The green pipeline
How do you get 300°C steam through a 800 metres pipeline with a diameter of over half a metre to the end-user without temperature losses? With our ROCKWOOL ProRox solutions we provided the answer to this green challenge.
Sustainable energy is the future, also for industrial use. That’s the firm belief of power station Eneco, Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel chemical specialities) and port owner Groningen Seaports. In Dutch Farmsum they invested in a pipeline that transports steam, sourced from residual heat, from the local industrial park to the nearby Nouryon plant. That way Nouryon can reduce its energy dependence on fossil fuel and contributes effectively to creating a better and safer working AND living environment.
The first part of the 2.7 km long bio-steam pipeline became operational in 2017. This year an additional section of 800 metres was built. Groningen Seaports sees it as the start of a local steam network, to which an increasing number of businesses can connect.
However, transporting steam is a challenging business. How do you keep the heat in the pipe and guarantee a sustainable and safe energy supply? Our ROCKWOOL ProRox PS 960 mandrel wound pipe sections provided the answer. The staggered 2-layer structure keeps heat radiation through seams between the pipe sections to a minimum. And that’s not all. This specific stone wool insulation is produced with an innovative water repellent technology called WR-Tech to mitigate the risk of corrosion under insulation. Moreover, ROCKWOOL stone wool is sound absorbent which renders potential transport noise arising from the speed of the steam inaudible. In short, it ticks all boxes and was the perfect fit for this sustainable and effective energy project. Finally, in order to make the pipeline blend in with its natural surroundings, it was even sprayed dark green. A colour that suits us.
Project location
Farmsum, The Netherlands
