104
Solar energy without a flicker
Located near Guadix, Spain, "Andasol 1" is currently the largest thermosolar plant in the world. Its parabolic trough
collectors cover 510,000 square metres and, when the plant is connected to the grid in mid 2008, will generate 50
Megawatts, sufficient to provide electricity for up to 50,000 homes.
Thermosolar plants based on parabolic then assembled. Later they are
trough collectors basically operate in the same mounted on the pillars and
way as conventional thermo-electric power connected to the oil flow circuit.
stations, except that the steam turbines are To achieve high level thermal
driven by solar energy. The thermal power of efficiency, each 12 metre long, 6
the sun is used to heat a synthetic energy metre wide, collector must be
vector, such as oil, to a temperature of 400°C. mounted with great precision.
The oil then generates steam in a heat Vibrations caused by the wind, or
exchange unit, which drives the thermosolar changes in temperature, present a
plant's turbine. This type of thermosolar plant great challenge for fastening
combines excellent ecology features and the technologies.
greatest solar energy efficiency achieved to During the technological planning
date. phase, lockbolts and collars clearly
provided the best
performance compared
with other methods. The
ø25mm bolts, 16 hydraulic tools, driven by 10
great clamp load provided by
HAT electro-hydraulic power units, are used. For
lockbolts and collars remains
the assembly of the collectors, hand tools are
constant throughout the life of the
connected to the power units by 10 metre long
assembly. The danger of the joint
hydraulic hoses. Special nose equipment and
coming loose, as could happen if
machines have been developed to access all
screws were used, is removed
parts of the joints. The ø8mm Avdelok® bolts
with this system, thanks to the
are installed using four 7267 type hydro-
permanently swaged lock
pneumatic units.
between the collar and the bolt.
Avdel engineers have worked in
An additional advantage is the
co-operation with the customer from the
speed with which lockbolts and
planning stages. The design of the joints, the
locking collars can be installed.
development of the fastening equipment and
This process is also based entirely
the training of the assembly staff were all part
on the installation system and
of the technical services offered. During the
The Andasol plant will use ‘Skal-ET’ cannot be influenced by the worker,
construction phase, Avdel also provided
collectors, which, compared to other eliminating the potential for errors by assembly
logistics support for its customers by scheduling
technologies installed to date in this type of personnel.
requirements as construction work progressed
plant, are efficient and easy to manufacture. A 8mm, 13mm and 25mm diameter
ensuring uninterrupted assembly of the
fundamental design innovation is the use of a Avdelok® lockbolts and collars are being used.
collectors.
new "Torque Box" open framework that not In all, about 3.4 million fastening elements are
Since February 2007 and simultaneously to
only reduces weight but also, importantly, being used to assemble the system. "On the Andasol 1, civil preparation work is being
provides resistance to torsion and bending, Andasol project, we are mainly using Avdelok® carried out on a second similar thermosolar
preserving exceptional levels of accuracy even bolts with large diameter heads and large plant of the same type (Andasol 2) developed
under strong wind conditions. flanged head collars", explains Avdel's general by Solar Millennium. This project will be
The Andasol thermoelectric plant's solar field manager, Martin Kunz. "Due to the large connected to the grid after an approximate two
measures 1,500 by 1,300 metres – 195 contact surface, specific superficial pressure is year building phase. At the same time as
hectares. A total of 7,488 collectors have to be reduced and a uniform distribution of the Andasol 2 is being built, work will commence
installed on site. Prefabricated galvanised steel clamping load is achieved." on the first plant of this type in Extremadura,
parts, mirrors and pipes are supplied in The equipment used to install the bolts was using Senertrough collectors. At Guadix Andasol
containers, unloaded, temporarily stored and also supplied by Avdel. In the case of ø13 and 3 is already in its planning stages.
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