Suspended sediment measurements and calculation of the particle load at HPP Fieschertal
Open access
Date
2016-11Type
- Conference Paper
Abstract
In the scope of a research project on hydro-abrasive erosion of Pelton turbines, a field study was conducted at the high-head HPP Fieschertal in Valais, Switzerland. The suspended sediment mass concentration (SSC) and particle size distribution (PSD) in the penstock have been continuously measured since 2012 using a combination of six measuring techniques. The SSC was on average 0.52 g/l and rose to 50 g/l in a major flood event in July 2012. The median particle size d50 was usually 15 pm, rising up to 100 μm when particles previously having settled in the headwater storage tunnel were re-suspended at low water levels. The annual suspended sediment loads (SSL) varied considerably depending on flood events. Moreover, so-called particle loads (PLs) according to the relevant guideline of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC 62364) were calculated using four relations between particle size and the relative abrasion potential. For the investigated HPP, the time series of the SSL and the PLs had generally similar shapes over the three years. The largest differences among the PLs were observed during re-suspension events when the particles were considerably coarser than usual. Further investigations on the effects of particle sizes on hydroabrasive erosion of splitters and cut-outs of coated Pelton turbines are recommended. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000125446Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental ScienceVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
IOP PublishingEvent
Organisational unit
03820 - Boes, Robert / Boes, Robert
More
Show all metadata