Mohne Dam Power Station

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by Sharon Picardo, Apr 28, 2020.

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  1. Hi All,

    Hope your all safe and well?

    Im looking for photographs of the Mohne Dam power station, would anybody be able to help?

    Stay safe lovely people.

    Sharon x:)
     
  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Depends exactly what you are after - before/after ?? looking at the TNA then there are some files that might provide what you are after but you will need to have a look through - Search results: mohne dam | The National Archives

    For example
    Mohne dam damage: photographs | The National Archives

    TD

    Mohne Dam Briefing Model

    There is a Mohne Dam museum


    Möhne Reservoir - Wikipedia
    According to Albert Speer, "the power plant at the foot of the shattered dam looked as if it had been erased, along with its heavy turbines."
     
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  3. I'm actually after any detail of the power station before it was destroyed.
    Photos, diagrams, anything about the lay out and function of the place.

    Thanks.
     
  4. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    Having been built in 1913, there may be many records of the power station construction in German or other architectural archives
    For starters:
    The Mohne Dam across the Ruhr valley in Germany was opened by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1913, and comprehensive, dimensioned details of its construction were published in technical papers at the time. Using data from these papers, Dr Davey designed a 1/50th scale model of the dam, to be built across a small stream in secluded woodland at the edge of the BRS site. Dambusters | BRE Group

    The Möhne Dam and Reservoir
    The Möhne Dam and Reservoir was put into operation in 1913. At the time, it was the largest dam and reservoir in Europe, and it still covers more than 25 per cent of total reservoir storage capacity in the Ruhr river basin, serving as an important tool for controlling the flow regime of the River Ruhr. Its gravity masonry dam is 650 metres long and up to 40 metres high, and the reservoir has a storage capacity of up to 134.5 million cubic metres of water.
    The water discharged from the reservoir as a result of normal operation is used to generate electricity in a power station located below the dam (main power station). Water duty depends on water quantity management requirements along the Ruhr. While power generation is primarily a side benefit, it supports overall CO2-free energy production. From the main power station, the water flows into a compensating reservoir, from which a controlled amount of water is discharged daily into the lower Möhne river via a smaller, secondary power station. The power stations are operated by the company Lister und Lennekraftwerke GmbH in Olpe, a 100 per cent subsidiary of the Ruhrverband.
    If the main power station malfunctions or exceeds its capacity, water can be discharged via two bottom outlet units with two independent bottom outlets each. The outlets of each unit are equipped with an annular valve to enable direct regulation of water discharge, and a gate valve with a conical jet. All four bottom outlets lead to the compensating reservoir.
    The crest of the dam contains 105 outlets with a total length of 262.5 metres as a flood spill-way. As these outlets are evenly distributed over approx. three fourths of the crest’s length, an overflow makes the dam appear almost entirely flooded. The downstream side of the dam has a rough surface with protruding rocks to effect partial energy dissipation of the overflowing water. The bulk of the energy dissipation takes place in the compensating reservoir, which serves as a stilling basin. Moreover, larger volumes of water can be discharged from the compensating reservoir via a fish belly flap gate at the secondary power station. Möhne Reservoir

    Beyond the dam wall was located the hydro-electric power station, which produced an annual output of 10 million kilowatt-hours. This was situated in the midst of garden layouts and surrounded by water. A smaller adjoining power station was built at the western flow-off of the adjustment pond. The overall direction of this vast project was vested in the government's master architect Ernst Link and on 12 July 1913, the official inauguration of the dam took place. Herr Link and his assistants Walter Raddatz and Walter Selbach, together with numerous honoured guests from Berlin and the Ruhr, would make a ceremonial trip around the newly flooded reservoir in four festively decorated motorboats belonging to the brothers Schmitz.
    https://ww2db.com/facility/Möhnesee_Dam/
     
  5. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    The power plant was immediately below the centre of the dam face on the outfall side and was swept away.The present power plant is now located about 100 yards on the south side of the outfall.

    It would be wrong to describe the hydro turbines as being heavy as technically they are described as low head machines (head of water above the turbine runner being only 32 metres.) and as such did not have a large power capacity.The hydro turbines were contained within dedicated metal "tubes".Total generating capacity was about 5 MWs while the Eder Dam hydro capacity was larger at about 16 MWs. The dam's main function was to supply potable water to domestic consumers and water for industry within the Ruhr Valley.It's hydro plant is small compared to hydro plants having greater heads of water and are built as a primary source of electricity generation.

    There is a hydro "tube" section in which the turbine runner would be located on display on the north side of the dam outfall.Mounted on a plinth it gives some idea of the size of the generating capacity.

    As far as I can ascertain,the dam has been owned by Germany's RWE (Ruhr Wasser Engie trades in the UK as RWE /E ON) since it was built.I would think that they alone can provide the deeper information that is requested.

    I took a few photographs some years ago which shows Mohne at full capacity at the end of April as it was in 1943....the power plant in its new location and a hydro "tube" on display.I noted the metal plaque commemorating the opening had been defaced by vandals.

    Now its a question of finding them.
     
  6. Sarastro108

    Sarastro108 New Member

    Best wishes from germany.
    Mohne Dam
    Peter
     
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  7. Peter,
    danke schon!
    Precisely what I have been looking for!
    Thanks everyone for all your help :D
    Sharon
     
  8. Sarastro108

    Sarastro108 New Member

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