h

Hydropower Pipelines

From the Beginning to this Day...

Hydropower Right from the Start

What is good enough for the automotive, aircraft and shipbuilding industries must also be suitable for us, thought the
engineers at a Swiss dye works in the 1950s and started to
make the rollers they used for winding fabrics round during
the dyeing process out of glass reinforced plastic (GRP).
The centrifugally cast rollers had an even outer surface and
were resistant to both chemicals and corrosion virtually
predestined therefore also for use as pipes to transport
water. No sooner said than done: the first industrial application for HOBAS Pipes was as intake lines for a hydroelectric power station in the early 1960s. In the steep,
rugged terrain of Switzerland's Binn Valley, the HOBAS
Pressure Pipeline its installation can be seen on the
right has proved so reliable that it has been in service
for over 50 years now.
A great success, but the Swiss did not rest on their
laurels. On the contrary: they continued to develop materials, manufacturing, joining and installation methods,
constantly expanded the product line and opened plants
all over the world making HOBAS one of the most universal suppliers of pipe systems today. Whether potable
water supply, wastewater disposal, irrigation, hydropower
plant pipelines or industrial applications, experts round the
globe set great store by HOBAS Products.

Proven Manufacturing Process

The centrifugal casting process developed at that time has

basically remained the same until today: HOBAS GRP Pipe
Systems are made of chopped glass fiber, thermosetting
plastics such as for instance unsaturated polyester (UP) or
vinyl ester resin, and reinforcing agents. The resin encloses
all components and bonds them. Step by step, the pipe wall is
built from the outside inwards in a rotating mold. Once all the
materials have been fed into the mold, the speed of rotation is
increased. Spinning at an acceleration of up to 75 g presses the
material against the mold wall, removes enclosed gas, compacts
and cures it. This centrifugal casting process ensures that the
pipes are circular and void free with a uniform wall thickness over
the entire length and an exact outer diameter.

Sophisticated Pipe Wall Structure for Your Benefit

HOBAS Pipes' unique wall structure offers a whole range of advantages:
Minimal friction and pressure loss due to the extremely smooth inner
pipe surface
Less water hammer than with metal pipe materials
Resistance to UV light
Low weight enabling high installation rates even in less accessible terrain
High abrasion resistance
Corrosion resistance
Variable lengths as pipes can easily be shortened on site
Dimensionally accurate outside diameter
Angular deflection possible in couplings
Consistently high quality with complete internal and external quality
control (testing of material properties, pressure tests, etc.)
Low operating and maintenance costs
Long service life of more than 50 years
Technical service

Our HOBAS Experts are here to support you throughout your project.
From inspecting the planned pipe route, selecting the right diameter and
creating a digital installation plan through constant supervision of installation
activities on the construction site by our pipe consultants with HOBAS you
have a reliable and experienced partner at your side.
1

Pipe Wall Structure*

1 External protective layer

2 Outer reinforced layer

(glass fiber, thermosetting
plastic)
3 Transition layer (glass fiber,
thermosetting plastic, sand)
4 Reinforcing layer (sand,
thermosetting plastic,
glass fiber)
5 Transition layer

4
5
6
7
8

6 Inner reinforced layer

7 Barrier layer
8 Inner pure resin layer

*Schematic illustration of in reality seamlessly merged pipe wall construction. Layer

design is adapted to suit requirements set by
e.g. the conveyed medium, installation method,
pressure, external forces, etc.

Specifications
Standards

ISO 10467
ISO 10639
EN 1796
EN 14364
N B 5161
ONR 25161

Approvals

DVGW approval
VGW-GRIS approval
SVGW approval
TV Oktagon
ISO 9001 certificate
ISO 14001 certificate
OHSAS 18001 certificate

Our Services

Support in dimensioning and routing pipelines

Hydraulic calculations
Drawing up a verifiable structural design to
ATV A127 and NORM B 5012
Support in dimensioning bedding, anchoring
and thrust blocks
Consulting on the construction site

Physical Properties
Density
Linear thermal expansion coeff
Thermal conductivity
Elastic modulus at 23C
(circumferential)
Liner roughness k (to Colebrook)
Hazen-Williams flow
coefficient
Shock wave propagation speed

