VA TECH HYDRO

Innovative Solution for

Low Impact Hydropower at Existing
Engineered Structures

Presentation at Hydrokinetic and Wave Energy Technologies

Technical and Environmental Issues Workshop
October 26-28, 2005

Alexander Bihlmayer © 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO

Topics

z Description of Technology Class &

HYDROMATRIX® concept
z Application Criteria
z Development Status
z Reference Applications
z Market Potential – Market Cost
z Development Obstacles

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO

Axial Type Reaction Turbines

Stay Vanes Runner
z Inward flow reaction
turbine -> water changes
pressure as it moves
through the turbine and
gives up its energy
z Water is directed through
the stay vanes and spirals
on to a propeller shaped Draft Tube
runner, causing it to spin.
Distributor Cone
z Draft tube helps decelerate
the water and recover
kinetic energy

z Hydromatrix -> Axial type,

fixed blade runners -> no
wicket gates and
adjustable runner blades !
© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO
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The HYDROMATRIX® Concept

z Many small turbines

instead of conventional
large size turbines
z Simple and robust turbine
and generator design
z Turbines can be lifted out D=5–8m
of the water during high
flows or flooding
z A solution for low head /
high flow sites at existing
engineered waterways
Conventional Bulb Turbine
HYDROMATRIX
z Not a small hydro solution

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO
Application Range & Criteria

Head
Head
99––33
33ftft
(3--10
(3 10m)
m)

Upper Pool
Submergence
Submergence
>>55ftft(1.5
(1.5m)
m)
Lower Pool

Flow:
Flow:
PerUnit:~
Per Unit:~250-360
250-360cfs
cfs
(7-10cms)
(7-10 cms)
UnitOutput
Unit Output
Totalflow
Total flow>>3,500
3,500cfs
cfs
200––700
200 700kW
kW
(100cms)
(100 cms) © 2005 VA TECH HYDRO
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HYDROMATRIX® - Development Status

1980´s Henry Obermeyer patents Hydromatrix concept in the US

First 3 MW plant becomes operational in CT
1990
VA TECH HYDRO Engineer “reinvents“ concept

1995
5 MW plant installed in a shiplock at Freudenau dam, Austria
Development of Ohio River projects starts
2000 30.4 MW Jebel Aulia plant (Sudan) under Contract
2001 85 MW Smithland & 88 MW Cannelton plants under Contract

First lot of Jebel Aulia in operation

2003
Design of Smithland project completed & approved
2004
700 kW Agonitz Plant commissioned

2005 6.55 MW Nussdorf Plant commissioned

Jebel Aulia Plant (80 Units) completed

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO
HYDROMATRIX®
Potential Applications

Navigation Dams
Ohio River

Jebel Aulia
Irrigation Dams

Colebrook
Intake Towers

Freudenau
Sluice in Shiplocks

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO
HYDROMATRIX® Reference - Intake Tower
COLEBROOK / USA

Client:
City of Hartford, CT

D = 660 mm
n = 900 rpm
H = 8 - 35 m
Ptu = 500 kW
6 Units in 2 Modules

Ptotal = 3 MW
Contract award: 1987
Commissioning: 1988

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO
HYDROMATRIX® Experience
Irrigation Dams - Jebel Aulia / Sudan

Existing irrigation dam

on the White Nile
National Electricity Corp.
Contract award: 2000
Commissioning:
Nov 2003 – Nov 2005
(8 lots)
80 units in 40 modules

Ptu = 380 kW
Ptotal = 30.4 MW
D = 1,120 mm (44 in.)
H = 5.5 m (18 ft)
© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO
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Jebel Aulia - Modules in raised position

TG Unit – Close up
Modules in lowered position
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HYDROMATRIX® Reference Plant
Nussdorf

Existing side canal of the Danube River in central Vienna

Customer: VERBUND Austrian Hydro Power AG
Contract award: 2004
Commissioning: May 2005

Technical Data:
Plant Capacity: 6.55 MW
Voltage: 690 V
Head: 5.86 m (19.2 ft)
Speed: 336.7 rpm
Runner diameter: 1,320 mm (52”)
Annual production: 24.7 GWh

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO
Nussdorf HYDROMATRIX®
Plant Concept

• 100 ft long, 40 ft wide and 23 ft high overflow hollow body weir

• Hydraulically operated spillway gates
• 12 Turbine-generator units
• Operation building
© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO
VA TECH HYDRO
Lower St. Anthony Falls
Lock and Dam on the Mississippi River,
Minneapolis, MN
Customer: SAF Hydroelectric LLC

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VA TECH HYDRO
Lower St. Anthony Falls
Plant Layout (I)
Draftubes (1) embedded in
retaining wall (2) inside an
abandoned auxiliary
shiplock (photo), Turbine
Generator Units (3) can be
lifted in vertical pairs

(3)

(2)

(1) © 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO
Lower St. Anthony Falls
Plant Layout (II)

Technical Data:
16 TG-Units (2 rows of 8)
Max. Plant Capacity: 10 MW
Max. Gross Head: 24.9 ft
Av.Annual Energy Production: 62 GWh

Project Start: End 2005

Commissioning: May 2007

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VA TECH HYDRO

GENERAL PLAN – SMITHLAND DAM

z Installation of movable
modules in bulkhead gate
slots of five spillway bays
z 170 turbine generator units –
rated head 21.3 ft
z Rated plant capacity: 82.7 MW
z Annual energy 327 GWh

Taintor gates

Shiplock

Shiplock
Bay 11 Bay 10 Bay 9 Bay 8 Bay 7 Bay 6 Bay 5 Bay 4 Bay 3 Bay 2 Bay 1

Flow
Modules
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SMITHLAND – Sectional View

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO
HYDROMATRIX®
Module Sectional View

Spillway Gates

4.16 kV Electric
Switchgear
& Control System 41 ft
Intake Trash Racks

Hydraulic
Power Unit

Turbine Generator
Units
D = 1,250 mm (49”)
n = 360 rpm
Draft Tube Gates
Ptu = 500 kW

24.7 ft
© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO
VA TECH HYDRO
U.S. Market Potential - Site Selection Process

TotalU.S.
Total U.S.Potential
Potential- -Existing
ExistingDams
Damswithout
withoutHydropower
Hydropower
900Sites
900 Sites

EstimatedInstalled
Estimated InstalledCapacity
Capacity- -33to
to50
50MW
MW
400Sites
400 Sites

Head- -15
Head 15to
to100
100Feet
Feet
90 Sites
300Sites
300 Sites COE Locks and Dams

RecentFERC
Recent FERCActivity
Activity
130Sites
130 Sites

30 Sites
COE Non-Navigation

10 Sites
Other Agency Owner
Note: Each bar shows number of potential sites remaining
after "filtering" with stated criteria

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO
Market Potential:
Pike Is.
Licensed hydropower on Ohio River 410 MWh
Willow Is.
Meldahl 463 MWh
805 MWh
Cannelton
Smithland 994 MWh
964 MWh

R.C. Byrd New

312 MWh Cumberland
424 MWh

Ö Total average daily energy: 4,372 MWh

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO
VA TECH HYDRO
Energy Capital Cost & Economy Factors1)

At existing At open waterways

structures
Cost per installed kW 1,500 – 3000 3,500 – 5000
Cost per kWh < 5 cents / kWh

Typical capacity factor 35 – 75 % 45 – 85 %

Dispatchable With restrictions With restrictions

Backup power generation Yes Yes
needed ?

1) Source: Navigant Consulting, Inc., 2005: used by permission

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO
Obstacles to Project Development...

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO
Conclusion
z Proven technologies for reaction type turbines available on the
market today

z The technologies have to be used in an innovative way to be

economically viable

z Use of existing engineered structures is key to success

– no / minimal civil construction cost
– no geological risk, no civil contracting risk
– no additional land usage, low addtl. impact on environment

z Technologies have to address concerns and requirements of major

stakeholders

z Power industry looks for simple and reliable designs to minimize

operation and maintenance cost

z Short project schedule is more important than low equipment cost

© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO

VA TECH HYDRO
Stakeholders in the Development Process
Innovative Solutions
LLC Experience
Utility Partnership-like Credibility
collaboration Financial Stability
Municipality EPC
Developer Contractor

Information
it y
Power cu
r
Purchaser Hydropowerl Se
c ia
na
Project
n
Fi

Financing FERC & Corps of Engineers

DNR, Fishery Agency
Partners Agencies Historic commission
Landowners
Public Community
© 2005 VA TECH HYDRO