From "following" to "leading" The world's first-class hydropower equipment originated from the "East

From "following" to "leading" The world's first-class hydropower equipment originated from the "East

 At 0:00 on May 15th, Unit 1 of Jilin Dunhua Pumped-storage Power Station entered the 15-day evaluation and trial operation period. The unit started and commissioned quickly, setting a new record for the same type of power station in China. Various excellent operating parameters confirm that the ultra-high head, high speed and large capacity pumped storage units designed and developed by Dongfang Electric Group Dongfang Electric Co., Ltd. have reached the domestic leading and world-class level.

In Dongfang Electric, it is not difficult to find a world-class and world-first. The Baihetan Hydropower Station with the world's largest single-unit capacity and the largest scale under construction has led the world's hydropower to enter the "no man's land" and represents the world's highest level of hydropower. The world's first reactor of "Hualong No. 1"-China National Nuclear Corporation's Fuqing Nuclear Power Unit 5 was connected to the grid for the first time and successfully created the world's best performance in the construction of the third-generation nuclear power first reactor...

However, conquering key core technologies has never been easy. Bravely breaking into "no man's land" and daring to gnaw "hard bones", Dongfang Electric has always firmly grasped the core technology and core research and development capabilities of hydropower equipment, forming a "moat" and "safe zone" to maintain its leading position in development.

Build world-class hydropower equipment

"Looking more broadly, we have roughly gone through three stages of competition with the world's counterparts in key core technologies." Zou Yingdong, deputy director of Dongfang Electric Technology Department, told reporters that in 1997, Dongfang Electric and Three Gorges Group successfully cooperated. The 700,000-kilowatt hydro-turbine generator set on the left bank of the Three Gorges has been developed, which is a "follow-up". In the second half of 2013, 9 Francis hydro-generator units in the right bank powerhouse of Xiluodu Power Station were successfully put into operation, marking that Dongfang Electric's independent research and development has reached a new level, which belongs to "parallel running". Baihetan Hydropower Station is the world's largest hydropower station with the largest single unit capacity and the largest scale under construction. Dongfang Electric is responsible for the development of 8 units of 1 million kilowatts on the left bank. This is a veritable "leader".

From "following" to "leading", what does Dongfang Electric rely on? It is an in-depth development of scientific research and trial production of key components, and a large number of technological innovations.

For example, in 1997, Dongfang Electric was awarded a contract to subcontract the production of a 700 MW Three Gorges Left Bank Hydropower Unit. However, the runner of a hydro-generator set developed by a foreign program is not suitable for the operating head of the Three Gorges Power Station, and the pressure pulsation is not ideal, and the "Kamen vortex" problem has appeared.

Dongfang Electric independently developed a hydraulic development software system that integrates hydraulic design, flow pattern analysis and performance prediction of turbine runners. After multiple rounds of verification, the newly developed runner pressure pulsation is significantly better than foreign equipment, and the hydraulic stability of the turbine has made a substantial breakthrough. Dongfang Electric finally successfully completed the independent research and development of 4 units with a runner that was independently developed and reached the world's advanced level. The history of Chinese power generation equipment manufacturers not qualified to independently develop giant units has been rewritten.

The Xiluodu Hydropower Project has a single-unit capacity of 770,000 kilowatts, which exceeds the single-unit capacity of the Three Gorges unit. Dongfang Electric has provided 9 giant Francis hydroelectric generating units for the Xiluodu Hydropower Station. At that time, Dongfang Electric had achieved independent completion of the entire process from R&D to production. The stability indicators of the unit's operating vibration, swing, and noise indicate that the research and development of the Xiluodu hydro-generator unit has reached the international advanced level, and Dongfang Electric has thus embarked on a road from chasing to surpassing.

"Baihetan Hydropower Station is one of the gift projects of Dongfang Electric to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the party. Its 1 million kilowatt giant hydroelectric generating unit is the "no man's land" in the world's hydropower industry. It has been more than ten years.” Zou Yingdong said, Dongfang Electric has obtained a series of independent intellectual property rights including the overall design of the unit, the research and development of the runner, and the manufacture of core components. It has reached the largest capacity, the highest efficiency index, and the highest Requirements such as voltage levels represent the highest level of hydropower in the world.

