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


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SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION

2min
page 66

416th THEATER ENGINEER COMMAND Answering the call to serve during COVID-19 pandemic

4min
pages 158-160

412th THEATER ENGINEER COMMAND

5min
pages 156-157

249th ENGINEER BATTALION (PRIME POWER)

3min
pages 24, 154-155

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FINANCE CENTER

3min
pages 136, 153

MARINE DESIGN CENTER MANAGING PROCUREMENT OF DREDGE FOR AZERBAIJAN

3min
pages 64, 152

OFTEN, THE QUESTION ARISES: “WHAT DOES AVIATION HAVE TO DO WITH LOGISTICS?” THE ANSWER IS: “A LOT MORE THAN YOU THINK!”

5min
pages 150-151, 162

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESOURCES

2min
pages 148-149, 163

LOCATION MATTERS

4min
pages 130, 146-147

A PART OF THE SOLUTION: HUNTSVILLE CENTER'S RESPONSE EFFORT TO SAVE LIVES

16min
pages 2, 6, 140-145

ERDC RESEARCHERS TACKLE HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS

4min
pages 137-139

ERDC RESEARCHERS IMPROVE NUMERICAL MODELING FOR POST-WILDFIRE FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT

4min
pages 134-136

ERDC ANSWERS THE COVID-19 CALL

5min
pages 56, 132-133

U.S. ARMY ENGINEER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER

1min
pages 7, 132-133

TASK FORCE ESSAYONS PROVIDES CRITICAL ENGINEERING SUPPORT

4min
pages 129-131

POWERING UP A COUNTRY, ONE TOWER AT A TIME

12min
pages 125-130, 163

MIDDLE EAST DISTRICT BUILDS STRONG DURING PANDEMIC

6min
pages 13-14, 123-125

FINDING THE SCRATCH BEFORE STARTING FROM SCRATCH

5min
pages 8, 122-123

TRANSATLANTIC DIVISION LEADS THE WAY IN CONTINGENCY SUPPORT

8min
pages 2, 4, 6, 8, 118-121

TRANSATLANTIC DIVISION

1min
pages 24, 32, 38, 118-121

PROCESSING THE FUTURE IN A PANDEMIC WORLD

2min
pages 75, 117

FINDING CONSTRUCTION ALTERNATIVES

3min
pages 4, 115-117

ENGINEERING CENTER’S EXPERTISE ENHANCES U.S. INDO-PACIFIC REGIONAL PRESENCE

3min
pages 112-113, 138

HONOLULU DISTRICT CONDUCTS 43 SITE ASSESSMENTS

3min
pages 8, 111-112

DISTRICT PROVIDES TECHNICAL SUPPORT DURING CONSTRUCTION OF ROK F-35A FACILITIES

5min
pages 38, 109-110, 116

ALASKA DISTRICT CONVERTS ARENA INTO ALTERNATE CARE SITE

1min
page 108

ALASKA DISTRICT DELIVERS FACILITIES TO SUPPORT F-35A AIRCRAFT ARRIVAL

5min
pages 106-108, 128, 130

PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION

4min
pages 104-105, 107, 114

SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT BIOLOGISTS WORK TO PRESERVE ENDANGERED SALMON

3min
pages 13, 102-103

BUILDING AN URBAN RANGER PROGRAM

4min
pages 2, 4, 98-101, 138, 162

SACRAMENTO DISTRICT DELIVERS DESPITE COVID-19 CHALLENGES

4min
pages 96-98, 136

RAPID COVID-19 RESPONSE IN THE HIGH DESERT

5min
pages 93-95, 130, 138

SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION

2min
pages 92, 99

WALLA WALLA DISTRICT DEVELOPS FISH SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS IN THE NORTHWEST

3min
pages 90-91, 136

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

3min
pages 89-90, 114

SPEED KEY TO BONNEVILLE LOCK REPAIR

3min
page 88

RESPONSE, RESTORATION, RESEARCH: REBUILDING MISSOURI

7min
pages 24, 32, 84-87

OMAHA DISTRICT SIMPLIFIES ITS CONTRACTING PROGRAMS

3min
pages 20, 83-84

NGA WEST PROJECT MAKING PROGRESS DURING COVID-19 CRISIS

2min
pages 4, 81-82

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION RALLIES TO COMPLETE MASSIVE COVID ASSESSMENT EFFORT

4min
pages 56, 79-81, 116

