U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Building Strong, Serving the Nation and the Armed Forces, 2020-2021

Page 73

turbine is mounted may seem like a small change, but it’s one that allows more generation to be packed into a smaller area. It also saves on construction and excavation, as less digging needs to occur to make room for the turbines. Slant-axis was and is considered an innovative take on the traditional design of a hydropower water turbine, but for the dams USACE operates that use them – Ozark, Webbers Falls, and Harry S. Truman in the Kansas City District – each has seen recurring problems with turbine or gearbox reliability. These problems and the subsequent loss of generation motivated Ozark, which is part of the Little Rock District, to kick off a rehabilitation effort to replace or improve the turbines in 2005. It’s a project that has seen a long run of bad luck, unexpected complications, and difficult engineering problems. The project started innocently enough. From 2005 to 2007, the contractor on the project conducted design and testing of a replacement turbine to be used in the dam. When the final tests were complete and work started on the ground, things got complicated. “In the scheme of the entire plant, we really went from one major rehab to many, many rehabs all along the way – some of them small, some of them large and complex,” said David Glorit, a project engineer for the Ozark project. “We’ve seen everything from teeth in the original gearboxes failing, to problems of the turbines cracking and leaking. Some of these issues are normal operational wear and tear for a hydropower operation and some aren’t.” Complicating all the work is the scale of the turbines themselves. These assemblies are not small, and they are buried in layers of concrete and steel from the surrounding dam. To get at the systems within requires lengthy dewatering and careful work extracting the hardware from its home. Like everything else in the project, this work is time consuming and detail oriented. Because of the scale and highly technical nature of the work, safety and cost are always an issue. It becomes vitally important to get everything done right the first time. It was as they were working through other parts of the rehab that the team made one of its most startling discoveries. Once the turbine was removed and engineers had an opportunity to inspect things more closely, they realized that there was something wrong with the water passages that direct water to the turbine. “The shaft of the turbine has to run center to this passage,” Glorit explained. “When we put a laser down the passages to check them, we discovered that they just weren’t centered.” This revelation likely explained some of the failures the team had been seeing with excessive run-out and other wear and tear issues with the turbines. The discovery was helpful, but how exactly do you center a tunnel of concrete and steel more than 26 feet in diameter? The solution, in this case, was to develop a massive reverse lathe/ boring bar to go through the slow and exacting work of scraping out and milling the water passage. It was a huge task – and one that they found themselves having to do five more times. “We checked the water passages for each turbine and found them all to be out of true,” Glorit said. “That’s not something you expect to see in your operations and maintenance budget.” Today, more than a decade after the original uplift project was put underway, things are coming together. The team at the Ozark project, along with

COURTESY PHOTO BY DAVID GLORIT

SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION

Workers inspect the gearbox on one of the slant-axis hydropower turbines as part of the powerhouse rehabilitation. The slant-axis turbines, which provide numerous advantages and cost savings, have had a troubled history with USACE dams.

members of the Tulsa District, have managed to turn years of delay into an incredible wealth of lessons learned in how to work with and manage a slant-axis turbine. The knowledge they’ve gained and documented over the years is finally bearing fruit as the team has moved into a testing phase where each of the new generating units is put through a 100-day commercial test to validate their ability to provide reliable power generation. “We’ve been almost done for a while now,” said Glorit. “Once we’re through the testing-and-validation phase, the units will be back online and producing as they should.” While the team is excited to see the end of the road for the rehab, they know that their work isn’t done. There are still years of maintenance and upkeep ahead to ensure the safe and efficient management of the dam and that Ozark-Jeta Taylor will continue to play its part on the MKARNS, ensuring a navigable channel and producing inexpensive hydropower – both unique capabilities of hydropower dams, and two of the prime reasons they provide such solid value to the nation. n 69


