Tekleen Self-Cleaning Filters Are Revolutionizing Water Filtration For Avista

We, Purple Engineering, as Tekleen’s Australian distributor, proudly present to you the innovative Tekleen self-cleaning filters. These filters have transformed water filtration technology in many industries across the globe. In this article, let’s explore how Avista, a major electric and gas utility in Spokane, Washington, successfully installed Tekleen filters at the Cabinet Gorge Dam on the Clark Fork River in Idaho.

Challenge At Cabinet Gorge Dam

The Cabinet Gorge Dam is Avista’s second-largest hydroelectric project. It has a generating capacity of 263.2 megawatts. It also features one vertical Kaplan turbine and three vertical propeller turbines. The engineering team needed to replace three old compressors with two more efficient ones that had higher flow rates. Tracy West, a mechanical engineer at Cabinet Gorge, explained that although the old compressors performed well, they were too old. Actually, those compressors were 59 years old. And it was nearing the end of their service life. Also, its parts were nowhere to be found. 

That was not all. 

The high motor inrush currents in the old compressors posed potential future problems.

Functions Of The Compressors

The compressors provide general shop air to the facility. They serve as an energy source for the brakes on each unit. They also provide air to force all the water out of a unit when it needs to be turned without any load on it.

Selecting New Compressors

Since West’s predecessor had done the original selection process for a similar installation on another dam, they could smoothly select the new compressors. They decided to replace the old reciprocating compressors with two 250-horsepower Kobelco screw compressors. However, the new compressors needed water cooling, unlike the old, air-cooled ones. So, the team decided to use river water from the Clark Fork. But this brought a new challenge! They had to filter river water to prevent clogging the compressors’ tube and shell heat exchanger.

Fixing The Filtering Challenge

Then the engineering team researched water filters. In doing so, they found that they had to regularly maintain most filters and screens. This was a big no because it causes downtime and brings high costs. They then looked into automatic self-cleaning filters. The speciality of these filters was that they cleaned themselves and almost eliminated the need for maintenance. Yes, when using automatic self-cleaning filters, there is no need to shut down a system to clean or replace screens.

How do they work? They direct the flow to a screen filter and capture dirt on the screen’s surface. When the outlet pressure drops to a preset level, a backwash cycle starts. Then, the vacuum nozzles suction the dirt off the screen without stopping the main flow.

The Solution Is Tekleen Self-Cleaning Filters

The Cabinet Gorge team had a problem with the filter material. Most automatic filters they found were made of carbon steel, which they thought wouldn’t last long in water due to erosion. They then found Tekleen’s self-cleaning filters made of stainless steel. Dan Flanick, manager for Tekleen, explained that stainless steel filters are more durable in tough environments like hydroelectric plants that run 24/7.

So, the Cabinet Gorge engineers chose Tekleen filters, specifically the LPF4-LP model with a 100-micron screen. This system uses two screens: a coarse 3/8-inch screen to remove large particles and a finer 100-micron screen for smaller contaminants. When the pressure drops to 7 psi, a switch triggers the filter controller to open flushing valves and activate high-velocity suction nozzles. This cleans the screen in just 10 seconds without stopping the main flow.

Successful Implementation And Results

Dan Flanick personally inspected the installation done by the Cabinet Gorge crews and conducted a training class. Tracy West, the mechanical engineer overseeing the project, reported that since the installation, no issues or maintenance have been needed. The compressors are running efficiently, and the filtered water is being returned to the river. Thus, maintaining sustainability.

Conclusion

The success story of Avista shows how effective Tekleen filters are in real-world applications. Tekleen filters provide reliable and maintenance-free filtration for any industry. So, not only Avista, but you can also reduce your business’s maintenance costs, improve efficiency, and adopt a sustainable approach to water filtration by choosing Tekleen filters from Purple Engineering. In Australia, we, Purple Engineering, offer these innovative filters to Australian businesses as Tekleen’s Australian distributor.