Nestled in the heart of the Hudson River, the Curtis Palmer Falls stands as a shining example of renewable energy in action - concentrating on harnessing the city of Corinth's, in New York, water resources to generate energy in a natural and sustainable way. However, like many industries, it has encountered its share of operational challenges. Enter our Hydraulics Engineering team. This collaboration not only resolved critical issues but also unlocked impressive cost savings and environmental advantages. Check out this success story and find out how our strategic hydraulic solutions can transform operations in the renewable energy sector.
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Hydropower as a Renewable Energy Source | The Challenge | The Custom Solution | Key Achievements | Additional Resources
Key Takeaways✔️ Innovative Solutions for Real-World Problems: By leveraging advanced filtration technology, we provided Curtis Palmer Falls with a sustainable, cost-effective solution that addressed their unique challenges. ✔️ Significant Cost Savings: The transition from city water to river water resulted in substantial financial savings, demonstrating the economic benefits of innovative engineering. ✔️ Sustainable Practices: The project underscored the importance of environmentally responsible practices, achieving a net-zero environmental impact while maintaining operational efficiency. |
Despite the rapid expansion of solar and wind power, hydropower, a renewable energy source that generates electricity from flowing or falling water, using dams or turbines to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy, continues to contribute steadily to renewable energy generation. Hydropower accounts for approximately half of renewable generation globally, showcasing its significant role in our energy systems. The Curtis Palmer Falls, for example, demonstrates the effective management of water resources and the integration of advanced hydroelectric technologies.
Facilities like Curtis Palmer Falls highlight the long-term potential and reliability of hydropower. By leveraging natural water flows, hydropower plants generate electricity with minimal environmental impact, contributing to our clean energy goals. As we continue to develop and improve hydroelectric technologies, hydropower will remain a key player in our renewable energy landscape.
Pictured: Palmer Falls is a 48 MW run-of-river hydroelectric facility located in Corinth, New York State. Along with the Curtis Mills facility, it comprises the Curtis Palmer portfolio of assets.
The hydroelectric generators at Curtis Palmer Falls are supported by bearings requiring cooling water to maintain optimal performance. Historically, they relied on municipal water from the town of Corinth, New York. However, a drastic increase in the cost of city water—from $3- $5k to over $100k annually—prompted the need for an alternative solution.
Given their proximity to the Hudson River, using river water seemed logical to our hydraulic engineers. However, river water's suspended solids posed a risk to the mechanical seals of the bearings, necessitating a clean water supply. This challenge required a solution that effectively utilizes river water without compromising the system's integrity.
Our collaboration resulted in a two-stage filtration system, revolutionizing river water usage while ensuring the necessary purity for generator bearings. This custom solution not only tackled the immediate challenge but also established a new standard for sustainable water management in Curtis Palmer Falls hydropower plants.
The first stage involved a vortex filter, similar to a cyclone dust collector, which spun water to separate and remove larger solids. These were then flushed back into the river, ensuring minimal environmental impact.
The second stage was a basket-type filter from HYDAC, bringing the water filtration down to 20 microns. This also featured a backflushing system, which reverses the flow of materials, usually liquids, to clear out any contaminants that have accumulated in a filtering system. The filters were cleaned periodically, minimizing maintenance and element replacement.
To ensure the system's efficiency, we integrated centrifugal pumps and Airline variable frequency drives or VFDs. These components maintained optimal pressure and flow rates, ensuring the vortex operated correctly. Additionally, the system was designed with redundancy in mind. In case of system failure, the system automatically reverts to city water, ensuring no operational downtime.
Let's take a moment to review this custom solution's key successes, highlighting the specific achievements and milestones.
The new filtration system eliminated the dependency on expensive city water, translating to substantial annual savings for Curtis Palmer Falls.
The robust two-stage filtration process required minimal maintenance. The periodic backflushing ensured the filters remained unclogged without frequent replacements. Importantly, the system did not add additional load to the existing polishing filters.
By using river water and returning filtered solids back to the river, the system achieved a net-zero environmental impact, aligning with Curtis Palmer's commitment to renewable energy.
If you’re facing similar challenges or looking to enhance your operations, contact your local Airline Hydraulics sales representative today. Or, if you're new to Airline, contact our customer service team to get started. Together, we can engineer solutions that drive efficiency, sustainability, and success.