech dam in Tyrol [ AUSTRIA ]

81 Schubert Web Control opens up New Perspectives [ CONTROLLING SYSTEM ]

68 Bavarian technology for Pakistani power plants [ PAKISTAN ]

84 Coanda Technology from Tyrol impresses at a Lofty Height [ COANDA ]

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zek HYDRO 2016

Schubert Opener Amiantit U2 Troyer U3 Andritz Hydro U4

Andritz Pump Division 63 APR - Schweiz 24 BHM-Ing. 67 Braun 57 CKD Blansko 55 Deva 39 Dive 12 Elin 47 Geotrade-Superlit 51 Geppert 27 Global Hydro Energy 86 Gondrand Internat. 24 Gugler Water Turbines 42 Hitzinger 29 Hobas 75 IAB 80 Indar 26 Iteco 20 Kima 38 Koncar 11 Kössler 9 Künz 77 Lukas 8 Muhr 69 Omicron 73 Ossberger 49 Renexpo 70 Siemens 13 Stocker Mechatronik 85 TRM - Tiroler Rohre 60 Wiegert & Bähr 37 Wild Metal 32 WKV 15

May 2016

the leader in terms of SHP installations, folloMARGARITZE DAM: DIVING IN THE WINTER wed by India and Japan. The Government of AT 2000 METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL China has been promoting small hydropower The Margaritze dam belongs to the Kaprun by offering tax credits and incentives. Europe works group and every 10 years the abovewas the second-largest market for SHP in water structures and below-water parts of the 2014. Italy spearheads the small hydropower plant have to be subjected. Inspection work is market in Europe with well-structured policarried in the winterfordue to the vastly cies andoutlarge funding market developsuperior underwater visibility at this time of ment. North America was the third-largest year. The low temperature of the water, being market for small hydropower, in terms of closed by anin ice2014. ceilingThe andU.S. the and general altimarketinshare, Canada tude of the plant make this a challenging work are the leading countries with major SHP in–stallations. even for experienced A The marketprofessional in Middle divers. East and hole was cut into the ice, which was roughly Africa is expected to witness significant 50cm to near enablefuture, divingwith workincrease to begin. growththick, in the in The main focus of the inspection was the electricity demand from renewable on energy integrity of theNigeria, concrete, functioning of across Kenya, andthe Egypt. the bottom outlet and the debris intake grates.

Masthead

photo credits: zek

PUBLISHERS Mag. Roland Gruber and Günter Seefried

EDITOR DI (FH) David Tscholl, dt@zekmagazin.at Mobil +43 (0) 664-240 67 74 photo credits: TU Vienna

Dr. Eduard Doujak is considered to be the driving force behind “Viennnahydro”. Laxenburg Castle near Vienna offers a unique ambience for the hydropower event traditionally held here every year.

PUBLISHING HOUSE Gruber-Seefried-Zek Verlags OG Lindaustraße 10, 4820 Bad Ischl Tel. & Fax +43 (0) 6247- 84 726 office@zekmagazin.at www.zek.at EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mag. Roland Gruber, rg@zekmagazin.at Mobile +43 (0)664-115 05 70

Italy still spearheads the European hydropower market with well structured policies. (The Rasimbach power plant in northern Italy)

Mag. Andreas Pointinger, ap@zekmagazin.at Mobil +43 (0) 664-228 23 23 MARKETING Günter Seefried, gs@zekmagazin.at Mobile +43 (0)664-3000 393 ADMINISTRATION Erika Gallent, office@zekmagazin.at Mobile +43 (0)664-242 62 22

The global small hydro installed capacity is projected to reach 146.65 GW by the year 2023.

TRANSLATION Crossing Paths Communications Mag. Andreas Florian andreas@crossing-paths.net Reinhard Fischer, BA +43-650-6130180 Roger Lord roger@roger-lord.at photo credits: Syrowatka photoVerbund/W. credits: zek

VIENNAHYDRO 2014INGETS TO THE INSTALLED CAPACITY GLOBAL SMALLBOTTOM HYDROOF FUTURE HYDROPOWER TRENDS POWER MARKET TO REACH 146.65 GW BY 2023 Viennahydro, traditionally held the vene-a Transparency Market Research hasatpublished rable halls of Laxenburg Castle, is one of the new report titled „Small Hydropower Market, most established and renowned international by installed capacity - Global Industry Analyevents the Growth hydropower industry. This sis, Size,inShare, Trends, and Forecast, reputation was confirmed at the most recent 2015 - 2023.“ According to this report, the (eighteenth) of themarket event, installed which took global small edition hydropower caplace just outside Vienna from pacity stood at 110.77 GW in 2014November and is pro26–28 year. TheGW event was centred jected tolast reach 146.65 by 2023. Hydroaround key topics such as different of electric energy is the cleanest form ofaspects renewabpumped storage, which is still considered the le generation as it does not release any harmful most effective, most and tried andpollutants tested gases, carbon dioxide, other methods of storing energy. Visitors were treawhich directly or indirectly affect the environted to two social side events: an exclusive evement. It has no international denomination ning event at the Vienna Museum and its upper limit varies from country of to Technology, the almost traditional country. For and example, in Canada it rangesdinup ner at the wineit pub in Neustift. to 50 MW“Heurigen” and in Brazil ranges up to 30 Around 300 guests had followed the MW; however, 10 MW total capacityinvitatiis geneon of accepted Dr. Eduard Doujak Capacity and his organising rally worldwide. utilization team to attend forum experts and disand plant loadthe factor for ofsmall hydropower cuss key issues, get the latest information, plants are high when compared to other reneexchange ideasof–energy. and, last not least, to wable sources Thebut small hydropowmeet new contacts and enjoy the evening in er market has been segmented into five rethe company of existing ones. Same as in the gions: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, previous years, comprehensive schedule Middle East andthe Africa, and South and Centof lectures and presentations was organised ral America. Asia Pacific was the largest maracross halls, with the large theatre hall ket forthree small hydropower, accounting for providing the largest seating capacity. 70.3% of the global market in 2014. China is

photo credits: TU Vienna

HYDRO HYDRO

In 2014 Europe was still the second-largest hydropower market in the world. All the parts of the plant were in good working order and complete safety can still be guaranteed.

PRODUCTION, PDF CREATION MEDIA DESIGN: RIZNER.AT Stabauergasse 5, 5020 Salzburg Tel. +43 (0) 662 / 87 46 74 E-Mail: m.maier@rizner.at PRINTING Druckerei Roser Mayrwiesstraße 23, 5300 Hallwang /Salzburg Tel. +43 (0) 662-661737 POST OFFICE A-4820 Bad Ischl BASIC GUIDELINES zek HYDRO is a non-partisan trade publication focussing on hydropower. PRICE INC. POSTAGE € 16,– / copy inc. VAT zek HYDRO is published annually Circulation: 5,400 copies

08 08

May2015 2016 May

Innovation with Experience. Kรถssler turns Water into Power. Innovation is our drive: we have decades of experience and comprehensive know-how in small hydro. This is why we continuously develop this form of power generation further, so that our customers can utilize the potential of hydropower even more economically and eco-friendly.

With innovative solutions from one single source: for example the StreamDiver technology or our standardized eQ Solutions. www.koessler.com A Voith Company

photo credits: zek

HYDRO

photo credits: GLOBAL Hydro

photo credits: zek

Iceland wants to invest in its own water power ressources

photo credits: AÜW

At the largest hydropwer trade fair in Chile GLOBAL Hydro has been rewarded as best turbine supplier.

Germany‘s first „Very Low Head“ VLH-Turbine went on the grid.

May 2016

ICELAND INTENDS TO EXPAND HYDROPOWER Long-standing plans to increase the use of Iceland’s highland regions for power generation are apparently taking shape. The government in Reykjavik, in cooperation with national provider Landsvirkjun, are planning to construct several new dams and hydropower plants. The plans include a new power line from the northeast to the southwestern regions across the Icelandic highlands. According to officials, a corresponding master plan has been available since 1999. A large-scale project for the Kárahnjúkar Dam in the highlands was initiated already in 2006. Since then, there have been protests against the utilisation of nature reserves. Hydropower plant Kárahnjúkar provides cheap energy exclusively for the aluminium mill of US-based Alcoa in the eastern part of Iceland. Aluminium production is a significant contributor to Iceland’s economy. Overall, more than 70 per cent of Iceland’s energy requirements are reported to be due to three aluminium mills. NEW CHAPTER OPENED FOR OLDEST SWISS INDUSTRIAL MONUMENT More than 30 years ago, an exciting joint project was kicked off at the industrial premises of Hard, Switzerland’s oldest manufacturing facility and first mechanised spinning mill. A casually formed group of kindred spirits had taken over the industrial complex. The main goals are still: life, work, culture, and the preservation of this historically significant industrial facility. Against this background, the residents had decided to renovate and extend their old hydropower plant at Töss. In addition to an improved power output, the key issues being considered included protective measures against flooding and noise. Where technology was concerned, the main goal was to increase the current motive water flow rate from 3.52 m3/s to 6.5 m3/s. The new turbine has a capacity of 575 kW. In average the facility is now able to generate 2.55 GWh of clean energy. 1.2 GWh have been generated by the old facility. SOUTH AMERICAN CUSTOMERS DELIGHTED BY AUSTRIAN KNOW-HOW South America remains one of GLOBAL Hydro’s primary growing markets. In view of their superior turbine and power plant technology, and with their own local distribution and service structure to market it, the Upper Austrian-based small scale hydro specialist expects the medium small scale hydro market potential in South America to be around € 50m per annum. How much Austrian know-how is appreciated in this segment was obvious again at the largest international hydropower trade fair in Chile, where GLOBAL Hydro received an award as best turbine supplier. “For us this is of course a wonderful confirmation of our strategy,” says a happy Marius Hager, managing partner at GLOBAL Hydro. Since entering the Chilean market in 2009, the Austrian specialist has grown to become the country’s leading provider for small scale hydropower facilities.

GERMANY’S FIRST VLH HYDROPOWER PLANT INAUGURATED In the Allgäu region, one of Germany’s most innovative and most ‘fish-friendly’ hydropower plants went on the grid at the turn of the year. The official commissioning ceremony for the VLH hydropower facility took place on April 11th. When Allgäuer Überlandwerk GmbH (AÜW) and Bayerische Landeskraftwerke GmbH (LaKW) joined forces to found Illerkraftwerk Au GmbH, it was with a view to utilising an existing low-head tidal barrage for hydropower generation while building one of the country’s most ‘fish-friendly’ hydropower plants. A little more than a year later, Germany’s first VLH hydropower plant was up and running in Sulzberg/Au in the Allgäu region. The new turbine has a nominal output of 450 kW. The combination of “very low head” (VLH) turbine technology and variable water level control based on a water-filled rubber dam is the first installation of its kind worldwide.

HYDRO

picture: Claudia Huldi

Solar energy is to enable the operation of a hydropower station in Chile’s Atacama desert.

Underground power station Hintermuhr is located in the eastern parts of the Murtal region of the province of Lungau. The plant was initially taken into operation in 1991. Just in time for the 25th anniversary celebrations, machine unit 1 underwent a comprehensive revision.

CHILE: PLANS FOR UNIQUE POWER PLANT IN ATACAMA DESERT A hydropower station in the desert? In Chile this seeming contradiction is becoming a reality. Operator Valhalla has obtained all the required permits and financing to get the project on the way. According to Technology Review, the hydropower station – the world’s only one of its kind – is to be put up in the Atacama desert. This region is one of the hottest and driest ones on earth – some parts have not seen a drop of rain in years. That being the case, the required water needs to be pumped from the nearby Pacific coast to a natural recess in the surrounding mountainous terrain, from where it passes to the power house by way of a sloping conduit. Solar energy will supply the electricity required for operating the pumps. The facility is expected to provide a capacity of around 300 MW. The hydro-energy generated here will ensure independence from fossil fuels for three provinces. In total, the costs of the project amount to US$ 400m. REVISION OF PSPP-HINTERMUHR COMPLETED IN TIME With an installed capacity of 104 MW, pumped-storage power plant Hintermuhr in Lungau is the largest one operated by Salzburg AG. It was initially put into operation in 1991 and fitted with a pump turbine in 2008. 25 years after its commissioning, the facility has now undergone an extensive overall revision. The package of measures was focussed mainly on the revision of machine unit 1 and corresponding equipment. At the same time, the automation system was brought up to the latest technical standards. In total, Salzburg AG invested around six months of revision work. Emphasising the significance of this project for Salzburg AG, Leonhard Schitter said, “Hintermuhr is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Now that machine unit 1 has been fully refurbished, one of our largest facilities is back up to the latest technical standards and ready to supply energy to around 43,000 households.”

May 2016

ANDRITZ RECEIVES ORDER FOR EXTENSION OF LA COCHE PSPP ANDRITZ HYDRO, part of international technology Group ANDRITZ, has received an order from Electricité de France (EDF) to supply a turbine generator unit with an output of 240 MW for the extension of the La Coche pumped storage power station, France. Start-up is scheduled for 2019. The order value amounts to approximately 25 mio. euros. The new Pelton turbine from ANDRITZ HYDRO completes the existing four reversible pump turbines and features extremely good part load behavior. This means that the turbine can also be operated at high efficiencies and with smooth running properties in the low load range (the head is more than 900 m). This increases the reliability and flexibility of the plant substantially. Due to the high sand content in the water and the resulting severe abrasion, the turbine will be given a high-grade, erosion-resistant coating that will extend its life cycle significantly. Assembly of the 130kW DIVE turbine in Croatia

DIVE TURBINES FOR CROATIA This year will see the commissioning of the third hydroelectric power plant in Croatia equipped with Bavarian-manufactured DIVE turbines. Back in January 2015 Croatia‘s first DIVE hydroelectric power plant, which has an output of 105 kW, was commissioned in a disused water mill . As the generator of DIVE turbines is also located under water, it is possible to achieve complete flood protection for the power plant. The second DIVE turbine in Croatia, which has an output of 130 kW, was commissioned in April 2016. A very strict condition for the construction of this hydroelectric power plant was that the turbine had to be absolutely silent when in operation as it is located in a residential area. And now a further DIVE turbine, this time with an output of 280 kW, is under construction for Croatia. With an underground turbine chamber, the silent, invisible, flood-proof plant will commence generating clean power in 2016.

May 2016

Wudongde is located in the lower reaches of the Jinsha River, the region of Huidong County, Sichuan Province and Luquan County, Yunnan Province. The new Pelton turbine from ANDRITZ HYDRO completes the existing four reversible pump turbines and features extremely good part load behavior.

picture: Ritz Architecte

CHINA: VOITH GENERATING MACHINES FOR WUDONGDE PP Construction activities at Wudongde hydropower station, the fourth largest of its kind in China, are now fully under way. Voith is supporting the Wudongde project with the supply of six hydroelectric turbine generator units and auxiliary parts with a total installed capacity of 5,100 megawatts. The contract has a value of around €365 million. Following Three Gorges or Xiluodu the project marks yet another breakthrough for Voith in supporting the development of large renewable energy projects in China. The turbine generator units for Wudongde will, in terms of power output, be amongst the largest worldwide and the largest Voith has supplied in its history. When finished, the Wudongde hydropower plant will have an estimated annual generating capacity of 38.9 billion KWh, and will contribute to savings of 12.2 million tons of standard coal and 30.5 million tons of CO2 emissions each year.

picture: cwe.cn

HYDRO

37 DIVE-Turbines in 7 countries compact

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fixed runner blades double regulation by variation of speed

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Phone: Fax:

+49 9373 9749-42 +49 9373 9749-49

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info@dive-turbine.de www.dive-turbine.de

HYDRO

The high-voltage line over the Reschen Pass is an interconnector line as defined by State Law No. 99/2009. In it the state provides for the possibility that the so-called large energy consumers finance the realisation of international lines. In exchange for doing so, these may acquire more affordable energy from abroad for a period of 15 years using their own lines.

SWISS POWER PLANT HAGNECK REOPENED The same river – more energy: the new Hagneck power plant supplies 40% more power than the old plant. Thanks to modern technology it scores points with high energy efficiency. However, the structure also impresses with its unusual architecture, which blends inconspicuously into the shore area of the Hagneck delta. In addition to the generation of power, the Hagneck power plant has another important function: its considerably increased outflow capacity will in future provide efficient flood protection. A total of around 100,000 m³ of rock and molasse will be excavated and 50,000 m³ of concrete used for building. The new weir consists of four weir fields of 15 m in width each. The power plant generates 110 GWh of current; a quantity that covers the annual needs of 30,000 households. The costs for the new construction amount to around 150 million CHF.

The Hagneck power plant is located at the mouth of the Hagneck canal and flows into Lake Biel in the Canton of Bern. Following four years of complete reconstruction, it was once again commissioned in October 2015.

EUROPE'S LONGEST FISH LADDER CLOSE TO COMPLETION For the Upper Austrian Danube power plant Ottensheim-Wilhering, VERBUND will build Europe's longest fish ladder in the course of the project LIFE+ Network Danube. Construction work has been moving along more quickly than planned and could be completed by May 2016. Nine excavators are in permanent operation between Ottensheim and Aschach to quickly complete the fish ladder. At the 14.2 km mark, the Aschach and the Innbach, tributaries of the Danube, will be restructured and equipped with two inflow structures. In future fish will be able to swim around the dam wall of the Ottensheim-Wilhering power plant. At the same time, valuable habitats are created. In addition to the work being carried out in the river, the inflow structures are currently being built at both ends of the fish ladder. The excavation material will for the most part remain at the construction site, which means that the transport work and thus the truck traffic outside of the project area will remain very low.

May 2016

photo credits: BKW photo credits: Verbund

VERBUND is investing a total of 144 million euros in the revitalisation measures at the Danube power plant Ybbs-Persenbeug.

photo credits: Verbund

Replacement work on the second of six sets of machines commenced in October 2015.

Europe's longest fish ladder should be completed in May at the Upper Austrian Danube power plant Ottensheim-Wilhering.

photo credits: Verbund

MODERNISATION OF THE YBBS-PERSENBEUG POWER STATION VERBUND, one of the largest hydroelectricity producers in Europe, is investing further in the modernisation and the increasing of efficiency of Austria's oldest Danube power plant Ybbs-Persenbeug. Following extensive planning, the turbine impellers, generators, transformers, high-voltage cables and circuit breakers of the six machines will be replaced. Starting in 2014, one set of machines will be refurbished each year. In concrete terms this means that the impellers and generators will be completely dismantled. The powerful parts weighing tons will then be taken away and delivered using portal and floating cranes and special transporters. The most recent findings of engineers give cause for pleasure: the originally expected increase in efficiency will be exceeded once again and now lies at 77 million kWh. This corresponds to the annual consumption of a city with 22,000 households.

photo credits: Horst Schröder / pixelio.de

HIGH VOLTAGE LINE AT RESCHEN PASS The realisation of a new high-voltage line over the South Tyrolean Reschen Pass is making significant headway. On 19 January, the state government decided in favour of the conclusion of an additional agreement with the state-owned energy grid operator Terna and authorised State Councillor for Energy and the Environment Richard Theiner to sign this. "The objective of this agreement is to advance the high-voltage line at the Reschen Pass and to also ensure a high degree of supply security and quality in the state. Of course this will take place in close consultation with the municipalities," says Richard Theiner and assures added value from the project for the population of South Tyrol. The line will thus be laid entirely underground on the South Tyrolean side. The detailed course is still the subject of discussions between Terna and the municipalities of Graun and Mals.

photo credits: berggeist007_pixelio.de

HYDRO

The new hydro power plant Rheinfelden

NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY REMUNERATION MECHANISMS AND PRIORITY DISPATCH – NECESSARY PARTS IN NEW EU ELECTRICITY MARKET DESIGN TO BOLSTER SMALL HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT The EU’s ambition to “become the world number one in renewable energies” gained additional support by the success of the UNFCCC COP21 conference in Paris at the end of 2015 resulting in 195 governments agreeing on a new international climate treaty. One of its aim is “to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century.” This global agreement signals a global transformation away from a fossil-fuel based economy and an increased level of political commitments worldwide.

May 2016

portunities to further develop the EU small hydropower sector – a sector which currently provides renewable electricity to more than 13 million households and thus helps avoiding of around 29 million tons of CO2. Next to a robust 2030 governance regime enshrined in legislation, the new market design will determine whether the energy transformation in Europe is achieved in the most cost-effective manner. photo credits: Lilac_pixelio.de

he European Commission clearly confirmed its political will already in the February 2015 Communication on the Energy Union signalling “a fundamental transformation of Europe‘s energy system” away from the current centralised conventional energy system, based on fossil fuels and nuclear. The communication paves the way for “a resilient Energy Union with an ambitious climate policy at its core (…) to give EU consumers - households and businesses - secure, sustainable, competitive and affordable energy”. The Small Hydropower Chapter of the European Renewable Energies Federation (EREF) is deeply involved in the current EU policy and legislation developments concerning the implementation of the 2030 Renewable Energy goals. The European Commission is in the process of developing the Directive proposals for energy market design, energy efficiency as wee as a revised Renewable Energy Directive (including Governance). The European Parliament is debating its position on these issues and will soon vote on their official opinions. The envisaged change from a currently antiquated energy system, tailored to non-renewable, centralised and inflexible production within national boundaries towards a new decentralised system centred on renewable energy and energy efficiency provides new op-

Even old water wheels can provide valueble clean energy.

FOSSIL AND NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION’S SUPPORT IS OFTEN NOT VISIBLE In this respect, EREF’s Small Hydropower Chapter advocates for an increase of flexibility of energy production, the focus on regional and decentralised energy production and consumption, a strengthened European interconnectivity, the existence of a fully functioning intraday and common balancing market, and the empowerment of consumers. Capacity-markets and mechanisms should be abolished and retrospective and retroactive measures as well as moratoria against existing renewable energy projects should be forbidden through future legislation. In order to make full use of the potential and benefits of the small hydropower sector, continued national renewable energy remuneration mechanisms and priority dispatch are needed – at least for a transition period until a functioning, fair and liberalized markets including a level playing field between all actors is reached. While the transparency of remuneration mechanisms for small hydropower lays bare the support, fossil and nuclear power generation’s support is often not visible and thus difficult to challenge. Yet, fossil fuels and nuclear continue benefiting from subsidies and their external costs (from current and past activities) that befall taxpayers and society, are seldom included in

Small Hydro Power Plant in Frauenfeld, Switzerland

power price calculations. According to fact sheets from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global cost of fossil-fuel subsidies alone increased to $544 billion in 2012 despite efforts at reform. Financial support to renewable sources of energy totalled $101 billion. An Ecofys study for the European Commission on electricity prices, costs and subsidies demonstrates that the fossil fuel industry is the biggest beneficiary of public support in the EU. INVESTMENTS IN NEW SHPP SUFFER FROM A NON-FUNCTIONING ETS The European Commission, within the framework of the 2001/77/EC Directive on the promotion of renewable electricity as well as in the 2009/28/EC on the promotion of renewable energy outlined as reason for the necessity for support for renewables the clear distortion of the energy market due to significant subsidies to the incumbent sector. Among others, this leads to a current conventional overcapacity on power markets throughout the EU which hinders investments in new small hydropower sites. It also does not provide incentives for flexibility options and business models. In fact, the current framework effectively acts as a cap for renewables deployment limiting Europe’s ability to transformation to a decarbonised power sector. Furthermore, external costs of energy are not internalized. This hinders an objective comparison between prices of power generation from small hydropower with those of other energy sources, especially fossil fuels and nuclear power. Internalizing external costs such as safe disposal of nuclear waste or greenhouse gas costs of coal fire plants would reveal how expensive these assumed cheap forms of energy actually are. Investments in new small hydropower plants also suffer from a non-functioning EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Normally, this

system should reflect the “true” costs of greenhouse gas emissions and thus reduce conventional overcapacity. However, the current very low carbon price is unable to incentivize any renewable investment. Consequently, national remuneration mechanisms need to fill this role in the meantime. EREF’s Small Hydropower Chapter regards national remuneration schemes as a prerequisite for a stable and credible framework condition to foster a continuous deployment of small hydropower sites. This schemes need to build on a robust governance mechanism anchored in EU legislation. ELECTRICITY PRODUCED FROM SHPP SHOULD BE THE FIRST TO BE SOLD Equally important for the prosperity of the small hydropower sector is a continued guaranteed access for plant owners to inject their electricity into the grid whenever this becomes available (priority dispatch). As with national remuneration mechanisms, priority dispatch for small hydropower needs to be continued until over-capacity from nuclear and coal as well as harmful capacity markets are phased out and full internalization of externalities from coal and nuclear on the energy price is ensured and emission trading works. Once the installation is in place, electricity from small hydropower is produced at almost zero short-run marginal costs as most renewable energy sources are available for free (when not taxed). In theory, electricity produced from small hydropower plants should be the first to be sold on the market and to be taken up by the grid. However, grid constraints may prevent this from happening. Some inflexible power generators (mostly nuclear and coal) can take hours or even days to ramp their production down in case of non-emergency situations and if network issues arise. It therefore appears much cheaper and simpler to scale

down renewable energy generation than inflexible power plants. This is in contradiction with the principle of giving priority to renewables as guaranteed under the current renewable Energy Directive. EREF consequently calls for structured phase out plans for ageing nuclear and coal capacity in the various Member States and suggests using dedicated structural fund regulations as financing tools. Former industry structural changes such as in the shipbuilding and coal mining sectors could be used as model. EREF and its Members will determine whether the path of the European institutions is ensuring that Europe gets back on track in renewables and fulfils President Juncker’s promise of Europe being Number 1 in Renewables. If you want to finically support and/or actively contribute to the policy campaign of the Small Hydropower Chapter, please contact Dirk Hendricks (dirk.hendricks@eref-europe.org). You can find detailed position papers and background information on EREF’s website (www.eref-europe.org). 1 European Commission’s communication, Energy Union Package (COM(2015) 80 final of 25 February 2015. 2 International Energy Agency, World Energy Outlook 2013 Factsheet. 3 Ecofys 2014 by order of: European Commission, Sub-sidies and costs of EU energy. Final report, November 2014; IMF: How Large Are Global Subsidies?, May 2015 4 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT (COM(2004) 366 final, 26 May 2004), The share of renewable energy in the EU Commission Report in accordance with Article 3 of Directive 2001/77/EC, evaluation of the effect of legislative instruments and other Community policies on the development of the contribution of renewable energy sources in the EU and proposals for concrete actions, page 35.

photo credits: Dirk Hendricks

photo credits: zek

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May 2016

photo credits: Kössler

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A Swiss hydropower investor has realized a new run-of-the-river power plant in the far Southwest of Tanzania. In its first expansion stage the Tulila power plant will deliver an average of about 36 GWh per year to the remote region.

