Energies, Vol. 19, Pages 1394: Implementation of the RCM Methodology as a Technical Analysis for Maintenance and Innovation for Hydroelectric Power Plants
Energies doi: 10.3390/en19061394
Authors:
Francisco Javier Martínez Monseco
Emilio Gómez Lázaro
Sergio Martín Martínez
Hydroelectric power plants are renewable electricity generation assets that require high availability and reliability in their operation and maintenance. To justify improvement actions (modernization and investments), it is necessary to analyze the operation of the plant, the maintenance plan being implemented, and, naturally, the incidents and breakdowns that affect this asset. This paper presents research on hydroelectric power plant maintenance based on the development of a database of incidents and failures of such plants, considering the methodology of failure modes, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA) as well as the reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) methodology of the initial maintenance plan of a standard hydroelectric power plant. Different maintenance standards and analysis standards (IATF criticality of failure modes, UNE 13306, ISO 14224, etc.) were considered. The results reveal different improvement and optimization actions based on the current technological development, which can be applied to hydroelectric generation (Innovation 4.0), as well as actions to optimize the initial maintenance plan based on Maintenance 4.0. The technical justification for such improvements in hydropower generation highlights a key area of development in the expansion of renewable energies worldwide. Hydropower generation assets have contributed renewable energy to the system for many years; however, they now require redesign in their operation and maintenance.