~ 2000 kg/m3
~ 26 - 30 x 10-6 1/K
0.5 - 1.0 W/m/K
10,000 - 15,000 MPa
0.01 - 0.016 mm
~ 155
~ 450 m/s

h Pipe Systems
HOBAS Hydropower Plant Pipes are available in the following standard sizes:
Available diameter DN | De in mm*
150 | 168

400 | 427

650 | 650

960 | 960

1400 | 1434

1940 | 1937

2555 | 2555

200 | 220
250 | 272

450 | 478

700 | 718

500 | 501

750 | 752

1000 | 1026

1500 | 1499

2000 | 2047

3000 | 2999

1100 | 1099

1535 | 1535

2160 | 2160

300 | 324

500 | 530

3270 | 3270

800 | 820

1200 | 1229

1600 | 1638

2200 | 2250

3600 | 3600

350 | 376
400 | 401

550 | 550

860 | 860

1280 | 1280

1720 | 1720

2400 | 2400

600 | 616

900 | 924

1348 | 1348

1800 | 1842

2400 | 2453

* Other sizes on request.

Depending on the size, HOBAS Hydropower Plant Pipes are produced in most pressure classes
up to PN 32 and in lengths of 1, 2, 3 and 6 meters (tolerances to company standards). Other pipe
lengths can also be supplied on request.

System Building h Products

We also have a wide range of GRP fittings to fit the various pipes. Thanks to the flexibility of HOBAS
Products, we can manufacture custom designs to your specifications.

Fixed
Flange

Masonry
Coupling

Tee

Bend

Loose
Flange

Reducer

h Sand Trap
The sand trap is a key component for removing solids in small hydropower
systems. After large stones and woody debris are held back by a screen
at the weir, the sand trap separates smaller solids such as gravel, sand
and silt from the river water. It thereby prevents sedimentary deposits
from building up in the penstock. This, in turn, extends the hydropower
plants operating time and maintenance intervals, protects the turbine
from excessive wear and increases the facilitys service life.
HOBAS has developed a particularly effective, prefabricated sand trap
which is built out of glass fiber reinforced pipes. Thanks to the precast
units and low weight, the HOBAS Sand Trap is transported to the installation site and integrated into the power plant system very easily. A flushing
unit, which can be fully automated on request, reliably cleans the sand
trap from separated solids.

h Surge Tank
Surge tanks separate the pipeline into an area of
mass oscillation and an area of pressure oscillation. This reduces on the one hand the risk of
vacuum as consequence of water hammer and
the amplitude of water hammer on the other.
HOBAS GRP Surge Tanks offer a lot of benefits:
the made-to-measure design and fast as well as
economic installation due to prefabricated units
are only a few. The well-thought-out double
chamber surge tank moreover provides advantageous pressure and water storage properties.

In cooperation with the Graz University of Technology, HOBAS has developed a special software
program which makes sure that each surge tank
perfectly matches individual parameters such as
of the pipeline, the terrain, turbine closing times,
etc. Our specialists will also gladly support you in
calculating the pressure surge and dimensioning
the surge tank with the characteristics method.

h Angular Cut System

An efficient pipe joint must provide for angular deflection and flexibility
in the connection. The HOBAS FW Coupling differs from conventional
jointing systems in that it has a full width EPDM gasket seal which
is permanently fitted in a GRP sleeve. In combination with HOBAS
Pipes, the FW coupling has exceptional characteristics. Making use of
the normal deflection possible within the joint, you can create curved
pipelines with larger radii, while if you use shorter pipes, you can also
achieve smaller curves and do not require pipe bends or thrust blocks.
When the pipeline is curved, there is automatically a coupling gap with
right-angled tube sheets. This is not a problem for normal wastewater systems. It is however important to prevent any loss in hydropower pipelines.
The HOBAS Angular Cut System enables coupling gaps to be eliminated
to a large extent and therefore optimal hydraulic conditions to be created
without the need for expensive fittings.
Depending on the pipe diameter, HOBAS Couplings can accommodate
the following degrees of angular deflection:
Diameter [mm] Maximum allowable deflection
< 600

600 to < 1000

1000 to < 1900

1900

0.5

The HOBAS Angular Cut System increases the angular deflection at

system pressures below 10 bar. With this system, max. 3 deflection
up to DN 1400 and max. 2.5 up to DN 2555 are possible.

