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Updating a hydroelectric facility by taking a holistic approach to power management can increase production while improving system efficiency, reliability and safety for decades to come. Here are some additional benefits of updating a hydroelectric facility:
The first step to upgrade and automate a hydropower dam is to determine the scope of work. Many factors need to be considered when upgrading a facility, including regulatory compliance, safety, reliability, capacity, cost, and operational constraints. When considering electrical and control equipment, it is important to define system goals and objectives first. Both new and existing system components in a generation facility need to be evaluated to ensure overall system requirements are being met; assessing existing equipment is a key aspect to upgrading facilities.
Categorizing equipment and evaluating each system is helpful and ensures that new operation requirements will be met.
The following is a list of major electrical equipment and controls to consider:
Line switches
Step-up transformer
Cable and/or bus duct
Generator windings
Metering and relaying
Plant switchgear
Generator breakers
Lighting and surge protection
Grounding systems
Station service system
Battery and DC distribution
Lighting
Machine controls
Supervisory controls
Excitation systems
Governor/gate control systems
Headwork’s/dam controls
Fire and security systems
Plant ventilation
Machine and process instrumentation
In a hydroelectric facility, an arc flash event can produce a powerful explosion marked by searing heat, toxic fumes, blinding light, deafening noise and massive pressure waves. In hydro applications, the exposed bus work and other older, more antiquated equipment create an inherent risk of arc flash compared to other, newer construction generation facilities such as a natural gas. New solutions exist to mitigate arc flash either through upgrade, modernization or installation of new technology.
There are several arc flash mitigation solutions to consider:
Switchgear modernization options for a hydro electric facility include retrofit, replacement, retrofill, or reconditioning Hydroelectric facilities may have several scenarios that lead to the decision to modernize existing electrical switchgear instead of purchasing new switchgear including:
The equipment selection process should take into consideration the specific design requirements of the project in conjunction with the overall preferences based on past experience and local support. To guide in the equipment selection process, several diagrams need to be drawn:
Control system expectations and requirements need to be established before equipment selection and design criteria decisions are made. Well-defined system expectations will likely avert problems down the road, and may include:
It is highly recommended that some form of condition monitoring be implemented as part of the system upgrade. At minimum, generator stator and turbine and generator bearing temperatures should be monitored. Resistance Thermal Detectors (RTDs), if not already installed, can be added to bearings and in some cases to generator windings. Vibration or “run-out” monitors can be added on the turbine shaft; these systems range from simple online measurements to a sophisticated condition monitoring system.
Other monitoring systems should be considered and scaled based on the size and the type of equipment to be monitored. The following list includes basic condition monitoring systems for evaluation:
Automation is the installation of systems to allow operations and functions to occur autonomously or the control and monitoring of physical systems. Digitalization is the collection and analysis of the leveraging real-time data from automation to develop a new value to hydro customers and electrical grid operations.
The most common automation solution implemented in the hydro industry is programmable logic controllers (PLCs) coupled with a graphical human machine interface (HMI). Properly designed and implemented, this powerful combination can provide a full set of features to:
Large hydro applications (defined as greater than 30 MW capacity), have more redundancy in their automation. This may include parallel systems, punt standby, redundant relays and PLCs, as well as multiple operator interfaces. The increase in redundancy in large hydro is cost justifiable due to revenue generated by the facility. Small hydro facilities will likely have a similar system; however, there are less data and and control points and lower cost architecture due to the decrease of redundancy in system design.
A digital control system is typically used as the “brain” of a hydro station control platform and is the integrated system to control all technologies across the facility for control automation. These technologies include smart controllers, smart sensors, operator interfaces at various levels, expanded capability in different protection and control system elements. Modern digital control systems provide a range of functions, including Boolean “ladder logic” programming, timing and counting, mathematical calculations and communication options. Hard-wired relay controls and logic have evolved into ladder logic controls and is currently distributed control monitoring and interface capabilities. These dispersed systems allow the designer to implement everything including unit start and stop sequences, speed governing, equipment condition monitoring, alarm logic and response, station water level control, water flow management and other specialized functions, providing station operators with real time intelligent information for enhanced station performance.
Cybersecurity for an Industrial Control System (ICS), like a hydro control system, needs to be considered throughout the system lifecycle, prioritizing the real-time safety, availability, and reliability requirements unique to these systems. Lifecycle considerations include choosing suppliers that use a third-party validated Secure Development Lifecycle (SDLC); choosing components with necessary security controls and vulnerability response throughout the component’s usable life; deploying components with secure configurations; applying a secure commissioning process; and applying consistent cybersecurity maintenance activities (biweekly, monthly, and yearly activities). The secure architecture and system design are also critical to isolate critical functions and apply the necessary boundary defenses to restrict traffic, only allow authorized access and enable secure remote connectivity (interactive for maintenance and machine to machine for cyclic client-server access). Information security must also be maintained throughout project communications, requiring partners who understand and support these data exchange requirements.
A significant challenge in any upgrade project is scheduling the work to minimize downtime while allowing sufficient time for planned work to be executed. Multiple factors impact the schedule, including weather, concurrent work at the plant, and available resources.
Tips for planning project work:
When upgrading your hydro plant, you need a provider with broad capabilities, a proven track record, and the expertise to not only oversee the entire process, but resolve any unforeseen hurdles along the way. With Eaton as your trusted advisor, modernizing your hydroelectric facility has never been easier.
By leveraging Eaton’s hydro services team, the normal stressors of a plant upgrade process become water under the bridge. Our expertise and turnkey value minimize disruptions to operations, while administration of tasks is streamlined by working with a single source.
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