[News Report] Armenia—The Complete Cast Runner Project for the Arghel Hydropower Station Successfully Completed, Marking Another Outstanding Achievement for Fuan Heavy Industry

　　Recently, Liaoning Fuan Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Fuan Heavy Industry”) has once again achieved a technological breakthrough in the manufacturing of fully cast hydropower turbine runners. Following its successful deliveries in 2023 and 2024 of fully cast runners to the GE Vernova–CEVIZLIK Hydropower Station in Turkey and the Highbank Hydropower Station in New Zealand, respectively, Fuan Heavy Industry’s recently undertaken project for the fully cast runner at the Arghel Hydropower Station in Armenia has now smoothly passed acceptance inspection by both the client and the hydropower station’s expert team. This milestone signifies that Fuan Heavy Industry has reached a new level in its capability to manufacture large, complex, fully cast turbine runners.

　　The fully cast runner for the Armenia–Arghel Hydropower Station, which we have undertaken to manufacture this time, is a core component of the turbine unit. With a net weight of 6.004 tonnes, a maximum outer diameter of 2.4 metres, and a height of 0.7 metres, its machining complexity and manufacturing accuracy both rank among the industry’s leading levels. Compared with previous products, the number of runner blades has been increased from 13 to 19, with a minimum spacing of only 46 millimetres between blades and blade curvature doubled. The intricate free-form surfaces and extremely narrow flow passages pose significant challenges across the entire process chain, including casting, smelting, machining, precision grinding, and quality inspection.
　　In the face of technical challenges, Fuan Heavy Industry has demonstrated a spirit of “daring to tackle the toughest problems.” The company established a dedicated task force comprising senior engineers from casting, metallurgy, machining, precision grinding, welding, and nondestructive testing. Drawing extensively on the successful experiences gained from projects such as CEVIZLIK and Highbank, and leveraging advanced simulation and modeling technologies, the team successfully overcame key technical bottlenecks—including internal quality control in confined spaces, high-precision forming, precision finishing, and nondestructive testing—thereby reaffirming Fuan’s systematic capability for tackling complex, integrated casting projects in the field of runner manufacturing.

　　During the rigorous product acceptance process, a seven-member expert panel comprising turbine designer Alexander, metallurgical engineer Asseyeva, materials quality-inspection engineer Daniel, and four other specialists conducted a comprehensive and stringent evaluation of the integral cast runner. Designer Alexander praised the delivery, stating: “The integral cast runner supplied by Fuan Heavy Industry exceeds our expectations in quality and can truly be regarded as an industrial work of art.” This high praise from an international client not only recognizes Fuan Heavy Industry’s technical prowess but also affirms China’s advanced level of high-end equipment manufacturing.

　　The Arghel Hydroelectric Power Station—formerly known as the Gumush Hydroelectric Power Station—is one of the largest and most efficient hydropower plants in Armenia. Located on the left bank of the Razdan River, it is designed to handle a maximum design flow of 90 cubic meters per second. Its sophisticated hybrid diversion system draws water from the Akhpar Reservoir, which boasts a ten-year regulation capacity. The plant’s associated discharge tunnel connects to the inlet of a pressure shaft measuring 293.2 meters in length, while a daily-regulation reservoir provides load regulation and emergency reserve, with a regulation capacity of 300,000 cubic meters and an energy storage capacity of 194,000 kilowatt-hours. As such, it plays a critical role in peak-shaving and ensuring reliable power supply within the Armenian national grid.

　　Editors: Xu Yuguang, Li Honghe
　　Proofread by: Ju Yangyang and Wei Dan
　　Reviewed by: Li Jing, Qin Shuai
　　Published by: Wei Dan