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Hoover Dam’s 17 generators employ massive cast turbines (pictured) to create a total annual output of 4.2 billion kWh. The steel used for hydroelectric turbines ensures they have the strength to withstand this demanding application.
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34 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | Jan/Feb 2015 Osco Concept
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etal castings play a large role in hydroelectric
power generation. Hoover Dam, built during the Great Depres- sion, holds Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S. by volume. It provides water storage, recreation, fl ood control, and perhaps most importantly, power for the states of California, Nevada, Arizona and Native American nations.
Massive Steel Castings Cast steel products used in hy-
droelectric power generation include the runner blades, gates, crowns and bands that are assembled into turbines, as well as complete runners poured as single castings. Turbine housings, which look
very similar to small electric power components, are cast on a mas- sive scale for hydroelecric power applications. At the Hoover Dam Powerplant facility shown above, which is open to public tours, they are enclosed in a walkable structure. Auxiliary equipment featuring
cast steel includes a variety of hy- droelectric turbine valves’ doors and housings. T ese connect or cut off the circulation and fl ow of water, change its direction, adjust pressure and help ensure normal operation. While these components require
high strength, a key requirement for distributing power is more perme- able electrical steels. Cast steel used for connections in the power distribution grid as well as trans- formers helps ensure the electricity generated reliably feeds into the grid and is delivered across vast tracts of land.
Castings Help Automotive Traffi c Bypass the Dam
On the Colorado River side of Hoover Dam, a concrete bypass
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