SXH COATINGS :

Successfully combating hydro-abrasive erosion on hydraulic turbine

parts since 1986

Dr. Kirsten Winkler

- graduated in Material Science in 1992 at the University RWTH Aachen (Germany)

- research scientist for 5 years in the material science department at the University Bremen
- in 1997: PhD in material science
- senior scientist for 5 years for DeBeers Industrial Diamonds in South Africa and England
- since 2003 into the hydro industry, working on the field of material science and coating
- since 2009 in ANDRITZ HYDRO, Switzerland, RD coating
- since Feb 2011 Head of Centre of Competence for Coating (CoC Coating) in ANDRITZ HYDRO

R&D on hydro-abrasive erosion

development and evaluation of suitable materials & processes for coating.

ANDRITZ HYDRO corporate mandate for technical support and supervision of all workshops worldwide,
coating for ANDRITZ HYDRO

Responsible for design adaptations due to erosion and coating

Project support when erosion is occuring

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Contents

Hydro-abrasive Erosion
SXH-Coating
Advantages
Experiences

Design

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The source of the problem

Example: Aletsch-Mrel

intake

water passing the

turbine with high
concentration of
particles (high Mohs
hardness)
river water

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Damages due to hydro-abrasive erosion

Example: Nathpa Jhakri
Guide vanes

more damages
efficiency loss
decreased TBO (time between overhaul),
longer overhaul duration

Runner

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Influences on hydro-abrasive erosion

Relative
particle
velocity
Flow pattern/
Cavitation

Particle size
distribution

Design dependant

Material
properties
(turbine)

Hydroabrasive
erosion

Particle
concentration

Other factors
?

Particle
hardness
Particle
shape

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Cannot be influenced by
the turbine manfacturer
Highly varying with time
To be measured for a
guarantee

Damages due to hydro-abrasive erosion

Effect on energy production minimising the damage
The goal of hydropower plants is a continued energy production at low costs and thereby minimisation of
down time and repair costs.

Two possibilities:

1. Decrease of the particle concentration with same turbine

due to plant design (Desander/Desilter/sand trap)

2. Reduction of costs due to erosion by turbine changes:

Changes of hydraulic design
Changes in the mechanic design
Mechanical protection of the components

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Examples of optimisation possibilities

Optimisation of:

desander
geometry of intake

turbine type and number of units

1.

HPP layout

rotational speed (erosion rate ~ relative velocity3)

2.

the hydraulic layout

minimization of cavitation

3.

the mechanic design

design to minimise damages due to h.-a. erosion

better coating suitability (access)

4.

coating

better overhaul possibilities

more stable design/construction
high quality coating
full robotic in most cases

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SXHTM : Coating at ANDRITZ HYDRO

Surface
Coating

Base material

SXH70/80 and SXH7X/8X-Type: WC-CoCr

Micro hardness: > 900 HV0.3 (Vickers hardness, DPH 0.3 kg Load)
Bonding strength: > 70 MPa (in tensile test, perpendicular to the surface)
Surface roughness:

as sprayed:

Ra

= 4 - 8m

after operation in particle loaded water:

Ra

= 1 - 3m

Since 1986: Coating of Runners and other components at Andritz Hydro

1986-1996: SXH48 (Cr-oxid basis // Plasmaspray) & different coating developments

since 1996: SXH70

since 2009: SXH7X (for Pelton runner)

From 2013: SXHTM80/8X

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SXHTM : Coating at ANDRITZ HYDRO

HVOF Coating (HVOF = High Velocity Oxygen Fuel)

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ANDRITZ HYDRO SXHTM - Coating

Standard Parts: Pelton & Francis

Francis

Pelton

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SXHTM70/80 + 7X/8X: Coating at ANDRITZ HYDRO

Advantages

Limitations

Very good resistance against erosion

Geometrical limitations due to geometry of gun and

necessary spray parameters (distance, angle)

Tight tolerances
High material strength
High adhesive strength

Low resistance against impact

Low resistance against cavitation

Repair
On-site repair by hard coating possible for certain parts
Possibility to repair damages with polymer SXH P 10 are evaluated (in test rig successful)

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Influences on a turbine due to the coating

- Efficiency / TRE -

Efficiency

Change in efficiency of a turbine, coated and uncoated (schematic)

SXH-coated: Geometry is
retained for a long time
Influence of
the surface
roughness at
the beginning
of operations.

Increase in TRE by factor 2 to 7

Uncoated: fast
loss of original
geometry

Amount of particles having passed through the turbine

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Customer benefits due to coating in power plants with erosion

Loss in revenue
(Loss in production +
repairs)

Profit

Investment
without SXH70
with SXH70
overhaul
overhaul with coating

Amount of particles

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Experience: Baspa II (India): 3 vertical Pelton units

TBO increase: 3x

runner S2

uncoated
3600 h
Data as per unit:
Output
Head
Discharge
Pitch diameter
Nozzles
Max. Sand load
Hard Particles
Repair after
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SXHTM70-coated
3800 h
103 MW
702 m
16.31 m3/s
2860 mm
4
runner
R1 3
app. 1.7
kg/m
app. 83 %
app.187000 t

Damages in coated runner:

Classical damage of splitter and cut-out
Damage in the bucket-bottom due to jet-beam
distortion

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Experience: ALFALFAL (Chile): 2 vertical 6-nozzle Pelton turbines

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Experience: Pradella (Switzerland) : 4 Francis units, partially coated runners

92
with SXH70
Coating
91

90

The break-even point depends

on the energy price and the
type and size of the runner
(amount of coating).

Efficiency, %

Uncoated

Efficiency
Gain

89

88

87

86

85
0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

Operation time, h

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30000

Experience: Nathpa Jhakri (India) : 6 Francis units, fully coated runners

Nathpa Jhakri, India
Head:
428 - 487 m
Runner diameter:
4238 mm
Power:
255 336 MW
Max. particle concentration:
12 kg/m3

Full coating by robot

Some damage at inlet (left) and at outlet

(right) after one year in operation (after
reaching end of guarantee)

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First Runner (5).jpg

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Second Runner (15).jpg

Experience: Nathpa Jhakri (India) : 6 Francis units, fully coated runners

TBO increase: >2x

SXHTM70 coated
very small damages on two guide vanes
after 1 monsoon season

uncoated
large erosion after 1 monsoon season

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SXHTM7X/8X : Development for a better stability of the splitter on Pelton

IMG_2465a.JPG

SXHTM70:

worldwide standard

IMG_2331a.JPG

SXHTM7X: 20% higher TBO

TBO: time between overhaul

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Advantages Coating

Benefits from SXHTM coatings :

extended lifetime (protection of hydraulic profile)

higher power output and higher productivity
less repair work and maintenance cost
significantly higher availability of the turbine
high return on investment

Limitations:
Small loss of initial efficiency
no NDT testing possible on coating
sensitive to cavitation

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Coating Design
If a coating is needed then this has to be known from the start of the project so that the
following optimisations can/have to be done:
- a coating friendly design (e.g. corners, accessibility in Francis runners)
- a design more resistant to erosion (e.g. better flow conditions)
- a design which is service & rehab friendly (e.g. replaceable facing plates)

In addition:
- Adaptations for bolted runners (e.g. adjustment of band thickness for the feet of blades)

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Measurement of particle parameters

- Laser measurement online LISST system (concentration & grain size distribution
- Filtration (concentration)
- Laser measurement lab (grain size distribution)
- XRD (mineral composition)

Important is
- to analyse water, which is representative for the water going through the turbine

- To analyse often enough that also fluctuations will be seen (higher concentrations during rains, changing
mineralogical composition)

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01/2010

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