Recently, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) officially announced the list of approved key projects under the 2025 Regional Innovation and Development Joint Fund. The project Research on Theories and Methods for the Safe and Stable Operation of Large Low-Head Pumping Station Units, led by Researcher Yuan Shouqi, Director of the National Research Center of Pumps at our university, has been successfully approved with a grant of 2.57 million yuan.

As core infrastructure for the allocation and conveyance of national water resources, the operational reliability of pumping stations is crucial to the overall performance of the national water network. However, pumping station units operate over long periods under complex working conditions. Their components are subjected to mechanical stress, hydraulic impact, vibration and other combined effects, making them prone to hydraulic, mechanical and electrical failures.

Closely aligning with the strategic needs of interconnection within the national water network, this project addresses the limitations of existing theories and fault diagnosis methods for the safe and stable operation of pumping station units. It aims to develop an intelligent system integrating data acquisition, analysis and processing, early warning and diagnosis, thereby achieving closed-loop fault early warning and precise diagnosis from anomaly perception to autonomous decision-making. The project seeks to tackle key challenges in precise maintenance management and intelligent operation and maintenance of large low-head pumping station units. Its outcomes are expected to significantly enhance the intelligence level of pumping stations and provide robust theoretical and technical support for the safe and stable operation of large low-head pumping stations in the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.