Case Study: Temelín Nuclear Power Station improves turbine vibration diagnostics with Hexagon ATS600

Analysis of bearing shield deflection in a turboset at the Temelín Nuclear Power Station

The Temelín Nuclear Power Station, a major power plant in the Czech Republic, faced a challenge with vibration in a turboset caused by the thermal expansion of its structural columns. This movement risked misaligning the rotational axis, potentially leading to contact with rotating parts and dangerous overheating. They lacked the precise technology to detect these tiny shifts in the turbine's static bearing shields, so they partnered with Hexagon to trial a solution using the Leica Absolute Tracker ATS600.

Hexagon implemented a pilot measurement in the challenging, high-vibration environment of the operating power plant. Using the ATS600, they accurately measured ten key points over three hours and successfully detected minute deflections, proving the system's suitability for this task. This allowed the customer to proceed with measuring the mutual movement of the turbine base plates over longer periods, providing the critical data needed to diagnose and mitigate the vibration issue, thereby enhancing operational safety and reliability.