On August 9, 2012, Badaling CSP power plant was put into full operation at 13:18. With its first successful power generation test, the power plant has met the historic moment over 6 years.
Ten minutes after the superheated steam from solar collector field had driven the engine speed rising from 660 rpm to 2500 rpm, 5000 rpm, 6000 rpm and all the way steadily to the rated speed of 6500 rpm, the power plant’s loads were switched on and the green current instantly heated the loads at 13:18. The crowds were simmering with excitement. Here begins the era of Chinese solar energy! It marks that Chinese has mastered concentrating solar power (CSP) technology, which is of great innovation in the CSP field in China. And China has become the fourth country with integrated CSP technology, following USA, Germany, and Spain.
Solar collector field in operation on August 9, 2012
The project derived from National High-tech R&D program (“863” program) of China during the 11th five-year period, and was at the same time authorized and financially supported by Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and Chinese Academy of Sciences. The solar collector field, as the core of the power plant, succeeded in generating water steam on July 19, 2011, and the water steam’s parameter was up to 400°C, 4 MPa. After many repeated tests lasting nearly a whole year, the coordinating operation mode between tower heat receiver and the 10,000 m2 heliostat field was basically ready for use. Since May 2012, the project team has put up with the fact that it rains a lot in Beijing this year, and succeeded in having conducted a series of relevant tests, which have laid firm foundation for the final power generation success.
On June 10, 2012, the initial engine startup test succeeded with the speed up to 1076 rpm, and the water steam was from auxiliary oil-burning boiler. On July 1, 2012, the steam engine passed the critical speed test with the speed up to 5760 rpm, and the water steam was from solar collector field. On July 17, 2012, the steam engine achieved the normal speed of 6500 rpm, and the water steam was from auxiliary oil-burning boiler. On July 22, the system excitation voltage was up to 9 kV during steam engine test, and the water steam was from auxiliary oil-burning boiler. On August 4, 2012, loaded power generation test was conducted. The system voltage was up to 10 kV, and to 120 kVA with loads via transformer.; Water steam was also from auxiliary oil-burning boiler. On August 9, 2012, in solar power generating test, the system voltage was up to 10.5 kV, and to 60 kV with loads via transformer. After continuous steady operation over 35 minutes, the engine test was stopped due to the cloudy weather condition. The power generation test succeeded completely! The water steam was from solar collector field.
At the moment the power generation test succeeded, smile came over the faces of operation staff
Badaling CSP Plant is part of “863” key projects (2006AA050100) during the 11th five-year period, and at the same time authorized and financially supported by Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and Chinese Academy of Sciences, with a total budget of 6.7 million RMB. The project’s team members from 11 parties have worked together to fulfill the project plan. They have completed the concept design, preliminary design, engineering design, and device installment and tests of CSP tower plant. Besides, they have established the research and development system and the specification of CSP technology, and have mastered all the technologies covering high-precision concentrator, concentrator field, the heat receiver which directly transfers heat, heat storage and power generation medium, system design, and the technologies about overall coordination, light field, technical maintenance, instrument control and electrical design. Moreover, the project team has achieved a number of innovative results with the following technique as the representative, i.e. the coupling of light and heat filed can directly generate superheated steam. In total, 43 invention patents have been applied, with 11 authorized. The first national standard of CSP technology has been compiled. And all the relevant instruments are home-made.
Through the project, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese academy of sciences, has also built the world-class research and development base of CSP technology and a group of important scientific experimental platforms, which have laid firm foundation for the development of CSP technology in China.