EXPERIENCED PARTNERS BUILD HYDROPOWER PLANT FOR BENEDICTINE SISTERS IN TANZANIA The charitable work of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Agnes in Tanzania had made a big impression on hydropower plant operator and private investor Albert Koch. In fact, he was so impressed that a couple of years ago he decided to support the Sisters. He initiated a new and modern hydropower plant in the little developed, rural region of Ruvuma in the Southwest of the country and set up the financial plan. In cooperation with experienced hydropower companies, such as the Austrian hydropower specialist Kössler and the Swiss planning agency AF-ITECO, a high-capacity run-of-the-river power plant was created along the Ruvuma River near the village of Tulila. The plant has a capacity of 5 MW, but is expandable to up to 7.5 MW. It will not only replace numerous diesel generators and secure the electricity supply of the remote region, but will also guarantee a solid and sustainable economic basis for the charity work of the Benedictine Sisters in the long run.

he electricity supply in the East African state of Tanzania is far from offering nation-wide coverage. However, the last 10 years have seen rapid developments that give hope for new progress. A study by diploma engineer Christian Matyelele Msyani shows that in 2003 only 10 percent of the population had access to electricity, but by 2013 the number had already increased to about 20 percent. What the numbers do not show is how the situation changed in the remote parts of the country, far away from the cities. Individual, decentralized plants are the most im-

May 2016

portant sources of electricity in places where electricity supplier Tanesco has not yet established any subsidiaries. One of these regions with insufficient electricity supply is Ruvuma in the Southwest. The region has 66,000 km², which is about the size of Latvia, and is home to about 1.35 million people. Of Tanzania's 30 regions Ruvuma ranks third-lowest for population density. The border with Mozambique in the South runs along the river that has given the region its name.

SUPPORT FROM SWITZERLAND Ruvuma is the home of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Agnes of the Chipole Convent (“BSSA Convent”). The Order, founded in 1938, is dedicated to the gratuitous support of the locals. Today it has about 370 Sisters, who tend to the health, schooling and education of the local children and operate orphanages and hospitals, to name just a few of their charitable activities. More than ten years ago, the Order received a helping hand from a distant region, Schwyz. Robert Fuchs, from Schindellegi, Switzerland, and his foundation

photo credits: Kössler

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Two penstocks with a length of 190 m were installed from the water catchment to the power house.

te, if we needed them. Her answer was that that would be no problem at all. So we looked for a suitable site,” the entrepreneur from Schwyz recalls. A jeep brought Albert Koch and his ecclesiastical partners to the heads of the villages or their representatives in preselected potential areas. However, the first day ended disappointingly, as the ideal site for a plant had not been found. “Two days later we left again early in the morning for another ex-

Foto: Hydro-Solar

The power house consists of a reinforced concrete frame structure filled with bricks and concrete blocks to achieve good ventilation. The processed water is being diverted back into the Ruvuma River through a 15-meters-wide discharge channel.

Foto: Hydro-Solar

“I knew Mr. Fuchs personally and after his passing, his daughter Mrs. Stockmayer-Fuchs approached me. As the head of the Robert Fuchs Foundation, she asked me to look after the power plant in Chipole and find solutions on how to best use the full potential of the site,” says Albert Koch, who already had decades of experience in the hydropower field. “I sat down and prepared well before traveling to Tanzania half a year later. I had some ideas for galvanization works, mills, juicers and the production of cans in mind. However, when I arrived in the bush, I realized quickly that it was all out of the question: distances were too great, roads were in very bad conditions and, worst of all, there were no potential buyers who would be able to spend money on the goods.” While Albert Koch had been in Switzerland contemplating possible solutions, the Sisters of the Convent had launched their own initiative and had purchased a corn mill in the meantime. From now on the electricity could be used entirely.

LOOKING FOR A SITE When Albert Koch arrived in Chipole he saw the enormous charitable commitment of the Benedictine Sisters. Institutions worked smoothly and about 2000 students were perfectly taken care of. Furthermore he was impressed by the humble and economical way the Sisters lived. That was when he decided to support their cause. “I asked the Prioress if we could obtain further water rights from the staphoto credits: Kössler

built a small-scale power plant with an output of 400 kW in order to ensure clean electricity for the convent. The plant still serves this purpose today. Until recently, however, the Sisters did not have the possibility to use more than half of the plant's potential. But progress would not stop there and the far-away Swiss canton of Schwyz would again assist in the development.

May 2016

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photo credits: Kössler

The dam was realized in two non-homogenous earth-filled dams. The wing walls were designed as retaining walls with a reinforced concrete structure.

pedition. When we approached the Tulila area we could hear the distant sound of rushing water. To me it was clear: it's here or nowhere,” Albert Koch says. It was the right place and all arrangements regarding water rights, purchase of land, electricity consumers and various licenses were made. “We were lucky that at that time the state-owned electricity supplier Tanesco had planned to issue an agreement to purchase electricity from external power plants for the main grid. That facilitated the whole matter.” For the next 15 years Tanesco will pay a reimbursement for the feeding-in to the amount of 26 US cents per kWh. PROACTIVE SISTERS After Koch had returned home to Switzerland he began with the construction project, setting up a plan and the financial strategy of the project. The costs were estimated at about 30 million US dollars. The entrepreneur took care of one third of the costs with his own capital, another part was met by the foundation and the rest came from a loan financed by Credit Suisse Bank covered by Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV. “At the beginning of August 2014 the funding of the project was secured. Until then I had to pay for all costs personally,” adds Albert Koch, who seems to 1 18.04.2016 have takenAdvert_ quiteZEK_AF-Iteco_2016_EN_Var3.pdf a big entrepreneurial risk.

The Swiss entrepreneur, who says of himself that he is “infected with the hydropower virus”, is without a question the “father of the powerplant project”. Where there is a “father” there must be a “mother”: Yoela, a very active Sister, devoted all her energy to the realization of the project. “Sister Yoela dedicated all her time to the hydropower project. Today everyone, every institution, every board knows her. She has connections to the highest positions, even to the CEOs of Tanesco and EWURA,” says Albert Koch. TWO-LINED PROCESS WATER By early 2013 all licenses for the hydropower project had been obtained and the venture could begin. Construction camps and accommodations were set up, a freshwater system was installed and the construction works began. The project was conceived as a run-of-the-river power plant with a combination of an earth-filled dam and a weir. A constant reservoir filling during operation guarantees a reservoir surface of 0.75 km². The area around Tulila is sparsely populated and the backwater has only a minor impact on the settlement area and the local agriculture. The depth of the water at the inlet channel is 7.5 m, resulting in a gross head of 22.40 m, whereas the 16:34:29rate is 40 m³/s. The weir and dam sysflow

tems are designed to withstand a one-thousand-year flood. The process water channel consists of two separate 190-meters-long process water penstocks of the sizes DN2300 and DN2500. The penstocks were chosen in two different dimensions in order to transport one inside the other. In this way the transport costs could be diminished by half. The two penstocks have been installed and a third penstock is planned to be built in as soon as the third machine unit is placed. At the moment two identical double regulated Kaplan turbines from Lower-Austrian hydropower specialist Kössler are in operation in the power house. The two units have a total output of 5 MW. Including the planned third machine unit, the hydropower plant will bring forth an installed capacity of 7.5 MW. Having passed the turbines the process water will be diverted again into the Ruvuma River through a 100-meters-long side channel. WEIR PLANT OF 111 METERS IN BREADTH The barrage consists of one non-homogenous earth-filled dam on each side of the river, wing walls between the earth-filled dams and the weir, as well as a fixed weir with 15 identical round-crested overflow sections, which are separated by pillars supporting the concrete bridge above the weir. Furthermore it has one inlet structure including three inlet chambers as well as two bottom outlets identical in construction. The total breadth of the weir plant is 111 m, with weir openings of 6 m each. The concrete building of the power house was erected on solid rock. It houses the turbines, the generators, the control system, the transformers, the medium voltage electric power distribution system, an indoor crane, the drainage system, an emergency power system, as well as the control, supervision and communication equipment. To deliver the electricity to the customers in Songea, the capital of this region, a 90-kilometers-long overhead power line was built. PROBLEMS OF MULTILINGUALISM Basically, the power plant and its entire components correlate with the high European standards. During the realization of the pro-

Small Hydropower Plants

Consulting, Design and Implementation

AF-Iteco Ltd Alte Obfelderstrasse 68 CH-8910 Affoltern am Albis Tel: +41 (0)44 762 18 18 iteco@afconsult.com www.iteco.ch

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May 2016

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Hydropower Soil and hydraulic engineering Renaturation Rural electrification Operational advisory Financial management Delevopment cooperation in the infrastructure sector

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photo credits: Kössler

The exposed position of the construction site was a big challenge for all workers involved.

ject, however, the people involved had to face some major challenges. Diploma engineer Lothar Groschke of AF-ITECO AG was the manager of the project and was there during the entire construction phase to set the conditions for the operation and to assure a smooth progress. He says: “We had only a limited choice of special products with the building material available, so we had to rearrange some construction works and their sequences. We had to work without any armoring and standard joint armor systems and we constructed the weir with cyclopean concrete because of the construction material available on site.” An important factor was the communication, which wasn't always easy, “First we had to explain the facts to the Sisters in English, but in a way that even people who were no experts on construction would understand. Then the explanation was translated from English into Swahili. The construction entrepreneur, who spoke Swahili rather poorly, then translated the things that he understood into Chinese. Some parts were lost in the translation and it happened quite often that we spoke about two completely different things. We managed by drawing drafts on the ground and gesticulating,” construction manager Åke Aurebekk explains the art of communication.

The equipment for the electromechanics by Kössler (Austria), the electrical equipment and control systems by Schubert Elektroanlagen (Austria), the hydraulic steel engineering by Fäh Anlagen- und Maschinenbau (Switzerland) and the penstocks by APR Schweiz were imported from Europe. The Sisters of the Chipole Convent organized the complex transport from Dar es Salaam Port to the construction site. The exposed position of the construction site was a big challenge, says Karl Henninger, project manager of Kössler: “The arrival of people as well as the transport of goods had to be arranged in different stages. All parts were shipped from Hamburg to Dar es Salaam, where they were transported by truck onto the construction site in the Southwest of Tanzania. The installation team also traveled to Dar es Salaam and from there by plane to Songea and from there by Jeep to the site.”

Another important aspect of the transport is that the single parts were delivered in various “lots”, to keep the outside storage periods short and guarantee a smooth installation schedule. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA – A FAMILIAR PLACE The order from summer 2013 wasn't the first order from this part of the world for the hydropower specialist from Lower Austria. Kössler had pursued business in the Sub-Saharan region for many years before. The renowned turbine manufacturer had already equipped power plants in Tanzania, Rwanda and Cameroon. Even the machine unit of the existing plant of the Benedictine Sisters had originally been delivered from the far-away village of St. Georgen, Lower Austria. The unit has been operating reliably for the Sisters of the Chipole Convent for more than a decade now.

The weir was constructed using quarry stone masonry and cyclopean concrete. The earth-filled dam consists of a carrier core permeable to only a little water and a waterproof core. It was built in layers, each of which was sealed separately.

photo credits: Kössler

ACROSS WATER AND LAND The access road to the construction site had already existed. The state of the district roads was quite acceptable. It was only necessary to improve the shape, breadth and drainage of the dirt road towards the construction site and make it an all-weather road to guarantee access also during the rainy season.

May 2016

FIRST ELECTRICITY IN SUMMER 2015 The first delivery of the turbines from Lower Austria to their distant destination, Tanzania, took place at the end of September 2014. One month later the second machine unit would follow. “We started with the installation in January 2015. Again and again small constructional delays led to minor interruptions, but all in all the work continued consistently. The commissioning was executed in two stages: at the end of August and at the beginning of September last year the required dry runs were carried out. In order to connect the plant faster to the grid and start making money off it sooner we decided to put the weir into partial operation. The operation of the entire weir was launched in January this year. All remaining works were carried out after the commissioning of the entire plant, such as building the bridge above the dam.” An essential aspect regarding the operation requirements of the power plant is its capaci-

Technical Data • River: Ruvuma • Flow Rate: 26.6 m3/s • Gross-Head: 22.4 m

Country: Tanzania

(Final expansion stage: 40 m3/s) l

Net-Head: approx. 21.7 m

• Weir: 15 identical weir hatches

Width: 6 m each

• Reservoir: Backwater: 4.5 km

Capacity: 1.85 m3

• Inlet Ports: 3 pieces

Width: 3.75 m each

• Turbines: Z-Kaplan-Turbines (vertikal) • Number of Turbines: 2 pieces (Final expansion stage: 3 pc) • Manufacturer: KÖSSLER l Rotation speed: 375 rpm • Output: 2.581 kW each

Runner diameter: 1,600 mm

• Generatores: Synchronous - 2 pieces • Control & elektrical Equipment: Schubert Elektroanlagen • Penstock: 3 separate pipelines • Material: GF-UP

Length: approx. 190 m

Supplier: APR Schweiz

• Pipe Diameter Ø DN2500/DN2300

Pressure class: PN6

• Residual water: not less than 465 l/s (Low flow periode) • Operating Mode: Isolated Operataion / On-Grid Mode • Energy Capacity: 36.14 GWh (Final expansion: 44,5 GWh)

May 2016

The new machine unit was inaugurated by the Benedictine Sisters.

ty for isolated operation. “We had to clarify various details with the state-owned Tanesco beforehand, because for now the plant runs in isolated operation. That is also the reason why we obtained the higher feed-in tariff of 26 US cents per kW. It will sink to one third of the current tariff as soon as the national 132 kV power line reaches the Ruvuma Region and electricity is fed into the state grid. At the moment Tanesco is planning a 300-kilometers-long power line from Makambako to Songea, the capital of Ruvuma,” says Christian Strupp, section head of Hydro at AF-ITECO. ISOLATED OPERATION UNDER TECHNICAL EXAMINATION Even on the technical side the isolated operation was a core aspect of the project. The two “Blasting Sister” Sistahili instructs the local construction workers on how to fill the blasting holes correctly.

machine units are responsible for supplying the wide-spread “island”-like grid of the rural surroundings all the way to the city of Songea, a power grid marked by constant oscillations and outages. Kössler's biggest challenge was to make the turbines run in outage situations and keep them going at minimum performance until the grid would be reestablished. “Our constructing engineers have managed to enable the difficult isolated operation by using enormous mechanical centrifugal masses, a very complex control system and an electronic load controller,” says Karl Henninger. He admits that there were enough challenges to be overcome. These could not have been managed without the constructive and respectful teamwork of the building owners, planners and the executing company. The technician from Lower Austria adds that the photo credits: AF-Iteco

The entire order for Kössler comprised the two turbine and generator units, the entire electrotechnical equipment consisting of a very complex control system, the indoor crane as well as the connecting pipes to the penstock. The two vertical Z-Kaplan turbines have a runner diameter of 1600 mm and are designed for a net head of 21.70 m and a design flow of 13.30 m³/s. The nominal output of the two turbines is 2581 kW. A special axial arrangement and the specific type of turbine make them perfectly suitable for the conditions of the Tulila site. In general, Kössler turbines are known for their high degree of efficiency through a most modern design and a high overall quality, which guarantees a longer life.

photo credits: Kössler

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In its first expansion stage two machine units were installed. The two Z-Kaplan turbines from Kössler have a nominal output of 5 MW.

At the moment the power plant - in its first expansion stage - operates two Kössler Kaplan turbines producing a total average output of 36 GWh a year. This number, however, exceeds the grid demand of 20 GWh enormously. This is the reason why the third machine unit has not yet been installed. The unit will be placed as soon as the electricity demand increases. In its final stage the Tulila hydropower plant will have an average output of 44.5 GWh a year. photo credits: Kössler

PRODUCTION EXCEEDS DEMAND The top priority of the project was an environmentally friendly realization. From the first outlines of the project Albert Koch and the Benedictine Sisters of Chipole constituted that the construction would not have any negative consequences on the environment. For this reason an unchanging amount of residual flow on various places of the dam structure is being discharged. The total guaranteed flow is 465 l/s minimum; in the rainy season, which runs from July to December, the amount is augmented to 930 l/s minimum.

photo credits: Kössler

Europeans were very well taken care of: “It was very nice to have such a beautiful construction camp. The Sisters of the Convent provided the best food and accommodation.” The Benedictine Sisters from Chipole are to a great extent responsible for the success of the project. They were in charge of import and customs formalities, as well as logistical coordination. They even conducted blasting operations as one of the Sisters is a trained explosives engineer. The Sisters were supported by initiator and project sponsor Albert Koch, who supervised the construction progress the entire time, and by the planners of AF-ITECO, who assisted in the many negotiations on various concessions. The planning agency was also involved in the financial talks with banks and in the surveillance of the construction costs.

The Sisters of the Chipole Convent took on a significant position in realizing the construction of the power plant. Sister Yoela (third from left), especially, was fully committed to the project. The initiator of the project Albert Koch (second from right) made most of the arrangements for the hydropower project on his own.

IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE LOCALS Until only recently the needed electricity was produced by diesel generators in the power center in the capital city of Songea. They have been taken off the grid one after the other. This means cost savings for the consumers and a striking ecological improvement for the climate. An incredible 36,000 tons of harmful CO2 are being saved with this method. Another important fact is that the degree of electricity available for this remote region with its 300,000 to 400,000 inhabitants will be increased. Until now only 5 percent of all households in the Ruvuma Region were connected to the power grid. The new Tulila power plant will help households without power receive clean hydropower electricity - an aspect crucial to the development of the region. The new power plant is a huge gain for the proactive Sisters of Chipole, as the better part of its proceeds will be dedicated to social and charitable endeavors. As soon as the credit capital is repaid the ownership of the hydropower plant will be passed over to the BSSA Convent. The initiator of the project Albert Koch can now take stock. He achieved his goal to set a long-term economic basis for the Benedictine Sisters' further projects with flying colors. However, this doesn't mean that the Swiss entrepreneur will now sit back. He is already focused on a new hydropower plant project. The new undertaking will help yet another convent. He still sees great potential in combining hydropower and development aid in Africa. May 2016

photo credits:Andreas Hermsdorf_pixelio.de

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A long journey: the pipes started their journey by container vessel to Dar es Salaam from the cargo port of Hamburg. The pipes were then delivered to the power plant construction site. by truck.

GONDRAND PROJECT FORWARDER – THE EXPORT EXPERTS The Swiss Gondrand Group offers tailored logistics and transport solutions worldwide. And this on the basis of a strong presence throughout Europe and China, as well as a high performance network of global partners. The strengths of Gondrand include logistics for the automotive, machine, chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries. The company also focuses on event and trade fair logistics, as well as on international transport and customs processes. At Gondrand the motto is: „We’ve been looking after our customers with the same devotion since 1866: personally, worldwide.“

Your contact for our project solutions: Gondrand International Ltd | Basel Office Uferstrasse 70 | P.O. Box 534 | 4019 Basel Switzerland T. +41 61 285 32 35 M. +41 79 929 22 66

Professionally secured and packed, the pipes were sent by APR Schweiz on the long journey to the project location in Tanzania.

GRP pipework systems for hydropower facilities Key benefits of pipework systems made from GPR: • Variable diameter, from DN 100 to DN 4000 • High pressure resistance, up to 32 bar • Flexible length (standard lengths are 3, 6 and 12 m)

Distribution in Switzerland: APR Allpipes Rohrsysteme (Schweiz) AG Hauptsitz: Bachmatten 9, CH-4435 Niederdorf +41 (0) 61 963 00 30 info@apr-schweiz.ch www.apr-schweiz.ch

May 2016

photo credits: Gondrand

ondrand is also the partner of choice for complicated project transports. This way, the Gondrand offices in Basel and Bremen have secured the complex transport of fibreglass pipes to the construction site of the Tullia hydroelectric power plant in Tanzania in three batches on 30 flat rack containers. The pipes were loaded onto flatbed trucks in Dresden and started on their long journey from there via the port of Hamburg by container vessel to Dar es Salaam, where they were delivered to the construction site to the complete satisfaction of the customer. From the pick-up via document management to delivery – service from one source. No matter where projects are to be realised, in the economic centres or in the remote corners of the world – you can rely on Gondrand.

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photo credits: Geppert

In the mountainous region of southern Turkey the Sebil hydro power plant has been realized. It went on grid in last year's September.

TURKISH SEBIL PEAK POWER PLANT NOW ONLINE The Sebil storage power plant in the province of Mersin went on grid in September 2015 and can produce a maximum output of approximately 25 MW. The energy producer uses a plant completely set up for full capacity operation and utilises two identically built Francis spiral turbines manufactured by Geppert GmbH of Austria. The Sebil power plant contract also marked a technical milestone in the history of the Tyrolean hydropower specialists with the production of the most powerful Francis turbines the company has ever made.

ebil Enerji Elektrik Üretim San.ve Tic.A.Ş is the name of the operating company under the ownership of the textiles business Kıvanç Tekstil A.Ş, which is responsible for running the new hydropower plant in southern Turkey. The company is ba-

sed in Adana, a city with a population of over 1.6 million inhabitants, and in more than 60 years of business the enterprise has accumulated know-how about every facet of textile production. It is also a company that has invested in the use of regenerative forms of

energy, both to serve its own energy requirements and to feed excess energy into the national grid. For example, in 2013 the largest photovoltaic system in Turkey ever to be mounted on a rooftop was installed on 12,000 m² of space above the factory, and is capable of producing up to 500 kWp.

The new dam at Tarsus River is 30 m high.

photo credits: Geppert

CONCRETE CHANNEL AND ENERGY STORAGE RESERVOIR Right from the initial conceptualisation phase for the building of the station at Sebil it was made clear that the plant would be designed for peak output purposes. The plans incorporated the engineering of a water storage dam to be fed by the Tarsus River and which would serve as an energy reservoir. A 3.2 km concrete channel and a 3 mill. m³ storage lake were built for this purpose. At a head of 160 m per machine set the turbines can rely on almost 8,400 l/s of water for energy production. The works water flows from the reservoir to be transformed into energy as it travels down

May 2016

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The capacity of the reservoir is approx. 3 Mio. m3

Fotos: Hydro-Solar

photo credits: Geppert

Foto: zek

Two identical Francis spiral turbines by Geppert together with synchronous generators by Indar habe been installed in the machine house.

