Recently, CSTA released the alliance standard for GH3625 Nickel-Based Alloy Welded Tubes for Tower Solar Thermal Power Station Molten Salt Absorbers.
The standard was drafted under the leadership of Changzhou Sheneng Metal Products Co., Ltd. (referred to as Changzhou Sheneng), with the participation of Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited, Shouhang High-tech Energy Technology Co., Ltd., Dongfang Boiler CO., LTD., Bluestar (Beijing) Chemical Machinery Co., Ltd, Daye Special Steel Co., Ltd., Central South University, BAOTI Group Co.,Ltd., and Zhong Hang Shang Da Superalloys Co., Ltd., among others.
The standard primarily stipulates the dimensions, shape, technical requirements, testing methods, inspection rules, packaging, marking, and quality certificates for GH3625 nickel-based alloy welded tubes used in absorbers of tower solar thermal power stations.
Tower solar thermal power stations currently account for a significant proportion of the under-construction solar thermal projects in China. The absorber is one of the core components of a tower solar thermal power station, and the GH3625 nickel-based alloy welded tube is a key part of the absorber, responsible for absorbing sunlight and transferring heat to high-temperature molten salt media. Establishing a unified standard for nickel-based alloy tubes used in molten salt tower solar thermal power generation provides a consistent technical basis for the design, manufacturing, application, and acceptance of related products. It also helps reduce project construction costs and enhances the overall performance and safety of the projects.
As the leading organization for this standard, Changzhou Sheneng is committed to the research and production of special material pipeline systems for industrial use, including stainless steel, corrosion-resistant alloys, and high-temperature alloys. For GH3625 nickel-based alloy welded tubes used in solar thermal power generation, the company has conducted systematic research on chemical composition optimization, smelting processes and purity control, welding techniques, forming processes, heat treatment, and microstructure uniformity control. The products have been tested by well-known domestic universities and authoritative third-party testing institutions, with all performance indicators meeting the requirements of the imported tube standard ASTM B704. The overall performance is comparable to that of imported products, with some key indicators even surpassing those of imported counterparts. In September 2024, a tower molten salt absorber device using domestic GH3625 nickel-based alloy welded tubes as key materials was successfully produced and delivered. This absorber will be applied in system research under more severe operating conditions.
