by Jonathan Meier, Unico Mechanical
The major equipment found in hydropower generating plants, such as the turbines, generators, and large valves, have longer lifecycles than equipment used in other types of power generating plants and in other industries. It is also common for hydroelectric power plants to utilize water hydraulic systems supplied from the penstocks to operate turbine shutoff valves, pressure regulating valves, and turbine hydraulic controllers.
Both the longer life cycles and water hydraulic systems can cause hydropower equipment to experience wear and degradation modes that do not appear in equipment operating over shorter life cycles or without continuous exposure to water.