Vibration protection for power stations on Keselstraße and Füssener Straße in Kempten
Two extremely quiet, run-of-river power stations have been operating in Kempten since the beginning of March 2011. The Austrian vibration protection specialist, Getzner Werkstoffe, provided vibration isolation that reduces the structure-borne noise of the power station machinery and adheres to the more stringent immission guide values.
The Allgäuer Überlandwerk GmbH (AÜW) had the hydropower plants in Kempten comprehensively renovated between 2007 and 2011. Getzner Werkstoffe was responsible for the vibration insulation. The new power plant building in Keselstraße is directly connected to a listed residential area.
The old power plant building in Füssener Straße is completely under monumental protection. This major project was therefore subject to increased noise and vibration protection requirements.
Elastic support of machine foundations and buildings
The solution to this sound-proofing problem was to elastically support the floor slab on which the two power plant machines stand in Keselstraße over its entire surface in order to reduce the transmission of vibrations and noise to the surrounding residential buildings. Sylomer® was also used to completely decouple the side walls of the new power plant building from the environment from the lower edge of the floor slab to the upper edge of the ground.
The listed power plant construction in Füssener Strasse had to be protected just as efficiently against vibrations: "Getzner has made a significant contribution to maximum sound insulation with the elastic support of the machine foundation," emphasizes Michael Lucke, managing director of the operator, Allgäuer Überlandwerk GmbH.
The vibration solution implemented by Getzner for the AÜW power plant in Kempten: The floor slab on which the power plant machines stand is mounted elastically over its entire surface on Sylomer® mats, thus reducing the transmission of noise and vibrations to the adjacent residential buildings. Sylomer® was also used to completely decouple the side walls of the power plant building from the environment.
Effective vibration protection
The use of suitable polyurethane materials, well-founded forecast models and appropriately qualified product and construction supervision enabled the power plants to be optimally stored. "The aim of our vibration insulation measures was to efficiently protect the residents and the listed buildings from vibrations and to significantly reduce the structure-borne noise of the power plant machines. We have achieved this," explains project manager Rainer Zindler from the Getzner site in Grünwald near Munich.