Hydropower Plant World Record for Chinese Pelton Impulse Turbine

Related Vendors

Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA)

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

China is a leader in investing in pumped storage power plants, utilizing hydropower for a holistic renewable energy concept. For the mega-project Datang Zala Hydropower Plant, an 88 short tons constant-pressure turbine—the largest Pelton impulse turbine on Earth—has now been delivered.

Henrik Bork, long-time China correspondent for the Süddeutsche Zeitung and the Frankfurter Rundschau, is Managing Director at Asia Waypoint, a consulting agency specializing in China based in Beijing. 

China has begun installing the largest Pelton impulse turbine on Earth. The more than 88 short tons constant-pressure turbine has left the factory and is on its way to the Zala Hydropower Plant in Tibet, reports the Chinese science newspaper Keji Ribao.

The 21-blade runner has a diameter of 20 feet. From Harbin in northeastern China, the turbine is now being transported by heavy-duty transport to a remote valley carved into the earth by the Yuqu River, a tributary of the mighty Nu River, on the Tibetan Plateau.

World's first impulse turbine with a capacity of 500 megawatts

According to the report, this is the first impulse turbine on Earth with an installed capacity of 500 megawatts. The Datang Zala Hydropower Plant, where it will be used, will be equipped with two monster turbines of this size.

It is a pumped storage power plant that takes advantage of an unusually large height difference of 2,200 feet between the reservoir and the turbine. Since the masses of water hit the turbine with great force from this height, the impeller was welded from martensitic stainless steel, which is particularly resistant to wear and corrosion, reports the Chinese science newspaper.

The report proudly points out that Chinese engineers have set several new benchmarks for engineering excellence in hydropower with the construction of this turbine.

Modern Welding Methods Enable High Efficiency

Among other things, the efficiency of electricity generation has been increased from 91 to 92.6 percent through the use of the latest welding methods, Tao Xingming, CTO of Harbin Electric Machinery Company, is quoted by Chinese trade media.

1.6 percent is no small matter in this case, the CTO explained. For a 500-megawatt unit running around the clock, an efficiency increase of 1.6 percent means "an additional 190,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity generated daily," the chief engineer told the Chinese science newspaper.

Second Monster Turbine is Being Built And Delivered

However, this efficiency still needs to be measured during real operation, which, according to the power plant operators, is expected to begin in 2028. Until then, installation, testing, construction and delivery of the sister turbine, as well as the gradual ramp-up of load, will take place.

In total, this power plant is expected to generate more than four billion kWh of electricity per year after completion. This corresponds to the energy content of around 1.4 million short tons of coal and means a reduction of 3.7 million short tons of CO₂ emissions per year, it was stated.

The pumped storage power plant is part of a large-scale project aimed at transmitting wind and solar energy from Tibet to the densely populated regions of China's eastern coast. It serves to balance the fluctuations of renewable energy.

China is the World Leader in Hydropower Expansion

China once again invested more in the expansion of hydropower and such storage facilities last year than any other country in the world.

"With over 200 gigawatts of pumped storage capacity under construction or already approved, China is on track to exceed its goal of 120 gigawatts by 2030 and potentially reach 130 gigawatts by the end of the decade," writes the "International Hydropower Association" in a recent report.

Without constantly setting new records, China's engineers apparently find this massive expansion too boring. China currently also holds the world record for Francis turbines, a type of reaction turbine. At the Baihetan Hydropower Plant on the Yangtze River, 16 Francis turbines with an output of 1,000 MW each are in operation, according to state media.

Smart-Factory

Access solutions for the Smart Factory - Industry 4.0