XL FRANCIS TURBINE Although Geppert has been successfully involved in several international hydroelectric projects down the years, the Sebil power plant contract posed a very special challenge. Part of the project required the construction of two Francis turbines, each to generate a remarkable power output of around 12.5 MW. At the time the contract was awarded Geppert hadn’t yet manufactured such large and powerful machines. Assistance with the basic design of the machines was provided by the Tyrolean energy suppliers TIWAG, with whom the turbine manufacturers have worked successfully on numerous challenging projects in the past. BUILT FOR TURKEY – MADE IN TYROL The construction plans were already complete around two months after the award of the contract, after which it was then possible to commence production of the turbines. In the past few years Geppert has invested heavily in equipment for its ultra-modern machine park. This makes it easy for the company to conduct complex tasks, such as the

photo credits: Geppert

around 450 m of DN 2200 high pressure welded steel piping. “Normally such heads require the installation of either Francis or Pelton turbines. However, because the operational concept for the plant was designed for full power usage and there is a large water flow volume available, two identical Francis spiral turbines were considered to be the best technical solution on offer”, reports Geppert’s Project Manager Ulrich Ruggenthaler (Ing.). He continued: “This technical solution was selected since the power plant was designed to serve market requirements by producing peak current.”

manufacture of impellers or the processing of rotor blades and directional blades, all with CNC-driven tool machines and providing a guarantee of excellent precision and quality. The customer was completely satisfied with the technical expertise invested in the production of the Francis turbines for the Sebil power plant. All of the Francis machine parts and components were manufactured in Geppert’s factory in Hall in Tyrol, from the runner to the guide vanes to the housing. As well as producing the turbines, the full scope of delivery for the project also included two solid butterfly valves and two hydraulic motors to control the guide vanes. Furthermore, two identical generators made by the Spanish manufacturers Indar Electric S.L were installed to transform force into electricity. Indar is one of the

HYDRO GENERATORS Rehabilitation and Repowering Services

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May 2016

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Foto: Hydro-Solar

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turbine shafts for the purpose of power transformation. Both of the generators are 6,300 V units, each with a nominal apparent power of 14,000 kVA, and each weighing more than 36.5 metric tonnes.

Each of the two identical Francis spiral turbines has a nominal power output of 12.5 MW. They are the most powerful machines ever to have been provided by the hydropower specialists at Geppert.

world’s leading manufacturers of generators for small and medium-sized hydro-electric power plants. Currently, the total power output of all the company’s products in use in 40 countries around the world amounts to roughly 6.5 GW. INSTALLATION IN SUMMER 2015 On-site installation of the turbine sets was conducted by two experienced Geppert technicians in the summer of 2015. Additional support installing the machines was provided by local engineers. This enabled all the installation work and integration of periphe-

ral technical infrastructure to be completed in around 2½ months. “The above-average weight of the machines made it necessary to anchor the spiral-shaped turbine body with high-strength concrete blocks”, explained the Project Manager Mr. Ruggenthaler. The identical turbines are both designed to deal with a flow volume of up to 8,375 l/s over a gross height drop of 161 m, and to produce a maximum power output of 12,502 kW. Each of the Francis impellers is 980 mm in diameter and rotates at precisely 750 rpm. Two horizontally installed synchronised Indar generators have been directly coupled to the

ONLINE SINCE AUTUMN 2015 The trial period for the power plant began in September 2015 after a building phase of around 18 months. “Actually, commissioning had originally been scheduled to take place several months earlier, but was put back to early autumn due to construction delays. Ultimately, having completed the twomonth trial period successfully, the plant went into regular operation at the end of October last year”, explained Ulrich Ruggenthaler, who drew a very positive conclusion on completion of the project. The Sebil hydropower plant has become an all-round success in terms of electricity production, as underlined by its level of efficiency in the generation of energy since the plant went online. Around 30 GWh of sustainably produced electricity was generated in a little over half a year to guarantee full power supply in peak consumption periods.

Technical Data w Flow Rate: 16,740 l/s w Net Head: 161 m w Turbines: Francis-Spiralturbines horizontal w Numbers: 2 pc. w Manufacturer: Geppert w Flow rate per turbine: 8,370 l/s w Nominal Speed: 750 Upm w Nominal Output: 12,5 MW each w Generator: synchronous

w Manufacturer: Indar w Power 14,000 kVA w Voltage 6,300 V (IEC) Foto: zek

w Generator's Weight 36,750 kg w Dam Height: 30 m Foto: zek

w Open Gravity Channel: L: 3,240 m w Penstock: L: 450 m Ø DN 2,200 w Material: Steel

May 2016

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POWER PLANT IN CENTRAL NORWAY GOES LIVE UTILIZING LEADING TECHNOLOGY Since last May, the Nord-Trøndelag province in central Norway boasts yet another ecologically sustainable facility providing electricity. On the river Nyvikelva in Røyrvik near the Swedish border, electricity provider Norsk Grønnkraft AS has built a high-pressure power station supplying electricity for 300 regional homes. This performance is guaranteed by the gensets installed, consisting of a Francis turbine provided by the Norwegian hydropower specialist, Spetals Verk, and a high-grade synchronous generator from the Austrian manufacturer, Hitzinger. The Austro-Norwegian gensets have a 2.1 MW power rating.

A GENSET WITH A TRACK RECORD The most recent addition to the Norwegian grids was built on the river Nyvikelva in Røyrvik. It is part of the 38 hydroelectric plants that Norsk Grønnkraft AS operates in Norway. The firm is one of the countries two biggest operators and became part of the German Aquila Kapital holding company at the end of 2014. Four or five years ago, Norsk Grønnkraft had started planning the small-scale hydroelectric unit on the Nyvikelva River. The contract for the electrical equipment was signed in

May 2016

Commissioned in May, 2015, the genset in the Nyvikelva hydroelectric power station – consisting of a turbine made by the Norwegian manufacturer Spetals Verk and a Hitzinger generator – is generating clean electricity for the central Norwegian province of Nord-Trøndelag, about 6 Gigawatt-hours per year.

March, 2014. The project saw completion in early May of 2015, when the plant was officially commissioned. Like for the Havdalen and Svartvann before, Spetals Verk provided the turbine, while the matching generator was supplied to the far north by the long-established Austrian manufacturer, Hitzinger. The tried and tested combination was once more to be installed in the new Nyvikelva power plant. GRP IS TUBING MATERIAL OF CHOICE The river Nyvikelva has a catchment area covering some 40 square kilometres (15 square miles) of the surrounding highlands. A flow rate of 3.0 m3/s can be utilized for electricity generation. The works water is guided to the power house through an 850 m (2,800 ft.) penstock that was completely laid underground. The pipes used are a glass fibre reinforced plastic piping system with a nominal

photo credits: Spetals Verk

ith only 0.32 inhabitants per square Kilometre (0.12 per square mile), Røyrvik counts among Norway’s least densely populated communities. Røyrvik is part of the Børgefjell national park that spans four communities and borders on Sweden. The characteristic mountain ranges and a rich, untouched nature are prime features of the land. In view of sustainable nature and landscape protection, ecologically viable electricity generation within the region enjoys excellent public acceptance and public approval. This is why hydroelectric power generation has an elevated relevance in the Northwest of the Nord-Trøndelag province. As early as the 1960es and 1970es, big stations were built in this region. More recently, modern small-scale hydroelectric power plants were erected such as Havdalen and Svartvann, to name only two.

dimension of DN1200. The power house is situated at an elevation of 460 m (1,500 ft). With its wooden face, it blends in with the surrounding natural environment. The heart of the plant inside the power house has been optimally adapted to the conditions on site. “This genset configuration is typical of and really without a viable alternative for the given combination of head and flow“, explains Magnus Jonassen, general manager of Spetals Verk. Once again, this manufacturer’s time-tested Francis Common Blade turbine technology was installed. OPTIMALLY ADAPTED The turbine specialists from south-eastern Norway designed the turbine for a nominal flow of 3.0 m3/s and a 79.7 m (262 ft) head. The turbine’s rated power is 2,139 kW. The required voltage is supplied by a directly coupled synchronous generator from Hitzinger

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designed for a rated power of 2,350 kVA at 750 rpm. “Tradition, experience, quality and the unparalleled cost/performance ratio were the four most powerful motivators to finally decide in favour of a Hitzinger generator“, says Magnus Jonassen. There is also another significant benefit that has become something of a Hitzinger brand characteristic: Each individual generator is perfectly adapted and optimized to its operating environment. In particular, Hitzinger individually defines the proportional number of electrical sheets used in a machine so that the loss density is limited to a minimum. It is for this reason that the generators feature a singularly high efficiency. The generator specifically designed for the Nyvikelva hydroelectric power station achieves efficiency factors in excess of 97 % even under partial load. Relative to its 11 ton weight, the machine with its eight-pole design delivers a very high power output of 2,350 kVA. PURPOSE-BUILT HEATER FACILITATES “COLD STARTUP” As part of the specific configuration for this power station, the generator came equipped with a flywheel so it can cope better with possible pressure surge scenarios. The wheel has a 1,920 mm (6 ft 4 in) diameter and weighs about 3.5 tons. This results in a total torque of inertia of 1,900 kgm2. The conceptual design of the generator took the harsh Scandinavian climate into account as well. Hitzinger engineers say they have installed a new and more powerful type of stationary heating system. It allows a problem-free restart after prolonged standstills in winter even in subarctic temperatures.

The river Nyvikelva has a catchment area covering some 40 square kilometres (15 square miles) in the eastern part of central Norway.

photo credits: Spetals Verk

The new small-scale power station was built in Røyrvik, a scarcely populated community in the eastern part of the central Norwegian province of Nord-Trøndelag.

River reliably feeds electricity to the Norsk Grønnkraft grid. On average, it supplies a total of some 6,8 GWh per year. This amount of electricity is sufficient to supply about 300 Norwegian homes. The yield exceeds the electricity required by the 500 residents of the sparsely populated national park community. For Norsk Grønnkraft AS as the operator, one significant aspect was that the power station is subsidised by the government following a certificates scheme similar to that in many other countries. This helped assure the plant’s economic feasibility. Thanks to the power station operator’s wealth of experience, it was possible in spite of tight economic pressure to assure a high-quality implementation, guaranteeing both reliable and effective operations of the plant for decades to come.

ELECTRICITY FOR 300 HOMES Meanwhile, the Austro-Norwegian genset in the new Røyrvik power house has had several months to prove its high quality and reliability. Since last May, the new small-scale power station on the Nyvikelva

Technical Data w Flow Rate: 3,0 m3/s

w Catchment Area: 40 km2 w Net Head: 79.7 m

w Turbine: Francis Common Blade

w Manufacturer: Spetals Verk

w Turbine kW

w Rotational Speed: 750 rpm

w Generator: Synchronous Generator

w Manufacturer: Hitzinger

w Generator Capacity: 2350 kVA

w Nominal Current: 1966 A

w Voltage: 690 V

w Overspeed: < 30 sec: 1503 rpm

w Cos phi: -0.86 to +0.95

w Weight: 11 to

w Flywheel: Ø1920 mm

w Weight: 3.5 to

w Penstock: length: 850 m Ø DN1200

w Material: GFR

w Standard Capacity: 6,8 GWh

photo credits: Norsk Grønnkraft

w River: Nyvikelva (Nor)

The new Nyvikelva power station is one of 38 hydroelectric plants of the Norwegian energy supplier Norsk Grønnkraft AS, who is part of the German Aquila Kapital holding company.

May 2016

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pictures: Troyer AG

The „masi di contra“ power plant is the first out of three power plants using the turbined water of the storage power plant in Cogolo.

WITH TEAMWORK AND SHORT COMMUNICATION CHANNELS TO SUCCESS The reservoir Pian Palù lies at approx. 1,800 m above sea level and was constructed by the ENEL in the 1950s. The around 15 million cubic metre impounding reservoir supplies the hydroelectric power plant in Cogolo built in 1929. The Trentino municipality of Pejo, which owns the water concession, decided in 2014 to reuse the water turbined there further down in the valley to generate power. With a maximum design capacity of 10,000 l/s, a decision was made in favour of the construction of three downstream power plants. The South Tyrolean Troyer SpA was commissioned with the delivery of a total of six Francis turbine units, medium voltage equipment and the control engineering for the two upper of the total of three power plants. With a planned schedule of only 11 months, the turbine pros from Sterzing had to design, produce, install and complete the commissioning of all units– a challenge that could only be met with teamwork.

he municipality of Pejo has around 1,800 residents and lies at an average elevation of 1,173 m in the Val di Pejo, a tributary valley of the Val di Sole. It is also located in the well-known National Park Stilfserjoch and is surrounded by a majestic mountain world with the peaks of the Cevedale, Palon de la Mare, San Matteo and the Vioz. The 105 km long River Noce also has its origins there in the national park at 3,360 m above sea level. On its way through the Pejo valley it is dammed at around 1,800 m above sea level in the Lago Pian Palù. From there the water travels underground to the power plant in Cogolo. Up to 10,000 l/s are used there for the generation of peak energy. From here, the water is directed back into the Noce river through an outflow channel. However, there was a considerable head still unexploited by the original

May 2016

ENEL project. The municipality of Pejo, as the holder of the water concession, decided in 2014 to fully exploit this hydro potential and tendered the construction of three downstream power plants.

the design, delivery, installation and commissioning of a total of six machines including the technical equipment on 20 June 2014,“ says Martin Windisch, Project Manager of Troyer SpA.

INDEPENDENT POWER PLANTS One specification was that each power plant must be capable of operating independently if the municipality wanted to sell one of the power plants. In addition, each power plant must be able to pass on the entire design flow downstream in the event of a malfunction. The invitation to tender also separated the two upper downstream power plants, christened as Contra and Castra, from the third downstream plant. This resulted in two separate construction projects that were realised separately. „For the two upper power plants Contra and Castra we received the order for

IDENTICAL EQUIPMENT The same mechanical equipment was ordered both for Contra and for the downstream Castra. To shorten the time necessary for engineering, the same hydraulic profiles were used on the two power plants, which differ only slightly in the gross head. The latter amounts for Contra to 84.13 m and for Castra to 77.68 m. The construction of a water catchment wasn‘t necessary, as, in the case of the Contra power plant, the water from the outflow channel of the upstream plant is guided directly via a surge tank with a connected penstock to the machines. The Castra power

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One of the two horizontal Francis turbines built by Troyer SpA and installed at the Maso Castra plant.

plant is supplied by a 1,275 m long penstock by the Contra power plant. Two horizontal Francis turbines with a rotational speed of 600 RPM and a smaller vertical Francis turbine with a rotational speed of 750 RPM ensure power generation in each of the two power plants. In this way the power plants achieve good efficiency even with low flows of water. The Contra power plant is able to reach a total output of 6,815 kW while Castra is able to produce 6,308 kW. In the case of the generators, a choice was made in favour of synchronous machines from WKV for the horizontal and from TES for the vertical turbines. „In order that the maximum design quantity may be forwarded to the next plant in the event of a malfunction, we also delivered and installed three dissipation valves,“ according to Windisch.

level rises, then the Castra power plant knows that the upstream power plant is working again and the automation system will start up the machines at Castra. However, the Castra power plant of course has a seamless communication channel with Contra and its automation system is able to prepare for the precise quantity of water. A communications interface with the storage power plant would be desirable, but at the moment it does not seem that a direct communication channel will be opened any time soon. TIGHT SCHEDULE SHORTENED FURTHER The biggest challenge in this project, however, was the tight schedule of only 11 months

from the issuing of the order to commissioning. Together with the condition of having to deliver six machines, this is very ambitious. „On 22 August 2014 we received approval of the design drawings and the delivery of the first components had to take place five months later. A project like this can only be successfully completed on time if the equipment is delivered by one supplier, whose departments have excellent teamwork and comunicate through extremely short channels, such as in our company“, reports Project Manager Windisch. Troyer was able to comply with the delivery deadline set for January 19th, 2015. However, during the course of the project, the South Tyrolean supplier was informed that the deadline for the end of commissioning had been anticipated by 14 days. Given the already tight schedule, this was a real challenge. „We had to act very quickly and decided to set up a second mounting and commissioning team who worked simultaneously on the second plant“, according to Windisch. Thanks to perfect and simple communication between all technicians involved,, this challenge could also be mastered, and the two plants were able to go online with the national grid on time on May 14th, 2015. A total of 15,000 man hours were necessary on the part of Troyer AG for the realisation of this project. With 6,000 man hours, nearly half of these were dedicated to installation. „It was definitely a very challenging year for our company, and sometimes we all wonder how we were able to manage it all,“ summarises Martin Windisch. An additional vertical turbine ensures good efficiency even with low flows of water.

PRODUCTION DIFFICULT TO PREDICT The exact amount of energy produced by the three downstream plants is difficult to estimate. The problem, which also played a role for the designing of the power plant control system, lies in the unpredictable peak production of the storage power plant. If nothing is produced upstream, the machines of the downstream power plants don‘t receive a single drop of water for the turbine blades. „The production of the storage power plant is determined by the prices obtained on the energy market for the day ahead, which closes at 10 PM. But the downstream power plants, especially Contra as the first stage, receive no information with regard to this,“ according to Martin Windisch. The only way to gauge the water flow coming out from the upstream power plant is by means of a water level reagulation in the compensation basin. If the water

May 2016

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WATER INTAKE AT SUSASCA POWER PLANT

In the autumn of 2015 modifications were undertaken on the La Jenna water intake of the Susasca Power station in Susch, Switzerland. The main

Heated clearing rake

point of the project was the conversion to a fine grid with a new horizontal machine for clearing the grid. The decision was taken to install a purely electromechanically driven version from Wild Metal, the South Tirol-based

Heated screen

specialist in water-related steel structures. This was both an efficient and a robust solution. The machine is protected against the weather by a closed Plexiglas canopy which also acts as a safety barrier. Fine and coarse flotsam is now removed fully automatically by the screens at all times of the year. Wild Metal also supplied the bottom outlet and the sluices which also incorporated further innovative solutions. The operators of the power company OESS SA were clearly delighted. Wild Metal is one of the most innovative companies in the field of modern water-related steel structures for today’s alpine hydropower requirements.

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May 2016

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photo: GLOBAL Hydro

Foto: Wikimeida

A look into the machine room at the high performance Oxec I power plant in Central Guatemala that went into full operation at the beginning of this year.

GLOBAL HYDRO EQUIPS A HIGH PRESSURE PLANT IN GUATEMALA WITH RECORD-BREAKING TURBINES Expansion work is currently being carried out on hydroelectric capacity at the power plants in the heart of the high-precipitation highland area in Central Guatemala. Only recently, Energy Resources Capital Holding (ERC), the body contracting out the current work, was also responsible for ordering implementation of the Oxec I hydroelectric plant on the Oxec River around 150 kilometres away from the capital - Guatemala City. The operators ultimately chose to rely on Austrian hydroelectric expertise. The two identical Francis spiral turbines in the machine room were produced by the Upper Austrian hydroelectric specialists GLOBAL Hydro. Together they generate around 25.5 MW. They are the most powerful turbines ever to have been designed, manufactured and put into operation by these established turbine producers. In an average year Oxec I can be expected to feed around 100 GWh of clean energy into the mains grid.

n contrast to other provinces in Guatemala, the centrally situated ‘Departamento Alta Verapaz’ is usually blessed with plentiful rainfall. There are numerous rivers throughout the region. The area forms a transitional

geographical and climatic zone between the cooler climes of the highlands in the SouthWest, and the warm and humid lowlands in the East and the North. For quite a while now the conditions in the region have been exploi-

photo: GLOBAL Hydro

The works feed water overcomes the 110 m height difference in 220 m of high pressure steel piping on the way to the turbines.

ted for the hydroelectric generation of power, as was underlined by the expansion of the four Renace power plants that altogether show a total power capacity of 310 MW. Not very far away the ERC project developers had their eyes on another very promising hydropower site – the Oxec River, which joins up with the Cahabon River further downstream. This, in turn, heads off toward the Caribbean coast. “Based on hydrological data from the Instituto Nacional de Electrificatión, or INDE for short, the hydrologists and engineers at ERS developed a concept for the construction of the power plant several years ago”, explained Jose Gonzalez, who was closely involved with the entire management of the overall construction project, and whose father presides over the ERC board. COMPLEX GEOLOGICAL SITUATION The main challenges posed by the implementation of this project were the mountainous May 2016

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photo: Solel Boneh

Foto: zek

Fotos: Hydro-Solar

The 5.50 m concrete channel snakes across the mountainous landscape for a distance of around 5 km.

Foto: Hydro-Solar

Sand catchment system

photo: GLOBAL Hydro

topography of the region combined with the complex geological conditions faced at the site of the power station. The building contract was awarded to an Israeli company, Solel Boneh International (SBI). Jose Gonzalez explained that the company had profound knowledge in the field of building hydroelectric power stations. Ultimately, this expertise turned out to be absolutely vital for the creation of innovative solutions in the face of landslide proneness, due to extreme rainfall, and because

May 2016

of the general dangers of earthquakes. One such solution was the installation of a w-shaped, inverted siphon in the tail race works water. This shortened the overall headrace channel and directed the water away from the slopes most prone to landslides. Nevertheless, nature still took its course. “During the construction phase we were surprised by an immense landslide that cost us six months”, Jose Gonzalez remembered. “The remoteness of the site is a general challenge. Simply accessing the site on poorly constructed roads in this mountainous area takes around eight hours from the capital city. So precise planning is vital and there is little room for error.” Logistical coordination on site was also an issue of key importance. At peak times there were up to 800 workers on the various sites around the power station at the same time. Building work commenced in May 2013 and it took a total of more than two-and-ahalf years before the power plant was finally able to produce electricity in October of last year. At the end of November both of the machine sets were already operating at full capacity. SPECIAL SIPHON SYSTEMS Basically, the Oxec I power station is a high pressure plant with a small storage basin in the form of a 24 m dam. The storage volume generated is sufficient to operate both machines at full capacity for 4 hours, meaning the power station can also deal with maximum load situations when required. A sand catcher system was installed after the water intake section from which the sediment-free works water is routed to an open concrete gravity channel of around 5 km in length and a width of 5.50 m. On this journey the water passes two siphon systems. The gradient of the channel allows a drop of 0.40 m per kilometre. Ultimately, the concrete channel feeds the works water to a pressurised all-steel pipe feed system. The water is forced down these 225 m DN3150 pipes to the two machines in the power house. The cornerstone of the system is formed by two identical Francis spiral turbines, designed, manufactured, delivered and put into operation by the Austrian hydroelectric specialists Global Hydro Energy GMBH, who were contracted with provision and installation of all the water-towire-equipment.

photo: GLOBAL Hydro

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Each of the two identical Francis spiral turbines has a nominal power output of 12.5 MW. They are the most powerful machines ever to have been provided by the immensely experienced hydropower specialists at GLOBAL Hydro.

A HEART MADE IN AUSTRIA Each of the turbines was set up to deal with an increased flow of 12.5 m3/s and a net head of 110 m. This allows each of the Francis spiral turbines to reach a nominal output of 12.5 MW. They are the most powerful machines GLOBAL Hydro has ever produced. With a nominal rev count of 514 rpm each machine transfers the energy to a synchronous generator manufactured by INDAR of Spain. “The design of the turbines has been optimally tailored to the local hydrological conditions. The dry and rainy seasons are extreme in this region. During the dry season the flow of usable water can fall to 4 to 6 m3/s, while in the rainy season it is not uncommon to deal with water volumes of 60 to 70 m3/s. The relative proximity to the Caribbean Ocean means that tropical storms and hurricanes are no rare occurrence”, commented Jose Gonzalez, explaining the general environmental conditions.

The power station operators ERC stated several reasons for choosing the services of the Austrian hydroelectric specialists. “We had a very good feeling about working with GLOBAL Hydro right from the start. They had already installed and started up machines in Guatemala and those machines made a very positive impression. We also toured the manufacturing facility, so we were certain the very best machines and materials would be used”, recounted another ERC representative. “I would also recommend GLOBAL Hydro because of the high degree of responsibility they showed throughout the entire implementation of the project.” OXEC II IS READY TO GO The ERC operator group is made up of a total of seven private partners. The successful commissioning of Oxec I is already the second leap forward achieved in hydroelectrics in Guatemala. The next step forward is now im-

minent. Work on the Oxec II plant, which when in operation will show an installed capacity of 60 MW, is now about to commence. The new chain of power plants should go into operation in 2018 and is expected to offer around 85 MW of new hydropower capacity for the ‘land of eternal spring’ – as the most populous nation in Central America is known. On the one hand, the Upper Austrian hydropower experts see the successful ‘mission’ in Guatemala as another important reference for potential customers on the hydropower market. On the other, it marked the crossing of the 12 MW boundary, thus was a milestone in the company’s own development. The achievement provided impressive proof that the company has yet to reach the limits of its own potential.

