Seacliff Desalination Facility
Adelaide, South Australia
Gilkes were selected as the preferred supplier for the mini-hydro equipment within the Seacliff facility as part of SA Water’s North South Interconnection System Project (NSISP). The Project was understood from the very beginning to be challenging, both from a technical and schedule point of view. The Gilkes scope of supply included the design and manufacture of the mechanical and electrical equipment, operating and maintenance documentation, installation supervision and commissioning, including integration into the existing network.
The challenging technical requirements of the project were managed directly with the Customer, with there also being numerous requirements specific to the customer and Australia. The water hydraulic requirements necessitated a relatively high speed machine running at a relatively high pressure for this type of Francis turbine, and also required a large flywheel. The pressurised downstream pipework fed directly in to the consumer network of South Adelaide. The small facility was positioned within a residential suburb of Adelaide, therefore requiring a compact design with strict noise targets.
The turbine was designed, built and pressure tested at our factory in the UK before being airfreighted to site in Adelaide. The technicians who assembled the turbine at our factory also supervised the safe and successful installation of the Gilkes equipment in Australia.
Scope of Supply
- Gilkes 425 G270 Francis Turbine
- Inlet Valve
- Hydraulic Power Unit
- Synchronous Generator with Flywheel
- Lube Oil Unit
- Control & Instrumentation System
- Installation & Commissioning
Key Stats
- Commissioned 2013
- Power 1165 kW
- Net Head 86 M
- Flow 1525 l/s
- Turbine 425 mm Francis Turbine
Mark Dedman, NSISP Project Director commented: “The delivery of the Seacliff mini hydro facility presented multiple technical and schedule challenges. Through the collaborative efforts of the integrated project team working with Gilkes, the facility was successfully delivered and commissioned safely and on time.”