OREANDA-NEWS. October 21, 2008. SibCOTES took part in a forum “Investment opportunities for Kazakhstan and Russia frontier regions” held in Aktobe on September 22-23, 2008. Government agencies and over two hundred companies interested in establishing business contacts and implementation of joint projects in Russia and Kazakhstan participated.
 
The event was arranged within the framework of the fifth Forum of the management of the frontier regions of Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation, with Presidents Dmitry Medvedev of Russia and Nursultan Nazarbaev of Kazakhstan attending the exhibition on the first day.
 
The Forum included an exhibition of manufacturers demonstrating cutting-edge technologies and equipment currently being applied in different industries to boost cross-border and regional cooperation between the States.
 
Oleg Nikulin, Head of SibCOTES’ Urals Branch presented several technical innovations, including SibCOTES’ unique circular furnace boiler design for large power plants.
 
In 2002, the Scientific and Technical Committee of RAO UES of Russia first recommended the circular furnace boiler design for commercial application. The first commercial circular furnace boiler with a steaming capacity 820 t/h has been successfully operated for over ten years at Novo-Irkutskaya power plant (Irkutsk, Russia). The circular furnace design reduces metal weight, and consequently the cost of heating surfaces of the boiler, while improving reliability of waterwall panels, and keeps the temperature in the flame kernel down, with reduced NOx. emissions. Overall the boiler design simplifies the arrangement for the boiler building and supporting structures.
 
The SibCOTES presentation was received with much interest. Nursultan Nazarbaev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan described the power industry as an important national resource crucial for the improvement in national economy and people’s wellbeing. He also noted that electricity consumption in Kazakhstan has increased annually by 20%. One of the main concerns facing coal-fired power plants is environmental pollution including ash disposal areas of the power plants which keep growing. Energy companies have to find innovative solutions for fly and bottom ash utilization. SibCOTES offers engineered options to use ash for road construction and leveling operations in civil engineering.
 
Another important topic at the Forum was arranging an international transport corridor between East and West to facilitate trade and economic cooperation between the frontier regions in Russia and Kazakhstan. This corridor can also facilitate trade contacts between Western China and European countries. Dmitry Medvedev stated during the forum that “We shall not be able to develop our relations if no transport corridors are arranged in the nearest future”.