Technical Data w Flow Rate: 25 m3/s w Net Head: 110.0 m w Turbines: Francis-Spiralturbines horizontal

The new power plant is expected to produce 96 GWh per year.

w Numbers: 2 pc. w Manufacturer: GLOBAL Hydro w Runner Diameter Ø: 1,233 mm w Nominal Speed: 514 Upm w Nominal Output: 12,531 kW each w Generator: synchronous

w Dam Height: 24 m w Open Gravity Channel: L: 5 km W: 5.50 m w Penstock: L: 225 m Ø DN1,270

photo: GLOBAL Hydro

Foto: zek

w Manufacturer: Indar

w Material: Steel w Total average capacity: 96 GWh

May 2016

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Foto: KIMA

The Gundelfingen plant is one of six run-of-river power stations along the upper Danube. The six plants, built in the 1960s, are all ready for a complete overhaul. Work is scheduled for completion in 2020 and the Gundelfingen plant was the first in line with activities commencing in the autumn of 2014.

GUNDELFINGEN MARKS THE START OF AN OVERHAUL PROGRAMME FOR THE UPPER DANUBE POWER STATIONS Bayerische Elektrizitätswerke GmbH operates six run-of-river power stations along the Danube between Oberelchingen and Faimingen, all under the ownership of Obere-Donau-Kraftwerke AG. Now showing their age, all six are to be completely overhauled, mechanically and electro-technically. This project began at the power station in Gundelfingen in September 2014 in the Swabian region of Dillingen on the Danube. The general contractorship for the completion of the project and modernisation of the turbines was awarded to Wiegert & Bähr. The task of updating all the process control, electro-technology and machine control infrastructure was handed to KIMA Automation from Gronau in Westphalia. The overhaul needs to be both ecologically sound and sustainable, so the decision was made to ask Federal-Mogul DEVA GmbH to supply their superior standard, maintenance-free sliding bearings. Completion of the modernisation and improvement of the first machine set at the power station in Gundelfingen has provided important initial experience for the comprehensive series of tasks to come.

he ‘Obere Donau Kraftwerke AG’ with its headquarters in Munich is a subsidiary of the Rhein-Main-Donau AG, partly under the ownership of Energie Baden-Württemberg, and owns six run-of-river power plants along the upper Danube. Operational management of the plants is the responsibility of Bayerische Elektrizitätswerke GmbH in Augsburg. The six power stations in question are Oberelchingen, Leipheim, Günzburg, Offingen, Gundelfingen and Faimingen. All of these stations went into operation at roughly the same time between 1960 and 1965 and are equipped with identical

May 2016

technology. Each power station is fitted with two machine sets, producing an overall power output of between 7.35 and 10.1 MW. Since there is no significant differences between the individual heads, ranging from 5.00 to 6.61 metres, all six stations produce an average of 49.5 GWh each per year. Every year one of the plants is to be thoroughly overhauled and the technology will be brought completely up to date. SMALLEST FIRST The series of overhauls began in September 2014 at the Gundelfingen station, built in the

town of the same name in Bavaria in 1964. Producing a total of 735 MW with a head of just 5 m it is, along with the plant in Offingen, the smallest of the six power stations. In an average year the station produces a total of 42.6 GWh. As both power stations are very similar, Offingen is second on the list for renovation and modernisation. DISMANTLING THE MACHINES The system in Gundelfingen is based on two double-regulated Kaplan turbines with vertical shaft and direct-coupled synchronous generator. The first step taken by Wiegert &

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maintenance or lubrication. The operators chose to rely on the expertise of the acknowledged sliding bearing specialists at Federal-Mogul DEVA GmbH. Once the corrosion protection had been renewed the flow distributor was reinstalled on site by experts from Wiegert & Bähr.

Konrad Panter of Wiegert & Bähr GmbH during dismantling work on the directional blades.

Foto: Wiegert & Bähr

A CHALLENGING SCHEDULE Size was much less of a problem than the uncertainty about the exact dimensions of the lower directional blade system bearing. This meant that the engineers had to wait right until the system had been dismantled before each of the specific dimensions could be determined. Consequently, production of the new bearing had to be carried out and completed while the mechanical overhaul was underway, so the delivery schedule was very tight and left no room for errors.

such as the axial bearing and the guide bearing, were completely overhauled. The decision regarding the flow distributor mechanism was made in favour of replacing the main directional blade bearing with superior quality sliding bearings that do not require extra

REDESIGN OF THE RUNNER ACTUATION SYSTEM FOR ENHANCED HYDRAULIC PRESSURE During the process of renewal the turbine wheel and mountings had to be adapted to cope with high pressure use. The mechanism with the old 900 mm pistons was rebuilt to take new 520 mm pistons, enabling the Foto: Wiegert & Bähr

Bähr was to overhaul the mechanical infrastructure of machine no.1, dismantle the whole control device, the turbine runner actuation system and the entire shaft bearing and mounting. The mechanical components were completely overhauled on the company’s own work shop in Renchen. All the obsolete components were replaced with the latest technology. The old regulating motor unit was replaced by a state-of-the-art hydraulic system. A dual circuit cooling system has now replaced the old bearing lubrication and cooling system. Furthermore, the hydraulic pipes were replaced with new stainless steel pipes. The additional integration of a thrust bearing lifting pump ensures the turbine can be positioned and released with a minimum of damage risk. The entire network of sensors and monitoring technology has also been completely modernised. The existing governing system was replaced by a hydraulik pressure-backuped safety system, and all of the bearings,

Improvements to the upper directional blade unit at the FA Wiegert & Bähr plant.

May 2016

Foto: Wiegert & Bähr

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Gundelfingen receives a new piston accumulator and a new regulating motor.

amounts of oil consumed to be reduced significantly. The entire oil distribution system of the new servomotor including the hydraulic valve, the pipes and the rotating runner oil supply, was brought completely up to date. Plant efficiency was significantly enhanced by separating the by separating the turbine regulation oil circuit from the bearing lubrication for turbine positioning and the bearing lubrication and cooling oil into two separate cycles. This enables each oil cycle to be optimised in terms of operational quality, volume and temperature. RENEWAL OF THE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY While the mechanical infrastructure was being overhauled, KIMA Automation was given the task of updating all the electrical and control technology. The Westphalian specialists provided machine control solutions, including fully automatic SIMATIC S7-based control and regulation units, synchronisation

for isolated operation or connection to the national grid, and ensured the plant was ideally hooked up to the existing excitation and protective devices. Dam control and general control infrastructure was within KIMA’s remit and the company delivered a control system to monitor activity and relay signals from the superordinate plant units and the weir. The scope of provision also included the entire 400 V circuit breaker system with an automatic site power circuit breaker and a diverse redundancy back-up unit with a battery supported direct current system. All of the available plant components were integrated into the new process control system including the 110 kV and 3 kV circuit breaker systems and the rack cleaning machine. KIMA installed a redundant SCADA system (Siemens WinCC) to operate the entire power plant. The next step is the installation of a fully automated regulator to control the amount of water passing the dam.

DEVA SLIDE BEARINGS Federal-Mogul DEVA slide bearings have already been used for gigantic international projects such as the world’s largest clock tower in Mecca, for the Three Gorges Dam and for the 1310 m suspension bridge over the Hardangerfjord in Norway. One of the company’s key areas of expertise is the provision of bespoke solutions for unique challenges, as was required in Gundelfingen. All of DEVA’s bearings and thrust washers were from the ‘deva.bm 392’ series with the ‘dg22’ running film. deva.bm 392 self-lubricating material consists of a bimetal structure i.e., support in stainless steel and sliding layer in sintered bronze with small particles of graphite solid lubricant homogenously distributed in its structure. The self-lubricating concept is based on surface activation of the self-lubricating material when in contact with a shaft in movement and under load. During this process, the material solid lubricant is transferred to the shaft surface then forming a film of solid lubricant, so-called transfer-film, around the shaft. This film of solid lubricant will ensure a low and stable coefficient of friction. When the bearing / shaft environment contains dirt or sand, it is recommended to design the bearing with cross cleaning grooves. These cross cleaning grooves facilitate the dirt to go out of the bearing / shaft contact surfaces therefore minimizing the impact of the dirt on the bearing performance and lifetime.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING WITH PROSPECTS - WORDLWIDE

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May 2016

21.04.2016 12:47:00

Foto: KIMA

Foto: zek

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SIMATIC S7-based machine control cabinet.

All operating conditions and parameters are now graphically displayed and recorded using the WinCC system.

AUTOMATIC FUNCTIONS AND SPECIAL PROGRAMMES In terms of efficiency the machine control infrastructure incorporates a wide variety of automatic functions and special programmes. In this way the system supports direct automatic sequences in a number of operational modes, such as standstill, idling with and without excitation, mains link-up, isolated operation to supply power for the plant’s own requirements, frequency-supported operation and a special turbine operation mode to ensure minimum water release for the cooling cycle of the adjacent nuclear power station in Gundremmingen. All of the operative mode transfers are portrayed in the graphics and recorded in detail in the WinCC. COMPLETE LINK-UP OF ALL POWER STATIONS The Ethernet network is an optical failsafe ring. The Gundelfingen power plant was linked up to the central control room in Gersthofen, the emergency unit in Günzburg and the overall grid control centre in the Bavarian city of Augsburg. Once the entire programme of overhauls has been completed in 2020 all six power plants will be linked up to a superordinate control and regulation system which is currently being developed by KIMA in cooperation with the University of Kassel. The greatest challenges were posed by water management goals such as flood damage prevention and a modern system for regulating and stabilising input into the mains power grid.

WORK COMMENCES ON MACHINE SET NO.2 The first machine set went back into operation after an overall renovation period of 10 months in July 2015. The main part of the plant went back online in March 2015. At the same time the contract was awarded to overhaul the identical power output power station in Offingen. This renovation work was carried out parallel to the overhaul of the second machine in Gundelfingen, which was taken offline in September 2015. The next power plant is due to be overhauled in 2016. If the subsequent one-plant-per-year plan can be adhered to the entire revitalisation programme should be completed in 2020. The aim is to equip the six upper Danube power stations to deal with the challenges of the next 50 – 60 years of service.

View of the 400 V switching system in the new switch room. Von den in Beton eingegoßenen Turbinen sind nur mehr die Leitapparate sichtbar.

Foto: zek

World-class bearing technology for Hydropower

Driving Innovation Foto: KIMA

World Class Bearing Technology www.federalmogul.com Federal-Mogul DEVA GmbH · Schulstrasse 11 · 35260 Stadtallendorf / Germany Phone +49 6428 701-0 · Fax +49 6428 701-108 · www.deva.de · info@ deva.de

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photo credits: KELAG

Two Francis turbines made by GUGLER Water Turbines GmbH guarantee green power is generated effectively at the Zapece hydro-plant in the Bosnian constituent republic of Srpska.

ZAPECE POWER PLANT CONTRIBUTES TO ENHANCED ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA The Zapece hydroelectric power plant in the Bosnian constituent republic of Srpska was completed in 2015. Consequently, KELAG, one of Austria’s leading energy providers, now operates another plant at the western end of the Balkans. The power station project was managed by a 100% subsidiary of KELAG – KI-Kelag International GmbH (KI) – and went online after a construction phase of around two years in the spring of 2015. Two Francis turbines manufactured by GUGLER Water Turbines GmbH were installed to enable the plant to produce more than 15 GWh per year. The commissioning of the plant means the Carinthian energy providers can now make a significant contribution to the improvement of the electricity supply situation in the region.

he KI subsidiary was founded in 2009 by KELAG with the declared aim of expanding the energy provider’s influence into south-eastern Europe. KI Project Manager Ingo Preiss explained the direction of the company’s activities: ‘Part of KELAG’s strategy is based on the principle of ensuring we can produce energy for all our customers ourselves from renewable sources. In addition to using Austria’s own waterbodies, this goal is also well-served by cooperating with states that were previously part of Yugoslavia, particularly due to their geographical proximity to Carinthia.” The volume of electricity currently produced by KELAG in the Balkan regions is around 200 GWh covering the annual consumption of approximately 33,000 average households.

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BALKAN CONNECTION SINCE 2009 KI’s involvement in the western region of the Balkans began around 7 years ago with the takeover of Interenergo d.o.o, a Slovenian

company that already had several licenses for the construction and operation of hydroelectric power plants in former Yugoslavian countries. As part of the takeover KELAG

The powerhouse shortly before it was commissioned in early 2015.

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automatically acquired the right to implement existing plans and operate completed Interenergo plants in the entire Balkan region. KELAG subsidiaries are now responsible for running 11 small-scale power plants in Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo and the Bosnian constituent republic of Srpska. Plans for another plant are currently being implemented in Kosovo. UPSTREAM PLANT ALSO NEW The Interenergo Zapece power plant on the River Ugar was commissioned for KI at the beginning of 2015. The new small-scale plant can produce a maximum power output of 3.5 MW and was built on a site very close to the upstream Novakovici plant completed in 2014. Two new Francis spiral turbines made by the Austrian manufacturer GUGLER Water Turbines GmbH form the centrepiece of the new plant. The Upper Austrian turbine specialists from the town of Goldwörth had already previously supplied the hydroelectric infrastructure for the Novakovici plant. Consequently, the company was already well acquainted with the specifics of the locality and was able to submit the most attractive bid when the call for bids arrived. Another ‘plus’ was that GUGLER Water Turbines GmbH already possessed the requisite license to carry out hydroelectric projects in the Bosnian constituent republic of Srpska, having previously entered into a cooperative agreement with a regional partner. COMPLICATED PIPE LAYING PROCEDURE KELAG’s authorised representative and project manager Ingo Preiss is an important point of contact between the Carinthian head office and the foreign subsidiaries. He described the installation of 5,744 m high pressure pipeline as the greatest challenge posed by the entire hydroelectric power plant project: “Without a doubt building the high pressure pipeline was the toughest challenge we faced. Almost the entire pipe trench along the bed of the River Ugar was flanked by steep slopes. This meant it was only possible

The tried and trusted one-third-to-two-thirds combination of two Francis turbines enables the plant to optimise the exploitation of often strongly fluctuating flow volumes.

to install short sections of pipeline at one time. In order to minimise the risk of damage due to hillside slippage, as soon as the pipeline sections had been laid the trenches were filled in immediately.” Furthermore, there were considerable difficulties in keeping water out of the trench and it was necessary to take steps to minimise the risk of flood damage. The entire pipeline was constructed using DN 1800 GRP pipes made by the German manufacturing company AMIANTIT and delivered by the Austrian pipe distributors Etertec GmbH & Co KG. KELAG COOPERATES INTERNATIONALLY In general, when awarding contracts and implementing hydroelectric projects in Balkan countries, KELAG relies on a blend of local and Central-European companies. KELAG kept faith with this proven approach when building the power station at Zapece. The water catchment system was equipped with a self-cleaning Coanda protection rake made by Wild Metal GmbH of South Tyrol.

Technical Data • Flow Rate: 5,77 m³/s

• Generators: 2 x Synchronous

• Head: 82 m

• Output Generators: 2.950 kVA/1.550kVA

• Turbines: 2 x Francis

• Manufacturer: Hitzinger

• Manufacturer: GUGLER Water Turbines GmbH

• Penstock: 5.744 m

• Output Turbine 1: 2.537 kW

• Material: GRP DN 1800

• Output Turbine 2: 1.335 kW

• Annual Energy Capacity: 5,77 GWh

Wild Metal was responsible for the fine grade grille of the ‘Grizzly’ Coanda systems; whereas the remainder of the steel water catchment structure was constructed by a Bosnian company. The rest of the steelwork of the weir system, plus the production and installation of the feed and flush protection structures, was provided by another local business in accordance with KELAG’s own planning documents. 1/3-TO-2/3 SOLUTION ENSURES OPTIMISED ENERGY PRODUCTION The well-tried and trusted ‘one-third-to-twothirds’ machine solution was chosen for the power plant in Zapece to deal with the extreme fluctuations that can be expected in the flow volumes of the River Ugar. To this end GUGLER Water Turbines GmbH supplied and installed two differently dimensioned Francis spiral turbines. The smaller machine is used when there is little available water and can produce 1335 kW of power, rotate at 1000 rpm and deal with a water volume of up to 1.85 m³/s. The larger turbine can generate a maximum output of 2537 kW, and cope with a flow volume of 3.65 m³/s at 750 revolutions per minute. Current transformation is done by two horizontally coupled synchronised Hitzinger generators. GUGLER Francis spiral construction turbines are the ideal technical solution for effective, environmentally friendly energy production under local conditions with a medium gross head water drop of 82m. “One of May 2016

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The most complicated part of the construction process at the Zapece power plant was the laying of around 5.5 km of DN 1800 high-pressure pipeline.

these tried and trusted machines can work to a capacity of 10 MW and with their standardised design they are extremely effective. The turbines are exceedingly economical and have a very long working life” outlined the company’s chief executive Alois Gugler. On top of the turbines and generators, the company – now run by the third generation of the family – also supplied, assembled and installed the hydraulic power units used to regulate turbine performance, as well as two butterfly valves: DN 1100 and DN 800. ONLINE SINCE SPRING 2015 Delivery and installation of the entire range of electro-technical equipment for the plant was carried out by the electrical technology specialists ABB via the company subsidiary in Zagreb. Modern SCADA interface control and monitoring technology enabled the power plant

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The Carinthian energy provider KELAG now operates more than ten small-scale power stations in the Balkan regions via its subsidiaries.

to be hooked up with KELAG’s headquarters in Klagenfurt, the capital city of the province of Carinthia, allowing it to be completely remotely controlled. “We achieve additional operational security by employing well-trained staff at the site who are notified via e-mail and text messaging whenever there are operational interruptions at the power plant, and can react immediately if necessary”, explained Ingo Preiss. KI’s project manager drew a positive general conclusion as regards the power plant that went online officially in the spring of 2015. Overall it was a very wonderful and challenging hydroelectric project. Despite the accompanying difficulties it was implemented excellently. The new power station is particularly beneficial for the local population. The commissioning of the plant marked a further important step towards achieving full-coverage electricity provision throughout the region.

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Picture: zek

Andenne Power Plant in Belgium is located in the town of the same name on the River Meuse. The power plant started operating with three Straflo turbines in 1980.

INCREASE IN EFFICIENCY THANKS TO NEW KAPLAN TURBINES AT ANDENNE POWER PLANT IN BELGIUM Since 1954 the Belgian utility company “EDF Luminus” has operated six hydroelectric power plants on the River Meuse. One of them is located at a lock in the Belgian town of Andenne. Andenne Power Station has been in operation since 1980 and back at this time it was equipped with three horizontal Straflo turbines. In order to improve the efficiency and flexibility of the power plant, last year it underwent a comprehensive upgrade. Part of this involved replacing two of the three Straflo units with two modern Kaplan bulb turbines from ANDRITZ HYDRO. In addition, the technical control and regulation systems were brought right up to the latest standard. EDF Luminus invested a total of €9 million in modernising the 33 GWh plant. At the beginning of 2016, the power plant successfully started operating again following an intensive test phase.

he Belgian utility company EDF Luminus accounts for around 14% of the total electrical capacity in Belgium. With an installed generation capacity of 2,137 MW, it is one of the largest power companies in Belgium and employs around 1,000 workers. EDF Luminus operates a large number of power plants with different energy sources – including six hydroelectric power plants on the River Meuse and one on the River Sambre. One of these seven power plants is located at the level of the lock on the River Meuse in the town of Andenne in Belgium’s Wallonia region. RARE STRAFLO TURBINE The Andenne run-of-river power plant has been in operation since its licence to operate was granted back in 1980, and it has always

been a reliable source of power. Up until August 2014, the plant was still equipped with three horizontal Straflo turbines with an installed output of 3.05 MW each, with a drop height of 5.35 m and a flow rate of 75 m³/s. Their name “Straflo” comes from the term “straight flow”, which describes the flow characteristics of the turbine. With this type of turbine, the rotor of the turbine and the rotor of the generator form one unit and share the same axis. This means that the Straflo turbine does not have a shaft of its own. Instead the turbine blades have a circumferential ring in which the excitation winding is integrated. By contrast, the stator winding is located around the housing of the turbine. A system of seals is installed to isolate the rotor winding from the water. The turbine shaft is mounted on one side in a sealed housing. The Straflo turbine

usually has a single regulated design. At the Andenne Power Plant, two of the three units are single regulated Straflo turbines. The third unit, on the other hand, was a double-regulated version, which it is extremely rare to find installed in Europe. Straflo turbines in general were regarded at the time they were commissioned as having a high-end technical status, but they are only occasionally encountered nowadays. The reason for this is the poor operating range of the single regulated Straflo turbine, whose efficiency drops off dramatically with an admission flow of less than 70 per cent. The start-up with the double-regulated version failed in turn due to turbulent operation and problems with cavitation. In addition to its poor control characteristics, this type of turbine is very high-maintenance and therefore costly in the area of the seals. May 2016

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To make installation easier, a new indoor crane was installed in the powerhouse.

After more than 30 years of operation, in 2013 the operator of the Andenne Power Plant decided that it needed an upgrade. The plan was that state-of-the-art power plant technology would make the plant more flexible and more efficient. The decision was taken to replace two of the three machine units. In addition, all of the electrical equipment and control technology in the plant was to be modernised. As well as achieving more flexible performance, another important aim in the upgrade of the Andenne Power Plant was to reduce the cost of maintenance. This is because the complex system of seals means that Straflo turbines have to be maintained at more regular intervals – this will now be a thing of the past with the new Kaplan turbines. DEMOLITION WORKS DURING OPERATION In August 2014, work to dismantle the two machine units began. The first step in this process was to install a new indoor crane with a load-bearing capacity of up to 40 tons in the machine hall. The intention was that it should support and facilitate the construction work in the powerhouse. “When we converted our power plant in Lixhe, we also installed a new indoor crane and at the time this proved to be extremely helpful,” says Anne-France Fontaine, senior project manager from EDL Luminus. The work to dismantle the two Straflo turbines, including the double-regulated one, took around two months. Reinforcement works were then carried out to prepare the building for the forthcoming demolition works. Further preparation was needed to completely isolate the remaining Straflo turbine

May 2016

from the construction site because the plan was that it should keep operating throughout all of the conversion work. As it is cooled by air, no dust was allowed to get into the turbine’s ventilation system. It was therefore completely separated off from the construction site by means of wooden cladding and supplied with clean air through a ventilation hose. Apart from one minor interruption, the demolition works proceeded without any problems and were completed in February 2015. “We only had to stop the demolition works for a short period of time as the construction company re-moved too much material at one point and we had to do

some more reinforcement works”, reports project manager Fontaine. LOST FORMWORK Following the demolition works, it was possible to start rebuilding the structure. In order to save time, the works on both turbine shafts took place in parallel. For the concrete works on the exhaust pipe, the decision was taken to opt for “lost formwork”. „We decided to opt for this technology while for Lixhe we used traditional wooden formworks. The handling of the parts had to be carefully designed, but once the formworks in place, this technology brought other advantages and facilitated the

After the demolition works, the turbine shaft was adapted to the dimensions of the new Kaplan bulb turbines.

Picture: Andritz

NEW EQUIPMENT

Picture: Andritz

Picture: EDF Luminus

The two Straflo turbines were removed in August 2014.

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Picture: zek

tem. This makes Andenne Power Plant more reliable as old relays were starting to fail and no more spare parts were available and also facilitates some maintenance processes. The special feature here is the fact that the power plant is connected to the EDF Luminus control centre in Seraing. This connection was provided via the “Profinet” Ethernet protocol.

