Hydropower is one of the most widely used renewable sources of energy, accounting for approximately 16 percent of total electricity production, according to the International Energy Agency. With hydropower generation in the electric power sector expected to increase by 4.8 percent in 2016, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), it’s crucial for hydropower producers to operate as effectively as possible to meet increasing demands.
And, as a business that depends solely on water, this includes preparing for changes in precipitation – regardless of how drastic those changes may be.
El Niño
Ocurriendo cada dos a siete años, El Niño is a periodic warming of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. For reasons still not well understood, this patch of ocean warms for six to 18 months and greatly influences the atmospheric pattern from the western Pacific Ocean, affecting temperature and rainfall throughout the world, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
This year, NOAA expects weather through March 2016 to trend wetter than usual over much of the southern tier of the U.S., from California into the Southwest to the Southern and Central Plains, as well as the Gulf Coast and Southeast Coast, including Florida.
The Implications of El Niño for Hydropower Plants
With current increases in precipitation in many parts of the U.S. due to El Niño, hydropower plants must not only prepare and plan accordingly, but also ensure they are still meeting wastewater treatment requirements.
Precipitation increases can pose an extra challenge for hydropower plants that rely on petroleum-based products, such as fuel, hydraulic fluid and lubricating greases and oils to operate. Given the numerous lubricant connections, bearing and hydraulic seals and other moving components in a plant, it is inevitable that some oil will escape, finding its way into the process, cooling, or cleaning water that flows throughout a plant. Additionally, the high-pressure process water needed to contact and drive turbine components also tends to strip away lubrication.
Normalmente, esta agua aceitosa o grasosa fluye hacia uno de los siguientes lugares:
- El punto de recolección de salida de un sistema de enfriamiento de recirculación
- El punto de recolección del efluente de un sistema de enfriamiento de una sola pasada
- El punto de recogida de las aguas residuales antes de la planta de tratamiento
- Sumpideros o pozos de drenaje profundos dentro de la planta
No matter where the oily water is flowing, separating and removing the oil from the wastewater can greatly enhance a hydropower plant’s wastewater treatment process.
Choose an Oil Removal Solution That Delivers Optimal ROI and Helps Ensure Regulations Are Met
When it comes to excess precipitation, hydropower plants need to consider the wide fluctuation of oily water levels that are bound to occur. These wide fluctuations will make it difficult to not only access, but also remove oil by using methods such absorbent media or slotted pipes, for example.
For optimal results, plants should select an oil removal solution, like an oil skimming system that can easily adjust to changing water levels, without supervision, to eliminate the potential for untreated water to overflow into other areas of the plant and help ensure wastewater requirements are met. Effectively separating and removing oil via an oil skimming system provides many benefits, such as:
- Reducción de los costos de mano de obra y mantenimiento
- Reducir o eliminar los costos de eliminación de aceite usado
- Reducir o eliminar la necesidad de filtración y productos químicos
- Y más
Specifically, tube-type oil skimming systems, such as those manufactured by Oil Skimmers, Inc., are designed to separate and remove oil from wastewater, regardless of precipitation levels. And, these advanced skimming systems can also remove varied oil amounts and concentrations, even when debris is present.
How Do Tube-Type Oil Skimming Systems Work?
Tube-type oil skimming systems from Oil Skimmers, Inc. feature a closed-loop oil collector tube that skims the surface of the wastewater, allowing oil to adhere to the outside of the tube, while the tube moves easily around floating debris. The floating tube is then drawn into the oil skimmer and through ceramic scrapers that remove the oil. The tube returns to the water surface to collect more oil, while the recovered oil flows to a collection container.
With customization available for any application, the ability to completely remove oil from wastewater – and guaranteed operation 24/7 with minimal need for supervision or maintenance – tube-type oil skimming systems are an efficient and effective oil-removal solution for hydropower plants.
For more information on how a tube-type oil skimming system can remove oil from wastewater at your hydropower plant, contact us today at info@oilskim.com o +1 (440) 237-4600.
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Solución de Problemas de Gestión y Eliminación de Aceite Usado en Plantas de Generación de Energía
