Project Details

Our customer was awarded the contract to refurbish two the turbine intake gates at a low head hydroelectric dam.  The turbine intake gates are 17 feet wide, 42 feet tall, weigh 130,000 pounds each and are operated by 16 inch diameter hydraulic cylinders.  The work included removing the 50 foot hydraulic actuators and gates, rebuilding the cylinders and gate rollers, cleaning and repainting the gates, and replacing the gate seals.  The gates had been in service and under water without maintenance since installation in 1985 and the condition of the gate components was unknown at the start of the project.

Our Scope

Altman Browning provided as-needed engineering design and analysis for the project.  The first requirement was for brackets to lift the gates out of the slots.  The hydraulic cylinder pins had corroded so badly that the pins could not be removed.  The top of the gate holding the pin had to be removed with a cutting torch.  We designed lifting brackets for pulling the gate once the cylinder had been removed.  Once the gates were removed we designed and fabricated repair kits to replace the hydraulic pin bosses on the gate.  Finally, we provided lifting brackets and tipping fixtures for lifting and placing the gates back into the slots.  Along with the engineering design and analysis we provided phone support to our customer throughout the project.

Results

By responding quickly to our customer’s requirements as they arose with cost effective solutions, our customer was able to complete a successful project on schedule.