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Reliable products for the hydro energy industry
Machine parts that are used for generating energy via hydropower are exposed to extreme environmental conditions: they have to withstand very high loads, be resistant to saltwater and UV radiation and continuously operate without failure. Downtime due to material wear and frequent maintenance measures can negatively affect the energy output.
igus® offers a large variety of customer-specific solutions that fulfil the requirements of these sources of renewable energy, and help improve the technology of the entire system. Whether wave power plants, hydropower turbines or screening plants - there are a lot of application areas for our plain and spherical bearings lead screws and energy guide systems in the hydro energy industry.
Maintenance-free products for use in hydro energy plants
Further applications:
Screen systems, screen cleaners
In order for hydropower plants to produce electricity reliably, the flow of water to the turbine must be guaranteed at all times. Flotsam and debris that collects on the protective screens of the water intake must therefore be removed regularly. This task is performed by screen cleaning systems, for example mobile horizontal/cross cleaners. In order to reliably supply the travelling carriage with energy, we offer low-maintenance energy chain systems as an alternative to trailing cables/festoons and busbar systems, in particular the basic flizz® system, our standard for screen cleaners and scrapers.
Water turbines
In Kaplan and Francis turbines, the water flow to the rotor blades and thus the turbine output can be regulated with the aid of adjustable, pivoting guide vanes. The adjustment mechanism consists of adjustment rings on the outside of the housing, which act on the pivot axes of the guide vanes via articulated levers. We offer suitable plain bearings and rod ends for this purpose, which are robust, maintenance-free and corrosion-free.
Wave energy converter
Point absorber
Buoys anchored to the seabed with an integrated generator that converts the kinetic energy into electrical energy as the waves move up and down: Point absorbers are considered a particularly promising wave energy converter technology. To guide the movement of the floating body and stabilise it even under adverse conditions, robust, maintenance-free linear guides are required, which we offer alongside sliding plates and compact, lightweight energy chains for safe cable routing.
Oscillating Wave Surge Converter
An OWSC (Oscillating Wave Surge Converter) utilises the amplified liquid particle motion of waves in the near-shore zone. The conversion principle is based on a horizontal (more rarely vertical) oscillating motion of a flap that drives a high-pressure fluid in a secondary hydraulic system through a piston. We have the right plain bearings for the outer bearing points and for guiding the piston - high-strength, media-resistant and, as always, lubrication- and maintenance-free.
Seawater pumps
The wave energy converter "Searaser" is a pump consisting of two floats arranged one above the other and connected by a piston. When the shafts are raised and lowered, seawater is pumped to a higher level on land in order to store it in large ponds and, if required, generate electricity using a turbine and a generator. To guide the pump piston, we offer suitable plain bearings with particularly high wear resistance for underwater applications.
Attenuators
This is another way to generate electricity from wave movements: with a long, modular row of floats connected via lever arms to a chain of electric generators. Placed in the direction of the waves, a serpentine movement is created as soon as the waves pass under the floats, and the levers drive the generators. We recommend our heavy-duty underwater plain bearings with flange for the many bearing points on both sides of the levers.
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