Hydro-Electric Turbine, Omagh

On this project Taylor & Boyd contributed Civil and Structural engineering design for the development of a hydro-electric screw that would generate electricity from the Camowen River to provide power to Omagh Leisure Centre.

The brief required the design team to create a facility that would generate sufficient power to meet the needs of the Leisure Centre and sell back excess power to the National Grid with minimal impact on the salmon-rich Camowen River.

Rated at 121 kilowatts, the hydro turbine was predicted to save in excess of 133 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) annually and make a contribution to the Council’s “green philosophy”.

The design chosen was the Archimedes screw as it was the most fish-friendly option available. Flood protection was carefully controlled by the use of a temporary cofferdam throughout construction and in particular while the line of the existing flood wall was being modified.

The scheme included an in-situ reinforced concrete inlet, precast concrete intake channel with openings in the roof to provide natural light for fish passing through, in-situ reinforced concrete penstock, fish pass with resting pools and screw base.

A masonry power house with public interpretive area was constructed around the Archimedes screw and the surrounding areas were re-graded to accommodate pedestrian and vehicular access.

The existing top weir on the river was also modified to incorporate a new fish pass and eel crawling mat.

Click to expand the photos below