Hydrocarbons monitoring in hydroelectric plants

PROBLEM

Daecheong Dam is located on the Geum River, it withholds a reservoir of 1,490 million m3 and has a generating capacity of 90 MW.

Imha Dam is located on Banbyeoncheon River, with a capacity of 595 m3 water for 7.5 million people and industrial users.

Operated and managed by K-Water, Imha and Daecheong Dams have 50 MW and 90 MW generating capacity, with two generators in each facility.

The generators have oil filled bearings which, when not operating correctly, release oil into an overflow pit inside the plant.

Oil overflow is an early indication that generators are not operating at full efficiency and that maintenance is required.

Inability of detecting this overflow leads to reduced lifetime of components, increased the down time and so reduced the productivity of the plant.

SOLUTION

Operators requested continuous monitoring of the plant that would alert them immediately of any potential incidents.

ROW was selected by K-Water and installed in Imha Dam and Daecheong Dam.

The first installation was in 2013.

Enabling real-time monitoring and data analysis, the ROW system is part of K-Water’s drive towards continuous improvement in its operations and implementation of innovation in ensuring high level of safety standards.

High efficiency and reliability alongside the easy integration into existing security system have convinced K-Water to role out ROW oil detectors into their other facilities in dire with their upgrade plan.

"We are very satisfied with ROW stable performance against water level change, flow rate change and foreign object. Besides ROW can support to connect effectively to our PLC allowing for our system compatibly with ROW”.