Water conservancy and hydropower projects greatly utilize penstocks. Applications such as water supply and drainage, pumping station water intake, etc. uses penstocks to control the flow of media.

Penstocks are sluice, gate or intake type structures that aim to regulate the flow of water. Penstock installation is seen in several water applications as they perform the ideal job of keeping the water flow in check or stop water flow when necessary.

For successful accomplishment of such projects, the use of an ideal type of penstock is pretty important. Keep reading till the end to find out more about penstocks.

Types of Penstocks

According to materials, there are different penstock classifications made. The different working environment requires the use of distinct penstock material types. The penstocks are mainly divided into the following broad categories -

Metallic penstock and Non-metallic penstock.

Metal material penstock includes cast iron penstock, steel welded penstock, cast steel penstock. Whereas, the non-metallic material penstock comprises cement penstock, wooden penstock and others.

For high-profile and heavy-duty projects, the use of metallic penstocks is popular that includes cast iron, stainless steel, etc. With cast iron penstocks, operators could get the benefits of anti-corrosion performance, one-time casting, and installation molding, after finishing large-scale mechanical equipment, extreme sealing functions, reduced maintenance costs, often used in smaller channel projects.

The perks of using steel material penstock are that they are lightweight, ideal for constructing large carrying capacity, stable performance and quality, impact resistance, simple production and installation and many more.

Whereas, cement made penstock offers the advantages - relatively simple manufacturing, suitable for small water conservancy projects in remote locations and available at low cost.

Cast Iron Penstock Selection Precautions

The use of cast iron penstocks plays a significant role for water conservancy projects. To get the most beneficial outcomes for your project, make sure to pay attention to penstock selection by considering its quality and price.

The first thing to keep in mind when selecting cast iron penstock is to look for good pressure resistance and have the capacity to maintain ideal working conditions even under different impermanent water pressures.

Next is to look for corresponding process assurance for the cast iron penstock sealing. In several water conservancy construction processes, experts are required to perform operations such as drainage and water regulation. 

If the use of cast iron penstocks cannot deliver good sealing performance then not only can the quality of the entire project collapse but it also can create challenges for the actual operation and application.

Other Applications

Aside from water conservancy and hydro power generation, penstock usage is also observed for other applications. Penstocks can be integrated with the surface water management systems of several landfill areas.

If you are looking for the ideal penstock option then make sure to get touch with the expert penstock suppliers now.