Flexibility Increase on Hydro Installed Base

Cycling KEY HYDROMECHANICAL COMPONENTS IMPACTED WITH FLEXIBLE OPERATIONS Bearings premature wear Thrust bearings premature wear Head cover cracks Draft tube premature wear Pole claws & shoes cracks Spider rim cracks Stator de-laminations Plant vibration Outside Operating Range Distributor cavitation Running the asset more flexibly can reduce its lifetime. It is therefore essential to obtain insights on the actual life consumptions and when an inspection is to be launched based on the actual usage of the equipment. Cracks on Francis Turbines due to Fatigue Broken Francis turbine blade due to rotor-stator interaction Crack resulting due to inter-blade vortices Cycling can damage generators Rotor pole claw Rotor pole shoe Rotor rim keyway Rotor spider welds Stator core de-lamination Material Erosion on a Francis due to cavitation Inlet suction side IBCV Runner cracks & cavitation Main Inlet Valves/ Turbine Shut-off Valves