Unique dam project in Algeria

VAG Plunger Valves for 36 dams in Algeria

Country: Algeria
Customer: Algerian Water Enterprises (AWE)
Products: VAG RIKO® Plunger Valves, VAG DUOJET® Automatic Air Valves

Algeria is situated between the Atlas Mountains in the north and the Sahara desert in the south. Most of the country’s water is supplied from dams. The dams are run by the government, while the pipelines and purification plants are run by the municipalities. The amount of water supplied from the reservoirs did not always match the amount received by the municipalities. This metering and documentation problem was solved by VAG valves: a 2 million Euro project that is yet to be equalled in type, size and cost.

Water was to be metered and documented at thirty-six of Algeria’s major dams. To this extent, a tender to equip the pressure pipelines with flow meters and flow control valves was drafted in 2003. In August 2003, an eight-person delegation, including a engineer from VAG-Armaturen GmbH, visited all of the dams in two weeks. During this period, all of the data required for the calculation, dimensioning and design of the control valves were collected. The delegation, which was working on behalf of the government, was under constant military protection. At the end of August 2003, the tender was commissioned to VAG-Armaturen. A total of fifty plunger valves in nominal diameters between DN 300 and DN 1600 PN were to be delivered and installed by AWE.

Fifty plunger valves had to be manufactured and delivered within a very short period of time

All of the plunger valves were calculated and dimensioned for extreme situations. To ensure the accuracy of the special valves’ design, VAG used its own calculation program, UseCAD®. VAG created data sheets, a flow characteristic curve and a cavitation curve for each of the plunger valves.

The tight schedule was particularly challenging for VAG’s design and manufacturing teams. Fifty plunger valves, fifteen of which had nominal diameters between DN 1200 and DN 1600 and weights ranging from 8 to 12 tons had to be manufactured and delivered within a very short period of time. To guarantee a reliable supply of water, the valves had to be of the highest quality and reliability. This is one of the reasons why the tender was granted to the German manufacturer, VAG, who had gained the customer’s trust with its expert advice before and during the project. VAG actively participated in pre-project discussions and adviced solutions for problems that were not always related to valves.

VAG delivered the valves in six batches between December 2003 and December 2004

Everything down to the completeness check of the shipping container was meticulously planned. One missing screw was all that was needed to delay resuming the supply of water.

Most of the thirty-six dams are miles away from civilization. Two mobile installation teams carried out all of the installation tasks. They were equipped with the necessary devices and tools, including kitchen and accommodation containers. The roller gate was closed, special tools used to cut open the dam's pressure pipeline, and the plunger valve installed. The flow meter was then installed at the specified distance from the control valve, and the installation accepted and released for testing. Each building site brings new challenges, all of which our installation teams always deal with capably. One of the challenges at this site consisted of bringing in bulldozers to build roads for truck-mounted cranes.

VAG was able to fulfil each of the client’s requirements

The contractors, ANB (Agence Nationale des Barrages) and the construction company, AWE, highly appreciated the solution provider’s competence and excellent product quality. The supply of water plays an important role in confirming the state’s prestige. VAG was able to fulfil each of the client’s requirements.

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VAG Valves (India) Private Limited

Plot No. 57 & 56 Phase-III, TSIIC Pashamylaram Patancheru (M) Sangareddy (D) – 502307

Telangana, India Phone: +91 91000 54249

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