Andenne Power Plant was fitted with a modern turbine control system from ANDRITZ HYDRO.

rest of the concreting operations”, reports Mrs Fontaine. This process involves leaving the welded metal formwork in the structure after the concreting process. This saves the need for costly and complicated cleaning and dismantling – and therefore also saves real cash. Another advantage is the very good surface finish, which ensures a high level of efficiency thanks to low friction losses. NEW KAPLAN TURBINES After this phase of construction lasting around five months, the two new machine units were delivered and installed from the ANDRITZ HYDRO plant in Ravensburg in July 2015. The operator replaced the two old

units with two modern Kaplan bulb turbines. They each have a power output of 2.0 MW with a maximum flow rate of 48 m³/s and a drop height of 4.94 m. This means that although they each deliver just over 1 MW less power than their predecessors, they offer a more flexible response and can still be operated efficiently even when there is a low admission flow. The installation of the machines was completed after around five weeks of work. CONNECTION TO THE CONTROL CENTRE At the same time, the power plant was also equipped with new control technology. A PLC system now regulates the old relay sys-

SAME OUTPUT On 10 December 2015, the first kilowatt hour was produced using the new machine units in Andenne. Up until the beginning of 2016, the power plant underwent trials and was adjusted to the optimum settings by the control experts from ANDRITZ HYDRO. Although the overall power output of the power plant was reduced by around 2.1 MW as a result of two smaller machines being installed, the annual production will remain roughly the same at around 33 GWh. EDF Luminus has invested a total of 9 million euros in upgrading Andenne Power Plant, which is now perfectly equipped to operate for decades to come. EDF Luminus was established in 1978 as a public utility company called SPE (Société productrice d‘électricité). After a number of structural and shareholding changes, this Belgian company, now called EDF Luminus, has become a significant renewable electricity producer and energy services supplier. EDF Luminus supplies electricity and gas to 1.8 million Belgian customers, which equates to a market share of 20%. : Only the guide vanes are still visible from the turbines, which have been cast in concrete.

Picture: zek

The teams of engineers from EDF Luminus and ANDRITZ HYDRO commissioning the plant in December 2015.

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picture: zek

Storage power station Samina in Vaduz (LI) has been refurbished and converted into a pumped-storage power plant. Since summer 2015, two identical turbines by ANDRITZ HYDRO have been generating the energy at Liechtenstein’s largest power plant. When required, the water is pumped uphill to the weekly storage reservoir in a separate pump circuit.

STORAGE POWER PLANT SAMINA RESTORED AND CONVERTED INTO PUMPED-STORAGE PLANT Storage power plant Samina in Vaduz is the Principality of Liechtenstein’s largest and most important power station. Built in the late 1940s, the facility at that time made Liechtenstein independent of outside energy sources. Until the 1960s, it was even possible to export excess energy generated here. Although the power station has recently been providing only 12% of the country’s required energy, it still plays an important role in sustaining the basic supply. However, time has taken its toll on power station Samina. A routine inspection in 2004 revealed several faults. Medium-term action was called for, prompting Samina’s operators, Liechtensteinische Kraftwerke, to come up with a plan for the facility’s future. After intense deliberations, it was decided that Samina should be restored and converted into a modern pumped-storage power plant.

ydropower plant Samina near Liechtenstein’s capital Vaduz was built shortly after World War II. Back then, the project was considered a huge economic effort. The decision to go ahead with this massive project was taken not only in the hope of creating jobs, but also with a vision for future generations. After all, the Samina storage power station promised Liechtenstein’s energy independence from the Austrian town of Feldkirch. As it turned out, it was even possible to export some of the energy until the 1960.

FROM THE SAMINA TO THE RHINE VALLEY In the Principality of Liechtenstein, suitable locations for hydropower generation are few and far between. This was also the verdict of a prestudy conducted in 1946 by a team led by Dipl.-Ing. Hans Eichberger at ETH Zurich. According to the study, the country’s only suitable source of hydropower was the Samina streamlet with its tributaries. Initially, the focus was on the Samina and Rhine valleys – an idea that was later incorporated into the power plant project. The Samina valley runs parallel to the Rhine Valley, east of the “Three Sisters”, three prominent summits of a moun-

May 2016

tain range in the Rätikon region. The bottom of the Samina valley lies 850 m in elevation above the Rhine Valley. This led to the idea of crossing the mountain ridge between the two valleys and utilising the head from the Samina to Vaduz in the Rhine Valley. HIGH-HEAD POWER PLANT WITH WEEKLY STORAGE Based on these considerations, hydropower plant Samina was finally designed as a high-head power plant with weekly storage. The intake and storage basins were built in the Samina Valley near Steg. The water passes through a channel and penstock system to the power house. Here three horizontal Pelton turbines are available for processing the motive water. Once fully commissioned, the facility provided a capacity of 9,600 kW with an annual output of 30.36 million kWh. SAFETY RISK AND NEED FOR ACTION During its many years of reliable operation, the Samina power station had been inspected regularly. In 2004, the inspection revealed serious flaws in the penstock. This implied an indirect need to act in order to defuse this immediate safety risk.

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REFURBISHMENT AND RECONSTRUCTION Additional investigations showed that the machine units also needed attention. That aside, it was necessary to ensure compliance with noise emission standards at power house site in the Schwefel region near Vaduz. In summary, the cost for the projected rehabilitation work amounted to around CHF 35m. Rebuilding the power house and expanding the facility into a pumped-storage power plant with a new underwater basin and two machine units would cost a further CHF 15m. Following extensive efficiency audits, the project team in April 2009 issued their recommendation to the Administrative Board to renovate the Samina facility and to convert it into a pumped-storage power plant. The Board agreed, and after a two-year approval process construction work began in autumn 2011. PENSTOCK REFURBISHED When planning the project, the team also reviewed the complicated course of the old penstock. One alternative under consideration was running a sloping conduit from the Steg reservoir straight to the power house in Vaduz. As it soon turned out, however, the original course was indeed the optimum solution. “Our predecessors were very clever in bypassing all the landslide patches and unfavourable geological spots. They really did an excellent job back then,” explains Gerald Marxner, President of the Board of Liechtensteinische Kraftwerke (LKW). To the delight of the engineering team, the hillside pipework that runs along the Samina watercourse as well as the power tunnel leading to the surge chamber were both in excellent condition – another achievement of the original engineers. As a result, all that had to be done was to replace the last section of the penstock.

MODERN POWER PLANT TECHNOLOGY Right on schedule, the the first of two identical machine units was installed in autumn 2014. With the design flow rate increased to 2,000 l/s, it was decided to install two identical twin-jet Pelton turbines by Andritz Hydro, which provide a max. flow capacity of 1,000 l/s each. At a net head of 816 m, the units each have an output capacity of 7,300 kW. One special feature is the fact that the 1,000 rpm Pelton rotors are linked directly to the shafts of their respective generators. Providing around 9 MVA, the generators were provided by ELIN Motoren GmbH. The Styrian-based manufacturer of electrical machines also supplied the two asynchronous motors that are used for operating the pumps. Providing a capacity of 6,100 kW each, they operate at a rotational speed of 2,980 rpm and can withstand an overspeed of 4,000 rpm. It was also a challenge to implement the flywheel with an additional inertia of 400 kgm2 to withstand such high overspeed. As for the main pump, the model chosen is a horizontal multi-stage pump, which has a capacity of 500 l/s and a discharge pressure of 85 bar. In late spring in 2015, the required installation work was complete and it was time to put the units into trial operation. READY FOR THE FUTURE The official commissioning of Samina took place on June 25, 2015 in the presence of representatives of the national, regional and municipal governments and other guests. After three and a half years of construction and a total investment of around CHF 50m, Liechtenstein’s primary power plant was ready to be connected to the grid. With its new pumped-storage plant, Liechtenstein is well equipped for a future “smart grid” scheme, according to Liechtensteinische Kraftwerke. Thanks to the separate pump and turbine circuits, the facility can react faster and more flexibly to fluctuations than large-scale facilities of the same type.

Long term operation of plants requires careful consideration of interfaces.

At ELIN Motoren, lifecycle partnership means taking care of products throughout the entire product lifecycle as well as the generation of high added value: from consulting, throughout development and manufacturing up to on-site service. We are your lifecycle partner for rotating electrical machines and solutions, working for the best companies around the world.

WE KEEP THE WORLD IN MOTION. www.elinmotoren.at

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Photo credits: Dan Peckley

In February 2015 the installation of the new high pressure pipeline marked the commencement of the construction phase for the new Bulanao hydroelectric power station in the Philippine province of Kalinga.

OSSBERGER CROSS-FLOW TURBINE PROVIDES ELECTRICITY FROM A PHILIPPINE WATER CHANNEL The Bulanao hydropower station project was completed successfully in the Philippine province of Kalinga in March 2016. It is a new, small-scale power station on the irrigation watercourse of the Upper Chico River Irrigation System (UCRIS) in the Bulanao district of Tabuk City. The operators, DPJ Engineers and Consultants (DPJ), have decided to install a cross-flow turbine made by the well-established German specialists, Ossberger, for the generation of hydropower.

ulanao power station is a water diversion plant along the UCRIS irrigation channel. A portion of the canal water is diverted through an intake structure into a short head race with integrated trash rack, before entering the 40 m long pressurized penstock, leading down to the power house, where it enters the turbine inlet. The gross head value is around 22 m and the maximum water flow is 6 m続/s. The production of electricity is done by a 1000 kW Ossberger cross-flow turbine with a horizontally coupled synchronous generator. In an average year the operators expect to produce around 5.77 GWh of green electricity.

DPJ RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING AND OPERATION The operating company DPJ was founded by the qualified civil engineer Dan Peckley in February 2008, and specialises in advisory services for engineering and for public sector infrastructure projects in the Philippines.

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DPJ was handed the responsibility for planning and operating the Bulanao station. DPJ was involved in the entire project sequence,

from initial conceptualisation to compiling detailed technical and cost-related feasibility studies.

The Ossberger cross-flow turbine produces an annual maximum output of 1000 kW and around 5.77 GWh of green electricity in the UCRIS water channel.

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Similarly, the company was responsible for obtaining all the necessary bureaucratic and ecological permits, and for sealing a power purchase agreement with the Philippine energy providers KAELCO which is currently intended to run for 15 years.

Assembly and installation of the hydro-mechanical equipment at the plant was commenced in the late summer of 2015, once the high pressure pipeline was completed.

BUILDING WORK COMMENCED LAST YEAR At the beginning of last year, as soon as all the requisite permits had been obtained from the respective authorities, construction work commenced with the building of the water catchment system. At almost the same time work began on preparing 40 m of the surface route conduit for the works water. The high pressure pipeline was manufactured using solid steel with a diameter of 1.91 m. In the later part of the summer of 2015, once the concreting of the powerhouse had been completed, the machine set was then installed. GERMAN TECHNOLOGY FOR THE ISLAND STATE All of the electro-technical and hydro-mechanical equipment for the facility was provided by the German manufacturer Ossberger. Electricity is generated by a cross-flow turbine with dual cell guide vanes. Using two differently sized cells is ideal for hydropower plant locations with varying flow volumes. The standardised construction of Ossberger turbines enables them to be precisely custom-built to the requirements of every project. This type of modular system also facilitates economies on the manufacturing side, in turn benefitting the customer at the end of the line. CLEVER CONSTRUCTION The centrepiece of the cross-flow turbine is a drum-shaped rotor with blades manufactured according to a well-proven method using foil shaped steel plates. Depending on its size, the rotor is fitted with up to 37 blades supported by multiple intermediate discs. This gives the turbine runner its extreme strength and stiffness and also prevents the occurrence of unwanted vibration. Ossberger turbines are fitted with standard self-aligning roller bearings which, theoretically, have an unlimited lifespan. The bearing housing and bearing itself form one single unit and allow the runner to be removed radially without having to dismantle the bearing housing of the turbine shaft. Another advantage of the patented bearing construction is that no grease or lubricants can leak into the water. It also helps to centre the runner in relation to the turbine housing. Maintenance-free sealing elements round off a very clever technical solution. This aspect is of particular interest to hydropower plant operators because, apart from the necessity of annual grease changes, there is no further need for maintenance work on the turbine bearings.

Bulanao power station has been online since the beginning of March 2016.

hydraulic system were also supplied by Ossberger. A hydraulic governor is used to regulate the turbine to ensure smooth plant operation with automated power plant control. Bulanao power station should have gone into operation last year, but at the end of 2015 it was necessary to carry out maintenance work on the UCRIS irrigation channel due to flood damage. This caused the start-up and commissioning to be delayed for several months. However, at the beginning of March 2016 the new small-scale power plant finally went online.

COMMISSIONED IN MARCH 2016 In addition to the machine set with a horizontally coupled Hitzinger synchronous generator converting mechanical into electrical energy, the entire electro-technical control system with switch gear and the

• Flow Rate: 6 m³/s

Technical Data • Generator: Synchronous

• Head: 22 m

• Manufacturer: Hitzinger

• Turbine: Cross-Flow-Turbine

• Penstock Length : 40 m

• Manufacturer: Ossberger

• Material: Steel DN 1,91 m

• Output: 1.000 kW

• Annual energy capacity: 5,77 GWh

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4 KM PENSTOCK FOR POWER PLANT GREITH Hydropower plant Greith in the Upper Styrian district of Mürzzuschlag went on-line in September 2015. It was the third project realised by forest manager DI Georg Wippel. With the three-jet Pelton turbine at the power house already installed, work on the final stages of the 4 km penstock along the pipe route was continuing at full swing. ydropower plant Greith was originally built as an isolated power station by Georg Wippel’s grandfather in 1955 to supply electrical energy to the family’s offsite forestry business. With the extensive rebuild of the facilities, things have changed dramatically. Most importantly, in addition to the forestry’s self-supply the facility now also generates clean energy for the public grid. “Our original water rights would have been in place until 2045, but keeping the existing structures would have required several extensive renovations. So, to put everything on a sensible economic basis, I went for a complete rebuild,” explains the plant’s operator, Georg Wippel.

Fitted with a three-ject Pelton turbine, hydropower plant Greith generates around 1.4 GWh of clean energy in one year. The plant’s operator, DI Georg Wippel, opted for an extensive rebuild of the facilities.

EVERYTHING IS NEW AT HYDROPOWER PLANT GREITH A brand new power house with a new machine unit was put up in a different location. The two forebays were also redesigned and relocated about 40 m uphill. Still, the greatest effort by far was spent on extending the penstock, 4 km of which were rebuilt from scratch. The material used were SUPERLIT glass fibre reinforced plastic

photo credits:zek

pipes by Upper Austrian pipework specialist Geotrade, which has its offices in Ried in the Riedmark. Glass fibre reinforced plastic pipes have excellent flow properties while being low-weight and also easy to install, thanks to the use of socket joints. SIX BROOK CROSSINGS Immediate beneficiaries of this user-friendly system included the construction engineers from Haider & Co Hoch- und Tiefbau GmbH, who had to install the pipework along the penstock route, which includes six brook crossings. Geotrade provided the required specially molded pipes and arches. T-pieces were integrated at regular distances

The glass fibre reinforced plastic pipes are waiting to be installed.

May 2016

of 1,000 metres, allowing mobile cameras to be inserted for inspection and maintenance purposes. Using DN500 pipe sections, the team installed the penstock over a total distance of 3,660 m. The 360 m DN400 supply pipes from the forebays were connected to the main pipe by means of a Y joint. The gross head of 162 m required pressure ratings from PN6 for the higher penstock sections to PN20 for the lower sections. The energy is generated using a three-jet Pelton turbine by Andritz Hydro, which is designed for an annual output of 1,425 MWh and a maximum design flow rate of 265 l/s, providing a maximum power of 353 kW.

The penstock has a total length of about 4 km.

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photo credits: Siemens

The Lafssjö powerplant is located in the northern part of Sweden outside Ramsele. It has been commissioned in 1980 and not been modernized since that.

SIEMENS SMALL HYDRO – FROM THE FAR NORTH TO THE DEEP SOUTHERN REGIONS OF EUROPE Siemens can draw on decades of experience and hundreds of small hydro-power plants installed worldwide. The company is renowned for technical excellence and outstanding service and can serve as a system provider with comprehensive expertise in the implementation of turnkey projects. This can translate into high profitability and availability of the plant and low total cost of ownership. If an existing plant needs to be upgraded with state-of-the-art technology, Siemens is the partner of choice. By using the pre-existing technical equipment that is already installed on site, Siemens can optimize the technology with minimal budget requirements.

uring 2015 Siemens Sweden together with the center of competence for small hydro in Salzburg (CoC Salzburg), has modernized Lafssjö hydro power plant owned by Uniper (E.ON). The power plant is located in the northern part of Sweden outside Ramsele. It has been commissioned in 1980 and has not been modernized since then. The power plant has one Kaplan unit with an output of 1.4 MW. TURNKEY SOLUTION IN A SMALL PACKAGE Siemens has delivered a complete modernization package of I&C and electrical system that will maximize the availability and efficiency of the plant for the customer and minimize the maintenance costs. It will also extend the life time of the power plant for

May 2016

The control unit of the Lafssjö power plant before modernization.

many years to come. The heart of the solution is the Siemens Automation system and turbine governor Sipocon – H (Siemens Power Control - Hydro) based on SIMATIC S7-1500 and WinCC Professional. This system provides long-term data storage and related reporting features, for continuous analysis and evaluation. Standardized interfaces and communication as well as the modular governor architecture for tailor-made plant design ensure ultimate availability and proven performance. The Siemens Small Hydro Standard for Automation and Turbine Governor makes the system very easy to parametrize and maintain for operational and maintenance staff. The power plant is not generally manned and normally operated remotely from the opera-

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Treska II, a new small hydropower plant, is currently being constructed some 220 km south of Albania’s capital Tirana in the region of Korca.

Siemens has delivered a complete modernization package of I&C and electrical system that will maximize the availability of the plant for the customer and minimize the maintenance.

tional control center in Sundsvall. This makes it very important for the customer to have a safe and secure operation of the power plant. Besides the I&C system Siemens also delivered a new generator switch gear, a new 20kV switch gear, relay protection, water level measurement and a low voltage system. All this together with engineering, installation commissioning, training and documentation makes the project a turnkey solution in a small package. Siemens is able to cover the whole portfolio for electrical and I&C equipment for a hydro power plant with own products. This guarantees best possible prices and most efficient product management as well as prodcut development for the highest quality of products. The project was managed from Siemens in Sweden together with the Siemens Center of Competence for Small Hydro in Salzburg. The project was very important for Siemens to establish another reference and technology milestone in Sweden. Siemens proved again that the professional collaboration of the Albania: Logistics problems of a different kind.

local Siemens office with the CoC in Salzburg is working in the most satisfying way. WATER TO WIRE AN ALL-IN-ONE PACKAGE Treska II, a new small hydropower plant, is currently being constructed some 220 km south of Albania’s capital Tirana in the region of Korca. Working in close cooperation with the end customer and a reliable partner for turbine engineering, the Small Hydro CoC at the Siemens office in Salzburg has developed an electromechanical concept for this showcase project that is optimally suited to the local conditions. The milestone project also marked the beginning of a highly successful and satisfactory cooperation between the Albanian private investor and Siemens Austria. The contracted scope of supply includes the engineering, delivery, installation and commissioning of the turbine and generator, automation, turbine governor and SCADA systems, transformers and medium-voltage switchgear as well as the connection to the grid. The customer gets an all-in-one water-to-wire solution where all interfaces and processes are managed by Siemens and controlled for the customer’s maximum benefit. For Siemens this project represents another milestone in consolidating their successful market development and customer service in the Albanian market.

and kept on the grid at all times, ensuring a much higher operational availability for the customer. For Siemens, convincing the customer for this solution despite the slightly higher overall cost was crucial to winning the contract. GOOD PROSPECTS FOR FURTHER PROJECTS Creating local value is important to Siemens, which is why local firms are subcontracted for installation work wherever possible. All installation work is supervised and supported by Siemens based on a “hands-on” approach. As a reliable partner, Siemens offers full investment protection, which is essential for this project,” says the plant’s investor and proprietor, Mr Bardhi Shamo. While working on the project, the customer had already been so impressed with the constructive collaboration and excellent quality of products and services that they took on the role of a local promoter of Siemens Small Hydro Austria in Albania. As a result, a new project with another customer is already in the pipeline. Albania: The construction site of the water intake structure.

SEVERAL GRID FLUCTUATIONS IN ALBANIA Treska II is designed as a diversion power plant, with water being supplied by a penstock. The 980 kVA of energy generated by the five-jet Pelton turbine is fed to the local 35 kV grid via a block transformer and a 40.5 kV medium-voltage switchgear system. Using a 40.5 kV switchgear allowed Siemens to react on the local regulators’ demands and the several regional grid fluctuations. Thanks to this solution, the facility can run reliably

May 2016

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REISSECK II: GIGANTIC BUTTERFLY VALVES INSTALLED AND SOON TO BE COMMISSIONED

ustria's biggest power plant construction site is located in the high mountain region of Carinthia's Möll Valley, in Mühldorfer Graben. Hikers might easily miss the construction progress as the works for Verbund's pumped-storage power plant Reisseck II are carried out deep inside the mountain. When the construction works began in the fall of 2010 a huge rock cavern was cut out of the mountain within just a few months. Once commissioned the power plant in this cavern will house two pump-turbines with an output of 430 MW – in both pump and turbine modes. Reisseck II is an expansion of the already existing Malta/Reisseck power plant group and will increase its output by 40 percent. What is so special about this project is that no additional water resources are used, only the existing potential is being exploited. This shows that the plant is all about efficiency. THE COMMISSIONING The project entered the phase of the wet commissioning with the completion of the installation of both machine units in February 2015. The last phase before Reisseck II will finally be connected to the grid will follow a strict procedure. In this phase all power plant components will be examined and adjusted. Key elements of this stage are the inspection of the machine units and the butterfly valves chamber II. The val-

May 2016

photo credits: zek

CKD Blansko Holding delivered and installed the operation valve and the revision valve below Lake Mühldorf. First impingement tests have already been completed successfully.

ves are the “colossal water tap” of the reservoir above the plant and the essential aspect of the operating and safety systems of the Reisseck II pumped-storage power plant. HIGH QUALITY REQUIREMENTS For this reason only material of the highest quality was used and there were strict production controls during the construction of this special arrangement. Each production step and each material component was checked twice, by the constructing company itself, but also by external controllers.

CKD Blansko Holding, from Blansko, near the city of Brno, was responsible for the production of the butterfly element. The Czech turbine manufacturer and specialist for butterfly valves and armatures employs 450 people and has been in business for 115 years. During the Cold War era the company mainly did business in the German Democratic Republic and in Eastern Europe. Today the company operates globally. In Europe it is establishing a growing presence in the German-speaking regions. “It was important for us to receive picture: CKD Blansko Holding

The Reisseck II pumped-storage power plant is Austria's Verbund AG's biggest project at the moment. Verbund AG has been working on the expansion of the Malta and Reisseck power plant group since 2010. With the completion of the works in early 2016, Malta/Reisseck will be one of Europe's most powerful hydropower plant groups. The first test runs were carried out in February 2016. One of the key elements of the plant, situated directly below Lake Mühldorf, is the butterfly valve, consisting of a revision valve and an operation butterfly valve. CKD Blansko Holding has manufactured the gigantic custom unit with an inner diameter of 3.6 m and installed it in an exposed position at 2218 m above sea level. The plant will be commissioned this fall.

The butterfly valve with an inner diameter of 3.6 m was manufactured in CKD's production hall near Brno, in Blansko, Czech Republic. The company from Central Europe has been in business for 115 years and employs 450 people.

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1. outlet cone 2. intake cone 3. revision butterfly valve DN 3600, PN12 4. operating butterfly valve DN 3600, PN12 5. ventilations valves 6. manhole

2 5 3 4 6

grafic: CKD Blansko Holding

the contract for Reisseck II, so we could finally demonstrate our expertise with a project in Austria,” states Filip Hitl, project manager of CKD Blansko Holding. The Czech company won the tender thanks to its thorough know-how and its specific job specialization. Furthermore the company's office and production hall are only 80 km from the Austrian border, which facilitated a good collaboration and smooth logistics. DOUBLE JACKET DESIGN The order for CKD Blansko Holding comprised the manufacture, delivery and installation of two identical, rapidly closing safety valves – operation and revision valves – with a diameter of 3.6 m, a hydraulic power unit as well as two cones for the inlet and the

outlet. All parts, except for the hydraulic power unit, were manufactured by CKD Blansko Holding. High-quality sheet steel was used for the entire housing and the two valves. It was welded and tested by the valves specialist at its factory in Blansko and, like all products from CKD Blansko Holding, the two valves meet the high technical standards of the hydropower specialist. CKD Blansko Holding knows from experience that it is best to always produce valve casings in a double jacket design. Another speciality of CKD Blansko Holding is the usage of three seals with the bearing journals: an additional seal is located between the inner and the outer seal. In case of revision the additional seal can be impinged with grease and revision works can be carried out quickly and

safely. During operation a nominal pressure of 12 bar is achieved at a flow rate of 80 m³/s directed towards the turbine. In case of emergency the valve structure is able to master up to 200 m³/s. COMMISSIONING IN EARLY 2016 Dry run tests and impingement tests have already been completed successfully. The leak tests have also produced satisfactory results. “We were very satisfied with the perfect test runs and we are now looking forward to running tests in operating mode,” says Mr Hitl. These tests, however, will not take place until early 2016, as various works in the pressure gallery are currently being completed. The final phase – the commissioning – is scheduled for initiation in early 2016.

