RusHydro and Power Machines have said they have completed the next stage of modernization of the Cheboksarskaya hydropower plant, with unit No. 11 put into operation with an updated rotary-blade impeller and new stator.
As a result of the reconstruction carried out by Power Machines, the impeller blades of the turbine were able to change the angle depending on the water flow rate and head, which increased the efficiency of the hydropower unit. Now 15 of the 18 station’s turbines already operate in the rotary-blade mode. The turbines also have an environmentally friendly design with oil-free impeller bushings. This eliminates the possibility of oil in the water.
Hydropower unit No. 11 became the eighth plant machine where the turbine impeller was modernized and a new generator stator was installed. It has an almost perfect geometry, providing a uniform air gap between the stator and the rotor. This improves the performance of the hydropower unit and reduces vibration. The installation of the new stator, as well as the assembly of the reconstructed turbine, was carried out by specialists of the RusHydro subsidiary – Gidroremont-VKK JSC.
The modernization of the equipment at Cheboksarskaya continues, with the assembly of a new stator having begun at hydropower unit No. 4. The turbine of this unit was reconstructed earlier, in 2012. The modernization of Cheboksarskaya is aimed at improving the safety and reliability of operation equipment at the power plant, reducing repair and operating costs. Its schedule has been agreed with the System Operator of the Unified Energy System and does not limit the power supply of consumers.