Penstocks
Since its foundation, ATB Riva Calzoni has met the growing needs of Italian industrialization and has become the leading fabricator of high pressure pipes for penstocks applications.
he design of banded penstocks (externally reinforced with hot fitted forged rings) has long been one of the ATB Riva Calzoni’s patents around the world. These penstocks can withstand very high heads using relatively thin plates that are easy to weld and install on-site. As an example, the penstock of the ENEL-San Fiorano hydropower plant with a 2.15 m diameter, resists a water head of 1,418 m.
In the last few years, the company has also developed on-site welding of high strength quenched and tempered steels with considerable saving in the steel thickness, compared with the traditional plain carbon steel pipe works. For instance, we fabricated pipes for the Cleuson Dixence hydropower plant in Switzerland made by STE 890 (3m in diameter, thickness of up to 80 mm, total weight of 3,000 tons) using a special welding procedure, with full compliance with the highest quality standards for penstocks.