International Conference on Hydropower for Sustainable Development

Feb 05-07, 2015, Dehradun

SEDICON SLUICERS AS EFFECTIVE MEHOD OF SEDIMENT

REMOVAL FROM DESILTING TANKS AND CHAMBERS
Dr. Tom Jacobsen Mr. P.K. Sood
Technical Director SediCon AS, Norway Founding Director & Head of Operations

INTRODUCTION

Efficient and reliable removal of sand and silt from desilting basins has always been one of the
main challenges during development of run-of-river hydropower on sediment carrying rivers.
The Norwegian company SediCon AS has developed a new and patented method, the SediCon
Sluicer, which overcomes problems such as interrupted power production, high water
consumption, risk of mechanical breakdown, risk of mal-operation and the need for constant
attention from operators. The sediment Sluicer has absolutely no movable parts except the
outlet valve, and uses gravity only the driving force

Recently, the technology have been introduced to India. Through a cooperation with HDM
Management Limited, SediCon has proposed the SediCon Sluicers for the 6 MW Baner
Sangam project located in Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh. The SediCon Sluicers will
require a water consumption which is only fraction of what was the original alternative, and
will provide extremely reliable sediment removal without any movable parts. We believe this
project will be an excellent reference for the many existing and upcoming hydropower
projects in India with need for efficient sediment removal.

Not least important is the possibility to equip pressurized tunnel desilting basins with SediCon
Sluicers. In India, with a tradition for large tunnel desanders, there should be large
opportunities for this technology. The SediCon Sluicers extreme reliability is proven in tunnel
sand traps such as 60 MW Khimti tunnel in Nepal, which has 15 years of only successful
operation and only one inspection. (2008) At the 7 MW Cuyamel in Honduras, the SediCon
Sluicers has removed sediments from the 40 meter long tunnel desilting basin since 2007.

One may think that this technology is only for small and medium sized power plants. This is
certainly not so! Late 2013 the SediCon Sluicers were chosen for the 1500 MW Coca Codo
Sinclair project in Ecuador. When commissioned in 2016, this power plant will rank as the
worlds largest high head run of river power plant together with Nathpa Jhakri. The 40
SediCon Sluicer units are designed to remove 6 million ton sand per year - however even this
is far from the upper limit.

Several upcoming projects verify that international consultants have adopted the technology.
Lahmeyer has chosen it for underground desilting basins at Keyal Khwar in Pakistan, Mott
McDonald for tunnel sand-traps at Shuakhevi, ELC Electro consult for Deralok in Iraqi
Kurdistan and Norconsult for Alto Maipo in Chile.

105
ICHPSD-2015

1 DESCRIPTION OF THE SEDICON SLUICER

A SediCon Sluicer consists of two permanently fixed pipes with slots underneath. The two
slotted pipes are coupled a coupling unit black box that balances flow and concentration
and leads the sediment and water to the outlet pipe. The system works by gravity only and has
no movable parts, except the outlet gates. The may be more than one SediCon Sluicers in each
basin- and each of the SediCon Sluicers will work completely independent of the others The
SediCon Sluicers are operated in two phases:

1. Sediment is allowed to deposit on top of the slotted pipe until the thickness of the
sediment deposit is sufficient for flushing. Because the slots are on the bottom side
sediment will not accumulate inside the pipe. Water can thus flow freely through the
slotted pipe and out of the outlet pipe.
2. The valve on the outlet pipe is opened, and flushing of sediment starts. Water is drawn
through the slots and picks up sediment close to where the slotted pipe emerges from
the sediment deposits (the suction point). As the sediment is sluiced the suction
point moves downstream until all sediment that cover the slotted pipe has been
removed.

Due its special design the SediCon Sluicers ensures that an absolute minimum of water is used
for transport of sediment. The design also ensures that no pumps are required, and that a very
low water consumption is required.

Abrasion is challenge, therefore SediCon will select pipe material and pipe wall fitted for each
of the units. SediCon optimises the SediCon Sluicers carefully taking into account that most
sediment and coarsest sediment will deposit close to the intake whereas less and finer
sediments will deposit further downstream.

Fig. 1: Longitudinal section of desilting basin with two SediCon Sluicers

106
International Conference on Hydropower for Sustainable Development
Feb 05-07, 2015, Dehradun

1.1 Advantages

The advantages of SediCon Sluicer can be listed as follows:

Continuous power production: It is not required to dewater the desilting basin or

tunnel to remove the sediments, sediment removal does not interfere with production.
All sediments are removed: The SediCon Sluicer can remove everything from 3 - 400
mm stones to cohesive silt and clay.
Water saved: A minimum amount of water is used to remove the sediments, as
discharged sediment concentration is very high.
Any capacity can be obtained: There are no upper limit with respect to the size and
sediment removal capacity of each system
Reduced construction costs, as outlet tunnel(s) can be made shorter or omitted
altogether.
Reduced turbine wear: Sediment removal can be performed whenever required and
does not have to be scheduled to periods with no production.
Easy operation: SPSS has no movable parts except valves, and low maintenance cost
and operation does require special skills.
Long life: SediCon Sluicers can be designed for 50 years life or more.
Installation in all sediment retaining structures: Desilting basins, forebays, pressurized
desilting chambers and tunnel sand traps.
Environment Friendly: SPSS allows sediment removal at chosen time and
concentration, so the ecological impact is small. Low water consumption and efficient
sediment removal means more green power.

