Gezhouba power plant puts smart floating debris-collecting robots into operation

Gezhouba hydropower plant recently completed the final installation of the smart floating debris removal robots and put them into operation.

The 20-meters tall robot features a pair of hydraulic telescopic steel arms that are able to extend to 15 meters in maximum. With a vertical lifting and dropping speed up to 8 meters per minute, the device is capable of collecting and grabbing floating debris of all sizes efficiently at various water levels. It also comes with a drainage system that can prevent secondary contamination to the surface of the dam during the debris removal operation.

Floating debris always piles up in front of Gezhouba during the flood season every year, adding to the pressure difference on the trash rack and shrinking the hydraulic head of the power unit, a condition that may cause unscheduled shutdowns in extreme conditions. To address the challenge of clearing different kinds of floating debris in massive amounts, Gezhouba power plant developed the smart automatic debris-removal robot, as part of the smart complex construction initiative. First of its kind in China, the robot provides a safe and efficient solution that replaces the traditional manual-mechanical operation.