During the development of small hydropower, river impoundment by dams often leads to reduced or dried-up downstream channels. Insufficient discharge of ecological flow has become a prominent challenge for the green transition of the industry. Conventional sluices and dams struggle to balance water storage and ecological discharge. With its pneumatic flexible structure, the shield rubber dam provides a viable technical solution to resolve this conflict.
Sustained and stable flow is essential for ecological flow protection. The shield rubber dam adjusts the shield plate by inflating and deflating airbags, with a regulation cycle of only 15–40 minutes. When ecological flow release is required, the inclination of the shield plate can be fine-tuned or slight overflow maintained to guarantee continuous water supply downstream. The dam can fully collapse and fit closely to the riverbed, removing barriers from water level drop, restoring the longitudinal connectivity of the river and creating migration passages for fish and other aquatic organisms.
Dry seasons pose major difficulties for small hydropower stations, which need to maintain water head for power generation while releasing required ecological flow. Supported by airbags, the shield plate can be locked at any position, different from the crude mode of conventional rigid dams that either fully retain or completely release water. In dry seasons, precise water level control ensures stable power generation head and steady ecological discharge, minimizing power loss while complying with regulatory requirements.
Long-term reliable ecological flow release depends on dependable discharge facilities. Powered by compressed air, the shield rubber dam carries no risk of hydraulic oil leakage and water pollution. Its control system supports remote access and automatic scheduling. Supervisors can monitor dam conditions and discharge data in real time with automatic alerts for anomalies, avoiding arbitrary gate opening and closing caused by manual operation.
In summary, the shield rubber dam is more than an upgrade of dam type. It serves as an integrated solution featuring ecological connectivity, flexible regulation and intelligent supervision. It transforms the relationship between power generation and ecological protection from restriction to coordination, helping rivers regain the sight of flowing streams.
