Energy
Modernisation, Renovation, and Rehabilitation of Hydropower Plants
Modernisation, Renovation, Extension, and Rehabilitation of Hydropower Plants: Expert Engineering Solutions by Gruner
Gruner offers a comprehensive suite of engineering design and works supervision services tailored to the modernisation, renovation, extension, and rehabilitation of hydropower plants. Our services cover the entire design and works phases from feasibility design, detailed design, tender design, and client support for equipment procurement, particularly focusing on FIDIC Yellow Book and EPC contracts, through to the supervision and contract management for any refurbishment works and support for Factory Acceptance Tests and commissioning, ensuring the highest standards of quality and performance.
Lifecycle Management of Equipment and Infrastructure
Mechanical and electrical installations have finite lifespans. Hydropower units typically last 40 to 50 years, while infrastructure such as dams can last twice as long. As these systems age, increased operating costs and decreased performance and availability necessitate rehabilitation.
Tailored Solutions for Technical Advancements and Market Changes
Gruner assesses rehabilitation solutions to meet your current needs, considering technical advancements and market changes. This process may involve more than just mechanical upgrades; it can also include specifying new functional characteristics to exceed original capabilities.
Key Reasons for Rehabilitation
- Wear and Tear: Decreased performance, increased maintenance costs, and reduced availability due to aging.
- Site Condition Changes: Climate changes, variations in flow rates, water levels, and usage patterns.
- Operational Changes: Differences in operational cycles, annual turbine operation time, and peak electricity production demands.
- Technical Advancements: Improvements in performance, automation, telecommunications, and environmental protection.
Types of Rehabilitation Services Offered by Gruner
- Efficiency Improvement
Gruner utilizes modern computational tools and technical knowledge advancements to create more efficient hydraulic profiles, potentially improving machine efficiency by up to 5%. Enhanced efficiency increases annual energy production (MWh) without additional water usage.
Our services for optimizing resources during rehabilitation include:
- Asssessment of new hydraulic profile for optimized performance.
- Analyzing existing equipment for potential replacement or modification.
- Assessing sealed parts (draft tube and casing) for feasible modifications.
We offer comprehensive modernization of the plant, including turbines, alternators, and control systems, to adapt to new operational modes and improve production availability.
- Power Increase
Gruner can help you increase your plant's production capacity by enhancing its flow rate. Technical advancements in generation unit design now allow more water through turbines compared to the past. If operational licenses permit, this additional flow can be converted into increased power.
Potential improvements can reach up to 30% of the initial installed power, depending on existing equipment characteristics and available water flow.
Our rehabilitation design studies for power improvement include:
- Ensuring water intake components can handle new operational conditions.
- Optimizing the design for a new maximum flow rate.
- Assessing requirement for rehabilitating or replacing the alternator.
Power increase projects, particularly for reservoir-based plants, enhance grid stability during peak hours and improve economic returns.
- Environmental Impact Reduction
Gruner addresses several environmental impacts, including:
- Greenhouse Gas Reduction: Improved efficiency or power reduces reliance on fossil fuels, cutting overall emissions.
- Pollution Risk Reduction: Modern technologies offer alternatives to traditional oil and grease lubrication, minimizing environmental hazards.
- Fish Survival Rate Increase: Enhancements during rehabilitation can improve flow conditions and reduce injury risks for migrating fish.
- Dissolved Oxygen Increase: Utilizing turbine-induced venturi effects can oxygenate water, benefiting downstream aquatic life.
Comprehensive Support Services
Gruner provides end-to-end support, from feasibility studies to detailed design and tender design. We assist clients with equipment procurement, we have a long and diverse experience of the different contract types including FIDIC Yellow Book and EPC contracts. Our expertise extends to supervising Factory Acceptance Tests and managing commissioning processes, ensuring seamless project execution and adherence to the highest industry standards.
Why choose Gruner?
Rehabilitation is crucial for extending the life of hydropower plants, adapting to new operational conditions, and leveraging the latest technological advancements. Gruner’s comprehensive rehabilitation services enhance availability, efficiency, power, and environmental compliance with minimal impact on existing infrastructure. Our projects can quickly increase the productivity of aging hydropower assets, contributing to renewable energy production and long-term operational optimization.