May 2016

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photo credits: BRAUN

This March, a powerful weir segment was installed at the new Linth weir.

STRONG WEIR SEGMENT ENSURES SAFETY OF NEW POWER STATION ON THE LINTH Work on the new hydroelectric power station on the river Linth is nearing completion at Hätzingen in the Swiss canton of Glarus. Operated by the Trümpi family, the new plant is going to utilise a hitherto free-flowing part of the Linth River, generating electricity sufficient to supply some 1,600 homes. To be able to manage the considerable bed load pressure and at the same time fulfil elevated flood protection requirements, the new Linth weir was equipped with an 18.5 m weir segment. The steel hydraulics construction element is crucial for the successful operation of the power plant and was designed, manufactured and mounted by the specialists from Braun Maschinenfabrik in Upper Austria.

ince last year, construction work has been going on again on the Linth River. Hefti Hätzingen AG, a company owned by building contractor and experienced hydropower plant operator Fritz Trümpi, has built a new weir system below the Legler

power station. Starting this autumn, when the new plant is scheduled to commence operations, the weir will catch 20 m3/sec. What is special about this installation is that the headrace channel leading to the Hefti Hätzingen power station below will now get a bypass in

photo credits: BRAUN

The new weir segment has a width of 18.5 m and opens entirely without any external power.

the shape of a penstock. The old weir at the lower plant will be redesigned and equipped with a new fish pass. Its weir gate will be open most of the time. The power house of the new Rufi power plant is built at the so-called “Rufi Runse“, so electricity can be generated from a hitherto unutilised stretch of the Linth River. After driving the turbines, the works water stream will be split. Part of it will be led back into the river while another portion will go on to the old Hefti Hätzingen power plant. In an average production year, the new power station will facilitate generating a total of about 4.8 GWh of clean electricity. The concept has been educed by the renowned planning office Jackcontrol AG, which was responsible for the planning and the site management. SEALING DEVICE FROM AUSTRIA The sealing device added to the new weir construction plays a significant role in the flood management of the new power station. To ensure a reliable flood discharge while at the same time managing the enormous bed load pressure, the operator decided in favour of in-

May 2016

WEIR OPENING WITH NO ENERGY SUPPLIED Flood waters can reach a height of three meters, so the new Linth weir for the Rufi power plant required a sealing device capable of creating an opening as tall as 3.3 m. The solution for this is a segment weir 18.5 m wide and 2.0 m high that is opened via two 18.5 ton counterweights. The engineers from Braun Maschinenfabrik designed the system such that this function can be performed by two hydraulic cylinders even if the counterweights are detached or missing. During normal operations, they serve for closing. This means that the two cylinders hydraulically overcome the pulling force of the counterweights. They

Technical Data Segment Body Width: 18.5 m Weight: 20 t Powercyl Raisingmax: 350 kN Cylinder-Diameter Ø: 220 mm

Sluices:

Height: 2.0 m Counterweights: 37 t Powercyl Dropmax: 200 kN Lift: 2.000 mm

3 pc. Sand Trap Sluices in the Head Race Channel 9 m x 1,5 m 1 pc. Outlet Gat Sluice 2 m x 3 m 3 pc. Sand Trap Flushing Sluices 2 m x 1 m 3 pc. Sand Trap Shut-off Sluices 7,5 m x 2,5 m 1 pc. Shut-off Sluice for Fish Facility 2 m x 2 m

Hoisting the segment body weighing 20 tons to its bearings requires expertise, experience and precision. Fotos: Hydro-Solar

tegrating a weir segment. Hefti Hätzingen fell back on the tried and tested steel hydraulic construction solutions from the Upper Austrian manufacturer Braun Maschinenfabrik for this. The specialist for high-quality steel hydraulic constructions is well-known beyond the Austrian borders. Its innovative mechanical components and steel construction parts can be found in hydroelectric power stations around the globe.

photo credits: BRAUN

Foto: zek

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were dimensioned generously, so each of the cylinders can move the entire weir all by itself. The maximum forces exerted by the 220 mm diameter cylinders are 350 kN for lifting and 200 kN for lowering and keeping down the weir segment. What is special about the system designed by Braun Maschinenfabrik is mainly that – owing to its two counterweights – the segment can be lifted under full water pressure and sediment load entirely without any energy supplied from outside. In the event of a controller breakdown, the segment will be lifted to its top position. Lifting speed is limited by purpose-designed blinds in the hydraulic lines. A MILESTONE ACHIEVED Not only he weir segment but the entire steel hydraulic construction equipment has been

Innovations for waterpower all over the world.

supplied by the Austrian specialists. Among other things, this includes a bottom outlet protection sluice, three intake gates for the diversion channel, sand trap flushing sluices and a sluice gate for the fish pass. The sluices for the bottom outlet and the diversion channel have already been installed; installation of the segment was completed this March. There are no more obstacles left to overcome before feeding back the Linth River to its original bed, from which it had been diverted since September 2015 for construction work. An important milestone along the path towards completion of the new Rufi hydroelectric power plant has been passed. The new small hydroelectric station is expected to commence operations this autumn, generating clean electricity sufficient to supply about 1,600 homes and further improving the CO2 balance of the Glarus province.

Trash Rack Cleaning Systems Hydro Mechanical Equipment BRAUN Maschinenfabrik Ges.m.b.H. Gmundner Str. 76 4840 Vöcklabruck / AUSTRIA E-Mail:office@braun.at

www.braun.at

MASCHINENFABRIK

May 2016

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all photo credits: TRM

Built to be used to satisfy the highest material demands. The ductile cast iron pipes from Tiroler Rohre GmbH are also able to withstand heavy landslides and settlement thanks to their restrained and tension-proof design.

MODERN CAST IRON PIPE TECHNOLOGY IN RESPONSE TO DIFFICULT GROUND CONDITIONS The community of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Veneto region in northern Italy has been supplied with clean electricity since last summer thanks to a newly constructed small-scale hydropower plant. The biggest hurdle for the project arose during the planning stage beforehand, and involved the fabrication of the penstock. This is because the only feasible route that it can run along is in the area of a shifting slope which experiences significant earth movements in the months of spring in particular. A solution for these difficult ground conditions was found by working together with the company Tiroler Rohre GmbH (TRM).

y 2014, more than a fifth of the total demand for electricity in Italy was covered by the use of hydropower. As strict environmental constraints mean that new large-scale hydropower projects only tend to be approved in exceptional cases, investors and operators are increasingly focusing on the small-scale hydropower sector. The construction of the Costeana Power Plant on the river of the same name is also thanks to this desire for environmentally friendly energy production using locally available resources. The plant is operated by „Regole d’Ampezzo” in the community of Cortina d’Ampezzo, which is famous primarily for its alpine skiing. The company has public involvement and endeavours to maintain and look after the regional landscape and natural terrain. The construction of this

May 2016

plant means that the operating company now obtains its own electricity from hydropower in its home region for the first time. To generate power, the plant relies on two identical Pelton turbines from the manufacturer “Maierhofer Brida” which are each designed to handle a discharge flow rate of 550 l/s. With a gross head of 103 m, the machines each achieve an output of 500 kW, which allows around 4.5 GWh of green electricity to be generated in a normal year. NOT A STANDARD PIPELINE „The most complicated part of the works to construct the power plant was definitely designing the penstock, which is around 1,600 m in total and has a consistent dimension of DN 900,” explains Luca Frasson, who is the TRM sales representative for Italy, and he

The installation of four pipe bends provided extra relief for the penstock.

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The use of a total of three specially made expansion pieces gave the penstock the flexibility it needs.

with a diameter three times the size for the Costeana plant,” explains Luca Frasson. In addition, the intention was that the pipeline should not run linearly but in a “U-shape” on the shifting slope in order to create additional relief for the penstock in the event of any geological shifts. This route of the pipeline was achieved by using four pipe bends with an angle of 22 degrees in each case. As an additional control option, large maintenance manholes and several measuring devices on which the slope movements can be monitored continuously and precisely by GPS were installed on the expansion pieces.

From the water catchment the feed water travels down the penstock over a distance of around 1.6 km to be transformed into hydroelectric power by two identical Pelton turbines, each with an output of 500 kW.

goes on to say: „And specifically this was because the only possible route for the middle section of the pipeline runs for a length of around 400 m over a shifting slope. Geological surveys which were done in advance of the construction works had revealed that the slope moves by up to 2 cm per month when the snow starts to melt at the end of the winter.” Diverting the pipeline to a different route was not a feasible option due to the very limited amount of space available, which is why the planners had to consider a different approach. WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND A SOLUTION A solution to the problem was found by „Regole d’Ampezzo” project manager Roland Bernardi working together with the TRM engineer Massimiliano Fellin. Although the company, which specialises in cast iron pipes, has already demonstrated its qualities in a large number of hydropower projects right across Europe, the penstock for the Costeana Power Plant represented a new challenge even for TRM. Although restrained and ten-

sion-proof pipe connections very much form part of the standard range of products offered by TRM, a special solution had to be found for the hydropower project in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The decision was made to employ components which had previously only ever been used for pipe systems for artificial snowmaking facilities in skiing areas: expansion joints within a penstock laid in the ground. EXPANSION PIECES PROVIDE THE NECESSARY COMPENSATION In order to prevent the penstock from fracturing when the slope moves, a total of three specially made expansion pieces were fitted in the area of the shifting slope. These compensation pieces are designed to be a kind of slipon sleeve in which the pipes can move by up to 800 mm in each case in the longitudinal direction even when they are fully installed. „Although this system has already proved itself to work many times with smaller dimensions of up to DN 300, the developers from TRM had to design special components

CAST IRON COMBINES MANY ADVANTAGES The ductile cast iron pipes were laid during a period of hot weather in August of last year and the whole process took around two weeks. The weather god had the best of intentions back then as during the day the thermometer never fell below 30 degrees in the shade. As the penstock is made from steel above and below the shifting slope, expansion pieces had to be used in each case for around 30 m outside of the area subject to shifting. In order to take no risk whatsoever in the event of any slope movements, solid welding joints were made for the transitions to the steel material. When it came to connecting the cast iron pipes, by contrast, the BLS socket system which was developed by TRM itself was used. This is a socket joint which is restrained against longitudinal forces and, as well as being user-friendly to lay, also boasts lots of other persuasive advantages. The individual pipes can be quickly and safely plugged together to form a fully watertight system. This obviates the need for any complicated welding, testing, subsequent surface treatment or the need to leave pipe trenches open unnecessarily. This simple laying saves time and can generally be done by the relevant construction companies themselves. As tractive forces are also absorbed by the joint, there is also no need to construct concrete thrust blocks at elbows. Moreover, no separate filling material is required for embedding the cast iron pipes, as the construction trench can be filled up with the material that has been excavated from it immediately after the pipe has been laid. A laying depth of 2.5 m on average was chosen for the cast iron section of the penstock of Costeana Power Plant, with the pipes having a pressure rating of PN 32. The leak test which was successfully conducted following the completion of the construction works was performed at 1.2 times the operating pressure. May 2016

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The cast iron pipe section, which is around 400 m long, was laid over a period of just two weeks last summer. The penstock passed its first acid test at the onset of the snowmelt with flying colours.

Within the three expansion pieces, the pipes can each move by up to 800 mm in the longitudinal direction.

ACID TEST PASSED The plant has now been producing clean electricity for more than nine months. Following its initial commissioning in the autumn, both the operators and the representatives from TRM keenly awaited the first real acid test for the penstock with the onset of snowmelt –

May 2016

which as expected the pipe system passed with flying colours. In spite of continuous movement of the slope, the power plant pipeline reliably does its work and does not display any leaks. At TRM this successful project is regarded as a positive example in two regards: First the duc-

tile cast iron pipes have proved to be the right solution on difficult terrain, and the customer’s demands were therefore met in full. Second this technical solution provided a valuable addition to the company’s wealth of experience which is bound to prove very useful when it comes to meeting future challenges.

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photo credits: ANDRITZ

ANDRITZ hydrodynamic screws

MORE GREEN ENERGY WITH INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY Cutting-edge technology from ANDRITZ for maximum performance: One turns an ancient Archimedean principle around, while the other runs in reverse. Both generate energy in an innovative way from sources that have barely been tapped so far: the hydrodynamic screw turbine and the centrifugal pump â&#x20AC;&#x201C; two technologies from ANDRITZ HYDRO with a lot of green potential.

ow investment costs and the opportunity to use even small hydroelectric potential and waste energy are benefits offered by the ANDRITZ hydrodynamic screw turbine and centrifugal pump.

Which of these two technologies from the HYDRO business unit is used depends on the head and other project specifics. Both mini-hydro solutions have already proved successful in numerous applications and con-

vince customers with their high energy yield. Combining ecological and economic benefits, hydroelectric power generation has also been assuming an increasingly significant role in energy supply. May 2016

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ANDRITZ centrifugal pumps for energy recovery

MODERNIZING AN OLD PRINCIPLE The inspiration for hydrodynamic screw turbine technology was an ingenious idea from ancient Greece. More than 2,000 years ago, mathematician and physicist Archimedes designed the Archimedean screw, which enables water to flow uphill. Turning this principle around, ANDRITZ uses the position and energy difference in downflowing water in the hydrodynamic screw turbine to generate electricity. What’s special about this? Efficient use of hydropower is possible even at a very low head and water flow (max. 10 m head, water flow up to 10 m³/sec), cost-saving and environment-friendly at power ratings up to 500 kW. „The hydrodynamic screw turbine can also deal very well with fluctuating water levels,

achieving efficiencies of up to 92 percent,” explains Head of Development Ludger Glosemeyer. Thanks to the low investment and operating costs, this is a lucrative way for local authorities, companies or private individuals who own water rights to generate energy. Moreover, each kilowatt hour of electricity generated using a hydrodynamic screw turbine relieves the environment of up to 1 kg of carbon dioxide. The hydrodynamic screw turbine adapts easily to the existing conditions, ensuring no major interference with the surrounding landscape. Fish and other aquatic animals can pass through unharmed. „In addition, the screw enriches the oxygen content in deeper bodies of water, resulting in improved water quality,” Glosemeyer adds. There are around 200 ANDRITZ hydrody-

ANDRITZ hydrodynamic screw and pump controller for PCs and mobile devices

May 2016

namic screw turbines installed worldwide. ANDRITZ has gained an excellent reputation here due to the high manufacturing quality, almost maintenance-free operation and low noise levels. ENERGY-EFFICIENT IN FORWARD AND REVERSE MODE The innovative pump technology from ANDRITZ lays the foundations for continuous improvement and the optimal installation of pumps. The concept of operating pumps in reverse mode has been applied successfully for some time, resulting in a centrifugal pump doubling as a turbine. ANDRITZ centrifugal pumps operate worldwide, conveying many different kinds of liquids. The pumps feature high efficiency and low energy consumption. Used as miniturbines, they recover energy in industrial processes or generate electricity from low hydroelectric potential. „Energy is lost in many industrial processes, for example when pressure has to be generated ahead of a filter, before being released without use as it is no longer needed later in the process,” Sales and Project Manager Bruno Mellacher explains. „This energy can be recovered efficiently with ANDRITZ centrifugal pumps, even at comparatively low pressures.” Two pumps are coupled to one another for this purpose. The pump running in reverse (mini-turbine) absorbs the excess pressure and assists the pump running in normal operation. In this way, more than 50 percent of the energy that would otherwise be lost is recycled, thus reducing energy costs.

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Hitherto untapped hydropower potential is used profitably with the aid of mini-turbines in numerous other areas, such as pressure-reducing stations in water pipelines or residual water outputs from hydropower stations. Here, mini-turbines are combined with generators to produce up to 1 MW of output per unit. ANDRITZ HYDRO is currently building a mini-hydropower plant as part of a huge agricultural irrigation project in southern Lebanon. The supply includes four double-flow pumps in order to use the pressure in the water pipeline upstream of the equalizing basin to generate electricity. At peak times, the plant on the Litani River, which is scheduled to be commissioned in the spring of 2016, will provide an output of more than 4.7 MW. Two ANDRITZ centrifugal pumps are being used successfully to recover energy in a pulp and paper mill in Germany. A total of nine ANDRITZ centrifugal pumps are being used to generate electricity in water pipelines in Austria, South Korea, and South Africa. In South Africa, for instance, the recovered energy is used to power a communication system and an active anticorrosion system protecting the pipes. In addition, ANDRITZ centrifugal pumps are used in microhydropower plants, helping foresters’ lodges or mountain refuges, private households, and commercial or industrial plants to generate their own electricity or supply it to an existing power grid. FULLY AUTOMATIC AND REMOTELY ACCESSIBLE The modern ANDRITZ automation system ensures reliable and undisturbed operation of the power plant and the intake waterway at all times. Operations are monitored and controlled either at the console on site or from a distance. The integrated control of all parts of the installation takes into account primary technology such as the genset, the weir and switching installations as well as operation standards, improving availability of the overall system. In regular operations, it reliably monitors and controls each part of the installation, turning it into a safe operational state. This is as true for mains parallel operations as it is for isolated operations with the option of a black start. Both standardised (compact or premium lines) and customised solutions are available. Parts of existing weir installations can be integrated. A competent automation system is indispensable for optimised operations and maintenance of hydropower installations. „Small hydropower plants must operate reliably in fully automatic mode and unmanned; in addition, operators want to be able to retrieve energy generation data online around the clock, on a cell phone for example,” says Armin Martinz, Automation Manager for the Pumps division. To meet these requirements, ANDRITZ provides the ANDRITZ Hydrodynamic Screw Controller for hydrodynamic screws and the ANDRITZ Pump Controller for pumps used as turbines. „Both systems control and protect the entire plant with the latest, scalable technology in an industrial design and offer safe remote access via PC or Smartphone in addition to numerous other features,” Martinz emphasizes. Both of these technologies incorporate comprehensive process knowhow, a long ANDRITZ tradition and decades of experience in the construction of hydroelectric machines. All of this is continuously extended by intelligence gained in in-house test facilities as well as external plants. Even elevated customer requirements are fulfilled 100 percent in the framework of a comprehensive service package. Customers benefit from cutting-edge control and monitoring concepts, more flexible and successive extendibility and self-monitoring system software as well as specific modules such as web cam integration, text message alarms sent to mobile phones, a secure remote access for computers and mobile devices and optional remote maintenance by ANDRITZ. Maintenance and troubleshooting costs are reduced to a minimum. May 2016

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photo credits: zek

The eighth Kaiser Kraftwerke KG plant has been realised with the Neumagen power plant between Staufen and Münstertal. Hydro-Energie Roth GmbH from Karlsruhe was commissioned with planning.

PIPE INSTALLATION AT THE NEUMAGEN POWER PLANT COMPLETED The Neumagen power plant in the Southern Black Forest represents Kaiser Kraftwerke KG’s eighth hydroelectric power station. The installation with the corresponding peripheral equipment was constructed in the area between Staufen and Münstertal. The 1,140 m long penstock consists of FLOWTITE GRP pipes from German manufacturer Amiantit. The operating duo Bernhard and Herbert Kaiser is very satisfied with their new power plant in the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg which has been completed in November 2015.

he use of hydroelectric power was something the brothers Bernhard and Herbert Kaiser were born with so to speak. Their father bought a hydroelectric power station in 1935 to provide power for the family ski factory in Todtnau in Southern Germany. A second power station was added in 1978 with the active support of the Kaiser brothers. But things were not to stop there. Over the course of some years, the number of installations operated by Kaiser Kraftwerke KG increased to seven. Recently their eighth hydroelectric power project - the Neumagen power station – has been built on the river of the same name. This also benefits the Breisgau region, especially since construction work has been conducted throughout by local companies, something that Bernhard Kaiser stressed more than once during the interview.

May 2016

A GOOD THING TAKES TIME In actual fact the power station should have started operation much earlier. The Kaisers

applied for planning permission from the responsible authorities 15 years ago. “The decision then was always negative; it was

Bernhard Kaiser relies on GRP pipes made by Amiantit for the pressure pipeline.

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prior to the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, and the value attached to renewable sources of energy was much lower at the turn of the millennium than it is today”, says plant operator Bernhard Kaiser. Fortunately the tide has now turned, and Germany wants to take its last nuclear reactor from the grid by 2022. Support for the building of new installations by Kraftwerke Kaiser KG also comes from the “BürgerEnergie Südbaden” (BEGS). This South Baden energy cooperative invites investment from both individual citizens and entire companies, offering participation in the profits from expansion of renewable forms of energy in the region. The BEGS has supported the power plant construction with a six-figure loan. However before the first ground could be broken in February 2015, the power plant operators had to spend years going through the obligatory marathon with authorities. Additionally it was necessary to come to an agreement with several land owners whose properties the pipe route needed to pass through during the installation of the pressure pipeline. PIPE INSTALLATION MADE EASY The 1,140 m long power station pipeline runs immediately adjacent to the river. With respect to the material used for the DN 1600 penstock, FLOWTITE GRP pipes made by Amiantit were selected, and were delivered in 12 m straight lengths by truck. The advantages of the fibreglass reinforced intake conduit are as multifaceted as the potential uses in both extremely hot and cold climate zones. The pipe material requires neither linings, coatings nor other corrosion protection measures. “The extremely smooth inner surface largely minimises friction losses, and any pressure surges have little effect on the simultaneously robust and light material. Another important point is also the user-friendly installation of the GRP pipes, which can easily be connected to each other using the spigot and socket joint system”, notes Jochen Auer, the Amiantit Regional Manager responsible for South Germany. Bernhard Kaiser adds that, to this day, a GRP pipeline put into service by Kaiser Kraftwerke KG in 1987 shows almost no signs of abrasion. The pipe route of the Neumagen power plant runs in a relatively linear direction from the water catchment over a kilometre away. Because the pipeline crosses a stream, the company Asal GmbH from Todtnau that was commissioned with pipe installation used two GRP elbows each with 11 degrees in the concerned area. The ground was excavated to

Heavy equipment was used to install the power plant pipeline. The pipe was laid by Asal Bau GmbH from Todtnau.

The DN 1600 fibre glass reinforced plastic pipes ready for installation.

a depth of 5 m for this purpose using heavy equipment to circumvent the obstruction, and the practical spigot and socket joint system was particularly useful at this awkward place.

At the water catchment everything has been prepared for the connection of the pressure pipeline.

GREEN ENERGY FOR 400 HOUSEHOLDS The operators decided in favour of a 6-blade Kaplan turbine from HIS Hydro Engineering GmbH in the power house of the installation. With a gradient of 19 m and a flow rate of 2.5 m³/s, the turbine now generates some 1.3 GWh of green electricity with an output of 400 kW. The connection to the grid has been enabled at the beginning of November 2015. Since then the power plant is able to supply 400 households with sustainably generated power each year. If the Kaiser brothers continue in the same vein, the number of their hydroelectric power stations will soon reach double figures. The outlook is good – especially as the Kaisers are already contemplating their next hydropower project. May 2016

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NEW OUTLET EQUIPMENT FOR ROTLECH DAM IN THE TYROLEAN AUSSERFERN REGION

s for planning, EWR relied on the experience of the Linz-based subsidiary of the renowned planning office of BHM INGENIEURE Engineering & Consulting GmbH. BHM INGENIEURE specialises in interdisciplinary planning services for industrial, traffic and power plant operations, with a long list of successfully completed national and international projects to their name. Dipl.-Ing. Rudolf Kandler, who managed the project on behalf of BHM, describes the planning process: „First off, we had to work out a modification concept that would allow the turbine to be operated during the upgrade work.” „The concept called for the integration of a new bottom outlet sluice gate into the existing downstream gate construction. To be able to install this new gate, it was necessary to carve out a cavern from the existing concrete dam. While the construction work was ongoing,

photo credit: Braun

Hydropower plant Heiterwang is a pumped storage facility operated by Elektrizitätswerke Reutte (EWR) in the Tyrolean Außerfern region. The power plant, which originally commenced operation in 1977, is supplied by the upstream Rotlech water reservoir, which has a capacity of 1.3 million m³. As part of a project to bring the gate construction up to the latest technical standards required by the reservoir review committee, the gate was equipped with a second bottom outlet sluice gate. Three Austrian providers with a proven track record were contracted for the required work.

the maximum storage level of the reservoir was slightly reduced,” adds Ing. Georg Hauser, Head of Production at EWR. PROFESSIONALS AT WORK The contract for the delivery and installation of the new gate and hydraulic system was awarded to Braun Maschinenfabrik GmbH from Vöcklabruck in Upper Austria. The gate consists of a pressure-tight steel enclosure, which had to be manufactured in and installed in several parts (i. e., the gate body

and the hydraulic system) due to the required dimensions and the difficult installation conditions. Control of the gate is effected by means of an integrated hydraulic cylinder with a piston diameter of 300 mm and 2,780 mm of travel. Despite the difficult conditions, the specialists from Braun Maschinenfabrik managed to install the new components with technical perfection. As a prerequisite for installing the new sluice gate, the team first had to complete the demanding task of excavating more than 100

The saying, ”Two are better than one” now also applies to the hydraulic steelwork construction of this Tyrolean dam. The new bottom outlet gate measures 2.7 m x 2.7 m.

photo credits: Braun

Installing the new sluice gate required the excavation of around 100 cubic metres of concrete.

