Author(s): C. Guzmán; C. De La Barra.
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Renewable energies; Underwater construction; Tsunami and seismic design
Abstract: Mining is one of the principal activities of the Chilean economy, which is mainly developed in the north of the country. The northern energy grid (SING) provides the necessary energy for mining and related activities. The majority (95%) of the energy is generated by thermoelectrical plants from fossil fuels and only 3% comes from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. This paper describes relevant aspects of the Espejo de Tarapacá project (EdT), which will be a new player in the regional energy market. EdT project is located in the north of Chile, along the open coast exposed to the Pacific Ocean. It is a pumped-storage power plant which takes advantage of the solar radiation in the Atacama Desert, high coastal cliffs and nearby natural basins. The seawater intake/outfall (I/O) project consists on a reversal pump system powered with solar energy. During the day 45m3/h of sea water will be pumped to a reservoir located 600m above sea level. During the night the water will be discharged from the reservoir via the pumps back to the sea. The pumps, working as turbines, will generate up to 300MW of energy which will be delivered to the SING system. The design considered aspects such as: restriction of maximum suction flow velocities of 15cm/s, control of the entrainment of marine biota, a simplified construction methodology and minimum maintenance criterion. Due to the project location, earthquake loads and both wave impacts and tsunami forces were also considered. Currently the project has received the EIA approval and is at the start of the bidding process to face the construction phase.
Year: 2016