Kaplan Turbine Maintenance

[ly1phil]

I’m trying to put together a maintenance schedule for a 5-blade Kaplan turbine unit. I’ve gone through the FIST manuals (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) and some manufacturers manuals, but was wondering what type of services other Kaplan units undergo at different facilities. I would appreciate and information pertaining to the maintenance of Kaplan turbines and/or lists/schedules that you happened to come across.

Thanks in advance!
Phil

 

[wbd]

Is this a moveable blade Kaplan?

 

[ly1phil]

Yes it is a moveable blade Kaplan.

 

[wbd]

I have two kaplans with moveable blades about 1990 vintage.
Yearly, we inspect:
blade to turbine case clearances, open and close
blade smoothness of operation
wicket gate close tightness
wicket gate operation
marine bearing clearances
oil in hub
blade transmitter calibration
wicket gate transmitter calibration
blade and wicket gate timing
torque check blade bolts

that is mainly it inside the turbine and then all the auxiliaries.

 

[ly1phil]

Thank you very much for sharing this information.

 

[ly1phil]

Do you perform any testing/inspections beyond the annual checks? Such as during major overhauls every 5 , 10 yrs?

 

[wbd]

The only other long term item is replacing the 4 sets of o-rings on each blade on a 5 yr interval, along new seals in the wicket gate hydraulic cylinders.

 

[MikeHalloran]

I stood on a Kaplan blade inside the Saunders/Moses dam:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcellis/6227574/in/set-155511/

forty+ years ago. They were in the process of hardfacing all the blades. I have the impression they did it to every unit every couple of years, just to keep up with erosion from cavitation.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA