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Subterranea Scotia

Deanie Power Station - Downstream Surge Chamber

Deanie Power Station sign


Since the tailrace tunnel at Deanie is both long and totally submerged (as opposed to free-flowing, with airspace above the water), a downstream surge chamber is required to absorb the energy of surging water that might otherwise cause damaging water hammer in the tunnel, when the turbines are started or stopped suddenly. This chamber is located above the junction of the draft tubes with the tailrace tunnel. It is a substantial excavation - 50ft in diameter and 82ft high.

This drawing (some features, such as the access tunnel, removed for clarity) clearly shows the relationship of the surge chamber, machine hall, draft tubes, and tunnels:

Deanie power station - surge shaft

Illustration: Deanie power station - Downstream surge chamber
Illustration by: Mike Ross, adapted from a photograph of a NOSHEB drawing


The access route to the surge chamber starts in the roof of the machine hall, where a short shaft leads upwards from the crane rail catwalk, into the roof of the station:

Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber

Photo: Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber
Photo by: Mike Ross


From the top of the shaft, a short lined tunnel leads to a bulkhead, with a large fan for station ventilation. The pipes are the station dewatering pipes, dumping leaked/seepage water out to the tailrace:

Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber

Photo: Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber
Photo by: Mike Ross


Looking back to the top of the shaft:

Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber

Photo: Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber.
Photo by: Mike Ross


Passing through the yellow bulkhead, a short length of unlined tunnel leads to a concrete plug which has been retrofitted with a wooden door:

Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber

Photo: Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber
Photo by: Mike Ross


Through the door, a large void space and another ladder leading down...

Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber

Photo: Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber
Photo by: Mike Ross


... pausing at the top of the ladder to allow eyes to adjust to the relatively feeble illumination, you can see the roof curving away - it's a *large* space, with a considerable echo!

Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber

Photo: Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber
Photo by: Mike Ross


Descend the ladder...

Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber

Photo: Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber.
Photo by: Mike Ross


...and you have emerged onto the stoplog winch gallery, the winches for raising and lowering the stoplog gates can be seen looking back, the tunnel we emerged from, and the curve of the roof gives some idea of the size of the chamber - and most of it is below us, and filled with water!

Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber

Photo: Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber
Photo by: Mike Ross


Looking down, there's another platform below the first - you can see the cables attached to the stoplog gates. It doesn't show in the photo, but the lower platform is only a few feet above the water which fills most of the shaft - it's around 80ft deep.

Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber

Photo: Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber
Photo by: Mike Ross


Looking up from the lower platform, in the other direction. The chap in the yellow helmet is standing at the upper platform level, the stairs which give access to the lower platform can now be seen. They continue upwards to the very roof of the surge chamber, which is where the tunnel leading to the construction adit enters the chamber. There's another page dealing with the construction adit.

Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber

Photo: Deanie power station - Downstream Surge Chamber
Photo by: Mike Ross



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Last updated 5th March 2003
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