The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and other organizations, is launching a new initiative to produce large metal parts for hydropower using 3D printing. This project, known as Rapid Research on Universal Near Net Shape Fabrication Strategies for Expedited Runner Systems, or Rapid RUNNERS, has received $15 million in funding from the Department of Energy (DOE) over three years.
The focus of the project is to manufacture hydropower turbine runners using additive manufacturing techniques. This approach combines 3D printing with conventional machining, allowing parts to be produced domestically and significantly reducing the time and cost associated with traditional manufacturing methods.
“This has the potential to transform forging and casting of large-scale metal components,” said Adam Stevens, R&D staff member at ORNL and technical lead for the project.
Currently, the large metal components used in hydropower turbines are mostly produced overseas, leading to lengthy delays when parts need replacement. Stevens noted that it can take up to 18 months to produce a single runner. During this time, hydropower turbines remain idle, resulting in lost renewable energy production. By using 3D printing, the project aims to produce parts that are near-net-shape, meaning they are close to the final size and require less finishing, thereby reducing waste and downtime.
The project will manufacture three Francis runners. The first runner will serve as a prototype for testing, while the second, approximately five feet in diameter, is intended for potential installation at TVA’s Ocoee Dam in Tennessee. A third, larger runner, about 15 feet in diameter, could be installed at TVA’s Wilson Dam.
“This program offers an innovative way for us to fulfill TVA’s mission summarized by three ‘E’s: for Energy, it improves reliability, for the Environment, it maximizes renewable energy produced, and for Economic development, it brings great jobs back to the U.S.,” said Joe Hoagland, TVA’s vice president of innovation and research.
The manufacturing system will utilize robotic welders that deposit metal layer by layer, with multiple robots working together on different tasks such as welding, grinding, and measuring. This automated approach aims to streamline the production process and address backlogs that currently result in delays of up to two years for runner replacements.
Curt Jawdy, head of R&D at TVA, highlighted the benefits of additive manufacturing, noting that it allows for the production of complex shapes and the combination of different materials, which are not feasible with traditional methods. This includes the ability to apply cavitation-resistant coatings to turbine parts, potentially extending their operational life.
Partnering with ORNL in this effort are several organizations, including Huntington Ingalls-Newport News Shipbuilding, the Electric Power Research Institute, Open Mind Technologies, ARC Specialties, and Voith Group-Hydropower. Together, they aim to develop a new distributed hybrid-manufacturing platform that could be used across various industries, including energy, defense, shipbuilding, and municipal water supply.
“This will increase worker productivity and provide a healthier domestic industrial base,” said Stevens.
The DOE’s funding includes $13 million from the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office and $2 million from the Water Power Technologies Office. The project is managed by UT-Battelle for DOE’s Office of Science, which is the largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the US.
