Aalborg CSP introduces a 5-year guarantee against leakages for the new SGS3 steam generation systems

Aalborg CSP sets a new standard in the concentrated solar power (CSP) industry by announcing a 5-year guarantee against leakages for the new SGS3 steam generation systems designed for parabolic trough CSP plants. This assurance is a result of the excellent performance track records of Aalborg CSP's header and coil type heat exchangers that have been operating without any leakage failures since their first introduction.

As the Aalborg CSP steam generators are developed based on traditional boiler technology, they are 100% welded header and coil type with up to 4.5mm thick tubes, designed according to ASME and EN standards. Thiseliminates leakagesand reduces number of failures to close to zero over the lifetime expectancy. As a result, the plant efficiency is not threatened by unnecessary downtime. This is in contrast to the TEMA standard U-tube bundles which are specified and designed to allow 5% tube leaks and require the system to stop each time a tube must be plugged or a gasket has to be replaced.

NON-Leakage guarantee based on proven track records

Since the beginnings, altogether 32 header and coil type heat exchangers have been commissioned by Aalborg CSP based on these design principles. During the entire lifetime of commercial operation, the SGS components have been operating without any leakage failure which has therefore set a standard requirement for the latest edition of Aalborg CSP's steam generators. TheSGS3line embodies these satisfying proofs for reliability and forms the basis of the introduction of the5-year NON-Leakage guarantee, creating new standards within the CSP industry.

Svante Bundgaard, CEO of Aalborg CSP, stated that the 5-year NON-leakage guarantee is designed to provide an assurance to those partners who have worries about leakages in the CSP parabolic trough plants. The guarantee will enable Aalborg CSP customers to increase system availability and through this improve bankability.

SGS3: improved design with high bankability potential

The SGS3 line is the third edition of the solar steam generators that have been used by the most efficient CSP plants in the world. Focusing on design excellence, the steam generators have been continuously improved since the first installation. As a result, theSGS3line does not only meet general plant specifications but carries high bankability potential as well.

In addition to eliminating leakages, the design ensures a low pressure drop of 1-2 bar and reduces parasitic losses due to that. The new generation of steam boilers allows a fast ramp-up of 9 °C/min contributing to more than 30 minutes extra operational time daily. These main design elements together reduce Levelized Cost Of Energy (LCOE) of CSP Plants by at least 5%, but in some cases up to 10%. 

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