On July 30, installation began for the distributor ring pipe of the world’s first 500-megawatt high-head Pelton hydropower unit at Datang Zala Hydropower Station.
This milestone represents a historic breakthrough for China in developing key equipment for large-capacity Pelton turbine units, setting a new global technological standard.
The Datang Zala Hydropower Station, which hosts this pioneering 500 MW high-head Pelton unit, is the first approved megawatt-level hydropower project in the Xizang Autonomous Region and a key power source for the national-level clean energy demonstration base integrating hydropower, wind, and solar resources in southeastern Xizang.
The distributor ring pipe, the core component now being hoisted for installation, measures about 28 meters in length, 25.2 meters in width, and 4 meters in height. Its largest segment has an outer diameter of approximately 3.9 meters and weighs 411 tons. Made from 780 MPa-grade high-strength steel plate with low crack sensitivity and excellent low-temperature impact resistance, it is the largest in its projected area and the heaviest single pressurized flow component ever used in Pelton units worldwide.
As a key flow component of the Pelton hydropower unit, the distributor ring pipe is located between the inlet spherical valve and the turbine runner. Its main function is to guide water evenly and symmetrically into the nozzles, ensuring stable rotation of the runner.
The project team will overcome various difficulties such as significant temperature variations and elevation changes, using millimeter-precision welding to ensure on-schedule installation.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
