Sigmaringen (Laiz) condition assessment
Dr. Hutarew & Partner planned the hydropower plant Sigmaringen Laiz in 1997 and provided technical support in the implementation process. In 2017, we were commissioned with the as-built analysis of this hydropower plant. After 20 years of operation the system components should be checked for their condition and maintenance requirements. The aim of a condition assessment is to meet today’s requirements for machine and control technology, as well as to increase operational safety and reduce operating expenses.
The plant was visited several times, the existing state documented in detail, logged and evaluated. On the basis of these findings and their evaluations recommendations were made for the improvement of the maintenance.
It was already in 1975 when initially the weir system of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg was developed in place and complemented in 1997 by a hydropower station by the municipal utilities of Sigmaringen. The hydropower plant consists of a hydroelectric power station, a computer system with a cleaning machine, a canoe lock with a roof-type gate and fish migration facilities – upstream and downstream. Furthermore the turbine (Kaplan belt type turbine), the turbine control and the steel water components were tested throuroughly.
As part of the rehabilitation concrete components, hydromechanical equipment, hydraulic machinery, electrical equipment, scada system and new communication system (measurement & control technology) were tested for their usability and hence upgraded the system to a contemporary standar. An upgrade with increased performance is the desired result.
