At Krasnoyarsk CHPP-3, as part of the construction of the second power unit, SGK contractors have begun the construction of a water tower – cooling tower.
The 88-meter-high structure will be the first cooling tower of a thermal power plant in Krasnoyarsk. Its purpose is to reduce the thermal load on the Yenisei River in accordance with the requirements of the Water Code of the Russian Federation. The construction of the second power unit is carried out as part of the implementation of the project to increase the capacity of the Krasnoyarsk CHP-3, included in the Yeniseiskaya Sibir KIP.
The new cooling tower of Krasnoyarsk CHPP-3 will cool the water used to cool the equipment of the power unit under construction. The water will pass through the turbine condensers, take away excess heat, enter the cooling tower and return back to the station. The closed cycle of water use will reduce the volume of water consumption from the Yenisei by almost 30 thousand cubic meters per hour.
The cooling process in cooling towers occurs due to partial evaporation of water and heat exchange with air. Thanks to the tower-like structure, natural air thrust is created inside. The nozzles located inside spray water, and air flows blow over it, taking away excess heat. There is such a pattern: in cooling towers, when 1% of the water evaporates, the temperature of the remaining water decreases by 6 ° C.
Now workers are pouring a concrete bowl to collect water and erecting a metal frame of the tower. When the frame is ready, the cooling tower will be lined with a profiled sheet, and a water distribution system consisting of pipes and nozzles will be installed inside.
In parallel, construction and installation work continues on the main site of the new power unit. The installation of the turbine condenser, mains water heaters and two transformers has already been completed. It is planned to complete the main work on the boiler unit and auxiliary boiler equipment by the end of 2023 and conduct hydraulic tests of its heating surfaces.
The commissioning of the new power unit is scheduled for the end of 2024, the total cost of the project is 27.5 billion rubles. The second power unit will provide new opportunities for the development of Krasnoyarsk: additional heat for growing neighborhoods and electricity for the general energy system of the region. In addition, it will reduce the electrical load on the Krasnoyarsk CHP-1, located near residential areas, and move it almost out of the city.