Front view of the Rotlech dam, which was erected between 1975 and 1977. With the installation of the second bottom outlet sluice gate, the 1.3 million m³ reservoir is now equipped with a redundant outlet system.

May 2016

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The new shut-off device (on the right) was installed behind the existing gate construction.

photo credit: Braun

partially steel reinforced, had to be disposed of through the 15 m bottom outlet, which was also used to bring in the new parts. This passageway, as well as an existing narrow inspection tunnel, were also used by technicians and installation engineers to get to and from the installation site. A key challenge in this project were the very limited spatial conditions under which the team had to complete the entire concrete and hydraulic steel construction work. In the end, a special telescopic handler vehicle was used to carry the around 20 tonnes of steelwork engineering equipment through the bottom outlet and set it up in its intended location with millimetre precision. In addition to the 2.7 m x 2.7 m gate section the Braun engineering team also installed the hydraulic power unit required for operating the gate. Equipped with redundant hydraulic pumps, the drive module works based on biodegradable oil and can be operated in parallel with the existing hydraulic power unit via multiway switching.

cubic metres of concrete from the gate body. This was to create a cavern in the gravity dam to accommodate the second gate. The contract for this part of the project went to civil construction company Jäger Bau GmbH from Schruns in the Austrian province of Vorarlberg. DAM CONSTRUCTION BROUGHT UP TO LATEST TECHNICAL STANDARDS The main requirement with regard to the excavation work was the need to proceed carefully with the drilling, cutting and manual excavation work to ensure the required precision. The excavated material, which was

EXCELLENT COLLABORATION Following completion of the heavy haulage and potting work in December 2014, the installation of the hydraulic and electrical components as well as the integration into the power plant’s control grid were completed in January of the following year. The final commissioning and handover of the new gate took place in March 2015 in the presence of representatives of the reservoir review committee and an expert on hydraulic steelwork engineering. Highlighting the excellent collaboration between the project partners, EWR’s company magazine described the project as a complete success. Rudolf Kandler from BHM INGENIEURE could not agree more. Like the contributing steelwork and construction engineering firms, BHM have added another successful project to their list of references.

photo credit: EWR

photo credit: Braun

The technicians managed to complete the entire work under confined spatial conditions.

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BAVARIAN TECHNOLOGY FOR PAKISTANI POWER PLANTS Pakistan’s Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) ordered no fewer that three XL type hydraulic trash rack cleaning machines (TRCMs) from Muhr GmbH. The large-scale contract comprised the delivery and installation of TRCMs for the Chashma and Jinnah facilities on the River Indus, and the Warsak plant on the River Kabul. The almost identical HYDRONIC M-4500 KT TRCMs used in the hydropower plant on the Indus were already inaugurated at the end of 2015; the installation of the HYDRONIC M-5000 KT at the Warsak plant is about to commence. he biggest challenge in implementing these projects, says Florian Kufner from Muhr, was the logistics behind it: „From shipping the TRCMs to clearing them through customs and transporting them to the installation, to organising the cranes and tools and completing the final installation – every single step had to be coordinated on schedule. What helped us a great deal was our extensive experience with similar projects, for example, in India, Malaysia, and Laos. Working on-site with our customer allowed us to keep the project on track, especially where administration and documentation were concerned.” Florian Kufner also commends the hospitality and teamwork of the customer’s team, who were highly satisfied with the quality of the machines and the operational concept. Both projects were completed, accepted and delivered precisely as planned and scheduled; the team was even able to finish the final installation ahead of schedule. The TRCMs’ cleaning performance even exceeded WAPDA’s expectations, establishing a solid basis for further projects in the future.

Before they were installed in the field, the TRCMs were fully assembled on Muhr GmbH’s premises and subjected to a thorough round of tests.

THREE FACILITIES, THREE VERSIONS Hydropower plants Jinnah and Chashma are situated on the River Indus, the longest river on the Indian subcontinent, in the Pakistani province of Mianwhali. At both sites, the installation of the new TRCM was combined with performance improving work on the power generating facilities. The TRCMs of type HYDRONIC M-4500 KT that were installed at Chashma have a cleaning range of 25,5 m, a track-based travel range of 151 m, and a weight of 90 tonnes when fully assembled.

May 2016

photo credits: Muhr

At the Jinnah plant, the same TRCM model is used, although this one has a cleaning range of 24,1 m and a travel range of 195 m. The TRCM to be installed at hydropower plant Warsak on the River Kabul will be a HYDRONIC 5000 KT with a 27,5 m cleaning range and a weight of around 115 tonnes. It will run on a curved track system. All TRCMs run on tracks, and all are equipped with a telescopic swivel arm. The machine at the Warsak plant is also rotatable. Further-more, all three trash rack cleaners are equipped with a „Vario Cleaning Head”, which enables the use of orange peel grabs and sediment grabs in addition to the usual cleaning rake.

PRECISELY TAILORED CONSTRUCTION The existing machines at the Chashma and Jinnah plants underwent a significant redesign. For example, the narrow width of the existing track system required sophisticated weight balancing adjustments to maintain operational stability. Due to the static conditions at the intake structure, the TRCM’s weight had to be kept below a specific critical value. Also, the machines’ maximum design height and width was limited by the size of the portal crane. Further size limitations were imposed by the height of the portal chassis. These limits had to be taken into consideration to avoid interference with the existing debris tipper. A special construction was

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Thanks to its “Vario Cleaning Head“, the TRCMs can be fitted with an orange peel grab or a clam shell grab, as needed.

installed between the chassis support structure to accommodate the tipper. STRAIGHT TRCM PERFORMANCE ON A CURVED TRACK In addition to the vertically aligned trash rack at the inlet, the TRCM at hydropower plant Warsak can also clean the horizontal trash rack in the upstream area. „To make this possible, it was necessary to reinforce the machine’s static design and increase its performance. Another special feature is the strongly curved track line that the TRCM runs on.

The machines were constructed and manufactured specifically to meet the individual local conditions.

This required a specially constructed chassis,” as Florian Kufner explains. The machines are also equipped with a system for hoisting and lowering the power plants’ stop logs and trash rack screens if necessary. Collected debris is dumped by the TRCM into a preinstalled container behind the machine. CONTRIBUTING TO A SUSTAINED ENERGY SUPPLY Pakistan is still considered a developing country. Due to so-called „load shedding”, power outages are an almost daily occurrence

all over the country. This is the result of the extreme nation-wide power shortage, as the power supply of an entire province may be disconnected from time to time without prior notice and switched over to another province. Accordingly, WAPDA’s future plans call for the continuous improvement of the nation’s energy supply. This is why projects dedicated to improving the energy supply situation receive a lot of public attention. Judging by the customer’s satisfaction, Muhr is likely to continue contributing to Pakistan’s energy security in the future.

May 2016

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RENEXPO

INTERHYDRO

European hydropower trade fair and conferences 24. - 25.11.2016 Messezentrum Salzburg www.renexpo-hydro.eu

RENEXPO INTERHYDRO SALZBURG IS TAKING SHAPE Especially in recent years, RENEXPO® INTERHYDRO, which is held in Salzburg, has evolved into what amounts to Europe’s most innovative hub event for hydropower. Last year’s RENEXPO® in November had an excellent turnout and was exceptionally well received. This and the high re-booking rates among exhibitors show that the exhibition with its selection of topics manages to perfectly capture the spirit of the industry . One of the most exciting focus topics this year is “Virtual Power Plants, Control Energy and Flexibilisation” and related benefits for large and smaller-sized “eco-power” producers. The eighth edition of RENEXPO® INTERHYDRO will be held on 24 – 25 November 2016 at the Salzburg Exhibition Centre.

he European electricity market is changing. Along with the gradual progress of de-carbonisation, energy producers are shifting their focus away from large-scale and ‘mammoth-sized’ facilities towards smaller, decentralised structures. One such structure that is playing an increasingly important role in this process is the so-called “virtual power plant”. Contrary to what the name might suggest, this type of power plant is anything but non-existent. In fact, the name refers to an association of multiple de-centralised ‘clean energy’ producers that can provide required amounts of electrical power. Sometimes also referred to as ‘DEA cluster’, this association can pool their various renewable energy sources, which may range from photovoltaic technologies to wind power and hy-

dropower facilities. Crucially, virtual power plants’ have certain competitive advantages over large-scale facilities. Especially in cases where load peaks would exceed the capacity of a large-scale power plant, the overall load can spread across multiple decentralised power generating structures to meet the demand. PERSPECTIVES FOR THE CONTROL ENERGY MARKET The ongoing vast expansion of wind and photovoltaic energy capacities in Germany, in particular, has imposed higher standards on the power grid with respect to fluctuations. These fluctuations are particularly strong whenever an unpredictable rise in the demand for electricity occurs. Control energy or controlled output power is therefore provi-

Organising Committee in session

photo credits: renexpo-hydro.eu

Impressions of last year‘s event

ded to prevent the grid from breaking down in such cases. This on-demand supply can compensate for sudden peaks in demand within a matter of seconds. High-performing pumped storage power plants play a crucial role in sustaining the power supply this way. Thanks to virtual power plants, modern mini-hydro facilities are able to join this market as well. Today, most large-scale providers are already connected to virtual power plants. By now most of them have also acquired the necessary know-how to find their way around the control energy market. From the small-scale power plant operators’ point of view, however, things look quite different. Small-scale operators still need to gain the required market insight and share relevant knowledge. That was reason enough for this

May 2016

photo credits: Joujou_pixelio.de

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year’s RENEXPO® INTERHYDRO in Salzburg to make this issue a focus topic. The two-day exhibition and conference will provide ample opportunity to discuss relevant technologies and services, and to demonstrate specifically how small-scale hydropower operators can profit from them.

photo credits: Frank-Martin Lauterwein_pixelio.de

PUMPED-STORAGE IS STILL IMPORTANT As another focus of this year’s event, RENEXPO® INTERHYDRO will once again highlight the topic of pumped storage. In Germany, the accelerating energy turnaround is expected to require at capacity of around 200 GW from wind power and photovoltaic technologies alone to fully overcome the dependence on fossil fuels by 2040. Both of these resources are rather volatile. As a result, they require not just an appropriate power grid, but also a huge storage capacity. Overnight compensation alone will require up to

500 GWh, even for sunny days, according to the German Department of Commerce and Energy. Germany’s overall pumped storage capacity, however, amounts to approximately 40 GWh. As a result, not just the expansion but also the flexibilisation of electricity and energy storage are going to be high on the agenda for many years to come. Battery systems will also have a significant role to play in this scenario, without destabilising the position of the important pumped-storage power plants in the Alpine region. The issue of possible scenarios and perspectives, as well as the need for technical development in this area will also be covered at the Pumped-Storage Conference at RENEXPO® INTERHYDRO in Salzburg.

bruary. With respect to last year’s event, visitor response was very positive indeed. Participants particularly appreciated the well-balanced selection of topics – an achievement that organisers intend to repeat this year. Plans this year also call for a two-day International Small Hydro Conference, which is to be held in a German-speaking and a non-German-speaking setting. As before, this will take place in the form of a two-day forum for hydropower operators, with a clear focus on practical issues. Individual topics such as pipe laying, inspections, etc. are consolidated into small groups of sessions. Once again, issues centred around “water-friendly hydropower” will feature prominently as well. As a side event, the program includes an excursion to an interesting hydropower facility. Considering that hydropower is currently in urgent need of political support, the EU lobbying sessions will also be given appropriate weight. According to feedback from participants at last year’s conference, this particular item on the agenda added valuable impulse to the support issue. With this in mind, the organisers are only too happy to comply with the wish to keep to the same organisational format for this public relations platform. Although it is still early into the sign-up process, 40 exhibitors have already registered for the event. This, too, is a clear sign that RENEXPO® INTERHYDRO Salzburg is set to maintain its high ranking within the European hydropower industry.

EXHIBITORS REMAIN LOYAL The exhibition’s high-profile Advisory Committee held their meeting already in early Fe-

For more details visit www.renexpo-hydro.eu

Modern pumped-storage power plants will continue to play an important role as ‘green batteries’. The barrage at Lago di Luzzone in Switzerland.

A famous centre of culture, Salzburg will once again turn into the hub for the European hydropower industry in late November this year.

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Continuous online PD monitoring system for preventing dielectric failure in rotating machines.

photo credits: OMICRON

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MONGEMO - ONLINE PARTIAL DISCHARGE MONITORING SYSTEM FOR ROTATING MACHINES OMICRON is an international company serving the electrical power industry with innovative testing and diagnostic solutions. The new MONGEMO online partial discharge (PD) monitoring system from OMICRON continuously assesses the dielectric condition of stator insulation in rotating machines under load, such as turbo generators, hydro generators and electrical motors. The permanently-installed system collects and analyzes PD data over time and identifies insulation defects that could lead to dielectric failure and machine outages. he MONGEMO PD monitoring system is customizable to match the exact requirements of various rotating machines. It consists of coupling capacitors for PD detection, a 4-channel PD acquisition unit, and a central computer with monitoring and PD analysis software. With the convenient web interface, users can remotely configure the monitoring system, view realtime data and historical trends, and analyze the collected raw data.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FOR CONVENIENT DATA EVALUATION The high PD measurement sensitivity of the MONGEMO monitoring system is based on

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advanced OMICRON technology for noise suppression and PD source separation. Multiple PD sources are distinguished from external noise through synchronous multi-channel measurements and advanced methods like 3PARD (3-Phase Amplitude Relation Diagram) and automatic cluster separation for convenient visual evaluation. ACTIONABLE DATA FOR ASSESSING RISK OF FAILURE MONGEMO monitoring software automatically displays real-time data as well as historical trend diagrams of statistical parameters for each monitored machine, such as PD magnitude and PD pulse frequency.

Users are also provided with an event log that displays warnings and alarms when PD activity reaches or exceeds predefined threshold values. The related raw PD data can be evaluated further using the systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expert software for in-depth PD analysis. The actionable data allows users to assess the risk of dielectric failure in their machines and to optimize their maintenance and asset planning. SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH THIRD-PARTY SYSTEMS MONGEMO supports multiple industrial communications standards. This enables PD monitoring data from MONGEMO to be easily exported to SCADA systems.

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The system also displays monitoring data from other third-party devices, such as temperature sensors. EXPERT ADVICE AND SUPPORT OMICRON provides users with complete guidance and support during the design, setup and use of the MONGEMO monitoring system. This includes on-site consultations to evaluate monitoring needs; customized system design, installation, commissioning and training; as well as support with data evaluation and reporting.

edge technology of excellent quality. Service centers on all continents provide a broad base of knowledge and extraordinary customer support.

All of this together with our strong network of sales partners is what has made our company a market leader in the electrical power industry.

Permanent online PD monitoring of hydro generators, turbo generators and electrical motors.

PD MONITORING DETECTS INSULATION DEFECTS Statistics for rotating electrical machines show that a major source of their failure is linked to defects in stator insulation. A majority of these defects can be detected early through the continuous, permanent monitoring of PD activity. PD occurs in the stator insulation system of generators and motors, where local electric field stress exceeds the local electrical strength. RISING PD ACTIVITY INDICATES INSULATION DEGRADATION The insulation materials typically used for rotating machines are resistant to a certain level of PD. However, an increase in PD activity over time often indicates insulation defects and degradation caused by operational stress factors and aging processes. If left unattended, this could lead to failure and serious consequent damage. MONITORING DATA OPTIMIZES MAINTENANCE STRATEGY AND ASSET PLANNING Online PD monitoring is a well-established technique used to continuously assess the condition of a stator winding insulation system. The actionable data helps organizations to optimize their asset management, maintenance efforts and investment planning. Machine failures can be avoided through the timely implementation of maintenance and repair measures to ensure a longer service life. COMPANY PROFILE The application of OMICRON products allows users to assess the condition of the primary and secondary equipment on their systems with complete confidence. Services offered in the area of consulting, commissioning, testing, diagnosis and training make the product range complete. Customers in more than 140 countries rely on the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to supply leading May 2016

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photo credits: HOBAS

The family-owned hydropower plant Pena Flor – Los Sisitos in Guatemala was built in 900 m above sea level, in 15 km distance to the two volcanos Santa Maria and Santiaguito.

CLEAN ENERGY WITH HOBAS HYDROPOWER SYSTEMS Hydropower is on the rise: The global use and capacity of this environmentally sound energy source is constantly growing. In order to optimally capture the energy of flowing water and turn it into electricity, efficient technologies are needed, with pipelines being essential parts of the power generation system. Thanks to top-quality GRP penstocks and pipe routing possibilities that are both highly efficient and cost-saving, HOBAS substantially increases the profitability and brings out the best of hydro power plants all around the world.

he town of New Milford in the US state of Connecticut is home to the Rocky River Hydroelectric Power Plant, the first large-scale pumped-storage development in the United States. The original wooden and steel penstock transported water back and forth between Candlewood Lake and the plant’s surge tank above the Housatonic River. The wooden pipe section DN 4500 was originally built in 1928 and replaced in 1965. As it aged, it began to leak and, after a number of failed maintenance attempts, it was decided to replace the penstock section with a new one. The project went out to bid in January 2012 and the company Kleinschmidt Associates was hired to find a reliable and cost effective replacement pipeline. Kleinschmidt evaluated plastic, steel and GRP as pipe materials. HOBAS GRP eventually exceeded the other materials a number of aspects: The pipe could be easily connected to the existing steel pipeline, it is UV resistant, and the hydraulic

May 2016

capacities and lower friction factor allow for a higher flow rate and an increased electricity generation due to reduced head losses. Furthermore, the hydraulic performance of the HOBAS Pipeline allowed for a reduced pipe diameter, which in turn reduced the installation project’s capital costs. HOBAS Pipe USA supplied 290 m of DN 3000 pipes including three mitered elbows of nine, 18, and 20 degrees. The installation contractor efficiently installed the new penstock – most of it half-buried, only two 6m-sections at the upper end of the penstock that were placed on concrete supports. The penstock DN 3000 was connected to the existing steel pipes with transition sections and the mitered elbows were encased in concrete to resist deformation. The project was successfully completed in December 2012. The owner and operator of the Rocky River Hydroelectric Power Plant, Richard Laudenat, is very pleased with the outcome of the project: “The new penstock

continues to meet all of our expectations after its first winter under severe New England weather conditions.” GRP PENSTOCK IN GUATEMALA The family-owned hydropower plant Pena Flor – Los Sisitos in Guatemala was built in 900 m above sea level, in 15 km distance to the two volcanos Santa Maria and Santiaguito. The WKV cross flow turbine with a capacity of 0.6 MW is powered with the water from two creeks which is led in underground non-pressure PVC pipes to the forebay, from which the 802 m long HOBAS Penstock DN 700, PN 6 and 10 runs to the powerhouse. Installation works of the penstock commenced in May 2014. The pipeline route is set on a slight incline and the alignment is relatively straight, except for one 18° bend around 125 m from the powerhouse. On recommendation of the HOBAS Site Expert, the pipes were installed in 1.6 m depth. This way, passive earth pressure holds the pipe

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The town of New Milford in the US state of Connecticut is home to the Rocky River Hydroelectric Power Plant, the first large-scale pumped-storage development in the United States.

in place and laborious, time-consuming thrust block designs were unnecessary. Because of the rainy season with up to 125 mm rainfall per day, the pipe trench had to be prepared bit by bit to prevent the walls from collapsing. Bedding material from nearby creeks was manually shoveled onto trucks, unloaded, and wheeled to the trench. Despite the difficult conditions, an average installation rate of five pipes per day could be achieved. Thanks to a perfect collaboration of the construction team, the owner Juan Pablo Cordon who personally supervised the installation, and not least the HOBAS Site Expert who advised the team in optimally storing, transporting, handling, and installing the products, the installation works were finalized to everyone’s content in September 2015. The pressure test was successfully conducted and the hydropower plant went into service on October 27, looking ahead to decades of green energy.

POWERFUL HYDRO PROJECT IN AUSTRIA The Schwarzenberg family foundation Vaduz operates three small hydropower plants in the Austrian municipality Turrach. After two of them, Leimingbach and Geissbach, with a joint standard capacity of 1.8 GWh had been successfully operated for some time, the family foundation endeavored the erection of a further plant at the stream Turrachbach in 2012. In aiming to unite high quality and longevity with economic viability, particular attention was paid to the choice and design of the approximately 2.5-km-long penstock. Featuring a service life of at least half a century and optimal hydraulic properties, HOBAS Hydropower Pipe Systems presented the ideal solution. Under the supervision of the planning agency Pittino ZT GmbH, the contractor Felbermayr Bau commenced the construction of the plant with 71 m head in March 2012. The comparably light pipes, which were delivered in 3 and 6 meter lengths,

were installed quickly and easily with an average cover of 1.5 m. The upper half of the penstock was implemented with HOBAS Pipes DN 1600, PN 4 and 5, the lower part with HOBAS Pipes DN 1500, PN 6, 8 and 10. Rocks and ledges dominate the last 100 meters of the penstock so that a cast iron pipe DN 1200 was connected to the GRP line there. Thanks to the possibility to accommodate angular deflection in the couplings and the proven method of angular cut pipe ends, the line could be optimally adapted to the route across the narrow valley of the Turrachbach while saving on bends and keeping installation costs to a minimum. After all necessary tests had been conducted, the cross-flow turbine with a standard capacity of 5.4 GWh went into operation in December 2012. Pleased with the result, the director of the Schwarzenberg family foundation, Michael Sterneck, says: “Of course we want these projects to be economically successful. However, to us it is most important to have a solid and environmentally sound construction.” Austria: The comparably light pipes, which were delivered in 3 and 6 meter lengths, were installed quickly and easily with an average cover of 1.5 m.

When it comes to our environment, only the highest standards are good enough for us. We build our GRP Hydropower Pipe Systems with regard to the best possible efficiency and output. With maximum mass flow and a service life of over 50 years, they provide a valuable solution for you and your surroundings.

Our Responsibility. Let us make it Your Benefit. This is

www.hobas.com

h. Make things happen.

May 2016

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photo credits: Künz

The intake trash racks at the Verbois power plant near Geneva has been replaced after 60 years of operation. The two trash rack cleaning machines were also at the end of their useful life and have been replaced by a fully automatic system by Künz.

NEW TRASH RACK CLEANER ENSURES FREE FLOW AT THE VERBOIS POWER PLANT After 60 years of operation, the intake trash racks at the Verbois power plant near Geneva were in need of replacement. Along with the replacement, the rather old two-part manual trash rack cleaning system was to be replaced with a modern, fully automated trash rack cleaner (TRC). Austrian-based specialist Künz submitted the most favoured solution and was awarded the contract. The new system with its redundant layout now ensures enhanced performance and security while reducing downtimes at the facility. Measuring 7.8 m in width, the TRCM with its portal-type layout offers more space for staff and improves plant security in previously dangerous areas.

ydropower plant Verbois is situated on the River Rhône, around 10 km downriver past the city of Geneva. In 2012, after more than 60 years of use, the intake trash rakes had to be replaced due to natural wear and tear. The intake trash rack system measures 65 m in width and is almost 20 m high, which makes it one of the largest of its kind in Switzerland. As can be imagined, the replacement project was no small job. A year earlier, an official tender had been put out for the delivery of a trash rack cleaning machine. Provider Künz from the Austrian province of Vorarlberg submitted the economically most favourable offer and was awarded the contract. The two obsolete manual trash rack cleaning machines could now be replaced by a single TRCM based on redundancy supporting technology.

