The Causes And Sealing Measures Of Water Leakage in Steel Gates

Usually, steel gates are mainly used in medium or large river power plants. Due to the limitations of river width, cast iron gates cannot withstand such a large pressure, so steel gates can only be chosen to block the water surface. The load-bearing capacity of steel gates is much greater than that of cast iron gates, but steel gates can also be chosen in small rivers, but the cost is relatively high.

The main cause of water leakage in steel gates is generally attributed to issues such as erosion, rust, and winter icing that affect the normal operation of the gate. To address the issue of water leakage, how should we take leak prevention measures? Below are three main methods of leak prevention.

Measures for slag plugging

Firstly, it is necessary to check the leakage situation of the gate of the hoist, determine the size and location of the leakage, analyze the cause of the leakage, and take targeted measures. Slag is the residue left after coal combustion. The principle of slag plugging is to use the slag with a slightly larger unit weight than water to slowly sink to the bottom of the water. When it sinks to the vicinity of the leakage point of the opening and closing machine gate, the flow velocity and pressure of the leakage point decrease along the direction of the water flow. Under the action of the surrounding high pressure, the slag is absorbed along the water flow to the leakage point and blocked to the gaps of the leakage. The slag plugging method is suitable for water seal wear, small deformation of the opening and closing machine gate, inability to seal the water seal tightly, and installation deviation of the opening and closing machine gate, resulting in water leakage of the opening and closing machine gate. This kind of water leakage phenomenon is often very common, and it is very likely that the gate of the hoist will leak due to this reason. The water leakage caused by this reason is not very large, and it is suitable to use slag to block the leakage.

Underwater leak plugging methods for divers

This is an artificial plugging method based on the slag plugging method. In practical engineering operations, more complex loophole situations may be encountered. When the previous plugging method cannot be effective or is far from enough to plug the loophole, manual measures such as underwater plugging by divers need to be taken. This manual plugging method carries certain risks and requires our divers to possess high-quality professional skills. At the same time, attention should also be paid to life safety, and reasonable choices should be made based on the size of vulnerabilities and the depth of water.

Cleaning and plugging methods

This plugging method is applicable to situations different from the first and second types of vulnerabilities. For example, in practical operation, if a malfunction occurs due to a foreign object jamming the gate of the hoist, it is necessary to clean the foreign object first. Sometimes, the installation of the hoist gate may not be sturdy enough, and the convenience of operating the hoist gate should be considered. At this time, the hoist gate needs to be installed properly and closed tightly several times.