Intelligent manufacturing boosts transformation and upgrading

"From the perspective of the company's development, from the 1990s to around 2015, it was an era of'fighting' equipment. Dongfang Electric can be regarded as a model for large-scale equipment manufacturing enterprises. In 2015, we began to prepare for the construction of a digital workshop. Dongfang Electric is speeding up the pace of intelligent manufacturing, which will promote the transformation and upgrading of enterprises." said Leng Zhi, director of Dongfang Electric's punching and shearing branch.

Different from the digital workshop built by the automotive industry, it is unrealistic for large clean and efficient power generation equipment companies to realize product customization and mass production. “Even a small-scale power station with only two units may have different models and need to be manufactured separately according to product specifications. What Dongfang Electric wants to build is a digital production workshop that actually performs actual processing and manufacturing, which must conform to the actual situation of the company. It has application value." Leng Zhi told reporters that Dongfang Electric finally selected the common core parts of large-scale clean and efficient power generation equipment-stator punches, rotor coils, and stator coils as the breakthrough point of the new intelligent manufacturing model.

The project has been planned since 2015. In accordance with the implementation plan of “combination of upgrading and transformation, and simultaneous advancement of production and construction”, without affecting production, it has gone through multiple stages of demonstration, planning, review, design, and approval, and finally Passed the national acceptance on March 25, 2020.

"Motor products are a typical individualized, diversified, and small-batch production mode. The stator, rotor, and coils inside are difficult to produce, and the degree of automation is low. Through this project solution, the production of our country’s power generation equipment has been greatly improved. Level and ability have also improved Dongfang Electric’s competitiveness in the industry." Ding Guofu, a member of the National Acceptance Expert Group and the leader of the Sichuan Provincial Pre-acceptance Group, said that these results can be further promoted in the industry and implemented in intelligence. Further upgrade, leading the development of my country's equipment manufacturing industry.

Nowadays, in the three major digital workshops of Dongfang Electric, the main job of the few workers is to operate equipment and deal with emergencies that may arise. From the perspective of comprehensive indicators, the production efficiency of the three digital workshops has increased by 48.2%, operating costs have been reduced by 31.9%, product development cycles have been shortened by 30.1%, and energy consumption has been reduced by 56.6%.

Actively explore the international market

At 00:41 on November 27, 2020, the world's first "Hualong No. 1"-China National Nuclear Corporation's Fuqing Nuclear Power Unit 5 was successfully connected to the grid for the first time. After being connected to the grid, the unit is in good condition, and all technical indicators meet the design requirements, creating the best performance in the world's third-generation nuclear power first reactor construction. This also marks that China has broken the monopoly of foreign nuclear power technology and has officially entered the ranks of advanced countries in nuclear power technology. Dongfang Electric is the largest equipment supplier for this project.

"Speaking of projects that stand out from the fierce competition and break the monopoly of the international market, we must mention that the 22 units we provided for Brazil's Jereh Hydropower Station were successfully put into operation in 2016." Zou Yingdong said, before Dongfang Electric "breaks through", Brazil The hydropower market has always been monopolized by several foreign power generation equipment manufacturers, and the economic benefits of the project are huge. The international reputation is no less than that of the Three Gorges Power Station. The fierce competition can be imagined.

Zou Yingdong said that Dongfang Electric's ability to stand out is not only due to the company's advantages in technical solutions, price, and delivery time, but more importantly, the project team has impressed customers with a professional, responsible and practical attitude. The Jereh Power Plant's main equipment supply contract undertaken by Dongfang Electric was not only the project with the largest amount of export contract value for my country's hydropower complete equipment at that time, but also the first time that my country's large hydropower complete equipment entered the South American market in large quantities.

The Kalote Hydropower Station in Pakistan is the first hydropower investment project written into the joint statement of the governments of China and Pakistan. Dongfang Electric has provided all four 180 MW Francis hydroelectric generating units for the project. Currently, the units are manufactured and installed. Advance in an orderly manner. Dongfang Electric also participated in the construction of the Sanghe II Hydropower Station, the largest hydropower project in Asia and Cambodia's largest hydropower project. After the power station was put into operation at the end of 2018, it will provide more than one-fifth of the country's electricity.

Up to now, Dongfang Electric has exported more than 300 power generation equipment with a capacity of 54 million kilowatts in more than 30 countries.