New Camporgiano Spillway Gate Commissioned

Dyrhoff recently commissioned a new Obermeyer gate at the small hydropower facility near Camporgiano, in the Province of Lucca, Tuscany. Measuring 2.58m high by 24.0m wide, the gate is the fourth Dyrhoff has completed in the country.

At the request of the client, the gate is divided in two separate sections, providing added flexibility. J-seals insure water tightness between the independent gate panels.

January - Camporgiano

Fig. 1 The completed gate at Camporgiano, showing the two independently operated gate sections 

The gate will enable full regulation at the facility. In addition, simple operation and low maintenance requirements will insure reliable operation in this remote location.

Installation of Le Bosche Gate is Completed

In 2015, Dyrhoff was selected to supply the pneumatic gate for Le Bosche small hydropower plant on the Oglio River in Northern Italy.  Dyrhoff worked with Obermeyer and the consultant to design a special type of gate to better manage flow and level regulation. The gate measured 1.1m high by 53.75m wide and included slots in the tops of the gate panels to enable fine regulation of downstream water flows.

LeBosche1

Fig. 1: Le Bosche installation in progress, with preliminary inflation tests of the bladders

The purpose of the gate at Le Bosche is to control the upstream river water level so that a constant head is provided at the hydropower plant. This gate is capable of raising the water level of the river by up to 1.10m with no overtopping. In normal conditions, the gate will raise the water level by 1.00 m. The gate is designed to be operated primarily in automatic mode, though it can be set to manual mode for inspection or maintenance operations. It can be fully inflated or deflated in 30 minutes or less.

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Fig. 2: Le Bosche undergoes commissioning 

Dyrhoff launches FastDam at London’s Flood Expo

Dyrhoff showcased its new FastDam at London’s Flood Expo conference on 14-15th October.

Dyrhoff’s FastDam (TM) inflatable flood barrier is manufactured in the UK from durable polymer-coated synthetic fabric and is designed to be air inflated. A simple clamping system anchors FastDam to the ground and walls. FastDam is a self-supporting structure that can span wide openings without the need for intermediate pillars or stanchions. FastDam is considerably quicker to deploy than sandbags and is sealed on three sides.

FastDam

KEY BENEFITS

•Lightweight and reusable

•Easily stored and transported

•Simple and fast deployment

•Self-supporting over long lengths

•Builds on 60 years of proven technology

 

Dyrhoff has been supplying inflatable rubber dams for rivers for over two decades and has developed the FastDam barrier using similar principles. Rubber dams are a well-established water control solution, having been installed at over 5000 locations worldwide since their development in the USA in the 1950s.

APPLICATIONS FastDam is designed to protect infrastructure such as:

•Walled roadways

•Flood wall gateways

•Underground facilities

•Airports

•Railway stations

•Schools and hospitals

DEPLOYMENT

FastDam is clamped to the roadway using flat steel bars on the flood water side. These are bolted into place, effectively sealing the FastDam. FastDam is then inflated from the dry side using off-the-shelf air pumps or blowers. Inflation for a 1m high x 5m wide FastDam is typically around 10 minutes. A non-return valve allows topping up of the FastDam if necessary but this should not be needed for several days.

In advance of deployment, drop-in threaded anchors will need to be placed in the ground to receive the clamp bolts. These are capped off when not in use. Slide-in channels are fixed to the walls to allow quick deployment. FastDam is manufactured to suit specific site requirements, ensuring a perfect fit and optimum protection. In order to design and price your FastDam, we only require a simple set of measurements and photos of the location.

For further information on this new product please contact us.

Anson Dam Refurbishment Complete

Dyrhoff recently completed the installation of a replacement rubber membrane at UPM’s Anson hydro facility in Maine, USA.

Anson (web)

The client commissioned a rubber membrane with identical specifications to the original. It was therefore possible to retain the original anchoring components, keeping refurbishment costs to a minimum.

For further information regarding rubber dam replacements please contact .

Dyrhoff completes installation of Bursa and Ankara Rubber Dams in Turkey

Dyrhoff recently completed the installation of two new rubber dams in Turkey.

The first of these is located in the capital city of Ankara. Measuring 1.1 meters high and 9.1 meters wide, the air-inflated dam will be used for sewage control.

Ankara

The second dam has been erected in the city of Bursa, in the west of the country. The air-inflated structure will be used for recreational purposes, and measures 1.5m high and 60 meters wide.

Bursa

The rubber dams represent the 8th and 9th rubber projects completed by Dyrhoff Ltd in the country.