Articles inside

OZARK-JETA TAYLOR’S SLANT-AXIS TURBINE REHAB article cover image
OZARK-JETA TAYLOR’S SLANT-AXIS TURBINE REHAB
6min
pages 2, 72-73
BUILDING AN URBAN RANGER PROGRAM article cover image
BUILDING AN URBAN RANGER PROGRAM
5min
pages 2, 4, 98-101, 138, 162
SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION EXECUTES HURRICANE HARVEY SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAM article cover image
SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION EXECUTES HURRICANE HARVEY SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAM
5min
pages 2, 13, 67-68, 163
TRANSATLANTIC DIVISION LEADS THE WAY IN CONTINGENCY SUPPORT article cover image
TRANSATLANTIC DIVISION LEADS THE WAY IN CONTINGENCY SUPPORT
9min
pages 2, 4, 6, 8, 118-121
USACE PROVIDES A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX COVID-19 PROBLEM article cover image
USACE PROVIDES A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX COVID-19 PROBLEM
5min
pages 2, 4, 11-12, 14, 162
A PART OF THE SOLUTION: HUNTSVILLE CENTER'S RESPONSE EFFORT TO SAVE LIVES article cover image
A PART OF THE SOLUTION: HUNTSVILLE CENTER'S RESPONSE EFFORT TO SAVE LIVES
17min
pages 2, 6, 140-145
NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION article cover image
NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION
2min
pages 3, 10, 12-13
FINDING CONSTRUCTION ALTERNATIVES article cover image
FINDING CONSTRUCTION ALTERNATIVES
4min
pages 4, 115-117
NGA WEST PROJECT MAKING PROGRESS DURING COVID-19 CRISIS article cover image
NGA WEST PROJECT MAKING PROGRESS DURING COVID-19 CRISIS
3min
pages 4, 81-82
SAVANNAH HARBOR DEEPENING article cover image
SAVANNAH HARBOR DEEPENING
4min
pages 6, 59-61
DISTRICT’S RADIOLOGICAL TEAM PROVIDES EXPERTISE THROUGHOUT USACE AND BEYOND article cover image
DISTRICT’S RADIOLOGICAL TEAM PROVIDES EXPERTISE THROUGHOUT USACE AND BEYOND
6min
pages 6, 15-16, 162
U.S. ARMY ENGINEER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER article cover image
U.S. ARMY ENGINEER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
2min
pages 7, 132-133
DESPITE COVID-19, USACE HITS 10-MILLION MILESTONE IN BOSTON HARBOR article cover image
DESPITE COVID-19, USACE HITS 10-MILLION MILESTONE IN BOSTON HARBOR
4min
pages 8, 18-19
FINDING THE SCRATCH BEFORE STARTING FROM SCRATCH article cover image
FINDING THE SCRATCH BEFORE STARTING FROM SCRATCH
6min
pages 8, 122-123
MOBILE DISTRICT NEARS COMPLETION OF SHIP ISLAND article cover image
MOBILE DISTRICT NEARS COMPLETION OF SHIP ISLAND
4min
pages 8, 57-59
HONOLULU DISTRICT CONDUCTS 43 SITE ASSESSMENTS article cover image
HONOLULU DISTRICT CONDUCTS 43 SITE ASSESSMENTS
4min
pages 8, 111-112
MIDDLE EAST DISTRICT BUILDS STRONG DURING PANDEMIC article cover image
MIDDLE EAST DISTRICT BUILDS STRONG DURING PANDEMIC
7min
pages 13-14, 123-125
SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT BIOLOGISTS WORK TO PRESERVE ENDANGERED SALMON article cover image
SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT BIOLOGISTS WORK TO PRESERVE ENDANGERED SALMON
4min
pages 13, 102-103
DMCAS: SAVANNAH’S SOLUTION FOR PLACING DREDGED MATERIAL article cover image
DMCAS: SAVANNAH’S SOLUTION FOR PLACING DREDGED MATERIAL
4min
pages 14, 62-63
USACE HELPS OPEN CENTER FOR WOUNDED WARRIOR CARE IN REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA article cover image
USACE HELPS OPEN CENTER FOR WOUNDED WARRIOR CARE IN REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA
3min
pages 17, 163
NEW YORK DISTRICT CONSTRUCTS “STEAM” TEACHING SCHOOL article cover image
NEW YORK DISTRICT CONSTRUCTS “STEAM” TEACHING SCHOOL
3min
pages 19-21
OMAHA DISTRICT SIMPLIFIES ITS CONTRACTING PROGRAMS article cover image
OMAHA DISTRICT SIMPLIFIES ITS CONTRACTING PROGRAMS
4min
pages 20, 83-84
FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC TO CANADA, FORESTERS MANAGE UNIQUE ARMY PROGRAM article cover image
FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC TO CANADA, FORESTERS MANAGE UNIQUE ARMY PROGRAM
4min
pages 21-24
DISTRICT’S BRIDGE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION TEAM REACHES NEW HEIGHTS article cover image
DISTRICT’S BRIDGE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION TEAM REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
4min
pages 23, 25, 160
TRANSATLANTIC DIVISION article cover image
TRANSATLANTIC DIVISION
1min
pages 24, 32, 38, 118-121
RESPONSE, RESTORATION, RESEARCH: REBUILDING MISSOURI article cover image
