Inspecting a 35-Meter Surge Tank with the Elios 3 in Canada

Key Benefits at a Glance

Safety By using the Elios 3, the team was able to inspect and plan maintenance for a 35-meter-tall surge tank without having to enter the structure. This significantly reduced the risk of accidents and ensured the safety of all personnel involved.	Efficiency A single 7-minute drone flight provided accurate data that helped the team plan rope access routes efficiently. This eliminated the need for time-consuming estimations and improved overall project planning.
Accuracy The Elios 3 revealed that the surge tank was not built according to the original design. This discovery led to the updating of site records and the re-evaluation of flow calculations based on real-world conditions.	Collaboration Osprey Integrity worked closely with rope access specialists to ensure safe and efficient maintenance operations. The use of accurate drone data allowed for better coordination and faster decision-making during the project.

Hydroelectric power is one of the most regulated industries, with infrastructure built using the best technology available at the time. However, as technology advances, it becomes necessary to revisit and upgrade these facilities to improve efficiency and capacity.

The Taltson Hydro Plant is located on the Taltson River in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It currently houses one hydroelectric station, which has been taken offline for six months to undergo a major refurbishment. This includes replacing the turbine, generator, and performing necessary repairs to increase the plant's output.

Planning Future Upgrades with Drone Mapping

Part of the Taltson Hydro Plant’s refurbishment involves upgrading the turbine and generator to increase the plant's maximum capacity. A critical part of this process is inspecting the entire water conveyance system, especially the penstock surge tank, to understand its flow capacity and condition.

The Surge Tank is 35 meters tall and difficult to safely access from the inside

Data collection is essential for assessing the condition of assets and planning future upgrades. A multidisciplinary team was assembled to gather detailed information about the plant and its surroundings.

Mark Horton from Dimension Consulting was brought in to digitize the hydro plant. He collaborated with Yannick Methot from GTA Hydro, the owner’s engineer, to assess and plan the necessary upgrades. Meanwhile, Mark Nevison from Crux Trades, a rope access specialist, was responsible for high-altitude inspections and ensuring safe access points across the site.

It was Mark who suggested using drones for data collection, particularly for the 35-meter-high surge tank. By using the Elios 3, they could safely plan access routes and identify potential hazards before sending in human workers.

Integrating Drones into Inspection Workflows

Osprey Integrity’s president, Courtland Penk, traveled to the remote site, which is accessible only by small plane. The team needed to collect visual and LiDAR data for a comprehensive inspection of the surge tank and surrounding structures.

They chose the Elios 3 for its ability to navigate tight spaces and capture high-quality data. The drone was used to inspect the orifice of the surge tower and explore the interior of the penstock and tunnels.

The 7-minute flight captured all the necessary data for the 35-meter-tall surge tank. The team then continued their scan to examine the T-Joint in the piping and tunnels, collecting both visual and LiDAR data.

The Elios 3's camera identified areas of rust inside the Surge Tank

Results of the Elios 3 Surge Tank Inspection

The data collected from the Elios 3 flight proved invaluable. Courtland processed the data using CloudCompare and Metashape before sharing it with a third-party contractor. The 3D scans were used to perform CFD analysis on the orifice and tee joint losses, helping to optimize the future operation of the surge tank.

Mark N. and his team used the drone data to plan access routes for the rope engineers. They discovered that some structural elements in the tank had corroded, and there were missing fasteners, which required careful planning to avoid risks during maintenance work.

Watch the LiDAR and visual scans of the Elios 3 inside the Surge Tank

In addition, the team found that the T-Joint had been constructed differently than the original plans, which was crucial information for determining the pressure capacity of the penstock after the new installations.

The Impact of Drone Inspections

The collaboration between Courtland’s team and the rope access specialists demonstrated how drone technology can enhance safety and efficiency in complex environments. The Elios 3 provided more detailed and accurate data than expected, streamlining the entire refurbishment process.

Soon, the Taltson Hydro Plant will be back online with the new unit, increasing its capacity from 18MW to 22MW. This upgrade will ensure a more reliable energy supply for the local community and set the stage for further improvements in the future.

Discover more about the Elios 3 and its advanced surveying capabilities.

PVC Resin Erdos Brand

Stabilizers, lubricants and fillers are added to PVC. After mixing, the extruder can be used to extrude hard pipes, special-shaped pipes and corrugated pipes of various calibers, which can be used as sewer pipes, drinking water pipes, electric wire casings or staircase handrails. The calendared sheets are overlapped and hot pressed to make hard plates of various thicknesses. The plate can be cut into the required shape, and then welded with hot air with PVC welding rod to form various chemical resistant storage tanks, air ducts and containers.

Pvc Resin Erdos Brand,Pvc K-Value 67,Erdos Pvc Resin Sg5,Pvc Resin For Upvc

Henan Chuange Industry CO.,LTD , https://www.chuangegroup.com