Manufacturing

The UL 3703 is regarded as a comprehensive and authoritative evaluation standard for solar trackers. (Image source: Adobe stock)

TrinaTracker, a leading tracker manufacturer and business unit of Trina Solar Co Ltd (SHA:688599) has obtained the global safety validation, a UL 3703 Certificate, for its dual-row Agile 1P tracker series

The UL 3703 is regarded as a comprehensive and authoritative evaluation standard for solar trackers.  The certificate is issued by Underwriters Laboratories, an entity approved by the federal occupational safety and health administration in the United States.

TrinaTracker Agile 1P complies with the requirements of UL 3703 standard for solar trackers and exemplifies Agile 1P’s excellent technology, durable performance and high reliability. The UL 3703 standard also certifies the system’s design, electrical and mechanical aspects.

Agile 1P is highly efficient, has great energy output and extra adaptability, a result of its 1P dual-row design and shorter tracker configuration. It also includes advanced wind engineering, a dual-drive system and globally exclusive patented spherical bearing. 

TrinaTracker’s Agile1P passed the complete evaluation required by UL, which includes reliability assessments such as overload, power restoration, locked platform, emergency stop, dielectric test, humidity cycling, metallic coating thickness test, rain and sprinkler test and bonding path resistance tests.

Hua Zhu, certification manager at UL, stated, “Our assessment involves rigorous inspections and evaluations of the tracker, including mechanical and electrical aspects. Agile 1P has passed the UL 3703 certification process. We congratulate Trina Solar on their success.” 

Duan Shunwei, head of the tracker business unit at Trina Solar, said, “As global solar leaders focused on achieving the highest return on investment for our clients, we offer a new-generation of trackers fully compatible with ultra-high power modules, designed to produce maximum energy yield while reducing BOS costs and LCOE.”

Antonio Jimenez, managing director and vice-president for Trina Solar MEA, commented, “The UL certificate shows again Trina Solars continuous devotion in high reliability research and proven quality. TrinaTracker is dedicated to offering customers high-quality, reliable ultra-high power trackers and service, and will continue to promote technical innovation and industry-wide standardization of trackers to expedite further reduction of LCOE and ultimately deliver better returns to our customers.”

The plant will add to the company’s existing lead recycling capacity of 4,500 MTPA. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Gravita India, an industrial recycling major, has announced that its step-down subsidiary has begun production of aluminium from its new recycling plant in Mozambique

Panduit FlexFusion Cabinet. (Image source: Panduit)

To achieve a successful data centre transformation, scalable and future-proof designs and careful planning are key elements to understanding the performance requirements, potential challenges, and future needs while maintaining smooth and efficient operations, especially with the continuous dynamic technology evolution

Deep-sea sampling undeniably has an impact on sensitive deep-sea ecosystems. (Image source: Adobe stock)

BAUER Maschinen GmbH and the Harren & Partner Group has signed an agreement to establish a joint venture, Seabed Mineral Services GmbH to determine the economic viability and, in particular, the environmental compatibility of the “Vertical Approach”

Seafloor massive sulfides are a valuable mineral raw material found at the bottom of the deep sea. The “Vertical Approach” is a method for extracting seafloor massive sulfides using the trench cutter method, an established technique in specialist foundation engineering that is operated and supported in the deep-sea environment from a ship on the open sea.

The approach was conceived in discussions between BAUER Maschinen GmbH and the Harren & Partner Group concerning opportunities to combine the expertise of both companies and to develop new strategies for sustainable mining approaches in accordance with the standards of the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

“We are thrilled to have found an expert partner in Bauer who is willing – just like us – to seize opportunities and take on a pioneering role in the field of deep-sea mining. Ourjoint approach for this venture is based on a combination of established technologies. This enables us to minimize the technological risk while at the same time keeping costs down,” said Heiko Felderhoff, managing director of Harren & Partner. 

Leonhard Weixler, head of the diaphragm wall equipment division at BAUER Maschinen GmbH, added, “The chemistry between us is very good; we share a similar spirit. This partnership is an ideal union of specialist knowledge and experience in the afield of offshore technologies and services with expertise in the development and production of specialist foundation engineering equipment for onshore and offshore customers around the world.”

The concept behind the “Vertical Approach”

Deep-sea sampling undeniably has an impact on sensitive deep-sea ecosystems.

Nevertheless, the “Vertical Approach” makes the utmost effort to minimise the ecological footprint. A serious concern when it comes to deep-sea mining is the stirring 2 up of sediment and the potential impact on sensitive deep-sea species. To prevent fine material from escaping the cutting area, a protective collar is positioned around the cutting wheels at the start and the actual cutting process is protected by the surrounding ore. 

The separation process is carried out within the ore container to separate the particles from the sea water via sedimentation. After this treatment, the water is fed back to the cutting wheels and reused in the cutting circuit. This closed system minimises the volume of sea water that is impacted by the cutting process.

Sampling is selective: the template and trench cutter are lowered using a cable winch instead of being initially positioned then moved horizontally along the seafloor. This restricts the sphere of influence to the base area of the template feet and trench cutter. Zones with ore can be clearly separated from zones without ore.