Broto

Broto is situated near Torla and the Ordesa National Park. You'll find the mill on the left bank of the Río Ara at the northern fringe of the village a few steps away from the village church and the new school.
The mill takes its water from the Río Ara.

Pictures: 1.III.2007

waterworks

new powerstation

wheat mill

old powerstation

New powerstation (left, lower) with harinero

(12) Central eléctrica with drain (right)

I was quite impressed when I entered this part of the mill of Broto. I'm used to much smaller setups. However, according to the International Energy Agency this setting still is a micro hydroelectric station because it has a capacity of not more than 100KW.

The electric station is built next to the corn (wheat) mill and facing the river. The floor is lowered because the entrance of the turbines must be as low as possible compared to the supply channel. The floor is level with the bottom of the cárcavo below the harinero.

(13) Overview of the generator room

(14) Outer wall with control panel

The inner wall of the workfloor is taken by a symmetrical configuration of turbines and dynamos (13). Starting from the door we're looking at

a low and empty socle meant for a dynamo,
a somewhat higher socle with a gearbox,
the first turbine (16),
a console with controls and a fly-wheel,
then again a turbine (15)
and the remaining dynamo on a socle (17).

The outer wall (14) is taken by two large windows and two large stone plates —mounted next to each other on a metallic frame— with twin gauges and switches (22). There were also two small regulator wheels (one is now gone) with labels Mas (More, turning left) and Menos (Less). We've found a similar dial, but equipped with English labels, in Arrés. Look there to discover the hidden part of the contraption.

(15) Turbine left

(16) Controlconsole with turbine right

(17) Turbine, dynamo and exciter

The turbines are Francis turbines. This type is very common in hydroelectric stations. Water enters in the outer spiral shaped tube. Guide vanes direct the water over the runner blades towards the centre of the turbine. The fluid is then drained through the downward tube.
The orientation of the guide vanes is adjustable to adapt the operation of the turbine to changes in the waterflow. The rods to manage the vanes from the central console are shown in both pict. 16 & 15.

Several tags are attached to the machinery (17). They give us information about the system and the suppliers.

(18) Tag a - exciter

Siemens Schukert Industrial Eléctrica
Gen. GM.85/6			N°38263 6go
110	22,6	1.000		KW 2,48	-

ELECTRA MOLINS
--- BARCELONA ---

(19) Tag b - dynamo

ELECTRA MOLINS
--- BARCELONA ---

Tipo	GGA	N°	7496	R.p.m	1000
KVA 100		V.	220/27	A.	263
EXC 110V			22 A

Electra Molins was founded in 1948. The company is still active in a related field. It is now specialized in diesel generating sets.

Siemens Schukert was born in the first years of the twentieth century. Siemens & Halske - active since the middle 1800s - then took over Schuckert & Co - founded in the 1870s - and merged their heavy current business.

The Swedish agent of Schuckert & Co was Luth & Roséns Elektriska Ab from Stockholm (20). Another Swedish company is present in the mill of Arrés. It is ASEA founded in the 1880s!

It strikes me that all labels are in French and that the correct brand and type of the lubricant is considered very important (20, 21). Type 'B' is a heavy oil. (Look at some old advertisements for MobilOil in France.)

(20) Tag c - gearbox

	LUTH & ROSÉNS Elektr. A.-B. Stockholm
ENGRENAGE de PRÉCISION
Type	UH5	N°	5868
Chev.	100	Tour	333/1000
Huile de Graissage Gargoyle Mobiloil "B"

(21) Tag d - gearbox

HUILE PROPER (sic) A CET
ENGRENAGE de PRÉCISION
Gargoyle Mobiloil "B"
de la Vacuum Oil Company

Tag 'e' says

CE5106
1969

(22) Control panel with switches and gauges

(23) Gauges for tension, current & power

Range of the dials:
+ Tension: 50 - 300 Volt
+ Current: 40 - 200 Ampère
+ Power: -100 - +100 KW