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION

2min
pages 78, 85

CONSTRUCTION OF KC-46A CAMPUS AT TINKER REMAINS ON TASK DESPITE PANDEMIC

2min
pages 77, 128

FLOOD OF 2019 AFFECTS MKARNS NAVIGATION

1min
pages 76, 114

TULSA DISTRICT SUPPORTS OKLAHOMA COVID-19 RESPONSE

1min
pages 74-75

OZARK-JETA TAYLOR’S SLANT-AXIS TURBINE REHAB

5min
pages 2, 72-73

DISTRICT EMPLOYEES ENLISTED FOR COVID-19 MODELING TASK FORCE

2min
pages 70-71, 80

PROVIDING SITE EVALUATIONS FOR ALTERNATE CARE FACILITIES

2min
pages 38, 69-70, 163

SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION EXECUTES HURRICANE HARVEY SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAM

4min
pages 2, 13, 67-68, 163

EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL PROJECTS TO AFFECT NORTH CAROLINA FOR DECADES

3min
pages 63-65, 162

DMCAS: SAVANNAH’S SOLUTION FOR PLACING DREDGED MATERIAL

3min
pages 14, 62-63

SAVANNAH HARBOR DEEPENING

3min
pages 6, 59-61

MOBILE DISTRICT NEARS COMPLETION OF SHIP ISLAND

3min
pages 8, 57-59

ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION FOUNDATION PROJECTS BRING WATER TO EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK

3min
pages 55-57

PENINSULA STUDY DRAWS SWEEPING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

2min
pages 53-54, 116

SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION

1min
pages 52, 58

VICKSBURG DISTRICT EMPLOYEE RECEIVES NATIONAL ENGINEERING AWARD

2min
pages 51, 86

USACE, SAMARITAN’S PURSE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP STORM SURVIVOR

4min
pages 49-50, 128, 130

DISTRICT CONVERTS HOTEL INTO HOSPITAL WITHIN DAYS OF REQUEST

4min
pages 46-48, 80, 136

ROCK ISLAND DISTRICT SUPPORTS DERECHO RECOVERY EFFORTS ACROSS IOWA

2min
pages 44-45, 138

CONSTRUCTION REACHES NEW HEIGHTS ON RED RIVER OF THE NORTH PROJECT

3min
pages 42-43, 114

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION

4min
pages 40-41, 46

WORKING AS ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL IN A COVID-19 ERA

3min
pages 37-39

NASHVILLE DISTRICT RESPONDS TO A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

2min
pages 36-37

TEAM EFFORT MAKES WAUGOSHANCE POINT TARGET PROJECT A SUCCESS

3min
pages 35-36

BLUESTONE DAM: THE FINAL PHASE

2min
page 34

DETROIT DISTRICT RAPIDLY RESPONDS TO MICHIGAN’S CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

2min
pages 31, 33

CHICAGO DISTRICT CIVIL WORKS REALIGNMENT

1min
pages 31-32

CHICAGO DISTRICT’S “OPERATION ENDURING HEALTH”

4min
pages 29-30

THE GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE

3min
pages 27-28

GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION

4min
pages 26-27

DISTRICT’S BRIDGE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION TEAM REACHES NEW HEIGHTS

3min
pages 23, 25, 160

FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC TO CANADA, FORESTERS MANAGE UNIQUE ARMY PROGRAM

3min
pages 21-24

NEW YORK DISTRICT CONSTRUCTS “STEAM” TEACHING SCHOOL

2min
pages 19-21

DESPITE COVID-19, USACE HITS 10-MILLION MILESTONE IN BOSTON HARBOR

3min
pages 8, 18-19

USACE HELPS OPEN CENTER FOR WOUNDED WARRIOR CARE IN REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA

2min
pages 17, 163

DISTRICT’S RADIOLOGICAL TEAM PROVIDES EXPERTISE THROUGHOUT USACE AND BEYOND

5min
pages 6, 15-16, 162

USACE PROVIDES A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX COVID-19 PROBLEM

4min
pages 2, 4, 11-12, 14, 162

NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION

1min
pages 3, 10, 12-13
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