RESPONSE, RESTORATION, RESEARCH: REBUILDING MISSOURI
8min
pages 24, 32, 84-87
249th ENGINEER BATTALION (PRIME POWER) article cover image
249th ENGINEER BATTALION (PRIME POWER)
4min
pages 24, 154-155
GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION article cover image
GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION
5min
pages 26-27
THE GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE article cover image
THE GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE
4min
pages 27-28
CHICAGO DISTRICT’S “OPERATION ENDURING HEALTH” article cover image
CHICAGO DISTRICT’S “OPERATION ENDURING HEALTH”
5min
pages 29-30
CHICAGO DISTRICT CIVIL WORKS REALIGNMENT article cover image
CHICAGO DISTRICT CIVIL WORKS REALIGNMENT
2min
pages 31-32
DETROIT DISTRICT RAPIDLY RESPONDS TO MICHIGAN’S CORONAVIRUS CRISIS article cover image
DETROIT DISTRICT RAPIDLY RESPONDS TO MICHIGAN’S CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
3min
pages 31, 33
BLUESTONE DAM: THE FINAL PHASE article cover image
BLUESTONE DAM: THE FINAL PHASE
3min
page 34
TEAM EFFORT MAKES WAUGOSHANCE POINT TARGET PROJECT A SUCCESS article cover image
TEAM EFFORT MAKES WAUGOSHANCE POINT TARGET PROJECT A SUCCESS
4min
pages 35-36
NASHVILLE DISTRICT RESPONDS TO A GLOBAL PANDEMIC article cover image
NASHVILLE DISTRICT RESPONDS TO A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
3min
pages 36-37
WORKING AS ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL IN A COVID-19 ERA article cover image
WORKING AS ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL IN A COVID-19 ERA
4min
pages 37-39
PROVIDING SITE EVALUATIONS FOR ALTERNATE CARE FACILITIES article cover image
PROVIDING SITE EVALUATIONS FOR ALTERNATE CARE FACILITIES
3min
pages 38, 69-70, 163
DISTRICT PROVIDES TECHNICAL SUPPORT DURING CONSTRUCTION OF ROK F-35A FACILITIES article cover image
DISTRICT PROVIDES TECHNICAL SUPPORT DURING CONSTRUCTION OF ROK F-35A FACILITIES
6min
pages 38, 109-110, 116
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION article cover image
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION
5min
pages 40-41, 46
CONSTRUCTION REACHES NEW HEIGHTS ON RED RIVER OF THE NORTH PROJECT article cover image
CONSTRUCTION REACHES NEW HEIGHTS ON RED RIVER OF THE NORTH PROJECT
4min
pages 42-43, 114
ROCK ISLAND DISTRICT SUPPORTS DERECHO RECOVERY EFFORTS ACROSS IOWA article cover image
ROCK ISLAND DISTRICT SUPPORTS DERECHO RECOVERY EFFORTS ACROSS IOWA
3min
pages 44-45, 138
DISTRICT CONVERTS HOTEL INTO HOSPITAL WITHIN DAYS OF REQUEST article cover image
DISTRICT CONVERTS HOTEL INTO HOSPITAL WITHIN DAYS OF REQUEST
5min
pages 46-48, 80, 136
USACE, SAMARITAN’S PURSE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP STORM SURVIVOR article cover image
USACE, SAMARITAN’S PURSE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP STORM SURVIVOR
5min
pages 49-50, 128, 130
VICKSBURG DISTRICT EMPLOYEE RECEIVES NATIONAL ENGINEERING AWARD article cover image
VICKSBURG DISTRICT EMPLOYEE RECEIVES NATIONAL ENGINEERING AWARD
3min
pages 51, 86
SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION article cover image
SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION
2min
pages 52, 58
PENINSULA STUDY DRAWS SWEEPING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT article cover image
PENINSULA STUDY DRAWS SWEEPING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
3min
pages 53-54, 116
ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION FOUNDATION PROJECTS BRING WATER TO EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK article cover image
ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION FOUNDATION PROJECTS BRING WATER TO EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK
4min
pages 55-57
NORTHWESTERN DIVISION RALLIES TO COMPLETE MASSIVE COVID ASSESSMENT EFFORT article cover image
NORTHWESTERN DIVISION RALLIES TO COMPLETE MASSIVE COVID ASSESSMENT EFFORT
5min
pages 56, 79-81, 116
ERDC ANSWERS THE COVID-19 CALL article cover image
ERDC ANSWERS THE COVID-19 CALL
6min
pages 56, 132-133
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL PROJECTS TO AFFECT NORTH CAROLINA FOR DECADES article cover image
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL PROJECTS TO AFFECT NORTH CAROLINA FOR DECADES
4min
pages 63-65, 162
MARINE DESIGN CENTER MANAGING PROCUREMENT OF DREDGE FOR AZERBAIJAN article cover image
MARINE DESIGN CENTER MANAGING PROCUREMENT OF DREDGE FOR AZERBAIJAN
4min
pages 64, 152
SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION article cover image
SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION
3min
page 66
DISTRICT EMPLOYEES ENLISTED FOR COVID-19 MODELING TASK FORCE article cover image
DISTRICT EMPLOYEES ENLISTED FOR COVID-19 MODELING TASK FORCE
3min
pages 70-71, 80
TULSA DISTRICT SUPPORTS OKLAHOMA COVID-19 RESPONSE article cover image
TULSA DISTRICT SUPPORTS OKLAHOMA COVID-19 RESPONSE
2min
pages 74-75
PROCESSING THE FUTURE IN A PANDEMIC WORLD article cover image
PROCESSING THE FUTURE IN A PANDEMIC WORLD
3min
pages 75, 117
FLOOD OF 2019 AFFECTS MKARNS NAVIGATION article cover image
FLOOD OF 2019 AFFECTS MKARNS NAVIGATION
2min
pages 76, 114
CONSTRUCTION OF KC-46A CAMPUS AT TINKER REMAINS ON TASK DESPITE PANDEMIC article cover image
CONSTRUCTION OF KC-46A CAMPUS AT TINKER REMAINS ON TASK DESPITE PANDEMIC
3min
pages 77, 128
NORTHWESTERN DIVISION article cover image
NORTHWESTERN DIVISION
3min
pages 78, 85
SPEED KEY TO BONNEVILLE LOCK REPAIR article cover image
SPEED KEY TO BONNEVILLE LOCK REPAIR
4min
page 88
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Building Strong, Serving the Nation and the Armed Forces, 2020-2021 article cover image
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Building Strong, Serving the Nation and the Armed Forces, 2020-2021
4min
pages 89-90, 114
WALLA WALLA DISTRICT DEVELOPS FISH SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS IN THE NORTHWEST article cover image
WALLA WALLA DISTRICT DEVELOPS FISH SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS IN THE NORTHWEST
4min
pages 90-91, 136
SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION article cover image
SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION
3min
pages 92, 99
RAPID COVID-19 RESPONSE IN THE HIGH DESERT article cover image
RAPID COVID-19 RESPONSE IN THE HIGH DESERT
6min
pages 93-95, 130, 138
SACRAMENTO DISTRICT DELIVERS DESPITE COVID-19 CHALLENGES article cover image
SACRAMENTO DISTRICT DELIVERS DESPITE COVID-19 CHALLENGES
5min
pages 96-98, 136
PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION article cover image
PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION
5min
pages 104-105, 107, 114
ALASKA DISTRICT DELIVERS FACILITIES TO SUPPORT F-35A AIRCRAFT ARRIVAL article cover image
ALASKA DISTRICT DELIVERS FACILITIES TO SUPPORT F-35A AIRCRAFT ARRIVAL
6min
pages 106-108, 128, 130
ALASKA DISTRICT CONVERTS ARENA INTO ALTERNATE CARE SITE article cover image
ALASKA DISTRICT CONVERTS ARENA INTO ALTERNATE CARE SITE
2min
page 108
ENGINEERING CENTER’S EXPERTISE ENHANCES U.S. INDO-PACIFIC REGIONAL PRESENCE article cover image
ENGINEERING CENTER’S EXPERTISE ENHANCES U.S. INDO-PACIFIC REGIONAL PRESENCE
4min
pages 112-113, 138
POWERING UP A COUNTRY, ONE TOWER AT A TIME article cover image
POWERING UP A COUNTRY, ONE TOWER AT A TIME
13min
pages 125-130, 163
TASK FORCE ESSAYONS PROVIDES CRITICAL ENGINEERING SUPPORT article cover image
TASK FORCE ESSAYONS PROVIDES CRITICAL ENGINEERING SUPPORT
5min
pages 129-131
LOCATION MATTERS article cover image
LOCATION MATTERS
5min
pages 130, 146-147
ERDC RESEARCHERS IMPROVE NUMERICAL MODELING FOR POST-WILDFIRE FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT article cover image
ERDC RESEARCHERS IMPROVE NUMERICAL MODELING FOR POST-WILDFIRE FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT
5min
pages 134-136
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FINANCE CENTER article cover image
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FINANCE CENTER
4min
pages 136, 153
ERDC RESEARCHERS TACKLE HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS article cover image
ERDC RESEARCHERS TACKLE HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS
5min
pages 137-139
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESOURCES article cover image
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESOURCES
3min
pages 148-149, 163
OFTEN, THE QUESTION ARISES: “WHAT DOES AVIATION HAVE TO DO WITH LOGISTICS?” THE ANSWER IS: “A LOT MORE THAN YOU THINK!” article cover image
OFTEN, THE QUESTION ARISES: “WHAT DOES AVIATION HAVE TO DO WITH LOGISTICS?” THE ANSWER IS: “A LOT MORE THAN YOU THINK!”
6min
pages 150-151, 162
412th THEATER ENGINEER COMMAND article cover image
412th THEATER ENGINEER COMMAND
6min
pages 156-157
416th THEATER ENGINEER COMMAND Answering the call to serve during COVID-19 pandemic article cover image
416th THEATER ENGINEER COMMAND Answering the call to serve during COVID-19 pandemic
5min
pages 158-160