Supports German Government’s energy sector environmental initiative

Sipos’ electric actuators are being used for the environmental initiative for an eel bypass system at Unkelmühle, a hydroelectric RWE power plant near Bonn, which is part of an energy policy launched by the German Government to support measures for the modernisation of hydroelectric power plants, SIPOS Aktorik has announced.

The Unkelmühle hydro-electric power plant pilot eel bypass initiative incorporates SIPOS’ synchronised actuators

SIPOS gave further details: The project encourages a system with an incentivised feed-in tariff, along with consideration of environmental conditions, which includes a requirement for turbine intake screens to have lower clearances in order to guarantee that fish pass parallel to the power plant. In light of this, SIPOS claimed that its universally applicable actuator concept has enabled parallel operation (synchronisation) of several SIPOS 5 actuators without the need for a PLC. Designed to address the fact that eels rarely use fish ladders for their descent, a flap (bottom gallery) has been installed over the entire base span of the inlet. The flap is periodically operated by two synchronised SIPOS 5 part-turn actuators located on both sides of the inlet and connected by cables to the flap, SIPOS explained, and pointed out that the eels now had the opportunity to bypass the inlet area via the cross flow through the flap and a pipe system.

Another power station at EOn Gerlachshausen/Lower Franconia has also reportedly been equipped with SIPOS’ eel bypass solution.