Lahti Energy's unique gasification plant

Kymijärvi II – First of its kind

Lahti Energy launched Kymijärvi II in May 2012. The gasification power plant produces district heat and electricity for Lahti and surrounding cities. Being the first of its kind, this project is significant both locally and worldwide. This gasification plant has drawn significant attention abroad and serves as an example for the future of green and ecological power plants.

This power plant is the world’s first gasification plant that uses only recycled household and industrial waste as fuel, where the gas purifying technology is an essential part of the process. In the facility, only source-sorted household and industrial burnable energy waste from the surrounding city area is gasified. Kymijärvi II’s new-era energy technology is developed by Finnish Valmet Technologies Oy (prev. Metso Power).

Makron came into the picture as the technology provider Valmet needed to supply manufactured cores for gasification towers. Makron manufactured the gasification reactors, grates, and product gas piping based on Valmet's drawings with Lahti Energy. Makron’s associated company Solmex did the installation on site for the gasification reactors, product gas piping, coolers, and filters.

Problem-solving and challenging installations

Manufacturing of the 24 huge gasification tower elements in only 6 months’ time – each massive element 4 meters high, 5 meters in diameter and weighing 20 tons – was a large project. The over 65 product gas piping elements were produced in the same timeframe. With Makron’s expertise in heavy fabrication and the geographical location of the Makron factory in Hollola near Lahti, they were optimal for the project.

In order to achieve perfect quality, the grate of the huge gasification towers had to be refractory lined with fireproof bricks in a dry, indoor space, and the crystal water had to be dried out to minimize risks in energy production. This was possible in Makron’s spacious production factory where the welding, painting, and drying were also done.

It needed some careful logistics planning to move the 24 massive elements from Hollola to the Kymijärvi II production site, safely and without harm to other road users. Luckily, the distance between the sites is only 15 kilometers, and the road is wide.

One of the most challenging phases of the project was installing the elements at the power plant. Workers completed the installation and assembly in –20 °C freezing winter conditions. At the time, there was no roof or walls to protect from the harsh weather, in over 30 meter height. “Yes, Kymijärvi II was in any matter a highly challenging project in every respect,” Development Engineer Ismo Nopanen explains.

Makron quality lasts the lifetime of the plant                         

The cooperation between Lahti Energia and Makron was close from the very beginning of the project, and the towers were completed with excellent quality in a short time.