Bearing technology and energy supply systems for hydropower plants

Screen systems, screen cleaners

In order for hydropower plants to produce electricity reliably, the flow of water to the turbine must be guaranteed at all times. Flotsam and debris that collects on the protective screens of the water intake must therefore be removed regularly. This task is performed by screen cleaning systems, for example mobile horizontal/cross cleaners. In order to reliably supply the travelling carriage with energy, we offer low-maintenance energy chain systems as an alternative to trailing cables/festoons and busbar systems, in particular the basic flizz® system, our standard for screen cleaners and scrapers.

Water turbines

In Kaplan and Francis turbines, the water flow to the rotor blades and thus the turbine output can be regulated with the aid of adjustable, pivoting guide vanes. The adjustment mechanism consists of adjustment rings on the outside of the housing, which act on the pivot axes of the guide vanes via articulated levers. We offer suitable plain bearings and rod ends for this purpose, which are robust, maintenance-free and corrosion-free.

Attenuators

This is another way to generate electricity from wave movements: with a long, modular row of floats connected via lever arms to a chain of electric generators. Placed in the direction of the waves, a serpentine movement is created as soon as the waves pass under the floats, and the levers drive the generators. We recommend our heavy-duty underwater plain bearings with flange for the many bearing points on both sides of the levers.