The Japan International Cooperation Agency says it is content to be helping Iran equip its thermal power stations with high-quality fog (spray) cooling systems.
Yukiharu Kobayashi, the chief JICA representative in Iran, made the statement Tuesday in a ceremony to inaugurate the cooling system in Shahid Rajaee thermal power plant in Qazvin Province, Paven, the Energy Ministry's news portal reported.
"The initiative is aimed at helping Iran’s electricity industry improve the efficiency of gas-powered turbines," Kobayashi added. The plan also will help combat global warming in the long-term.
Referring to the need and importance to joint ventures, he said cooperation in implementing (industrial) projects can help build closer ties between the two sides.
"Despite the [financial] challenges, the equipment was purchased from Japan's H. Ikeuchi & Co. and moved to Iran," he noted.
The firm utilizes latent heat of vaporization phenomenon in fog production (evaporative cooling) to create spray-cooling systems for gas turbines.
Temperature at a steam unit rises up to 565 degrees centigrade but can get as hot as 1,260 degrees.
Lon-Term Collaboration
According to Gholamreza Mehrdad, director for technical support at the Thermal Power Plants Holding Company, installing the advanced cooling systems in power plants could be the beginning of a long-term collaboration with JICA in the key power sector.
"JICA has thorough knowledge of gas-powered turbines and cooperation with the Japanese group will help improve the efficiency of our power stations, especially during the hot summers," Mehrdad said.
The TPPHC official went on to say that production capacity in thermal plants falls by 7% for every 10 degrees rise in the heat and the cooling system can be of great help.
“Cooling the plants costs about $50 per kilowatt, which is cost effective compared to the money needed for building a new power plant,” he said, adding that the new measures would boost electricity generation by 389 MW this year.
Pointing to TPPHC's role in meeting domestic power demand, Mehrdad said 91% of the needs were met by thermal power plants in 2017.
Total electricity production capacity stands at 81,000 MW, over 64,000 MW of which is generated by TPPHC thermal power plants.
Established in 1974, JICA is the primary Japanese government agency responsible for technical cooperation affairs of Japan's Official Development Assistance program.
JICA is involved in projects in Iran's water and power industries. It provides assistance to Iran with focus on development of domestic industries, reduction of disparities between urban and rural areas, environmental preservation, water resource management and disaster management.
