Thermal Plant Engineering: Design and Upgrading of Complex Systems
Spike Renewables operates in the design and refurbishment of thermal plants for complex industrial and civil applications, addressing heat generation systems, thermal fluid distribution networks, and safety devices. The activities performed include both high-capacity plants serving industrial infrastructures and centralized thermal plants for civil and historic buildings, with an approach focused on reliability, safety, and energy efficiency.
High-Power Industrial Thermal Plants
A significant portion of the experience concerns large-scale industrial thermal plants based on thermal oil heaters for the indirect production of superheated water. The systems addressed feature total installed capacities in the order of several tens of megawatts, with individual units up to 9–12 MW, often installed in multiple-unit configurations to ensure service continuity and operational flexibility. Activities included the definition of technical specifications, selection of major equipment, integration of heat exchangers, circulation pumps, expansion vessels, and thermal fluid storage systems, as well as support during testing and commissioning phases.
Revamping and Upgrading of Existing Systems
Numerous projects involved the revamping of existing thermal plants, including the replacement or upgrading of critical components such as heat exchangers, tube bundles, and safety systems. These activities required detailed verification of operating conditions, design pressures and temperatures, as well as checks of regulatory compliance for safety devices. The plants operated with superheated water at temperatures up to 160–190 °C and pressures up to 12 bar, and with thermal oil circuits at temperatures exceeding 250 °C, making safety management and emergency handling central aspects of the design.
Control, Supervision, and Safety
The design of thermal plants often included control and supervision systems, featuring modulating combustion control, continuous monitoring of operating parameters, and integration with centralized supervision systems. Automatic and manual safety logics were defined to manage critical events such as gas leaks, fires, or overtemperature conditions, including safe shutdown procedures and controlled draining of circuits.
Thermal Plants for Civil Buildings
Alongside the industrial sector, Spike Renewables has also been involved in the refurbishment of thermal plants for civil buildings, including historic and complex residential contexts. In these cases, the approach prioritized energy efficiency, consumption reduction, and regulatory compliance through the replacement of obsolete generators with condensing boilers and the upgrading of technical rooms. The power ratings addressed, typically in the range of 200–250 kW, nevertheless required reliable solutions compatible with existing architectural and plant constraints.