18.02.

2013

Technology Leadership
in
Pumped Storage Plants

by

Increasing Flexibility & Reliability

from the

Manufacturers point of view

J.C. Riesterer

www.andritz.com

ANDRITZ HYDRO
is a global supplier of
electromechanical
systems and services
(From Water to Wire") for
hydropower plants.
The company is a leader
in the world market for
hydraulic power
generation.
1 Gates
2 Penstocks
3 Inlet valve
4 Turbine
5 Generator
6 Automation, Control & Protection
7 Medium voltage switchgear
8 Power transformer
9 High voltage switchgear (GIS)
10 Transmission line

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Francis reversible pump-turbines

Andritz Hydro has:
Supplied more than 380 units
Installed approx. 30,000 MW
Over 50 years of experience
Basic Requirements:
Full automatic operation
All possible modes of operation
No cavitation & low vibration
High efficiency & reliability

Future Requirements:
High number of starts and stops
Quickest change between all
operation modes
Highest robustness and availability

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Pumped Storage Equipment is comprehensive High Tech Plant

Technology

Static
turbine
Frequency
Converter
Automation (SFC) Motor
and generator
Control

Penstock Torque
and converter
Gates

Spherical
valve
pump

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Operator needs from manufacturer

Technology Leadership

To meet future grid and operation requirements

This means:

Further increase of flexibility

Further increase of robustness

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Example of a typical 300 MW pump-turbine unit:

The weight corresponds to the weigth of 500 cars

The power corresponds to the power of 3000 cars

Numerical Flow simulation:

Approx. 10 Mio calc. points for a CFD Tu computation

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Increase the flexibility of Pumped Storage Units is now required :

to start and stop more frequently the units to follow the power demands in the grid
for fast change over times (full load in less than 30 s)
to have larger storage capacity

Manufacturers followed this demand with increased R&D tasks

to develop Variable Speed Units ( e. g. Goldisthal since 2002)

to operate in hydraulic short circuit ( e.g. Geesthacht since 1997)

to use Full Size Converter Technology for any speed range

to allow operation range of the Pump-Turbine Units from 0-100 % Power

To meet New Grid Code requirements (Double Peak Test)

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More flexibility by using Variable Speed

Example Goldisthal, Germany

In operation since 2002

4x 265 MW Reversible Pump-Turbine units

2 units with variable speed supplied by AH

Advantages

regulation of pump power

fast dynamic response times

higher efficiency for variable head

All Generators designed &

supplied by Andritz Hydro Pump-Turbine common
design and supply by
Andritz Hydro & Voith
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Faster change over times:

by using short circuit operation

Already in operation since 1997 in the

1958 built pump turbine station
Geesthacht:
Increasing operation hours from
3000 to 8000 hours per year

Modern example for the short circuit

Ternary pumped storage unit Kops 2
To and from headwater

to tailwater

Hydraulic short circuit

Partly to headwater, Hydraulic short circuit
partly to turbine Partly to tailwater,
partly to pump
from tailwater

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Faster change over times:

Example Kops 2, Austria
3Ternary units (3-machine sets)
In operation since 2009
Pelton Turbines
3 x 200 MVA / 180 MW Tu / 150 MW Pu supplied by Andritz Hydro
500 (925) rpm
One of the fastest PSP in the world
Full load in 20-30 s ( Tu and Pu mode)

Generators
supplied by Andritz Hydro
Stator and bearings
supplied by Alstom
Pump and hydraulic torque
converter
supplied by Voith

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Faster change over time to meet future requirements

Request from the Grid - Transmission Code:

Challenge of a reversible pump turbine to pass

the double peak test (e.g. Vianden 11)
Only possible with powerful frequency converters

Double peak test

Example:
Change over from full
load in turbine mode to
full load in pump mode:

Usual time in the past:

420 s

Fastest time after

optimization:
< 300 s
Request < 300 sec

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Benefits of converter technology for pumped storage plants:

They allow variable speed and faster change of

operation mode for pump storage units
increase flexibility in plant management
increase efficiency in operation
Increase benefits of the PSP

Source: ABB

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New development to achieve faster change over times:

by improvement of all pumped storage plant

components including new development of
automatic time steps from sequential to
parallel

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Increase the Operation Range from 0-100%

Is a challenge in the hydraulic and
mechanical turbine development:
Turbines designed for frequency control and grid
stability -> running more often partial load
Forces on runner change very often between full
load, partial load and no load
High dynamic forces in no load and low partial load
Fatigue through frequent starts

Last developments due to focused R&D

Highly sophisticated tools for Measured blade stress

mechanical analysis takes care of
Start/Stop
No-load
CFD: time-dependent pressure forces
FEM: lifetime analysis

Target
Robust runner design for operation
in partial load
Estimation of lifetime for new
components Startup/SNL full load SNL
and estimation of residual lifetime for
components already in operation
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Robust Design:
Centrifugal force of one pole (mass 11t)

at rated speed ... 7.000t

CENTRIFUGAL FORCE - 1 Mercedes bus

REFLECTION
80 Taurus
Locomotives
at runaway 23.000t
at load rejection 18.000t

50 fully loaded 747

10 Space shuttles incl.

Centrifugal force on all carrier rockets
10 poles incl. rotor hub
...230.000t

Technology leadership in calculation of fatigue stressed

components
Example from the VGB Power Tech Project Group
Example: Pole end plate of a generator

Huge loads and a high number of load cycles influence the

lifetime
High standard material
Design optimization due to modern
FEM and lifetime calculation
Robust Design

Expected lifetime of this part is now

100 times longer than before
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New Trend to increase the flexibility of Pumped Storage Plants

Development of smaller pump turbines with full size converter

Advantages:
Smaller reservoirs
Number of Locations of pumped storage are increased
(close to wind farms)
Standardized concept for the complete pumped storage unit
Compact dimensions
Broad regulation flexibility
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Technology Leadership / Summary Pumped Storage Plants (PSP)

PSP are already very flexible and reliable Plants.

Without these plants we would already face blackouts

The manufacturers highly skilled and experienced engineers are

working to increase the flexibility and the reliability of the equipment

PSP are the only proven and economical solutions not only to store
surplus of electrical energy but also to react within seconds to load
fluctuations in the grid.
These fluctuations have increased and will further
increase tremendously due to the growing volatile wind
and solar electricity share in the EU grid.
Modernization and fast implementation of new PSP is a
must !

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What do we need ?

A strong and predictable energy market

in Europe will enhance the leadership of
the industry globally

EU-R&D and innovation programs need

to support hydropower technology

Highest education standards for highly

skilled engineering jobs in R&D, for
design & manufacturing and for the
operation.

The EU was a pioneer in PSP in the past and should

remain know-how leader in the future

Thank you for your attention

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