English Electric Co: Water Turbines
1959 'TURBINES AND DIESELS
TURBINES designed and made at Rugby — or in some cases only designed here — form one of the main sections in the review of the year issued by the English Electric Co. An important part is also occupied by the work done at Whetstone, where thousands of graphite components for the atomic power station at Hinkley Point were made. Among the water turbines made by the company were the first two of four for Table Rock which are believed to be the first water turbines of foreign manufacture supplied to the United States of America. During 1959 the company received orders from the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board for two 19,000 vertical alternators for the Deanie power station, and one 22,000 kw vertical variable blade water turbine and associated alternator for the Culligran power station. Both stations are part of the Strathfarrar Scheme in Inverness-shire. In connection with the turbine for Culligran it was agreed with the consultants and the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board, that there would he significant advantages in installing a Deriaz mixed-flow variable-blade runner instead of the Kaplan axial-flow runner originally proposed.
This will be the first occasion on which Deriaz runner has been used for a straight turbine without provision for reversible operation.
EVERY EIGHT WEEKS
The manufacturing effort of the past two years on plant for the Priest Rapids power station on the Columbia River in the United State of America resulted in the successful commissioning of the first of the ten 91,000 kw units for this important power station in October, the second unit in November, and the third in December. The turbine runners are the largest of their type on the Columbia River. In spite of the size and complexity of the runners they have been delivered to site with the alternators and magnetic-amplifier voltage regulators to support an erection programme based on one machine being commissioned every eight weeks.
In Australia all four water turbines have been commissioned in the Snowy T.1. power station of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority. These turbines, capable of developing 134,500 h.p. under a maximum net head of 1,095 feet, are amongst the most powerful high-head Francis machines in the world.
PUMPED STORAGE
Other plant commissioned throughout the world included three 36,800 kw hydroelectric sets at Hirfanli in Turkey, which are part of a comprehensive project undertaken by English Electric in conjunction with George Wimpey and Co.; two additional 18,000 kw sets in the Tully Falls Power Station, Australia; 35,000 kw turbine and alternator at Silvon in Spain, and an 11,000 kw water turbine and alternator at Cashlie power station in Scotland. The 50,000 kw hydro-electric set for Warragamba in Australia will shortly be commissioned.
Following the successful commissioning of three 30,000 h.p. turbines at the Atiamuri power station of the New Zealand State Hydro-Electric Department, it was decided to extend the Power station and a further unit has been ordered. Installation has now started on the low-level embedded parts for the four 105,000 h.p. pumps and turbines - Generating Board's Ffestiniog pumped storage station in Wales. This will be the largest pumped storage station in the world when completed.
It was recently reported the company has received instructions from the Central Electricity Generating Board to put in hand two 330 mw turbo-generator units for Drakelow 'C' Power Station. ....'[1]
- ↑ Rugby Advertiser, 29 December 1959