Lower Baker Unit 4 Startup, Commissioning, and the Efforts ... · Lower Baker Unit 4 – Startup,...
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Lower Baker Unit 4 – Startup, Commissioning, and the Efforts to Resolve Vibration & Performance Issues on a New Hydro Installation Shane Richards, PE Mechanical Engineer/Project Manager Hydro Group 2015 NWHA Tech Seminar Hood River, OR May 7th, 1 pm
Transcript of Lower Baker Unit 4 Startup, Commissioning, and the Efforts ... · Lower Baker Unit 4 – Startup,...
Lower Baker Unit 4 –
Startup, Commissioning,
and the Efforts to Resolve
Vibration & Performance
Issues on a New Hydro
Installation
Shane Richards, PE
Mechanical Engineer/Project Manager
Hydro Group
2015 NWHA Tech Seminar
Hood River, OR
May 7th, 1 pm
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What will you learn?
Background on LBU4
Timeline of Issues (2013 Startup & Commissioning)
What is Going On?
Steps Towards Resolution
Ultimate Conclusions
Questions
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Where is LBU4?
South of Mt. Baker on WA
State Hwy-20 just outside
Concrete, WA – Approx. 2
hours north and east of
Seattle, WA
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FERC License Required Improvements
2x Floating Surface Collectors (FSCs)
Adult Fish Trap (AFT)
Fish Hatchery Upgrades
Various Auxiliary Investments
New Powerhouse – LBU4 ***
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Lower Baker Unit 4
~$50 MM Design-Build Contract for design & construction (PCL Construction, Black & Veatch Engineering)
~$11 MM Turbine Supply Package (Litostroj-Koncar – Slovenia/Croatia)
30 MW or 1500 cfs Minimum Instream Flow Turbine
SBV included – For ensuring flow continuation
~$20 MM ARRA Funded Tax Grant
My Role – Project Mechanical Engineer
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Lower Baker – Before & After
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~$90MM Later
Early Commissioning Timeline - 2013
May 21 – Bearing Heat Runs
May 28 – Balancing Adjustments Made
June 2 – First Sync to the Grid
June 3 – Load Rejections, High Vibrations @ 85%
June 4 – Lower Generator Guide Bearing Adjustment Work
June 12 – High Vibrations at LGB Persist
June 14 – Dewatered and Discovered Missing Seals
June 20 – Air Vent Making Loud Noises
June 26 – Index Test Prelim results not favorable, vibrations
analysis ongoing, vibrations persistent 9
What is going on?
Bearing Vibrations?
Unbalanced Unit?
Seals Issue?
Air Vent Problems?
Efficiency Issues?
Other Problems? Von Karman Vortices?
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Unit Disassembly – August/September ‘13
August 12 – Start Reshaping Guide Vanes
August 24 – Reshaping Completed, Different Hz Vibration
August 30 – Re-run Unit, No Vibrations to 100%
September 9 – Drop Bottom Ring, Machine it, Replace Seals,
Recoat Spiral Case
October 10 – Re-run Unit, Vibrations Return @ 85%
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Vibration Timeline (June – October 2013)
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Before & After Reshaping (CFD Modeling)
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Axial WG Vibration Measurements
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Guide Vane AXIAL vibration
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Gui de Vane Nr . [- ]
A [
mm
/s
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2013.06.04 - BEFORE Stay Vane trailing edge modification
2013.08.24 - AFTER Stay Vane trailing edge modification
2013.10.07 - AFTER bottom ring machining
Unit Underperformance (Shifted Curve)
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Review Design & On Site Testing - 2014
Planned Model Test Design & Prep – 1st half of 2014
June 2014 – Model Testing in Blansko, Czech Rep.
Final proposed solution – New Runner Only
August 2014 – Resumed site testing, removed paint
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Stay Vane Strain Gages & Testing (Aug ’14)
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Effect of Improper Coating
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Ongoing Testing & New Runner
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Conclusions & Lessons Learned
Coating Actually Matters
CFD versus Real Life makes a difference
Avoid changing too many variables at one time
There’s varying levels of commissioning (contractor,
equipment provider, owner)
Patience pays off (hopefully)
Thanks for the support
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