【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Engineering Equipment】China’s largest dual-axis dual-tank solar thermal collection system was built between 2014 and 2023

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Looking at the decade-long development in chemical engineering technology, we praise the prosperity and strength of modern China. This is just a starting point to encourage further discussion among everyone; with your participation, things will become even more interesting. [A Decade of Progress in Chemical Engineering Equipment] – Regular updates and summaries are available; feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html. It’s important to enhance quality awareness and promote high-quality development. ----------------------------------------- Recently, the largest dual-axis, dual-tank solar thermal collection system in China was built in the Bayan Oil Field, under the EPC general contracting of CNPC’s North China Branch. The project includes 49 sets of dual-axis, dual-trough concentrator collectors, with each set having a heating capacity of 30 kilowatts, resulting in an overall installed capacity of 1.47 megawatts. Once completed, the transfer station in the Xinghua area will be able to make efficient use of the local solar energy in Bayan, replacing coal-fired steam from thermal power plants; this will result in an annual reduction of 1,850 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. 　　Bayannur has the second richest light resource in China. The dual-tank, dual-axis heat collection system built at the Bayan Oil Field transfer station using existing open space enables the direct conversion of solar light into heat, generating high-temperature steam. By applying slot mirror concentration and heat collection technology, dual-slot three-dimensional real-time tracking technology, dual-heat source variable-condition adjustment technology, and crude oil storage tank heat storage technology, the system achieves optimization of the balance between energy sources, grids, loads, and storage, effectively reducing waste of solar thermal resources and heat loss, thereby ensuring maximum efficiency of solar thermal installations. 　　The various departments of the North China Branch – including design, procurement, control, and construction – worked together closely to organize the construction processes efficiently. It took 2 months to complete the design of the construction drawings, carry out tendering for procurement, and install the equipment, thereby laying the foundation for the implementation of clean heating at the transfer station as well as for the development of a low-carbon demonstration area in the Bayan Oil Field. 　　Before commencement of work, the project team provided the construction workers with training on professional skills related to the quality, safety, and technical standards of installation work. Sample units were installed in accordance with the construction standards, and once they passed self-inspections, specialized inspections, as well as inspections by the supervisor and the client, large-scale installation work could proceed officially. The employees involved in the construction focused on preventing new types of safety risks, such as fires and burns caused by the mirrors reflecting light sources, as well as the collapse of assembled components due to instability during the tightening and installation of accessories and collectors. In just 20 days, they completed the installation of all facilities safely and to high standards, with the inspection passing on the first attempt. 　　This project establishes a \"multi-source integrated intelligent energy-saving heating system\" that relies primarily on solar thermal collectors, with plant steam serving as a supplementary source, making full use of the heat storage capacity of crude oil tanks, thereby achieving energy savings and reduced heating costs. Biaxial dual-groove concentrating collectors feature high daily tracking accuracy, long collection time, high collection efficiency, a high degree of automation, and simple maintenance later on. Their tracking accuracy reaches 0.015 degrees, while the collection efficiency is as high as 85%, enabling maximum utilization of solar radiation on limited land areas. 　　The heat collection system of the Bayan Oil Field has an installed capacity of 1.47 megawatts. Once completed, the project will be able to utilize 4.5 million kWh of solar energy per year, producing 6,800 tons of industrial steam annually. It will meet more than 50% of the heating needs of the entire facility, and it is expected to result in an annual reduction of 1,850 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, which is equivalent to planting 185,000 trees.