Mastering the design, manufacturing, and commissioning of coal handling and conveying systems for coal-fired thermal power plants in our country will bring significant benefits.

A Vast Market for Coal Handling and Conveying Systems

The National Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering (Ministry of Industry and Trade) has just accepted the project "Research, design, manufacturing, assembly, and commissioning of coal handling and conveying systems for coal-fired thermal power plants with unit capacity up to approximately 600 MW," led by Dr. Phan Dang Phong as the project director.

Dr. Phan Dang Phong, Director of the National Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering, reports on the results of the project "Research, design, manufacturing, assembly, and commissioning of coal handling and conveying systems for coal-fired thermal power plants with unit capacity up to approximately 600 MW"

This is one of the projects under the science and technology program "Research, design, manufacturing, and commissioning of a number of auxiliary equipment systems for coal-fired thermal power plants with unit capacity up to approximately 600 MW" signed for implementation by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the National Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering.

The objective of the project is to master the design, manufacturing, installation, and operation of coal handling and conveying systems for coal-fired thermal power plants with unit capacity up to approximately 600 MW; to design, manufacture, and commission one coal handling and conveying system for a coal-fired thermal power plant with unit capacity up to approximately 600 MW; and to enhance the scientific, technical, technological, management, consulting, and operational expertise of the domestic scientific and technical workforce.

Sharing about the urgency of this project, Dr. Phan Dang Phong, Director of the National Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering, stated that Vietnam has a vast market for coal handling and conveying systems.

The Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1208/QD-TTg approving the National Power Development Plan for the period 2011-2020 with a vision to 2030 (referred to as Power Plan VII). Accordingly, by 2030, the total coal-fired thermal power capacity will be approximately 75,000 MW, generating about 394 billion kWh, accounting for 56.4% of the total electricity output.

"In the 10 years (2013-2023), Vietnam will construct and commission 70 coal-fired thermal power plants with a total planned installed capacity of approximately 37,240 MW, including 44 coal-fired thermal power units with a capacity of 600 MW" - Dr. Phan Dang Phong informed.

The total investment capital for power plants undertaken by domestic investors could reach up to 43.5 billion USD. Within this total investment, the capital for power plant equipment is estimated to reach up to 32.7 billion USD, with costs for main equipment around 24.5 billion USD (turbines, generators, boilers), and the remaining 8.2 billion USD for auxiliary equipment, including coal handling and conveying systems.

"Thus, the demand for equipment supply for thermal power plants in Vietnam is very large" - Dr. Phan Dang Phong assessed, while also sharing that, according to Clause 3, Article 1 of Decision 1791/QD-TTg approving the "Mechanism for pilot implementation of domestic design and manufacturing of equipment for thermal power plants in the period 2012-2025," the coal handling and conveying system is one of 11 equipment items that must be localized domestically for the three projects: Quang Trach 1, Song Hau 1, and Quynh Lap 1.

Evidence of Domestic Research Capability

According to the Director of the National Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering, for all equipment belonging to the coal handling and conveying system for a thermal power plant, domestic mechanical enterprises have accumulated some experience through designs from abroad, supplying spare parts, and repairing and maintaining existing systems at thermal power plants.

Nevertheless, we have not yet been able to master the design and synchronous manufacturing of a coal handling and conveying system for a coal-fired thermal power plant for the following reasons: Calculation documents are proprietary technology secrets of manufacturers, making them very difficult to access or obtain from various sources; there have been no in-depth research projects on the localization of coal handling and conveying equipment; and the specialized scientific and technical workforce is still lacking and weak.

Therefore, mastering the calculation, design, manufacturing, and commissioning of coal handling and conveying systems applicable to coal-fired thermal power plants with unit capacity up to 600 MW in our country is necessary and will bring significant benefits for scientific and technological development, promote the development of the domestic mechanical engineering industry, and contribute to the successful implementation of the Prime Minister's pilot program for domestic design and manufacturing of thermal power plant equipment for the period 2012-2025 under Decision 1791.

To date, the project has fully completed the quantity, variety, and quality of scientific and technological products as registered. These include products that can be used by units involved in the manufacturing, installation, and operation of coal handling and conveying systems for coal-fired thermal power plants.

Specifically, these include: Type I scientific and technological product: A coal handling and conveying system for a coal-fired thermal power plant with a capacity of up to approximately 600 MW per unit, meeting Vietnamese requirements and standards, and accepted by the investor.

Type II scientific and technological products: 01 set of calculation, design, and manufacturing technology documents for the coal handling and conveying system for a coal-fired thermal power plant with a capacity of up to 600 MW; 01 set of manufacturing design documents for localized equipment of the coal handling and conveying system; 01 set of manufacturing process documents for localized equipment; 01 set of procedure documents for installation, operation, and maintenance of the system, etc.

"These products meet the requirements set by the investor, Vietnamese design standards, and have high feasibility" - Dr. Phan Dang Phong stated, while emphasizing that the project's results demonstrate the capability of domestic units with a scientific and technical workforce whose expertise is increasingly enhanced and who are constantly striving to learn about new technologies.

The project was completed with a localization rate of over 51%, which can be further increased in the second project, and reach over 70% from the third project onwards, ensuring the localization target according to Decision 1791/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister.

Dr. Phan Dang Phong, Director of the National Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering: To continue replicating the model for similar projects, a mechanism is needed from the Government to protect the market for domestic mechanical engineering units, such as stipulating a minimum domestic implementation rate of 50% for thermal power projects invested in Vietnam.

Source: Industry and Trade Newspaper