Failure Forensics and Re-Design of Reversible Flow Draft Tube Trash Racks at a Pumped-Storage Plant

摘要

This paper documents the resolution of trash rack failures in the lower pool draft tube trash racks for Ameren Missouri’s two-unit, 450 MW Taum Sauk Pumped- Storage Plant. During clean out of the tail race, portions of the steel draft tube trash racks were found in the tail race. Engineering support was provided by HPPi and HDR to incorporate and analyze new design features in the replacement trash rack design. Subsequent in place inspections since the new trash racks have been returned to service in 2010 have shown no indications of cracking or degradation.