Photo: COWI

Ulaanbaatar heat efficiency project 

The project is based on a US$ 40 million bank loan supplemented by a local contribution of US$ 10 million for investment in the rehabilitation and efficiency improvement of the district heating system in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar.
The scheme for development of the Ulaanbaatar district heating system has been prepared with the objective of solving a number of deficiencies observed. These range from insufficient heat supply to a number of consumers and overheating of others, large water losses, insufficient pressure coverage etc.

A joint venture comprising COWI and Fichtner GmbH (Germany) has been assigned as consultants to the Project Implementation Unit (PIU). The work includes consulting services for tendering, bid evaluation, contract negotiations and construction works, supervision and commissioning.

COWI’s services have included concepts for technical solutions on how to operate the future system as a high-pressure system (16 bar system), separating consumer installations from the main system by installation of heat exchangers. This task has involved a substantial number of evaluations based on hydraulic model simulations.

The concept has included technical improvements and modernisation throughout the district heating system. The target is a rehabilitation of the existing fixed flow system and conversion into a system operated as a state-of-the-art variable flow system.

This target is reached by introduction of automatic control equipment, meters etc. at the consumer-end of the system and the subsequent introduction of speed controlled main pumps, control and monitoring system (CMS) etc. at the three combined heat and power plants supplying the district heating system.
Photo: COWI

Procurement

The construction works have been organised in three Bid Packages, and tender documents have been prepared for international competitive bidding according to ADB procurement rules have been prepared.

Package No 1:

All equipment and services for upgrading of the installations at the power plants. The main items are speed controlled pumps, motors, frequency converters, electrical transformers, valves, pressure holding system, and water treatment equipment. Also the CMS is included in this package.

Package No 2:

A turnkey contract comprising all equipment and services for the hydraulic separation of the consumer installations from the network, auto-matic control of consumer loads (heat exchangers and control equipment), hydraulic balancing of installations, metering and upgrading of existing substations.

Package No 3:

Includes works related to reinforcement of the distribution pipe network.

At the present date (1999) the bidding/tender evaluation procedure is in progress. Construction works are anticipated to commence in year 2000.