Author(s): Calvin Frees; Jonas Haug; Ruben Tutzer; Barbara Brinkmeier; Markus Aufleger

Linked Author(s): Calvin Frees, Ruben Tutzer, Markus Aufleger

Keywords: Fish Protection; Hydropower Intakes

Abstract: Hybrid fish protection systems are based on the combination of mechanical barriers and behavioural barriers. They enable very effective fish protection even with screen bar spacing of several centimetres. This technology makes it possible to avoid very fine rakes with bar spacing of a few millimetres. This prevents operational problems and reduces hydraulic losses. The University of Innsbruck and the start-up company HyFish from Innsbruck have developed this technology. For this purpose, extensive research work and tests with live fish have been carried out in the past years. The first project has already been realised in Italy. Further projects are in preparation. In autumn 2021, ethohydraulic tests were performed for this purpose at a test facility in Austria. The technology is suitable, for example, for use in reservoirs at dams, for the inlets at pumped storage power plants and at the inlets for cooling water systems of thermal power plants and nuclear power plants. The paper and presentation will present important results of the development work, technical details of the pilot projects and current results from the ethohydraulic tests. In addition, an outlook on numerous applications in practice will be given. Of particular interest is the presentation of the path of an innovative idea from the first pencil strokes through several years of scientific work to the first real project.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/IAHR-39WC2521711920221567

Year: 2022