HydroDyne Energy designs, builds and installs hydropower equipment for our own plants as well as the plants we partner with for rehabilitation and production upgrades.
Plant Controls Automation
This usually involves hydro plant control system improvements which have some level of plant automation and internet based remote access operation and reporting. Also, unit controls that feature a user touchscreen interface, graphical reporting and proprietary software with customized user applications. HydroDyne uses commercially available components for an economical control system that has standard off the shelf modules for ease of maintenance and reliable plant utilization. This saves time and reduces costs, both initially with the original upgrade and over the life of the plant. Software programming is customized for each plant while software programming is customized for each plant while using a standard base program to make the system economical.
HydroDyne’s PLC based control systems, touchscreen and HMI’s, and internet based remote access operation and reporting vastly improve small hydro power plants power production and maximize profits for increased up time and efficiency. These automated systems are designed to support unmanned operation with grid connected utility based customers. These automated control packages provide the operator with complete control and status of the unit operation both at multiple remote locations and on-site and provide protection monitoring and safety shutdown protocols.
Turbine Evaluation
Often HydroDyne is asked to evaluate an existing turbine, usually a Francis or axial-flow propeller, but have rebuilt Pelton units also, to determine how it is performing and if mechanical improvements can be made such as a runner, wicket gate or guide vane refurbishment can improve turbine operation and ultimately efficiency. We have repaired, refurbished and replaced turbines that were 100 plus years old and re-manufactured parts that were no longer available and drawings no longer existed. Often parts upgrades can extend the life of these for decades while it is often more economical to replace the unit based on greatly improved efficiencies with a new turbine or type of turbine.
Generator Upgrades
HydroDyne Energy will evaluate your induction, synchronous, or permanent magnet generator (PMG) for current performance trend analysis compared to manufacturer specifications and make repair or replacement recommendations. A complete set of diagnostic tests are performed regardless of the brand or age of the generator. We understand the unique challenge of rebuilding and repairing equipment that is up to 100 plus years old and re-manufacturing parts that are no longer in existence. Our evaluation and repair services include stator, rotors, bearings, exciters, and auxiliary equipment such as protection instrumentation, capacitor bank power factor improvement equipment.
Generator replacement is often viable economic solution for increased power production from the unit. Our solution is often a PMG with variable frequency drive (VFD) which is less expensive and technically simpler to install and operate than a synchronous generator and eliminates the disadvantages of a speed increaser usually required for a simpler induction generator.
The PMG-VFD advantage to both synchronous and induction generators is more importantly the ability to allow the turbine speed to vary when the available head is different from the best efficiency point (BEP) and causing the turbine to run off its peak efficiency. In one case operating with an 80-year-old Francis turbine and induction generator the PMG-VFD increased yearly energy production by 96%, easily justifying the upgrade.
Trash Racks / Gates / Flash Boards
HydroDyne designs, builds, and installs automated trash racks, manual and hydraulic gates as well as auto-spring mechanical flash boards for its own and operating partners plants and can provide this equipment for any plant modernization upgrade.
Automated Trash Racks
Manual & Hydraulic Gates
HydroDyne designs and builds manual and hydraulic slide gates, bulkhead gates and stoplogs for intake canals, forebay and open or covered flume hydropower plant installations. These can be aluminum, stainless steel, steel, concrete filled or stacked lumber steel bracketed. Hydraulic cylinders driven by a hydraulic power unit (HPU) is the preferred solution for most plants we own and operate. HydroDyne will handle hydraulic cylinder repairs and replacements as well as HPUs for gate operation and wicket gate and guide vane operation.
Flash Boards & Crest Gates
HydroDyne routinely repairs and replaces hydropower plant dam flash boards, both flash board support posts and structures as well as the boards themselves. Often owners have requirements or economic incentives to replace older wood flash boards with metal crest gates. Our exclusive crest gate product we call our Auto-Spring Mechanical Flash Board, which could also be considered an auto-spring crest gate, and is spring operated and mounted to the top of the dam spillway, sealed and hinged with a 1-piece gate to eliminate leakage. The auto-spring mechanism is designed to lower automatically, depending on the site specific head requirements, and maintain designed crest gate (flash board) height during normal plant operation to increase spillway capacity and maximize plant power production.
Fish & Eel Passage
HydroDyne has designed and built various types of fish and eel passage (structures-conveyences) for its own and its partners hydropower plant dams. These are ladders, lift conveyors, and siphons, dependent upon fish species and site variables such as dam height.
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