{open_quotes}Best pump/best turbine{close_quotes}: The trade-offs with pump/turbine upgrades
- American Hydro Corp., York, PA (United States)
Power producers throughout North America are considering the economic benefits associated with the upgrade of reversible pump/turbines. Most of these units were installed when pump/turbine design technology was not well established. Development work in the 1980`s and 1990`s, utilizing advanced computerized design and flow analysis tools, has provided startling performance improvements for upgraded machines. Recent model and field tests have verified the increases in efficiency, turbine power, and pump capacity. For multi-unit powerhouses, the maximum financial return may be achieved by optimizing pump/turbines for different operating conditions. This approach anticipates {open_quotes}best pump{close_quotes}, {open_quotes}best turbine{close_quotes}, and {open_quotes}best combination{close_quotes} units. Design analysis and model testing have demonstrated that each unit can be upgraded to favor pumping or turbining (or a balance), and that the performance differences are quite substantial. Three (3) projects for which upgrades have been model tested in the past four (4) years are the Yards Creek (Jersey Central Power & Light Company), Muddy Run (Philadelphia Electric Company) and Lewiston (New York Power Authority). These three pump/turbines have metric specific speeds (Nq) from 30 to 90, a range which includes almost all Francis style pump/turbines.
- OSTI ID:
- 220068
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9507190-; TRN: 96:000708-0150
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waterpower 1995: international conference, San Francisco, CA (United States), 25-28 Jul 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Waterpower`95. Volume 1-3; Cassidy, J.L. [ed.]; PB: 2869 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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