Benefits of the HOBAS Angular Cut System

Improved pipeline efficiency, as practically no
hydraulic losses occur compared with segment bends
Optimal route thanks to high adaptability to
pipeline and terrain structures
No need for segment bends and concrete
thrust blocks
Easier, more cost-efficient and much faster
installation, as segment bends and concrete
thrust blocks are not required
Less adaptation required on the construction
site, fewer pipe cuts on site

Leak-tightness test to
ISO 8639

h Pipe Joints
HOBAS Pipes are supplied with a coupling premounted at the factory. There is a choice of the following types:

1 FW coupling (FWC)
2 Assembly coupling
3 Flush FW coupling
4

4 FW-L coupling (restrained)

5 Laminated joint
6 Transition from HOBAS
GRP Pipe to steel pipe
with pre-welded spigot

h Pipe Installation Whenever and Wherever You Want

No matter when and where you want to build your pipeline, HOBAS Pipes
and Couplings are quick to install irrespective of the weather and site
situation. Here is an overview of our installation methods:
Above ground with steel clamps
Above ground on concrete supports
Buried
Trenchless installation (e.g. jacking)
Relining
Installation in tunnels

Pioneers from the Very Beginning

The First h Hydropower Plant Pipeline in 1961, CH
In the early 1960s, Gommerkraftwerke in the Binn Valley in the Swiss canton of Valais was searching for a suitable material for the pressure pipeline to its hydropower plant. Around the same time,
Swiss mechanical engineers were thinking about other applications for their textile dyeing rollers. It
was to be a stroke of luck, as when Gommerkraftwerke heard about the pipes' excellent properties and low weight, the choice of material was clear and they used the centrifugally cast GRP
pipes for the three-kilometer-long, very steep sloping DN 1000 pipeline. At that time, the pipes
were green inside and joined with bell sleeves. Because the material is so light, they only needed
relatively simple equipment to install the pipeline quickly.

Year of Construction
1961
Total Length of Pipeline
> 3 km
Diameter
DN 1000
Pipe Specifications
Pressure pipeline,
wall thickness 7 mm

Plant director Bernhard Truffer is still highly satisfied with the HOBAS Products today, "especially
when you consider that the walls are very thin at 7 mm for a diameter of 1,000 mm", says Truffer
extremely pleased with the experience that the company has had with the pipes over the past
50 years. HOBAS can justifiably be proud of producing quality for generations and contributing to
clean power generation.

Installation Method
Open cut
Client
Gommerkraftwerke AG
Benefits
Low weight, easy installation, low wall thicknesses, long service
life, excellent
hydraulic
properties

10

High-Quality Hydropower in Chile

How History Repeats Itself
The first HOBAS Pipeline was installed more than half a century ago in
Switzerland. It was a penstock realized in inconveniently steep and hardly
accessible terrain which is today still in excellent condition and service.
Half a century later, HOBAS, hydro and Switzerland met again at pretty
much the other end of the world: In southern Chile, close to the Argentinian border, a local Swiss client chose HOBAS Pipes for his hydropower
project. Following numerous successful hydropower projects all around
the globe, this is the first HOBAS Hydro Pipeline installed in Latin America.
Year of Construction
2012 - 2013
Total Length of Pipeline
1414 m

The hydro power plant San Miguel is located in the region Alto Bio Bio
southeast of Concepcin in the Andes. There are already quite a few storage and run-of-river power plants in this area abundant with water.

