Special Monographic Edition 2, September 2013

Innovation, a priority for the OHL Group

OHL Concessions selects R&D&I as one of the basic pillars of its strategic policy

OHL Construction: towards technological leadership

The application of innovation in energy gives OHL Industrial the edge

tecnoThe OHL Group Magazine

Published by: Corporate General Management.

Coordination: Communication and Image Service: Mar Santos (msantos@ohl.es) and Marisa Gutiérrez Sánchez (marialuisa.gutierrez@ohl.es).

Contributions: José María Sánchez Moreno (jmsm3003@gmail.com).

Writers in this issue: Manuel Villén Naranjo, Teresa Sánchez Segura, R&D&I service of OHL Concessions, Communications and CSR service of OHL Concessions, Administration service of OHL Concessions, Elena Arredondo Lillo, Juan Ignacio Mayayo Rodríguez-Isla, Diego Peñas Díez, Miguel Ángel Amérigo Revuelta and Ricardo Muñoz Rodríguez, with the collaboration of Alfonso Martínez Sánchez and José María Martínez-Val.

Design, layout and production: Eventos y Sinergias, SL

Translation: Akoté Traducciones and IBERTRAD Servicios Empresariales.

OHL does not necessarily agree with the opinions expressed in this magazine. Reproduction strictly forbidden. All Rights Reserved/Tecno. Paseo de la Castellana, 259 – D. Torre Espacio – 28046 Madrid.

Legal deposit: M-31540-1991.

Innovation, a priority for the OHL Group

OHL Concessions selects R&D&I as one of the basic pillars of its strategic policy

OHL Construction: towards technological leadership

The application of innovation in energy gives OHL Industrial the edge

G r o u p O H L M a g a z i n e

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Editorial

R&D&I and internationalization are two of the most important foundations for the growth and development of OHL. The importance of R&D&I lies in the way it con-tributes to developing and improving productivity and competitiveness through the incorporation of new and more efficient and sustainable products, processes and services.

Investment in research, development and innovation activities is an ongoing pursuit that is integrated within the structure of the whole OHL Group I have the honor to chair.

With this philosophy in mind, OHL has invested more than 55 million euros, has developed more than 70 R&D&I projects and has collaborated with almost 50 universities and research centers in 13 countries, including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Switzerland between 2000-2012. Furthermore, its research projects have received financial support from several institutions, including the European Union, through its 7th Framework Program for Research and Development, and the Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Com-petitiveness.

The clear commitment of OHL towards innovation, the factor that can undoubtedly give a more effective push to the overall productivity of the economy and thus increase social well-being, has led the Group to the development of important groundbreaking technologies. One of the most important is the Cubipod, an in-novative element that is used as artificial rockfill in the seawalls of port dikes. This element avoids the face-to-face rearrangement of traditional blocks and sig-nificantly improves the performance of previous solutions, such as the Tetrapod or the Accropode. The Cubipod is protected by international patents and has re-ceived widespread recognition both nationally and internationally. It increases the strength of dikes against waves and yields important savings in comparison with alternative solutions, since fewer and smaller pieces are required to with-stand the same wave pressure.

In addition, the Group has developed groundbreaking R&D&I projects in the field of transport infrastructure operation, derived from the initiatives generated from the concessions. Thus, OHL Concessions has led and participated in far-reaching multidisciplinary research projects, such as Intelligent Roads and OASIS (Operation of Safe, Intelligent and Sustainable Highways) and the European FOTsis project (Field Operational Test On Safe, Intelligent and Sustainable Road Operation), currently underway. It is also strongly committed to incorporating new technologies and developing products and processes aimed to improve infrastructures and provide optimum safety and comfort conditions for the public.

At the same time, the OHL Industrial division is pioneering direct steam genera-tion, which has been applied in the Puerto Errado 2 thermal solar plant (Murcia), and the use of advanced technology for the pretreatment and internal logistics of biomass in the San Juan del Puerto plant (Huelva).

Investment in R&D&I is the key to the future growth of the Group and one of its main differentiating values. Our commitment to innovation and technical excel-lence has been and will continue to be a priority so that OHL can remain a leader in the construction and transport infrastructure sector.

