The Yi County pumped-storage power station in Hebei Province is a key project for optimizing and regulating the Hebei power grid and will provide strong support for the power supply security of Xiong’an New Area.
This region has a high proportion of thermal power, resulting in insufficient peak-shaving flexibility, while fluctuations in wind and solar power further widen the peak-valley difference in the power grid. Pumped-storage power stations utilize pumping water during off-peak hours and releasing it to generate electricity during peak hours, acting like a “green power bank,” effectively improving the absorption capacity of new energy and reducing carbon emissions. Yi County possesses excellent topography, geology, and water resources; once completed, the power station will have both strategic energy value and economic benefits.
Five Challenges to Overcome
The power station places stringent requirements on its core equipment—the reservoir charging pump:
- Harsh Environmental Testing Under All Operating Conditions: The reservoir water contains sediment, causing continuous high-pressure scouring. The equipment needs to operate at full load for several hours continuously during off-peak hours, with an annual operating time far exceeding that of conventional equipment. In addition, the high-humidity environment underground in the pump house accelerates metal corrosion and electrical insulation aging, placing triple demands on wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and reliability.
- Ultra-high pressure bearing structural requirements: The pump inlet positive pressure is 2.5MPa, and the maximum pressure bearing capacity in the intermediate and discharge sections is 10MPa. Ordinary cast iron shells cannot meet these requirements; cast steel must be used and designed and manufactured according to pressure vessel standards.
- High-lift shaft system control challenges: A 400-meter head requires 4 impellers in series (this pump type supports up to 10 stages in series, adaptable to various high-lift operating conditions). The long pump shaft and numerous stages result in extremely high requirements for rotor dynamic balance accuracy, significantly increasing the difficulty of vibration, critical speed, and axial force control.
- High-pressure seal safety risks: Under a working pressure of 10MPa, seal failure will cause high-pressure jet leakage, posing a significant safety hazard.
- The contradiction between efficiency and reliability: Under high-pressure conditions, the impeller and guide vane clearance control is extremely demanding. Excessive clearance leads to internal leakage and reduced efficiency, while insufficient clearance may cause seizure. An optimal balance must be found between high efficiency and long-term zero-failure operation.
Kaiquan Solution: D280-100×4 Reservoir Filling Pump
Kaiquan configured two D280-100×4 reservoir filling pumps for this project, specifically designed for high inlet pressure, high pressure resistance, and long-cycle operation. Addressing the aforementioned five challenges:
✅ Full Life Cycle Wear and Corrosion Resistance: All flow-through components are made of highly wear-resistant materials, and the entire unit undergoes professional rust prevention and insulation treatment. Designed for over 8000 hours of annual operation, perfectly suited to the high-frequency peak-shaving operation requirements of pumped-storage power stations.
✅ Forged Steel Shell High-Pressure Structure: The pump body is made of forged steel, designed and processed strictly according to pressure vessel standards, and passed a 1.5 times design pressure hydrostatic test with no leakage or deformation.
✅ Axial Force Self-Balancing System: An innovative combination design of a balance disc and balance water pipe automatically counteracts the enormous axial thrust generated under high-pressure conditions. Combined with high-precision rotor dynamic balancing technology, it effectively controls pump body vibration.
✅ High-Pressure Safety Sealing System: Equipped with a single-end face hard-on-hard alloy mechanical seal and an independent flushing and cooling circuit, ensuring stable and reliable sealing under 10MPa high pressure.
✅ Precision Hydraulic Model Optimization: Utilizing Kaiquan’s independently developed high-efficiency hydraulic model, the impeller and guide vane clearance is precisely controlled, achieving a measured hydraulic efficiency of ≥77%, ensuring high-efficiency operation while achieving long-term zero-failure operation.
Rated flow rate: 280 m³/h; Head: 400 m. From material selection and structural design to assembly testing, Kaiquan strictly adheres to the highest quality standards in every step, providing reliable assurance for the core equipment of the pumped storage power station.
Successful on the first attempt, smoothly installed.
Both pumps passed all factory tests on the first attempt and were successfully installed on-site on April 20, 2026.
This power station will provide large-capacity energy storage for the Hebei Provincial Power Grid, enhancing the capacity for new energy consumption, while also providing reliable power supply for the Xiong’an New Area. With its superior pump technology and full-process contract fulfillment capabilities, Kaiquan continues to support the construction of pumped storage projects, injecting reliable momentum into the development of clean energy.
