Canyon Hydro, a U.S. manufacturer of hydroelectric turbine systems, has been selected by the City of Boulder, Colorado, to supply the powerhouse water-to-wire package for the 5-MW Boulder Canyon Hydro Modernization Project.
Some of the project funding comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, which imposes strict guidelines for the use of goods manufactured in the United States. Canyon Hydro is the only manufacturer of this turbine class that is entirely owned and operated in the USA, a press release states.
The project involves the replacement of an existing, 100-year-old turbine system with a modern, more efficient system designed by Canyon Hydro. The new Pelton-type turbine will be specifically designed for the unique requirements of the project, including special provisions to accommodate the existing penstock connections.
Canyon Hydro will manufacture the turbine at its headquarters in Deming, Washington, and at its new CNC facility in nearby Sumas, Washington. Canyon's newest computer-controlled CNC milling machine is capable of automatically machining all surfaces of the 1.35 meter (53 inches) Pelton runner to extremely tight tolerances, resulting in very high turbine efficiency.
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