A new solution for economical cooling of production baths using natural winter cold instead of traditional energy-intensive systems has been implemented in the electroplating shop of the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant named after Yu.A. Gagarin (KnAAZ). This was reported by the press service of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC, part of the Rostec Group).
The technological process of electroplating requires compliance with the standard temperature of electrolytes.
In anodizing baths, it is necessary to maintain a temperature from -7°C to +16°C. To comply with these requirements, 412,080 kWh of electricity were consumed in 101 days in winter.
The complex of technical solutions implemented at the plant includes the installation of an outdoor cooling tower at a height of six meters. To transfer natural winter cold to the baths, a pipeline with antifreeze 200 m long was installed.
To maintain the temperature in the absence of frost outside, KnAAZ engineers integrated a backup refrigeration unit into the system. Accelerated heat removal and uniform cooling of all baths are provided by six radiators with fans.
Calculations performed at the plant showed a decrease in energy consumption for cooling electrolytes from 100% to 7%. The cooling time of the baths was reduced from six to three hours. Taking into account the cost of electricity, the savings for one winter season are estimated at several million rubles. The project will pay for itself in just two seasons.
KnAAZ is the manufacturer of the fifth-generation Su-57 and fourth-generation Su-35S fighters. The company was also given an order to manufacture 16 fuselage section skins for the MS-21 passenger aircraft, which were previously manufactured in Ulyanovsk at the Aviastar enterprise.
Earlier www1.ru reported that the latest Sarmat intercontinental missiles will go on combat duty in 2026.
