75th Anniversary | What are some of the notable projects that
your company is currently involved in within the hydropower sector? Blind Slough: Full replant of a 1955 Pelton turbine with a modern 2197kW Twin Jet Pelton Grytviken: Supply of a new micro hydro turbine in addition to the existing 250kW twin jet Turgo providing power to the British Antarctic Survey on the island of Grytviken. New Lanark: Refurbishment of 1931 Boving twin runner Francis turbine at UNESCO world heritage site, New Lanark Mills, Glasgow. Nkwilo: In April 2024 we shipped the Turbine out to Tanzania for the Nkwilo small hydro project. The 414kW, 13.5” single jet Turgo Turbine is to be installed on the Nkwilo HPP and will provide power to the Tanesco grid in Sumbawanga. Northwater: 500kW, 550mm Francis turbine for Northwater water treatment plant in Denver, Colorado. Following the plant’s commissioning, our engineers conducted comprehensive operator training for the plant staff. Glen Finglass: Refurbishment of 1965 Harland Vertical Francis Turbine. Including a redesign of the guide vane mechanism.
Below: Multiple turbines for the Philippines – early 1980s
Can you highlight any recent accomplishments or advancements that have set your company apart in the industry? During the UK Feed-in Tariff era, Gilkes successfully
supplied and commissioned nearly 300 turbines with capacities ranging from 50kW to 2MW. By early 2011, it became evident that the Feed-in Tariff was effectively supporting the growth of the UK small hydro sector, leading to a rise in project enquiries and contracts. In response to this increased demand, Gilkes established its first service centre in Fort William, Scotland. Subsequently, two more service centres were opened in Scotland, complemented by a service team at the Kendal headquarters in England. This strategic expansion allows Gilkes to provide comprehensive preventative maintenance services and spare parts for their fleet of hydro turbines across the UK. In recent years Gilkes has invested in several
technology advancements and updated engineering methods to support the shift from purely new build hydro to the refurbishment and modernisation of existing equipment. In 2020 Gilkes invested in the addition of a 5-axis milling machine to strengthen our in-house machining capability, significantly increasing productivity levels and enabling Gilkes to continue to be highly competitive in the global market. As well as onshoring a complex and high value component back to the UK, the project also moved the Gilkes team into new areas of expertise including 3D scanning, laser measurement, tool optimisation & real-time sensing. 3D scanning, in particular, has become an invaluable tool as the UK hydro market has shifted to a greater proportion of renovation projects. Often, these projects require the replacement of a worn turbine runner for which the existing drawings are insufficient or unavailable. The recent restoration of the twin-Francis turbine at New Lanark Mills World Heritage Site provides an excellent example. With limited drawings of the original 1931 Boving design and both runners badly damaged, Gilkes used reverse-engineering to recreate the original design and optimise it for modern manufacturing methods. The least damaged blade was laser-scanned, re-surfaced in CAD and patterned round to create a 3D model of the original runner. CFD and FEA were then used to verify the performance and integrity of the design and validate modifications made for CNC machining.
How does the company envision its role in the current landscape of hydropower turbine manufacturing?
Following the successful feed in tariff in the UK, which enabled a boom in development in Scotland by landowners and small-scale developers, Gilkes has over 2,000 turbines on the UK mainland, and with the lack of current incentives, the focus is now shifting to the preservation, rehabilitation, and optimisation of these existing schemes. Nobody quite understands equipment as well as the original manufacturer and that is why we are utilising all our experience as designer and manufacturer to move our clients away from a ‘breakdown & fix’ mindset to a strategy whereby we ‘predict & prevent’. Regular service contracts allow our experienced personnel to regularly assess the risk of break down, mitigate that risk, and maximise generation. A significant portion of our projects focus on public utilities rather than private developers. Many of these projects involve existing water conveyance networks where energy recovery turbines can be installed
46 | May 2024 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
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