Fish friendly turbine
- 2. FISH-FRIENDLY HYDRO TURBINES • Background • Turbine Design • Potential Application • Relative cost • Summary Alden Turbine
- 4. BACKGROUND • Environmental migitation dominant in U.S.A. and increasing interest throughout the world. • Projects built without appreciation of impact • Restoration of migratory and endangered species • Overall reduction in energy output • Energy reductions offset by fossil projects • Requires fish passage facilities and/or modifications and restrictions to operation
- 5. TURBINE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT • 1995 DOE Advanced Hydro Turbine Systems Program • Two turbine designs emerged: Kaplan minimum gap runner (MGR) and the Alden Turbine MGR installed & tested in Pacific NW Alden turbine only tested at pilot-scale level • DOE Program canceled 2005 • EPRI took over Alden turbine’s development • New DOE waterpower program provided funding for Voith model testing and final design
- 6. ALDEN TURBINE DESIGN What makes it fish friendly? • Large diameter • Slow rotational speed • Few blades (3) • No gaps • Thick leading edges on Blades • Thick leading edges on vanes and gates • Biological design criteria –eliminated damaging shear and pressure
- 7. ALDEN TURBINE DEVELOPMENT (BIOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS) • Two heads (12 and 24 m) • 6 species of fish (36-425 mm) • With and without wicket gates • Fish length • Thickness of blade • Velocity of flow
- 8. TURBINE FEATURES • Mechanical design review indicates it is readily implementable for a range of applications • Thrust, runaway speed, and pressure pulsations were within anticipated ranges • No cavitation for the operating conditions corresponding to design point
- 9. POTENTIAL APPLICATION General data are accepted for designing Alden turbine • Head : 12 to 24 m • Flow : 42.5 m3/s • Diameter : 3.9 m • Rotation speed : 120 rpm
- 10. RELATIVE COST
- 12. SUMMARY • Comparable performance: ~ 94% efficiency • High survival estimates: > 98% • Provides downstream passage while generating power • Reduces need for costly fish passage facilities • Key benefits include a reduced strike probability by optimizing the number of turbine blades, wicket gates
- 14. THANK YOU