The company founder, as well as his successors, have clearly recognised the huge potential of water power and the benefit of renewable energy sources in their home country and set the course for the company which today is internationally successful.
The electrification of a farm at that time signified progress and prosperity for its inhabitants. In the early stages of the young enterprise the alpine dairy farms and remote farms were supplied with small-scale hydropower stations and thus for the first time with electricity.
Decades after their installation many of the Geppert plants, e.g. the drinking water supply of the municipal works of Kitzbühel (for over 80 years), are still operating practically without revisions or repairs!
Internationally active
During the past century the enterprise has developed from the local engineering company to an internationally active producer of water turbines. Presently, Pelton turbines from 5 to 5,000 kilowatt, Francis and Diagonal turbines up to 2,500 kW and Kaplan turbines up to a runner blade diameter of up to 1.4 metres are produced.
Practically all major power suppliers of Austria and the neighbouring countries are among its customers today. In the past few years Geppert turbines were also delivered to operators in Greece, Turkey and Asia (Nepal) and South America and mounted on the premises.
High-tech for hydropower
Innovation and permanent product improvement set milestones in the development of the Tyrolian turbine manufacturer; thus, an oil-hydraulic turbine-governor was already built in the 50ies, and is still produced today – in a modified version.
Since the 80ies there have also been mechanical and electronic governors being used and Geppert was the first producer in Austria who ventured this development step. The company of tradition is particularly proud of the latest development, a Diagonal turbine for small-scale hydropower plants.
"Customers using the Francis turbines have repeatedly told us that this technology was not very effective in low water periods. If water amounts fluctuate a lot, it is difficult for hydropower station operators to determine the capacity of the plant. If the plant is of a smaller design, its efficiency in low water periods is rather high.
However, if the water level is normal to high, the full flow cannot be used. If the plant is larger, then the results are good in periods with sufficient water, but the efficiency drastically drops when water levels are low," explains Guntram Geppert the course of development and refers to the Diagonal turbine as one of the most important steps of the enterprise in the past few years.
With this technology the adjustable runner blades balance the low load efficiency of a Francis turbine in the partial load field. With this particular design the Diagonal turbine shows a partial load characteristics, which is very similar to the Kaplan turbine.
Due to this flat run of load efficiency the number of machine sets can be reduced. "Taking up this turbine type in our range of products is a head start compared to our competitors, since in certain individual cases a turbine can be offered to the customers at a comparably slightly higher price, which has a considerably higher annual output of electrical power than a comparable Francis turbine," says Geppert.
The Diagonal turbine was designed for medium water heads and flows and is available up to a performance of ten megawatt.
Quality made in Austria
Many domestic companies pursue the policy to plan and to build in Austr ia and then to have plant segments produced abroad at a lower price. But not Geppert!
"We exclusively produce in our works in Hall in Tyrol. Our engineers carry out the construction at CAD work stations. For the manufacturing of the runner blades and wicketgates of the Diagonal turbines a working centre with a high spindle revolution has been bought," explains the expert.
Prior to delivery, a shop assembly of the entire plant is carried out. Usually, Geppert assemblers are responsible for the assembly on site, also in overseas. The company achieves with 30 employees an annual turnover of about three million Euros. Eastern Europe is a potential market for the Geppert team.
Geppert expects that small-scale hydropower will experience an upswing and that already overdue revisions and new constructions will have to be carried out in the near future. This should also have a positive effect on turbine manufacturers.
(Source: aqua press Int. 03/01)
Dr. Alexander Tempelmayr
Information & Contact:
Ing. Wilfried Geppert
Ing. Mag. Guntram Geppert
Wasserturbinen- & Maschinenbau
Breitweg 8-10c, A-6060 Hall in Tirol
Phone +43/5223/57788-0
Fax +43/5223/57788-2
