Molten Salts Tanks and SGS Integrity Assessment
Structural evaluation and redesign of thermal storage tanks in a solar power plant.
📍Crescent Dunes, Nevada, EE. UU.
Project
Description
The project was carried out at the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant, located in the Nevada desert (USA) —a pioneering facility in the use of molten salts as a thermal storage medium for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems.
The molten salt tanks are a key component of the process, enabling the storage of heat at temperatures above 560 °C and ensuring continuous power generation, even during nighttime operation.
After several years of operation, the client COBRA Thermosolar Plants, Inc. detected potential structural deformations and settlements in the bottom plates of the tanks and in the foundations associated with the Steam Generation System (SGS). To ensure the long-term integrity and reliability of the installation, a precise structural evaluation and technical foundation for redesign was required.
The scope of work included 3D laser scanning, digital data processing, structural deformation analysis, and the preparation of detailed technical reports to support engineering decisions and define corrective actions.
The
Challenge
The molten salt storage tanks are subject to extreme thermal and mechanical stresses: high temperature gradients, cyclic thermal expansions, and sustained operational loads can lead to structural distortions over time.
The assessment needed to be performed without interrupting plant operations, while ensuring millimetric accuracy and compatibility of geometric data with existing structural models.
The main challenge was to obtain a complete and reliable three-dimensional representation of the current condition of the tanks, accurately identifying deviations from the original design, quantifying foundation settlements, and providing essential information for the redesign of the tank bottoms and foundations.
COBRA entrusted CADE with the comprehensive integrity assessment of the molten salt tanks and SGS system, using high-precision 3D laser scanning technology.
CADE’s engineering team designed and executed a full on-site scanning campaign using proprietary equipment and trained technical staff, enabling the capture of millions of measurement points with exceptional density and accuracy.
The collected data was processed and registered into point clouds (.fls / .rcp), generating detailed three-dimensional models that accurately reflected the real geometry of each tank. Based on these models, CADE performed deformation, ovality, and settlement analyses, quantifying the magnitude and spatial distribution of structural deviations.
CADE’s methodology combined geometric diagnostics, structural analysis, and digital modeling, integrating all results into advanced engineering tools. This comprehensive approach made it possible not only to identify and quantify deformations but also to evaluate their impact on the overall structural behavior under real thermal conditions.
In addition, CADE prepared technical reports and redesign recommendations focused on the most affected areas, providing valuable input for subsequent civil and mechanical engineering phases. The strong coordination between field operations and technical office activities significantly reduced execution times while ensuring full data traceability and reliability.
CADE’s
Solution
Results
The work carried out by CADE provided COBRA with a precise, verifiable, and documented characterization of the structural condition of the molten salt tanks and the SGS system.
The high-resolution geometric data enabled the accurate identification of deformation patterns and the validation of structural behavior hypotheses developed during the engineering phase.
These results established a solid technical basis for the redesign of the tanks’ bottom plates and foundations, improving structural reliability, operational safety, and service life.
Moreover, the successful application of 3D laser scanning technology demonstrated its effectiveness as an advanced diagnostic tool for complex industrial assets operating under severe thermal conditions.
The Crescent Dunes project stands as a benchmark case of advanced structural engineering applied to the solar thermal sector, where innovation, precision, and expertise converge to ensure the integrity and long-term sustainability of critical energy infrastructures.