1.2 The Baner Sangam project General description

The Baner Sangam run-of-river H. E. Project is under construction. The project is located in
Kanagra District of Himachal Pradesh and will utilise the available discharges of Baner Khad
& Manuni Khad, which are tributaries of River Beas in District Kangra of Himachal Pradesh.
The scheme envisages diversion of Baner Khad inflows by constructing a raised crested
diversion weir where the Khad bed is at EL 563 m where ample space is available on the left
bank of Baner Khad for accommodating the intake, the conveyance channel as well as the
Desilting basin. Baner Sangam has been taken-up for development on Build, Own, Operate
and Transfer (BOOT) basis by M/s Yogindera Powers Limited.

The diverted inflows will be carried through conveyance channel constructed of RCC box
section to a surface Dufour type Desilting basin, which will be designed to exclude all silt
particles down to 0.25 mm size. The silt-free water will be carried through a water conductor
comprising of a head race tunnel and power channel constructed of RCC box section emptying
into a surface forebay. The diverted water shall be led to the surface powerhouse through high
pressure surface steel penstock to feed two numbers of Francis turbines of 2.5 MW capacity
each.

107
ICHPSD-2015

1.3 Sediment issues at Baner Sangam

Baner Khad drains the central part of the Kangra valley and rises as a small snow fed channel
on the Southern slopes of the Dhauladhar range near Palampur. The general direction of flow
is towards South-West. On its course, many small Khads meet Baner Khad. Major Khads
which merge in Baner Khad are Ikku, Maujhi and Manuni Khads.

Manuni Khad rises from the Southern slopes of the Dhauladhar range and joins the Baner
Khad near Jalari village. Steep slopes form the upper catchment and there is a sharp fall in its
gradient. Huge river terraces on the both sides of the river is used for cultivation extensively.

Baner Sangam is located just downstream of confluence point of 4 streams namely Baner,
Manuni, Iku & Maujhi. All the 4 streams carry a lot of silt and suspended load during the
monsoon season hence the water in the Baner Stream (Khad) carries lot of silt during the
monsoon months and becomes very muddy. For most part of the year, silt content in Baner
Khad water is nil. In flood season, it carries boulders, small stones / pebbles and suspended
silt particles. Pebbles and debris shall either roll over the weir crest or shall be flushed out
from the undersluice bay and hence not enter the intake. Only the silt particles suspended in
water shall enter the intake.

2 THE INITIAL PROPOSAL FOR SEDIMENT REMOVAL: DUFOUR

Proposed Desilting basin & Silt Flushing Arrangement - A Dufour type desilting chamber of
22 m width, 50 m length with 19.3 m long upstream transition and 4 m long downstream the
transition, is proposed immediately downstream of the conveyance channel to exclude all
particles down to 0.25 mm size. The silt flushing arrangement comprises of Four (4) Numbers
Silt Trapping Galleries placed below the four (4) chambers of the Desilting basin followed by
Four (4) numbers Silt Flushing Pipes which are all connected to One (1) Number, 0.7 m
diameter Silt Flushing Pipe with a Silt Flushing Valve arranged inside a Vertical circular shaft
to flush out the trapped silt downstream of the diversion weir of Baner Khad.

108
International Conference on Hydropower for Sustainable Development
Feb 05-07, 2015, Dehradun

Fig. 2: Plan of 22 x 50 m Proposed Dufour Type Desilting basin

Fig. 3: Cross Section of Proposed Dufour Type Desilting basin

Fig. 4: Photo of Similar Dufour Type Desilting basin constructed

109
ICHPSD-2015

2.1 New proposal, Desilting tank with SediCon Sluicers

The SediCon Sluicers shall utilize less water for silt flushing as compared to Dufour type
Desilting tank which utilizes 20% of the design discharge for silt flushing. This 20% saving in
flushing discharge would be beneficial during lean season when the discharge in Baner Khad
is less than the design discharge and it would consequently increase the power production.

The reduced discharge for flushing does not only save water. It will also increase trap
efficiency, or alternatively allow a smaller Desilting tank with the same trap efficiency. The
proposed desilting tank which dimensions (W x L) = 15 x 70 will therefore have a trap
efficiency of 98,5%, which is same as for the Dufour system, and the smallest removable
particle size would be 0.25 mm in both cases.