 

 

Dyrhoff Ltd Celebrates its 10th Anniversary

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Dyrhoff Ltd is celebrating its tenth year of successful operation at its current base in Folkestone, Kent. Recognised globally as one of the leaders in the rubber dam and pneumatic gate field, Dyrhoff Ltd has in that time designed, supplied and supervised the installation of 94 rubber dams and spillway gates, on 57 sites around the world. The company’s installations can be found in 25 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa.

Rubber dams were invented in the US in the 1950s by Norman Imbertson of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The idea of using a sealed rubber body attached to a concrete foundation which could be raised or lowered by the addition or removal of air or water proved highly effective, as well as economical. Nowadays rubber dams are a relatively common sight in the US and Asia. They can reach heights of up to 8m, with single spans measuring up to 100 meters in length. As in the 1950s, their relatively low build cost, low environmental impact – they require practicality no maintenance – and long life, make them an attractive solution.

Dyrhoff originally worked as the Scandinavian agent for the Sumigate rubber dam, designed by Japanese company Sumitomo Electric Industries, which was then the world leader in the manufacture and supply of inflatable rubber dams. In 2003, Sumitomo granted Dyrhoff a worldwide licence to sell rubber dams to the Sumitomo design. UK-based Dyrhoff Ltd was established shortly afterwards to head up the business. Whilst taking its technical knowhow from the Japanese specialist, Dyrhoff has developed partnerships with suppliers around the world, enabling it to respond to very specific client requirements and remain competitive in this market.

In more recent years Dyrhoff has expanded its range of products by becoming the European agent for the Obermeyer Hydro pneumatic spillway gate. The Obermeyer gate was developed in the US in the late 1980s, as a bottom hinged, pneumatically inflated spillway gate. Its popularity has grown around the world, particularly in the small hydropower sector, where its ability to control upstream water flow with great precision makes it ideally suited. In addition, Obermeyer pneumatic gates are a popular solution for navigation applications, especially in urban environments where their low visual impact makes them an attractive solution. As with rubber dams, Obermeyer gates are increasingly being selected for flood defence projects. Last year Dyrhoff were proud to be chosen as the supplier of the river level control gates for the Leeds Flood Alleviation scheme, one of the Environmental Agency’s flagship flood defence projects. The project is currently under construction, with a completion date schedule for 2016.

As one of the world leaders in this highly specialised engineering field, Dyrhoff now employs a team of ten at its headquarters in Folkestone’s Shearway Business Park, with associate offices in the USA, Norway and France. A number of projects are in development at any given time, ranging from small rubber dams, designed for urban water treatment projects, to multiple span structures on large rivers. In the last year, Dyrhoff has worked on projects in the USA, Canada, Guatemala, Brazil, Singapore, Italy, Romania, Latvia, Turkey and Bulgaria.

Dyrhoff looks forward to the next ten years, and continues to develop its range of products to suit a growing number of applications. To view a comprehensive list of completed Dyrhoff projects, please visit our projects page!

Dyrhoff enters Latvian market with Aiviekste Hydro project

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Dyrhoff recently extended its presence in Eastern Europe, with the commissioning of the new Obermeyer spillway gate at the Aiviekste Hydro Power Plant, operated by Latvenergo Group the state-owned energy utility. Keen to maintain its reputation as one of the most environmentally friendly energy companies in Europe, Latvenergo ensures its power plants benefit from the latest technology and has opted to update the 90 year old plant with two fully automatic Obermeyer gates. The deal was brokered by Dyrhoff’s newly appointed agent in the region, Tilts Ltd.

Measuring 2.32m high x 55m long and 1.98m high x 14m long, the two Obermeyer gates will allow full regulation of the water intake at the site, providing the oldest hydropower plant in the country with a state of the art system for water control.

Brazil Inaugurates its First Rubber Dam

Santarem

Brazilian mining specialists Samarco Mineração S/A commissioned Dyrhoff Ltd to design and supply the country’s first ever Rubber Dam. The air-inflated structure, measuring 1m high by 30m wide, is used to raise the crest of the existing Santarém Dam, located at Samarco’s Germano Operational Unit, in Mariana, Minas Gerais. The Santarém Dam impounds  Samarco’s local mine tailings reservoir. Before the rubber dam was installed, about 70% of the reservoir capacity had been used up by tailings disposal, thus reducing the availability of water to be abstracted.

The rubber dam was designed to fit on the modified concrete spillway and, following completion of the preparatory civil works, took less than two weeks to install. At the request of Samarco, Dyrhoff designed a fully automatic control system, which will enable optimum regulation of the dam as the water level rises.