HydroElectric Plant Visit

Yesterday we went to a hydroelectric plant which is where they convert potential energy in water into mechanical energy by the spinning of turbines, which spins magnets, which creates a current which is used by people in the form of electricity.

We had a tour guide who brought us around the plant. The plant felt extremely industrialized. Very gray, lots of machinery, and it felt rather old. There was a combination of new and old machinery in the plant we were told. But it all looked the same to the average onlooker like me. The machinery was absolutely huge and you had to wear hard hats/helmets, safety glasses, and ear muffs. Even with ear muffs you could still hear just how loudly the machinery was working. The loud hum of the turbines spinning creating the electricity that will be distributed to the nearby cities. 

Our tour guide informed us that 462 MegaWatts is created by 6 units of turbines. There are electromagnetic inspections in which the workers throw magnetic powder onto the shells and put them through an electromagnetic field, allowing the workers to see if the water has caused enough wear and tear on the shell to break it. These inspections are done up to 2 times a week. The turbines can go through 84,000 hours before getting replaced and when there is something wrong with the shell they replace the whole shell apparatus. They have external and underground turbines and we got to see both. The external turbines spin at 360 rpm producing 230,000 Kilovolts while the underground turbines spin at 450 rpm. The spinning is different between the two in order to maintain the frequency of 60 Hz. The material it's made of is stainless steel. 

The peloton system works with pressure to generate 900 MW and we consume 150 m^3/s. It's the most efficient system. It requires less than it consumes. They provide power to the substation in Santos and São Paulo. They have transmission and distribution companies help them in the cities. The transmission lines at the plant make it be an 88 KW substation. 

In 1982 there was no such thing as pollution patrol but since then there has been a drastic change as it came to attention. There's a residential village nearby that inspects the area for wildlife maintenance. 

In 1932 there was a revolution and thus there were bombs dropped on the plant because the people who dropped the bombs wanted to affect all of the most important points in the city such as the energy creation areas like the hydroelectricity plant. 

I found it interesting to visit the plant but personally, I would not like to work at a place like that. 

I'm very excited to see what other alternative energy plants will be like to visit in the future.