In February 2019, Aalborg CSP received the largest order in terms of megawatt power to deliver steam generator systems based on the leakage-free header-and-coil technology for three CSP plants in Dubai.
Combined with a solar tower and a solar field consisting of PV (photovoltaic) panels, the three CSP plants constitute the world’s largest CSP project - Dubai 700MW CSP+250 MW PV Hybrid Project. It is a record-breaking project capable of generating 600 MW electricity for up to 15 hours after sunset.
Since the contract was signed in the beginning of 2019, the production of 42 heat exchangers and pressure vessels has played a significant role in the project.
However, the production was put temporarily on hold in February due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. The production facilities in China, where the components are being produced, were closed down like the majority of the country’s other industries and factories.
Now, with all employees wearing masks, the machines are up and running again and the work can continue under the safety measures implemented by Aalborg CSP's subcontractor, Shanghai Boiler Works Co., Ltd.- who have not experienced any further spreading of the virus.
“Both our customers and suppliers in China have told us that masks have done the difference in the country. If they haven’t been able to gain access to masks, they have used homemade ones instead. I have seen pictures of people wearing bras, water containers and orange peels as masks. This combined with an aggressive testing and containment strategy has gotten the country back on track. It is good for China, and it is good for Aalborg CSP as well, as we are now able to deliver the project with minimum delaysfor the client,” says Svante Bundgaard, CEO of Aalborg CSP.
World’s best heat exchangers for high pressure and fatigue
The steam generation systems – consisting of a number of heat exchangers – supplied by Aalborg CSP for the world’s largest solar energy project makes use of a unique leakage-free design. The components are designed to withstand frequent starts/stops and daily cyclical load changes, which normally results in a high stress profile and fatigue. The header-coil design reduces these effects and significantly reduces the number of failures over the lifetime expectancy of the equipment. This results in high availability, low operation and maintenance cost and high reliability for the customers.
When completed, the solar park will provide clean energy to more than 270,000 residences in Dubai, while reducing the carbon emissions by 1.4 million tons per year.
