Hydro power plant piping layout design career outlook 1

[vijay_s]

I am working on hydro power plant piping layout design. i have worked exp on two projects ,what are the opportunities in this field, can any suggest about this.
Thank you, Vijay

 

[MFJewell]

Here in the US, I would say for conventional hydro new builds, not very much opportunity. There might be some opportunity in pumped storage facility, but that seems to be cost prohibitive to build new. Maybe some opportunities in developing countries in Africa or Asia, but seems to be more conventional power gen and renewables going on there.

 

[GroovyGuy]

Hi Vijay,
I would guess that there is not a lot of piping in a hydro power plant. There may be some lube-oil piping and cooling water piping, but other than that I can't think of much more. I have excluded the penstocks form this discussion since these would not normally be designed by a "piping designer".
A thermal power plant is a different story (ie lotsa piping in one of those suckers).
GG

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931)

 

[vijay_s]

@Groovy Guy , Yes You found correct, I am working on same type of piping layout design , Is there opportunities based on this profile, Thank you .

 

[MikeHalloran]

You'd be more 'salable' as a 'piping layout designer' or just a 'piping designer', rather than a 'hydro power plant piping layout designer'.

A few bits of information will have to be extracted or deduced from representative old drawings, or from peers in that specialty. E.g. paper mill pipes carrying paper stock need to be ground smooth inside, relatively free of crevices where microbes can hide, and self-draining as much as possible.

Aside from stuff like that, pipes are pipes, and the details of a particular plant will mostly be spelled out in excruciating detail in a thick specification and a set of company standards, which you will end up memorizing, whether you want to or not.




Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[buzzp]

The feds have to allow new hydro on existing dams and/or existing hydro plants, with proper paperwork. I don't know all the specifics but I know this is a recent change (used to work for BOR). There are many dams with no power being generated that could produce power economically, albeit, not the 100MW and above that utilities are looking for but small hydropower. Many private, smaller companies are taking advantage of this. I know one company that developed a small plant of about 10MW's and he had the cost of the facility paid for within the first year.
Also, there is a lot of piping in the larger hydro plants, even the 50MW plants. Good luck.