Pipe Specifications
DN 600, 700, 800
SN 5000 and 10000
PN 6, 10, 16, 20
Installation Method
Open trench
Client
Otto and Verena Wild,
Elctrica San Miguel SpA
Benefits
Light weight pipes, angular deflections in cou-

The clients reasons for choosing HOBAS reminded of those in the early
1960s: Since the terrain was steep and difficult to access, the pipes had
to be light and easy to install. Thanks to the HOBAS Couplings which accommodate angular deflections there was also no need for fittings. With
short section pipes the client saved on 16 bends and the time-consuming
as well as costly construction of thrust blocks. Long drawn curves enabled an optimal adaptation of the pipeline to the territory without sharp
changes in direction which would have affected the hydraulics. HOBAS
offered support already during the planning stage to optimize the routing
and transportation. In the first two weeks a HOBAS Installation Expert accompanied the construction works on site.

plings, easy installation

with minimum impact on
nature

This way, around 1.4 km HOBAS Pipes DN 600, 700 and 800 in the pressure classes PN 6-20 and lengths of one, two and 5.8 m were easily and
successfully installed. The supplied product range also included reducers,
masonry couplings and a T-piece. The client and contractor imported the
first walking excavator to Chile in order to master the steepest sections of
the route. Since the light-weight HOBAS Pipes did not require any further
heavy equipment the construction area could be reduced considerably and
the impact on nature was kept to a minimum.
The Swiss contractors were enthused about the pipes easy installation
and their light weight as well as the possibility to safely establish curves
via angular deflection in the couplings: Many thanks to the entire HOBAS
Team for their professional support, especially during the planning stage
and installation. We can warmly recommend HOBAS to every power plant
constructor.

11

More Green Energy in Sri Lanka

An Environmentally Sound h Solution in the Jungle
The vibrant small hydropower industry in Sri Lanka saw a further green
accomplishment in the south of the country approximately 2 km from Dehilanda in Wellawaya at the river Kuda Oya. With a capacity of 1.2 MW and
approximately 5.7 GWh output per year, which will be fed into the national
grid of Sri Lanka Water, the hydropower plant will supply for about 6000
households. The owner, the private company Wellawaya Hydro Power Pvt
Ltd, opted for a sustainable and environmentally sane penstock solution
with HOBAS CC-GRP Pipes.

Year of Construction
2011 - 2013
Total Length of Pipeline
1460 m
Pipe Specifications
DN 700 - 1100, PN 1 - 12.5,

Environmental considerations played a crucial role in the decision making

process for the best suitable pipe material. Since the plant is situated
in the jungle, we wanted to make sure to best possibly protect flora and
fauna. We decided to bury the penstock because it would have otherwise
crossed and divided animal trails, says Roshan Prabatha Wickramasinghe,
Director of Wellawaya Hydro Power Pvt Ltd. Thanks to the possibility to
optimally adapt the line to the terrain, only a 3 meter wide section had to be
cleared for trenching. The tested and approved method of angular deflection
accommodated in the couplings as well as angular cut pipe ends reduced
the number of necessary bends.

SN 5000 and 10000

Installation Method
Open trench
Client
Wellawaya Hydro Power
(Pvt) Ltd
Benefits
Environmentally sound
solution, easy handling
thanks to light weight,
long service life

The construction of the 1460-m-long GRP pipeline leading to the turbine at a

head of 95 meter commenced in 2011. HOBAS delivered pipes designed for
different pressure classes ranging from PN 1 to PN 12.5. While gravity pipes
were utilized for flatter parts of the route, pressure pipes were installed in
especially steep sections, where the comparably light pipe material benefited pipe transportation and handling considerably. Some parts are in fact
so steep that a mechanically operated winch had to be employed to pull the
pipes to the trench. This would have proved very difficult if not impossible
with other pipe materials which are by far heavier, adds Wickramasinghe.
After 18 months construction time the pressure test was conducted and
successfully passed so that the plant could be put into service. Shrubs and
trees were quickly replanted along the backfilled trenches so that soon
there will be no trace of construction works and nature can take its usual
course. Not only is the operator content with the result but also the villagers: Apart from electricity, locals received the opportunity to be trained and
to operate the hydropower plant.

E Engineering GmbH
Published: 03/2011 | Last Update: 08/2014
All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means without our prior written permission. All information in the document is correct at the time of going to press. However, we reserve the right to make changes without notice, in particular to technical data.
The data given is not binding and must therefore be checked in each individual case and revised as appropriate.

E Group Worldwide
HOBAS manufactures and markets HOBAS GRP Pipe
Systems. The HOBAS Network includes HOBAS Production
Facilities and Sales Organizations in Europe and throughout
the world.

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T +43.463.48 24 24 | F +43.463.48 21 21
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