Tennessee Valley Authority

Hydro Resource Solutions LLC

Patrick A March

Richard K Fisher, Jr

Paul J Wolff

Frank Adkins

R Keith Jones

A system for monitoring maintenance information in a hydroelectric power generation facility comprises sensors coupled to a controller. The sensors detect actual levels of operating parameters for a desired operating period at an operating condition. The detected parameters include a stressor capable of affecting a life span, or mean time between failures, of the turbine or one of its components. The controller determines the amount of the life span used up. A method for monitoring maintenance information in a power generation facility includes the steps of monitoring levels of operating parameters including a stressor for a desired operating period at an operating condition. The stressor affects the life span of the turbine or one of its components, and the amount of the life span used up over the operating period is calculated. A method for monitoring losses in a hydroelectric power generation facility operating to satisfy environmental constraints involves storing predetermined reference signals representative of desired turbine efficiencies over a range of operating levels in a memory circuit. Current levels of operating parameters are sensed while the facility is operating to satisfy the environmental constraints. A sensed parameter signal representative of a current turbine efficiency is generated from the sensed levels of operating parameters. The generated parameter signal is compared to the predetermined reference signals to determine an environmental efficiency loss signal.

Method and apparatus for monitoring hydroelectric facility maintenance and environmental costs

A system for controlling a hydroelectric power production facility includes sensors for detecting the presence of fish adjacent to the facility. A controller linked to the sensors controls the orientation of control surfaces associated with a turbine/generator set to enhance the survivability of fish entrained into the facility when fish are detected to be present. The controller may instead or in addition activate projection arrays to guide fish to particular turbines or selected areas within the turbines that enhance the survivability of the fish passing through the turbines. The system may also be adapted to control fish bypass and spillway structures within the facility to further enhance the survivability of fish populations. The system balances fish survivability with other parameters related to the operation of the facility, optimizing power production levels once estimates of fish survivability meet targets or optimum levels. The system may be adapted to coordinate control of several facilities along a water system to permit implementation of an overall water, fish and power management plan.

Control system for enhancing fish survivability in a hydroelectric power generation installation

A system and method are provided for monitoring trash rack fouling in a turbine facility. The trash rack monitoring system includes sensors for detecting apparent gross head, flow rate, and effective gross head. The head values are used to select performance curves representative of historical turbine operation at the two head values. The two performance curves are simultaneously displayed on a computer monitor to graphically depict the decreased turbine performance resulting from fouling of the trash racks. The performance is also shown as an economic loss value. A method is also provided for optimizing performance in a multi-unit turbine facility. The method involves determining the net head on each turbine unit as a basis for selecting net head performance curves and ultimately deriving an optimum operating point for each turbine unit.

Method and apparatus for monitoring a hydroelectric facility trash rack and optimizing performance

A method and system are provided for monitoring performance parameters of a hydroelectric power generation facility and determining economic impact of operating the facility at levels other than predetermined reference levels. Optimal or desired levels of parameters of interest are stored in a memory circuit coupled to a central processing circuit. Actual values for the parameters of interest are sensed and communicated to the central processing circuit. Various monitoring circuit modules may be created for specific parameters of interest. The monitoring circuit modules compare the reference values to corresponding actual values and determine deviations from the desired parameter levels. A costing circuit applies an economic impact factor to the deviation values to determine the economic impact of the deviation. The technique may be used to evaluate past or present performance, predict future performance, schedule maintenance, predict payback for plant improvements and the like.

Method and apparatus for monitoring hydroelectric facility performance

A system is provided for monitoring fouling of a trash rack for a hydroelectric power generation facility. The trash rack monitoring system includes sensors for detecting head upstream and downstream of a trash rack as well as the flow through an inlet conduit downstream of the rack. The head and flow values are used to generate a trash rack loss coefficient that reflects actual losses across the trash rack independent of flow rate. A corresponding coefficient may be calculated when the rack is clean and used as a reference value for determining the additional loss across the rack due to fouling. The loss value may be converted to an economic loss value. The coefficient and economic loss values may be displayed on an operator interface and may serve as the basis for an alarm indicating the need to clean the rack or the potential for rack failure.

Growing community of inventors

Maryville, TN, United States of America

Patrick A March