In small hydro power plant designing and operation, number of factors influence whole design of power plant scheme. Spillway is one of most important design which can affect design of one specific power plant or series as run-of-river projects. Implementation of Rubberdam into design of spillway for small hydro power plants can provide cost effective and operational ease and reliable benefits in long years of hydro power plant operations.
Rubberdams have been around for over 40 years worldwidely, and one of the first Rubberdam was designed and developed by U.S. company, known as firestone tire company, with recognition for durability of rubber materials as rubberized compound expert in most extreme conditions, then Japanese rubber expert Bridgestone scaled up the numbers and known to be about 2,000 installations in North America. Rubber may sound as less vulnerable to weathering and environment hazards, but it has proven modern compound of synthetic rubbers are stronger than steel plates and lasts longer than most of steel gated systems around the world.
Rubberdam system can help in operational ease and least maintenance offerings to modern hydro power plant designing and planning at economical entering cost. Rubberdams are lower cost comparing to any moveable types of gate system, such as roller gate, radial gates, flap gates or combined steel flap and airbags. At the same time, maintenance cost is almost minimum as mostly seen damages are small holes or exposing of inner reinforced special fabric, which can be covered by repair kit without special tools.
One of the oldest rubberdams we had installed and still in operation is 32 years without repair, which is operating in somewhat moderate atmosphere in Korea. (lowest temperature at -21 degrees Celsius or -5.8℉ and high as 35 degrees Celsius or 95℉.)
Some of earlier installation came to be end of its service years from its date since 1980’s and YOOIL has most reference of replacing Bridgestone rubberdams with totally compatible with old fixings and only minor replacing is performed but extends whole new years of operation with state of art new Rubber.
Most beneficials for owner can have is lower entering cost with Rubberdam and maintenance at the lowest operational cost, by the end of rubberbladder part after 30 plus years, owner can simply order new rubber bladder for next 30 plus years. Back in the day, old hydro power plants have lower efficiency with aged steel gates and high maintenance cost by replacing hydraulics and environment hazard with oil leaks, those of old small hydro power plants are now retrofitting with new system as rubberdams and new system will be next old system after hundreds of years from now on.