May 2016

SYSTEM SWITCHOVER The two old TRCMs are based on the concept of a so-called grab rake. As the name suggests, this type of rake has a claw-like shape that is used in a downward cleaning motion to grab the debris. During the hoisting phase, the rake remains closed, which prevents it from grabbing more debris until it is lowered again. Good cleaning efficiency also requires the application of a large amount of weight per meter. This original system was manufactured by long-established firm Jonneret of Geneva and proved very successful for manual cleaning. The reasons for installing two machines was their low cleaning width and the required redundancy. Unlike the old system, the new one has a motorised rake hoisting mechanism and uses a so-called pivot rake. “This rake has a greater cleaning width of 3 1/2 metres,

and it’s heavier as well, which makes it easier to sweep across layers of debris,” explains Ing. Samuel Wolfgang, TRCM Project Leader at Künz. GENTLE MOVING GIANT The hoisting rig and carriage mechanism of the Künz trash rack cleaner are controlled electromechanically.Frequency-controlled drives keep the movements smooth and steady. To achieve optimum performance, the hoist mechanism is initially run at a low speed, which is then ramped up gradually to its maximum performance level. HIGH SECURITY REQUIREMENTS The power plant is designed to accommodate a public road, which passes across the premises at the highest point. This meant that the facility’s premises had to be fenced off

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The new system has a motorised hoisting mechanism. When the rake is lowered, its large weight helps to overcome obstructions and sweep across layers of debris.

rake has a large screen gap width. Larger debris objects would be likely to get caught in between the screen bars and be pushed towards the upper end of the trash rack by the rake. To prevent this, the steel lining is attached by means of slanted metal plates that run in between the screen bars. The entire steel lining is manufactured from tilted stainless steel elements. RELIABLE DATA TRANSFER To ensure seamless integration of the TRCM with the automation and control system, a communication system was to be put in place, which had to be able to transmit the various control commands and status messages. Künz decided to use optical waveguide (OWG) connections for this purpose. The OWG is integrated into a combined energy supply cable. This also carries the video signal of the cameras that are attached to the TRCM.

along a 200 m stretch. For operational reasons, the area was divided into three sections, which allowed for automatic cleaning and maintenance work to be performed at the same time. The various access gates to the individual sections are monitored and integrated into the automatic control system. In addition to section monitoring, the TRCM was equipped with a new feature for detecting oversized debris objects such as tree trunks. There is a portal crane each to the left and to the right of the TRCM. These cranes are used for technical revisions. When the TCRM is in operation, they are usually parked in idle position. Whenever they are moved within the TRCM’s operating range, an anti-collision mechanism causes the TRCM to stop automatically. All these extra security measures were approved and released for automatic operation by Swiss industrial accident insurer SUVA.

BROUGHT UP TO THE LATEST TECHNICAL STANDARDS So far, the cleaning system has met – and in part even exceeded – the operator’s expectations. Equipped with its new intake trash rake, the tradition-steeped hydropower plant on the River Rhône is now ready for further decades of reliable service. With the installation of the fully automatic trash rack cleaner the facility has been upgraded to the latest technical standard, which ensures improved plant security and an unobstructed water flow. The temporary storage container can hold up to 20 cubic metres of waste, which are then dumped into a container on the left river bank.

LOW DOWNTIMES From the beginning, the focus in this project was on minimising downtimes, as the new solution uses only one unit instead of the previous two. In case of a fault, the TRCM must be up and running again within at most 48 hours, as per requirement specifications. To address this need, a concept was developed based on system failure scenarios: the so-called MTTR (Mean Time To Repair) system concept. This provides an overview that specifies which structures, components and systems might fail and which repair measures would have to be taken in that case. It also keeps an up-to-date record of which replacement parts are already available. A stand-by package of these parts is kept on-site to ensure instant availability in case of a failure. This package consists mostly of parts that are normally subject to long delivery times or have an above-average likelihood of failure. HUGE AMOUNTS OF DEBRIS Hydropower Plant Verbois is the first major river dam structure past the Lake of Geneva on the River Rhône. In this area, the river tends to carry large volumes of debris and municipal waste. So far, the disposal concept was based on a channel system through which the collected debris was flushed into the tailwater. With the new solution, the idea of keeping the cleaning and disposal functions separate was preserved but improved further. As a result, the new TRCM is able to load more than 20 cubic metres of waste into a temporary storage container, from where it is dumped into a 30 cubic metre container situated on the left bank of the river. The temporary storage container is constructed in such a way that its headwater section diverts floating debris directly into the flushing channel so that the container is instantly ready for the next debris collection cycle. This construction helped to improved the cleaning capacity. However, the new May 2016

picture credits: TIWAG

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The restricted spatial conditions required an innovative technical solution: Since 2015, fish at the weir Runserau (HPP Imst) can migrate to the headwater via a lift system.

AUSTRIA’S FIRST FISH LIFT AT THE WEIR RUNSERAU ON THE INN IN TYROL As Austria’s first fish lift, the Runserau fish lift is an innovative undertaking. The fish lift design was chosen to provide a continuous passage at the existing weir Runserau on the River Inn, where space is limited and the water level is subject to considerable fluctuation. The project was implemented between 2014 and 2015 in accordance with the National Water Management Plan by Tiroler Wasserkraft AG (TIWAG), with the support of the Austrian as well as the the Tyrolean government under the “Environmental Support Act”. Invited article by Ing. M. Oberwalder and Dr. M. Schletterer estoring the continuity of water courses to enable the free migration of fish in their natural habitat and the interconnection of biotopes is one of the central measures under the 2009 National Water Management Plan. To comply with the Water Framework Directive, the state governor of Tyrol on December 1st, 2011 issued an action plan for the restoration of watercourses throughout the federal state of Tyrol. The designated “goal for 2015” was to restore continuity at migration obstacles throughout the prioratory water courses. Located within this prioritised restoration area are three TIWAG hydropower plants: Langkampfen, Kirchbichl and Imst (which includes the weir Runserau and the water intake at Wenns ).

May 2016

Building excavation for an upstream slot pass structure in the tailwater of the weir gate structure.

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Concreting work nearing completion at the slot pass construction.

Intake rack of the finished residual water intake structure.

Construction of a water intake structure in the backwater area.

Three sites were suitable for “standard solutions” (a vertical slot design in combination with a near-natural bypass channel). At the Runserau weir structure, however, the situation was a bit more difficult.

level, implementing a fish pass with conventional methods was not feasible. An assessment of viable alternatives led to a “fish lift” construction as the optimum solution.

GENERAL CONDITIONS OF FISH PASSAGE CONTINUITY AT THE RUNSERAU WEIR GATE Hydropower plant Imst was built between 1953 and 1956. This runof-river power plant with a reservoir uses the relatively high head of the Inn between the Prutz and Imst facilities. The Runserau weir structure comprises three inlet gates with a clear width of 13 m and a height of 10 m, which are equipped with hook gates. The water (85 m³/sec design flow rate) is abstracted on the right river bank through a vertical inlet rack and passes over the desilting basin to the 12.3 km pressure tunnel. Space at the Runserau intake is rather limited: On the orographic left side, the structure is integrated into solid rock, with the silt basin located the orographic right side. Due to the heavily fluctuating headwater

FISH LIFT AS A SPECIAL SOLUTION Due to the lack of experience with fish lifts in Austria, we conducted a comprehensive study of the available literature and engaged in an exchange of ideas with operators abroad. Like fish locks, fish lifts are used worldwide in locations where considerable height differences between the headwater and tailwater levels are to be overcome and where the available space is insufficient for ‘conventional’ fish pass constructions. Fish lifts, as well as fish locks, have been used successfully for decades and are proven to be highly efficient, especially with diadromous fish species. International examples show that fish lifts work very well, provided they are positioned correctly and equipped with a properly constructed inlet.

TIWAG has implemented Austria’s first ‘fish lift’ at the weir Runserau.

Cross-walls in the pools of the ‘vertical slot’ type fish pass.

The fyke conveys fish to the headwater level.

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Panoramic birds-eye view of the complete Runserau weir gate structure.

Monitoring data proves that between January and May 2016 already more than 500 fish were conveyed successfully upstream.

TARGET SPECIES: BROWN TROUT AND GRAYLING From an ecological point of view, the stretches of the Inn around the Runserau intake belong to the designated hyporhithral (grayling region) and metarhithral (lower trout region) habitats in the “non-glaciated central Alps” bioregion (special type ‘large river’). The primary species are therefore the brown trout and grayling (standard size: 50 cm), although rainbow trout, brook trout, bullhead and minnow can be found there as well. AUSTRIA’S VERY FIRST FISH LIFT The fish lift design was chosen to provide a continuous passage at the existing weir Runserau on the River Inn where space is limited and the water level is subject to considerable fluctuation. Two inlets in the tailwater section and a conventional slot pass construction ensure findability. The lift itself matches the design of recent functional reference projects in other European countries. The conveyance height of the lift exceeds the height of the obstruction, allowing the fish to be released into the headwater at a considerable distance from the migration obstacle. As a result, the integration of the fish pass was optimised with respect to the given flow characteristics both on the headwater and tailwater levels. Construction work began in September 2014. Before its commissioning in December 2015, the “fish lift” had to pass an operational safety acceptance test, which was performed by the TÜV in accordance with the Austrian BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE FISH LIFT • Water intake structure • Water discharge via a tunnel leading from intake structure to the slot pass • Slot pass structures: “vertical slots” with pools, 2 inlets, 25 pools • Fish lift (conveyance height: 16.6 m) • Pumping station with pumped intake leading to the fish lift • Discharge channel

May 2016

Machinery Safety Directive (MSV 2010 BGBl. 282/2008), the Tyrolean Lift and Elevation Systems Act (LGBl. 153/2012) and the applicable lift engineering standard. With the test successfully completed, the Runserau fish lift was inaugurated in time on December 22nd last year. FIRST MONITORING DATA & OUTLOOK Due to its conventional intake construction (a vertical slot design with 2 inlets), the Runserau fish lift can be described as an “easy-to-find slot pass with a continuously operated fyke in the last pool and automatic discharge of the fish at a suitable location 600 m further upstream”. This has been confirmed by initial monitoring data that were collected with a VAKI RiverWatcher installed in the slot pass area and a camera installed above the fyke; this proved between January and May 2016 already more than 500 fish were conveyed successfully upstream. Besides confirming the proper functionality of the lift, the monitoring data also provide valuable information about the timing and intensity of the spawning and migration activity of the fish. Based on this data, it would be possible, for example to extract graylings in a controlled manner at the Runserau fish lift for use in the “Inn grayling” species protection project of the Tyrolean Fishing Association. In addition to ensuring the continuity of the watercourse, the adapted minimum flow of 5 m³/s in the residual flow reach led to a considerable improvement of the habitat of the benthic fauna and the habitat suitability for the brown trout and grayling species. The result is a positive impact on the entire residual water stretch downstream towards the point of discharge near Imst. Reference: Martin Schletterer, Robert Reindl and Stefan Thonhauser (2015): Ökologische Grundlagen und Randbedingungen für die Planung des 1. Fischliftes Österreichs an der Wehranlage Runserau, Tirol. WasserWirtschaft 7/8: 91-98.

photo credits: Schubert

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DI (FH) Gerhard Dietrich from ACC, a brand of Schubert Elektroanlagen Ges.m.b.H, presents the result of many years of development work: Schubert Web Control.

SCHUBERT WEB CONTROL OPENS UP NEW PERSPECTIVES FOR SMALL-SCALE HYDROPOWER Schubert Web Control is an automation solution that will be of great interest to operators of small-scale hydropower plants and is on the verge of being launched on the market. The power plant remote control system, which has been developed over many years, is aimed specifically at plants in the lower output range. As well as being very easy to operate and offering a high level of functionality, the solution is also noted for its efficiency and future viability. t was regarded for a long time as a golden rule for operators of small-scale hydropower plants: You can only really enjoy smooth operation of the plant if you actually have a physical presence in the powerhouse. This is true primarily of older power plants, which are still equipped with an analogue control system, and plants that do not offer the possibility of remote access. With Schubert Web Control, which is currently completing its final trials and will be laun-

ched on the market at the beginning of the 2nd quarter of 2016, this is now set to fundamentally change. EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIVE Schubert Web Control was developed working in close collaboration with power plant operators. The leading role was played here by the control and software specialists from „ACC”, a brand of Schubert Elektroanlagen. Over several years of development work, the

team successfully managed to develop an integrated monitoring and control module which is also affordable for small-scale and micro-scale plants and leaves nothing to be desired in terms of its user-friendliness. The new product offers owners of power plants a whole series of benefits that enable them to monitor the entire power generation process online. At the same time, switching operations can also be performed if necessary from the particular display device – whether May 2016

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„Responsive design” ensures optimum display and operation on all input devices for the control software.

software is also ideally equipped to handle future updates. At the same time, the SSL encryption of the data creates a secure connection and protects against any digital access by unauthorised people. The Schubert Web Control hardware only takes up a small amount of space and this means it is also suitable for installation in confined space conditions. The electronic components of the control system are protected by a robust metal housing, which means the system can be positioned both indoors and outdoors.

INTERVIEW WITH SCHUBERT GROUP LEADER CHRISTIAN SCHWARZENBOHLER Engineer Christian Schwarzenbohler, group leader in the small-scale hydropower plants division of Schubert Elektroanlagen GmbH, answers the most important questions about the „Schubert Web Control” automation solution in an interview with zek.

it be a desktop PC, tablet or smartphone. This means that on the one hand the response speed is increased, and on the other hand the number of trips to the plant can also be reduced to an acceptable minimum. USER-FRIENDLY AND EQUIPPED FOR THE FUTURE Great priority was attached to ensuring the highest possible level of user-friendliness when developing Schubert Web Control.

The intuitive input interface on the particular terminal is designed around the needs of the user and the way it works is self-explanatory. „Responsive design” ensures an optimum resolution and alignment of the display device which is used. This means that the control software is displayed in a standard form on all input devices, whether it be a smartphone, PC or tablet. By using modern programming standards such as HTML5, CSS and JavaScript, the

WHAT MAKES SCHUBERT WEB CONTROL PARTICULARLY ATTRACTIVE TO PLANT OPERATORS? The power plant operator’s communication medium – such as a smartphone or tablet – supplies the most important information to the operator 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Details such as plant in operation, fault, power value, level value, remote switching, etc. In addition, the measured values are stored for 14 days and thus guarantee continuous monitoring. WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FOR THE DEVELOPERS? Stabilising the data connection over a communication interface which is not always available. WHICH ASPECTS WAS PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE ATTACHED IN DESIGNING THE CONTROL SOFTWARE? First of all, definitely the area of functionality, which means a user interface that is as intuitive as possible and is easy to operate. Secondly, the future viability of the software, which we achieved by using the latest programming standards.

Operators have the option of accessing their plant via tablet, smartphone or desktop PC.

May 2016

WHAT BASIC TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE ON SITE BY PLANT OPERATORS TO BE ABLE TO USE THE SCHUBERT CONTROL TECHNOLOGY? Schubert Web Control has allocated defined data with which it operates. This data must be applied to terminals (defined interfaces) and can then be transferred to the Web Control via a cable connection.

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The Schubert Web Control hardware is concealed in a compact housing.

A mobile network with a packet data connection (GPRS/UMTS) or an internet connection must exist. For the plant operator to be able to use Schubert Web Control, all that is required is access to a smartphone, PC or tablet.

ring systems an inexpensive solution enabling remote access to their plant without any need for major modifications. The installation can even be carried out by a specialist, for example a local electrician. No specific technical knowledge is required to do this.

CAN SCHUBERT WEB CONTROL ALSO BE INTEGRATED INTO OLD EXISTING PLANTS? Yes, we looked for a possible way of offering the operators of older plants which are still equipped with analogue electrical enginee-

IS A FIXED INTERNET CONNECTION AT THE POWER PLANT SITE REQUIRED TO USE THE SOFTWARE? No, this is not required – the data can also be sent via GPRS/UMTS.

Continuous monitoring: All of the relevant measured values for a plant are automatically saved for 14 days.

Engineer Christian Schwarzenbohler was heavily involved in the development of Schubert Web Control in his role as group leader in the small-scale hydropower plants division.

CAN A HYDROPOWER PLANT BE COMPLETELY REMOTELY CONTROLLED BY USING SCHUBERT WEB CONTROL? In designing the software, we limited ourselves to the “must-haves” of a plant. What this means is, as far as conventional operation is concerned, the plant can be monitored and operated remotely. But if the operator of the plant wants to switch operations, this must still be done on site as previously. Troubleshooting can also only be carried out on site when the plant is at a standstill. DOES SCHUBERT WEB CONTROL WORK ON ALL CUSTOMARY OPERATING SYSTEMS (MICROSOFT, APPLE, ANDROID)? As Schubert Web Control has a browserbased structure, it is independent of any operating systems and is therefore compatible with the customary operating systems. WILL THE SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE BE OFFERED IN DIFFERENT VERSIONS OR DESIGNS? Within the framework of the technical specification, the hardware can be adapted to cater for the customer’s needs. The software will be distributed as an “all-in-one package” in the standard version.

Kontakt: www.elektroanlagen.at office@elektroanlagen.at Tel: +43 2747 / 25 35 - 0 May 2016

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The Tyrolean entrepreneur and engineer Peter Stocker can best be described as an “all-rounder” in the small-scale and micro-scale hydropower plant sector. With his company Stocker Mechatronik GmbH, which he founded ten years ago, he has now successfully implemented a large number of hydropower projects mainly in the Alpine region. Stocker, who hails from the Lechtal Alps region, is more than proud of his protective screen system with a self-cleaning effect that he has developed further himself. It was only around two months ago that the largest Coanda screen produced by the company to date was supplied for a hydropower project in the town of Oberstdorf in Upper Bavaria. The challenging installation at a height of 17 m on the outside of a boulder barrier was in fact done with aerial support from a transport helicopter. he new diversion-type power plant at “Bacherloch” is located at the beginning of the mountain gorge of the same name in the Allgäu Alps. Not far from this location, power plant operator Christoph Ellmann runs the Einödsbach mountain restaurant. He lives there with his family at the southernmost location in the Federal Republic of Germany to be inhabited all year round. The residents in Einödsbach have been relying on hydropower generation since as far back as the 1950s. Back then, an island

power plant was operated to generate electrical power to supply the community’s own needs for the first time. A connection to the public power grid of the town of Oberstdorf – which is famous as one of the venues for the “Four Hills Tournament” – has existed since 2007. With the micro power plant having been operating for around 60 years, in 2011 Christoph Ellmann, who was born in Düsseldorf, began to think about forthcoming refurbishments that would need to be made to the outdated technology: “Several different options ranging from turbine revita-

photo credits: zek

For For the the water water catchment catchment at at Bacherloch Bacherloch Power Power Plant, Plant, which which isis around around 11 11 m m wide, wide, Stocker Stocker Mechatronik Mechatronik GmbH GmbH delivered delivered and and installed installed its its largest largest Coanda Coanda screen screen to to date. date.

Protected by by aa coarse coarse screen screen which which isis mounted mounted above, above, the the wedge wedge rods rods below below with with aa gap gap width width of of 11 mm mm Protected create the the Coanda Coanda self-cleaning self-cleaning effect. effect. The The fine fine screen screen isis made made of of Hardox Hardox industrial industrial steel steel which which isis create able to to handle handle the the challenging challenging conditions conditions of of an an Alpine Alpine waterway waterway with with aa high high bedload bedload with with ease. ease. able

May 2016

picture credit: Ellmann

COANDA TECHNOLOGY FROM TYROL IMPRESSES AT A LOFTY HEIGHT

lisation through to a complete new construction were discussed at the time. Ultimately, the decision was made to construct a new plant with a modern cross-flow turbine. This allows a large amount of electricity to be generated and fed into the public power grid, thus generating a profit.” In addition to the machine unit, the intention was also to build a new weir and lay a penstock over a length of 45 m. From a construction point of view, the most challenging part was to design the new water catchment. As the location on the inside of an existing boulder barrier did not get approval, the steel structure was to be positioned on the opposite side on the outside of a transverse structure. REFERENCE PLANT IMPRESSES Christoph Ellmann became aware on the internet of the screen system adapted by Peter Stocker for his own project. During the course of the first discussion on the telephone, Stocker offered to have a look for himself at a Coanda screen in everyday use at a reference plant. This protective screen is located in the community of Boden near Tyrol’s Hahntenjoch mountain pass. As a replacement for a Tyrolean weir that was constantly blocked, it has been in use for seven years. Since it was installed, blockages have no longer been a problem, and the wedge bars made from highly durable Hardox steel also display

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The installation of the water catchment was accomplished in just three hours thanks to assistance from a transport helicopter.

NO ORDINARY PROJECT The most challenging part of the water catchment was definitely the installation on the outer wall of the boulder barrier at a height of roughly 17 m. This is where the second mainstay of Stocker Mechatronik GmbH’s business really paid dividends. This is because in recent years the company has also acquired an outstanding reputation in the construction of material cableways. “Thanks to our cableway projects, my fitters are used to working at great heights. In addition, we all have the necessary training and many years of experience,” explains Peter Stocker and adds: “For the installation work, we did of course make use of technical support. A walking excavator equipped with a bucket made it possible to secure a total of 12 ‘cantilever arms’ on the outer wall of the transverse structure. These cantilever arms provided an ideal support for the Coanda screen to rest on.”

Managing director Peter Stocker is not afraid to plan and implement complex projects in difficult terrain.

picture credit: zek

COANDA SYSTEM COMBINES MANY ADVANTAGES When you talk to managing director Stocker, he leaves you in no doubt that right from the outset it was clear to him that it would be possible from a technical point of view to implement the water catchment on Bacherloch using his system. The fact that his company would be manufacturing the largest screen to date with a width of 11 m was of less importance to Stocker, who hails from the Lechtal Alps region. Ultimately, the individual Coanda components are assembled in a modular construction and can be adapted to any width you require. During the final installation stage, the screen modules are connected together with screw connections. One of the biggest advantages of a Coanda screen for plant operators is undoubtedly the fact that there is no need for a screen cleaner. Thanks to the shearing effect created by the design, coarse debris, branches and sediment with a particle size of more than 1 mm has no chance of getting into the penstock. The design using toughened Hardox industrial steel means that the protective screen is also able to deal with the large quantity of bedload found in an Alpine torrent with ease. Additional protection for the wedge bars which produce the Coanda effect is provided by a coarse screen positioned immediately above the fine screen with a gap width of 50 mm.

picture credit: Ellmann

no notable signs of wear and tear. Ellmann was also quickly won over by these benefits and awarded Stocker Mechatronik GmbH the contract to deliver the hydraulic steelwork for his new hydropower plant.

INSTALLATION WITH AERIAL SUPPORT The final installation of the Coanda screen at a lofty height at the end of March was a spectacular sight to behold. Once the screen modules had been assembled down in the valley, they were lifted up to the support structure that had been prepared by transport helicopter. There the installers fitted the screen together with screw connections and welded joints to create an 11 m wide steel trough. With aerial support it took around three hours to complete the installation. Additional operational reliability is ensured by a flush sluice gate installed at the side with a hydraulic drive that makes it possible to clean the inside of the Coanda screen of fine dirt at periodic intervals. When zek Hydro conducted an on-site inspection, the next phase of construction was beginning in mid-April with the laying of the penstock made from GRP pipes, DN 700. The penstock is connected to the Coanda

screen directly by means of a flange joint and runs above ground along the concrete wall to the powerhouse located directly beneath the weir structure. The housing of the cross-flow turbine was already installed. Following its commissioning, which is scheduled for mid-May, the machine unit will deliver a maximum power output of 99 kW with an enhanced flow rate of 750 l/sec and a drop of around 17 m. Operator Ellmann reckons that he will be able to cover the electricity needs of his restaurant business with one fifth of the power that is generated and the remaining 80 % will be available to be fed into the public power grid.

Tel.: +43(0)56346981 Mail: peterstocker@gmx.at Mobil: +43(0)676496526 www.wasserkraft.npage.at

May 2016

Surprisingly sustainable.

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Verlagspostamt: 4820 Bad Ischl · P.b.b. „03Z035382 M“ – 14. Jahrgang

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