Hydropower was first recorded at Hillmount in 1720 when a Bleach Green was established on the River Maine. Two waterwheels were in operation until the 1880’s when two open flume Francis turbines were installed. These turbines continued to operate until 2015 when the electrical system finally failed and a re-think was required.

There was much consultation on the merits of an AST as opposed to a Kaplan turbine but the final decision was made to install a single horizontal axial flow Kaplan turbine with ½” screen and screen cleaner in the same position as the original 1720 waterwheel had been, all provided by Hydrohrom from the Czech Republic.

Hydroplan carried out the survey and the civil design and the scheme was delivered on time without any issues using a local civil contractor.

Key Features:

• Low head, large flow
• Kaplan turbine
• Rehabilitation of existing scheme
• Historical site

The post Hillmount Rehabilitation first appeared on Hydroplan - Hydropower Consultancy.

Shane’s Castle is a 2,500-acre mixed enterprise Estate located to the west of Antrim, Northern Ireland. A hydro scheme was originally installed at Shane’s Castle on the River Maine in the early part of the 20^th Century and was still in operation in the 1950’s.

When Hydroplan was employed in 2006, the weir and headrace were still in situ but the generating equipment had long since fallen into disrepair.  The decision was taken to repair the weir and headrace and install a new Archimedean Screw Turbine in place of the old generating equipment.

Hydroplan completed all the feasibility and consenting work plus the detailed design of the scheme and the project management during construction. The scheme was finally commissioned in 2010 and was the largest scheme of its type in the country at the time.

Key Features:

• Low Head, Large Flow
• Archimedean Screw Turbine
• Rehabilitation of Existing Scheme

The post Shane's Castle first appeared on Hydroplan - Hydropower Consultancy.