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REFURBISHMENT OF SMALL HYDRO PLANTS
Hugo Carle, Eng.
General Manager
Innovative small hydro technologies
Waterpower XIII
July 29, 2003
CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• ASSETS OF OLD SMALL HYDRO PLANT
• INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
– CIVIL WORKS
– MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT
– ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
• END RESULTS
• CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
Most of the hydro plants and mills built in the late 1800s and the early
1900s to power the industrial era are now considered obsolete.
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Need full time staff on site
Regulated by massive hydraulic systems
Protected by massive and unsafe electrical switchgears
Controlled by large panels of levers, switches and gauges
Civil structures are too old to be refurbished
Electromechanical equipment is too expensive to maintain
Power plant is uneconomical to operate
This usually leads to a permanent shutdown decision by the owner.
However, these once large hydro plants could be now opportunities for
small hydro refurbishments.
ASSETS OF OLD SMALL HYDRO PLANTS
Old small hydro plants still have very attractive assets which strongly
support their refurbishment and potentially their upgrade.
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Existing access road
Existing civil structures
Existing electromechanical equipment
Well known upstream and downstream water levels
Well known river flow conditions
Proximity to an existing transmission line or substation
Water usage, environmental and ownership rights
Historical building architecture
The evaluation of these assets is necessary to determine what is the
potential of success of an old small hydro plant refurbishment.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
All the electronics and the latest of high tech can be used to refurbish
and to interface with the old structures and equipment.
Innovative technologies will used in the design, the manufacturing and
the implementation of almost all items of the project.
• Civil works
• Mechanical equipment
• Electrical equipment
They will also be used for the operation and for the maintenance after
the project implementation.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
CIVIL WORKS
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Laser level (survey, dimension control)
GPS coordinates (survey)
GIS system (3D modelisation of powerplants on computer)
Concrete additives (grouting, injection, curing)
Self-levelling concrete for complex forms
Geotechnical membranes
NDT development on earth and concrete dams
Protective coatings (water leakage, mussels, erosion)
Structure design, water infiltration and flood simulation softwares
Etc.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT
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Finite element analysis of components (static, dynamic)
Computer fluid dynamics of water passages (design, performance)
Laser survey of existing turbine runner
Cutting processes (water, laser and others)
Welding processes (electroslag and others)
Numerically controlled machining (just about any shape)
Material (stainless steel, al-bronze, cavitation protection, self-lub)
Turbine performance tests (equipment and methods)
Fish friendly turbines
Etc.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
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Protection relays (multifunctions, event recording)
Automation system (HMI, communication links, remote control)
PLC applications for control mode (speed, voltage, level, pf)
Electronic servo-valves (HPU, governing systems)
Excitation systems (AVR, DVR)
Winding insulation processes (VPI, tapes)
Material (winding copper strands, stator lamination, rotor field poles)
Monitoring transducers (temperature, vibration, pressure, speed)
Direct drive generator for small bulb unit
Etc.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
END RESULTS
The end results are numerous and sometimes astonishing.
• The old structures are still standing.
• The historical building architecture has been saved.
• The old machinery is still working after being cleaned and
refurbished.
• New equipment has been installed where necessary.
• Modern electronic equipment has been hooked to the old and new
equipment to properly monitor them.
• The old small hydro plant is now remotely controlled by computer
rather than by an on site staff.
CONCLUSION
There are hundreds of old small hydro plants. Most of them have very
interesting assets which are still in fairly good condition to properly
refurbish them.
Innovative technologies greatly contribute to the refurbishment process.
This is not limited to the electronics clearly showed in the end results,
especially the protection and the automation systems. It is also deeply
involved in the design and the manufacturing of the electromechanical
equipment and the implementation of the civil works.
It is now up to some of you to initiate new projects and to some others
to find new innovative ways to successfully implement them.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
THANK YOU !
Hugo Carle, Eng.
General Manager
Gestion Conseil SCP inc.
Tel.: (819) 562-7266
Fax: (819) 562-7210
[email protected]