Kaefer is working on an unusual project for Hafslund Oslo Celsio AS. They are insulating a new accumulator tank in Oslo Municipality's district heating plant at Haraldrud in Groruddalen.
Both art and craftsmanship
The tank is 30 meters high and more than 20 meters in diameter. Placed in the middle of a roundabout, it becomes something of a landmark. The customer has chosen to decorate the large structure with a work of art, and this is what makes the insulation job a little special.
Kaefer project manager Lasse Häkälä explains that the tank is clad with facade cassettes on the outside, and these have to be installed with great precision as the artwork has already been applied to the cassettes. Cassettes are not something we normally work with, and since the tank is not flat on top, this will be a bit of a challenge,” explains Lasse.
Isopartner is responsible for supplying all the materials for the insulation, and Kaefer has worked closely with them in preparation for the project.
-“Isopartner doesn't have a particularly good grasp of art, but they do have a knack for technical insulation solutions,” says Lasse. “We've worked with them for many years and know that they're good at making calculations and describing solutions. And we know that they are good at delivery, so in the end it was only the price that could overturn the delivery. Fortunately, that didn't happen,” smiles Lasse. ‘Isopartner came up with good solutions at a price we were willing to pay,’ he says.
Solution.
It all starts with spacer rings 350 mm out from the tank. This is usually something Kaefer welds itself, but a tight schedule meant that they took the opportunity to also have this delivered from Isopartner. The insulation layer itself consists of two layers of Paroc Pro Slab, 200 mm and 150 mm. The insulation part is finished with a moisture-protective multifoil before the facade cassettes with the artwork complete the insulation job and turn the tank into a landmark.
- “The task is basically quite simple: We need to insulate a tank to ensure that the water temperature never falls below 120 degrees C,” says Lasse. “But we're also installing a surface that reproduces a work of art according to the artist's intentions. Add to that the fact that the tank doesn't have a flat roof, but is spherical at the top, and you realize that this is an extraordinary challenge,” says Lasse.
Total delivery
Trond Erik Johansen has been working on the project at Isopartner together with Nils Johansen, and says that such assignments are inspiring because they place great demands on the supplier. This results in optimal product choices that lead to efficient processes and good overall economy,” he says. “And we supply everything required for the project, including parts that are not normally used in an insulation project. This strengthens our position as a one-stop shop for technical insulation,” concludes Trond Erik.