Assessment of the Resistance Value of Trash Racks at a Small Hydropower Plant Operating at Low Temperature

Natalia Walczak, Zbigniew Walczak and Jakub Nieć
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Natalia Walczak: Department of Hydraulic and Sanitary Engineering, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
Zbigniew Walczak: Institute of Construction and Geoengineering, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
Jakub Nieć: Department of Hydraulic and Sanitary Engineering, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznań, Poland

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: Trash racks are the first element mounted in inlet channels of hydraulic structures. Their primary task is to capture coarse pollutants flowing in the riverbed/river channel and protect water facilities downstream. With the use of these devices, it is possible to separate coarse suspended matter, branches carried with the current, floating plastic elements, etc., which undoubtedly contributes to a trouble-free flow through culverts or channels and prevents hydroelectric power plant turbines from failure. An important issue here is also to ensure the proper operation of trash racks, particularly in respect of hydraulic structures whose task is to convert water energy into electricity (hydropower plants). Proper operation of trash racks minimizes losses arising from obstructing the free flow of water through accumulated waste or, in the wintertime, through icing. Incorrect work in this area entails specific head losses, and consequently leads to economic harm. In the paper, the resistance values of trash racks were analyzed at small hydropower plants (SHPs) operating at low temperatures, determined under laboratory conditions, with the occurrence of frazil ice and ice. The results indicate that the added ice into the channel resulted in the formation of a cover in front of the trash racks with an average thickness of about 0.02 m. The accumulated ice increased the head losses up to 14%. The range of the ice cover depended on the weight added ice and reached 0.6 m in analyzed cases.

Keywords: SHP; hydropower; iced trash racks; head losses (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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