Description
Currently no horizontal Kaplan SAM turbines exist in the world, which are horizontal turbines with adjustable blades. Alstom is therefore making significant innovative strides by focusing on such a new turbine, twice as powerful as the standard horizontal Kaplan SAM manufactured to date (17MW) and much more powerful than the ones on the market. This turbine will provide the same electrical production offered by a vertical Kaplan, but with the advantage that it starts producing earlier, meaning cost savings and less civil works required. This project consists of designing, manufacturing and validating the first horizontal Kaplan SAM turbine ever built worldwide with the highest head (37m) and the maximum flow, as well as the highest power: 35MW. This project is unique and is a great challenge for Alstom. The outcome of the project is the development of two innovative new generators and turbines, more efficient, with a higher performance and an extraordinary grade of technology integration which does not currently exist in the market.
Summary of project results
The project is divided into two actions of innovation, each focusing on two different machines in the field of renewable energy. The first machine, a prototype of turbine-generator set consists of the new design, development, manufacturing and validation of a new hydraulic turbine and generator, unique and totally innovative throughout the world, regarding its technical characteristics. This first prototype is manufactured and validated in Turkey. The second prototype that has been designed, manufactured and validated, is a vertical Francis turbine, of 45MW of power for a flow rate of 100m3 / s, and a maximum height of 37,2 m. It is located in the central IVELAND in Norway, in an area of difficult access and in a central cave with very limited place. The design of this turbine carries the largest hydrostatic bearing, both in size and power (45 MW), ever installed in Norway. The studies and designs have been done in Spain and all the research and engineering costs have therefore been done by the company or by research centers based on Spain. The manufacture costs are not funded through the project. The turbines designed are a new solution which can be applied in any location under the conditions set in the project. As the company has branches in Turkey and Norway they chose to locate their new developments in these countries.
Summary of bilateral results