Established in 1989 in Seoul, Korea, YOOIL has grown into one of the water resources industry’s most well-known companies, having installed over 400 inflatable rubber weir projects domestically, with more than 40 installed internationally since 2009.
YOOIL has operations in all regions of the US, Canada, Turkey, Taiwan, Malaysia and is working as an EPC corporation in India. The company’s biggest clients are based in North America, where the company has been involved with a number of small hydroelectric power plant operators for projects such as run-of-river installations. A major project completed by the company included two spans of rubberdams on each of the four stations at Hydro-Québec’s Kapuskasing complex in Canada, as well as the highest airfilled rubberdam used in two hydroelectic power stations in Kayseri, Turkey.
Core technology
YOOIL’s core technology is movable weirs – or inflatable rubberdams – and it also supplies and installs water management components such as booms, trash rack systems, low head hydroelectric power turbine and generator systems and water proofing BGM lining products.
The Rubber Dam (Weir) system allows for a quick and easy solution for maintaining set water levels. The system is equipped with water level sensors which transmits data to the control house wirelessly. The control house calculates the appropriate rubber dam height according to pre-set values and automatically inflates or deflates the rubber dam. The EPDM material is capable of withstanding harsh weather climates and designed to last up to 30 years with normal operations. Due to this highly durable nature of the Rubber Dam, it could withstand sediments such as rolling rocks and heavy logs without any problem.
YOOIL also offers water leakage investigation solutions which include quick and non-intrusive technology used to identify, map and model preferential groundwater flow paths – considered one of the easiest and most accurate ways to detect and prevent dam leakage.
It can provide a total water management system by water proofing an old structure where leakage has occurred, or retrofit an existing dam or site. It can also design a new project to extend the life span of an existing structure.
The company offers a Bituminous Geomembrane (BGM) which is an innovative solution for waterproofing various structures such as dams, irrigation canals, and toxic waste basins. With a proven durability of up to 40 years, it can withstand direct UV rays, and is resistant to toxic chemicals, punctures, oxidation and elongation. The superior durability performance allows for the geomembrane to be installed without any cover-up material, which makes the installation process much quicker and more efficient compared to other commonly used materials such as HDPE, PVC and LLDPE. BGM has drinkable pot water safe certified, NSF certification.
In the future, the company is hoping to expand its total water management system with the use of artificial intelligence and data from satellites.
YOOIL’s products are suitable for a number of projects, including: old small hydroelectric power plants where a flash board or spillway system needs to be retrofitted with a rubberdam; new small hydropower plants/run-of-river projects where there is scope for spillway design; and irrigation projects which need to harness water during dry season and lower the dam to flush the water during flash floods.
The Bituminous Geomembrane offered by the company is especially suitable for canal linings as it has excellent Manning Coefficient.
Benefits
YOOIL’s products are more economical when compared with conventional steel gates in both component , installation, operation and maintenance costs. YOOIL can provide a basic tool box which can solve most of the problems that operators may experience during everyday operation.
The products are able to react quickly to prevent and mitigate flash flood damage. Thanks to their unique benefits and the team’s impressive track record of success, YOOIL has built up an excellent reputation in the water resource industry. Its reliable and easy-to-operate solutions are helping nations around the world to control water levels in their rivers, streams, reservoirs, and dams.
As climate change continues to disrupt weather patterns, the occurrence and severity of dangerous flash floods will only rise. River desiccation will also be witnessed unless appropriate action is taken. YOOIL’s high-performance inflatable rubber dam technology represents the ideal water management solution needed for a safer and better future.
