Engineering Competence

Development

Our development takes place at Trondheim, Kjeller og Bryn (near Oslo).

Engineering

Our engineering takes place at Kjeller and Rainpower´s office in Hangzhou (China).

Kjeller (near Oslo, Norway)

The engineering environment at Kjeller has its roots in Kværner Brug´s operation in Lodalen, Oslo, and Sørumsand workshop (north of Oslo). After moving from Lodalen, the engineering department was based at Kjeller. Today’s technical environment comprises about 100 employees, who cover the disciplines mechanical engineering of water turbines, valves, gates, fluid dynamics analysis and hydraulic engineering of turbines, as well as system analysis for hydropower plants. We also have broad competence within service and rehabilitation of hydropower equipment.
Fluid dynamics analysis is a central discipline within hydropower. Theoretical calculation has long traditions within the Norwegian hydropower industry. The graphical method was developed by engineer Henrik Christie and professor Gudmund Sundby during the period 1930 -1960, and was presented to Norway’s Technical Academy of Science in 1962. During the seventies computer calculations were also used. During the mid eighties the development of more a more comprehensive numerical fluid dynamics analysis commences - Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This work was based on development at NASA, FFA, SINTEF and NTH (the present Norwegian University of Science at Technology in Trondheim. Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk started early to make use of these tools to develop its gas turbines, and Kværner, in collaboration with SINTEF, further developed these methods to analyze the fluid mechanics of water turbines. Numerical fluid dynamics analysis is today a central tool for developing Francis turbines, Pelton turbines and reversible pump turbines. We have a large group of engineering who master the use of modern CFD tools, and in collaboration with NTNU, amongst others, we are constantly seeking improved methods and more reliable results.
Norwegian topography by and large set the course for Norwegian hydropower technology in the direction of high head turbines. Norwegian plants are typically inside mountains, with long tunnels and a complicated inlet system. System analysis, and in particular water passage dynamics and regulations stability have therefore a long tradition in Norway and at Rainpower. A good example of this is the matrix method, also called the frequency analysis; for calculation of regulation stability for hydropower plants. This method was developed by professor Hermod Brekke during the period when he was Chief Engineer at Kværner, and presented as his PhD thesis in 1984. Systematic development of both calculations methods and tools, several PhD theses, and various academic collaboration, enable Rainpower today to possess some of the world’s best competence within this field; we take actively part in international conferences and workshops within our disciplines.

Trondheim (mid Norway)

The hydropower laboratory at NTNU, established in 1917, is one the world’s foremost research institutions within hydropower, and has been a natural cooperation partner for Kværner, and later Rainpower. In 1985 SINTEF established a new and modern laboratory at Valgrinda in Trondheim. This was later taken over by Kværner in 1995, and finally by Rainpower in 2007. Rainpower Laboratories AS is still a very modern laboratory, with good competence for model tests of all types of turbines. Modern visualizing equipment gives the possibility of studying the flow, and optimize our turbine design. The laboratory has also developed good competence in reconstructing geometry based on measurements (so-called "reverse engineering"), and has also competence within laboratory measurement and instrumentation, as well as site measurement.

Bryn (Oslo)

Rainpower Hymatek has, like several Rainpower businesses, its roots in the golden age of Norwegian hydropower development. In NEBB, ABB and ALSTOM this Norwegian environment developed, and produced turbine governors, voltage governors and excitations systems. During the merger of ABB and ALSTOM´s hydropower operations, which was later taken over by Alstom, a lot of the product development was moved out of Norway. In 2003 a group comprising all employees of ALSTOM´s Norwegian governor business decided to start their own company - Hymatek - which since 2008 has been part of the Rainpower Group. At Bryn turbine governors, voltage governors and excitation equipment is still being developed, as well as hydropower governors for small and large hydropower units.

Hangzhou (China)

Rainpower´s engagement in China dates back several decades; first as a supplier of turbines, where the projects Lubuge (1985; 4 x 153 MW), Tianhuanping (1993; 6 x 337 MW reversible pump turbines) and Three Gorges (1997; 6 x 710 MW) are the most well known. Then, during the mid nineties, Rainpower (then in the name of Kværner Energy) established a joint venture in Hangzhou for production of turbines and generators; this became quickly a leading supplier in the Chinese market. This company was later sold to GE, and now exists as the manufacturing company GE Energy Hangzhou, which Rainpower still cooperates extensively with.

Rainpower has, during the last year, established engineering and sourcing company in Hangzhou which is under rapid growth. The management has long experience from industrial activity in China, and the management team comprises key personnel from Rainpower and our Chinese partner - a cooperation which in various forms goes back nearly fifteen years.

The organization in China counts about 35 employees; most of them are senior hydropower engineers within mechanical and electrical disciplines.