b'Energy & Utilities | Engineer Innovationthe maintenance of equipment, support energy efficiency programs and improve customer service.Franois Lafleur is a researcher who specializes in mechanics and vibration at the IREQ. The research projects Lafleur is involved in span multiple technology fields, from optimizing the maintenance intervals of large turbines and maximizing the power output of existing facilities, to finding ways to preserve the aquatic fauna in the vicinity of hydraulic-electric installations. Testing for better planningOne of the objectives of the IREQ team is to optimize the maintenance of the large turbines used in hydroelectric power generation. Those turbines operate permanently, keeping the shutdown episodes that occur forThe objective of the tests is to evaluate research, maintenance or repairturbine conditions to predict purposes to a minimum, ensuringmaintenance needs. Ultimately, the continued energy delivery and fulltests aim to improve the planning of customer satisfaction. The goal is tomaintenance intervals and minimize space out planned inspections by aturbine downtime. To get full insights minimum of five years. into turbine conditions, the team takes up to three days to instrument the Using Simcenter testing solutions,power generation equipment with a Lafleur measures and analyzes thepanel of temperature, electromagnetic, vibration levels of the turbines. A typicalacoustic and vibration sensors. test campaign takes up to ten days to complete. Since some measurementsDuring a planned shutdown phase, cannot be performed when turbines areLafleur carries out tests to measure the in use, the timing of tests depends oncavitation erosion on turbine blades. He the grid needs. No tests are performeduses techniques such as impact testing, during the winter season when energyor more rarely shaker excitation, to needs peak. In the spring or summermeasure the transmissibility functions season, multidisciplinary IREQbetween the blades and the lower researchers visit power-generation sitesguide. The results let him understand to perform extensive tests on idlewhether the erosion stayed within turbines. reasonable limits.Simcenter SCADAS Mobile and Simcenter SCADAS XS provide maximum flexibility. They can easily be brought to the most remote test sites to perform measurements in operating conditions.Franois Lafleur Researcher Hydro-Qubec39'