Wärtsilä Corporation has announced it is to participate in the refurbishment programme for the US Bureau of Reclamation’s Minidoka hydropower plant, Idaho, in the US.
Wärtsilä will supply its REguard Water Lubricated Face Type Seals with integrated Pressurised Interface Management System (PIMS) to GE Renewable Energy who is responsible for the overall refurbishment of Kaplan turbines in the project’s Allen E. Inman powerhouse.
This is the latest iteration of Wärtsilä’s Pressurised Interface Management System which can autonomously monitor, record and analyse performance data in real time, locally, the company said in a statement.
The new Wärtsilä seals are expected to increase operational performance and, with the new integrated monitoring equipment, they will learn when maintenance is required, reducing operational downtime and increasing the time between maintenance periods.
"We have an ongoing relationship with the Bureau and with GE Renewable Energy, and this project marks a significant milestone for us in terms of business development," commented Consulting Engineer, Simon Thompson of Wärtsilä. "Since visiting the Minidoka plant, we have been able to specifically tailor our product to offer the best solution possible in terms of performance improvement and reduced through life costs."
Wärtsilä announced in October that it had expanded into a new market segment, offering a comprehensive package of seals, bearings and associated solutions to hydropower installations and industrial plants worldwide.
Image: Minidoka hydropower plant, courtesy of US Bureau of Reclamation.