Fig. 5: Longitudinal section of desilting tank with SediCon Sluicers

Fig. 6: Cross section of desilting tank with SediCon Sluicers

110
International Conference on Hydropower for Sustainable Development
Feb 05-07, 2015, Dehradun

2.2 Results from 1:10 model tests

A small model test was performed in the premises of the Norwegian university of Science and
technology in January 2015. A 10 meter long section of the prototype Desilting tank was
represented in a scale 1:10 model. All geometrical measurements were to scale however the
sand used has the same diameter as is expected for the Desilting tank. (In other words, a much
coarser sand, d50 = 1,7 mm was actually represented in the model)

Fig. 7: Calculated of particle size distributions (PSDs) or discharged and passing

sediment; based on assumed incoming PSD

Model Scale Prototype

(One unit) (one unit)
Particle size 0,17 N/A* 0,17
Length 1,0 10 10
Width 0,6 10 6,0
Depth 0,5 10 5,0
Measured water consumption (m3/s)** 0,0008 596* 0,407
Measured Sediment concentration (by
8,4 % N/A 12,9 %
volume)
Calculated sediment removal rate (t/hour) 0,56 874* 489
*) These values do not follow Froudes model laws. The reason is that the sediments cannot
be scaled geometrically. We have decided to use same sediments in model as in prototype.
Froudes law would predict flow is scaled 102,5 _= 316, whereas the too coarse sediments
give higher ration for water flow and not least sediment transport.

111
ICHPSD-2015

2.3 Comparison between Dufour and SediCon Sluicer

Dufour SediCon Sluicer

Basin size (area) 1100 1050
Water consumption 0,025 m3/s *
Trap efficiency 98 % 98,5 %
Sediment removal capacity 940 ton/hour
*) Theoretical water consumption =176,114 m3 + 50% averaged over a period of 4 months
3 EXPERIENCE FROM OTHER PROJECTS
3.1 Cuyamel, Honduras
Cuyamel HPP in Honduras is a 7.0 MW run-of-river plant with a gross head of 133 m and a
40 meter long underground desilting chamber as its only sediment handling facility. The
desilting chamber is equipped with two SediCon Sluicers with capacity of approximately 1000
ton sediments per hour each. As a result of using SediCon Sluicers the discharge tunnel
through which SPSS has outlet could be moved upstream closer to the dam and made
considerably shorter. The SediCon Sluicers have been working as predicted since 2007,
removing all sediments in the desilting basin once operators activate the outlet valves.

Fig. 8: Cuyamel underground desilting chamber

3.2 Khimti tunnel sand trap and desilting basin
SediCon also four SediCon Sluicer units at Khimti in Nepal in 2010. During SAT, operators
measured a capacity of 4000 ton sediments per hour for all units combined. At the same
power plant, two smaller SediCon Sluicers has removed sediments from the pressurized tunnel
sand trap since 2000. The sand trap have only been inspected once (in 2008) when everything
was found to be perfectly ok.
3.3 1500 MW Coca Codo Sinclair in Ecuador
Late 2013, the Chinese contractor Sinohydro awarded SediCon AS of Norway the contract for
sediment removal system for 1500 MW Coca Codo Sinclair hydropower project in Ecuador.
The 40 SediCon Sluicers shall be able to remove 6 million ton sediments annually by using

112
International Conference on Hydropower for Sustainable Development
Feb 05-07, 2015, Dehradun

gravity as the only driving force. The instantaneous capacity will be 25 000 ton sediment per
hour if all SediCon Sluicers are operated simultaneously. One of the reasons for selecting
SediCon Sluicers for Coca Cod Sinclair is that the outlet can be at a higher level than the
bottom of the desilting basin. During floods, the available head at Coca Codo Sinclair is 8
meter, whereas the desilting basins are 15 meter deep. Within this year, the complete system
shall be installed and ready for use when the power plant is commissioned first half of 2016.

Fig. 9 Intake complex, May Fig. 10: Schematic of desilting basin with
2014.River is flowing from right to SediCon Sluicers discharging through outlet
left, intake and desanders are on pipes in the gallery and into the bypass
the far side of the river. channel

CONCLUSIONS

The SediCon Sluicer has a range of advantages over other systems, and is therefore
recommended for Baner Sangam. The SediCon Sluicer is suitable for all sizes of desilting
facilities, both open desilting basins as well as large underground desilting chambers.
Experience from the past 15 years has led consultants to choose the SediCon Sluicers for new
projects, foremost is the 1500 MW coca Codo Sinclair to be commissioned 2016.

With introduction to India, we believe Baner Sangam Hydropower project will get the best
possible solution for its sediment removal needs. SediCon is confident that the project will
serve as a reference for future projects in India, and point forward to installation of SediCon
Sluicers in larger desilting basins and underground desilting chambers.

113