Juan-Miguel Villar MirChairman of OHL Group

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Cubipod stockpile.

Innovation, a priority for the OHL Group

The whole Group, even the subsidiaries and participated companies, both in Spain and abroad, are involved in OHL’s R&D&I policy

The general outline of the Group’s R&D&I policy is set out in the 2010-2015 R&D&I Management Plan, which includes value generation and focusing on the priority research lines among its main goals. The Innovation and Sustainability de-partment of the OHL Group, which is hierarchically depen-dent from the Corporate general management, is in charge of its implementation and control. It focuses mainly on mana-ging and creating a culture of innovation. Thanks to this stra-tegy, the OHL Group drives the development of innovative so-lutions geared towards efficiency, improving processes and obtaining new products and services that contribute towards generating value for clients and society.

The strategy of the OHL Group

The OHL Group is aware of the importance that innovation has on the creation of long-term value. It therefore incorporates it into all of the Group’s activities by adequately promoting the quality of its processes, products and ser-vices to ensure it remains competitive within the market.This strategy means OHL is currently one of the top companies thanks to its R&D&I manage-ment. This position has been attained through an ongoing investment effort in research, de-velopment and innovation activities of more than 55 million euros between 2000 and 2012. Added to this is the dedication of more than 100 engineers and specialist technicians from the various areas and subsidiaries of the Group, working on more than 70 R&D and in-novation projects.A further key is the collaboration with com-panies, universities, technology centers,

5InnovaTIon anD SuSTaInabIlITy ManageMenT area

Cubipod stockpile.

industrial organizations and public institu-tions through different programs and agree-ments. In 2013 alone, OHL collaborated with 29 bodies from countries such as Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland or the United King-dom, including the Delft University of Tech-nology (TU Delft), in Holland, the Federal Polytechnic School in Lausanne, in Switzer-land, the Public Works Study and Experi-mentation Center (CEDEX) or the Polytechnic University in Madrid (UPM), in Spain. The OHL Group also receives financial sup-port from the European Union through the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Tech-nological Development, as well as from the Centre for Industrial Technological Develop-ment (CDTI) for some of its projects. OHL has enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with the latter through the financing of more than twenty projects, including the Cubipod or the Sys-tem for Motion Detection and Measurement in Torre Espacio by means of laser theodolites.It is also important to mention the position that OHL has held for years in the ranking for business innovation that the European Com-mission prepares and publishes annually. Ac-

cording to data from 2012, the latest year that has been analyzed, the EU Industrial R&D In-vestment Scoreboard, which rates the top one thousand European companies by investment in R&D, placed the Group in third place among Spanish construction companies, thirteenth among European companies and sixteenth in the ranking of R&D investment among Span-ish companies.This commitment to innovation is set out in the R&D&I policy that is approved by the chairman

of the OHL Group, Juan-Miguel Villar Mir. Fur-thermore, the top management of OHL partici-pates in these processes through the R&D&I committee, the highest-level governing body in this field. It dictates the Group’s strategy for Research, Development and Innovation and monitors the execution of the projects and ini-tiatives in this area.

2010-2015 R&D&IManagement Plan

The 2010-2015 R&D&I Management Plan of the OHL Group establishes the general terms of the innovation strategy, lays out the organi-zational structure and the work methodology and divides the priorities of the activities into six lines of research with high impact on busi-ness: linear infrastructures, singular build-ings, maritime works, materials, power and Information and Communications Technolo-gies (ICT).The Management Plan is handled by the Group’s Innovation and Sustainability Manage-ment Area. The research priorities are deve-

loped through business units and through the corporate section of the company, which also contributes to incorpo-rating innovation into the work processes. An

example of this is the project for the creation of the Single Corporate Reporting System (SCRS), headed by the Director of Organization and General Services of OHL and applied to the Corporate General Management, its directors and the functional directors of the divisions. Its main purpose is to define and implement a single reporting system for non-financial in-formation for corporate purposes, which can be used to deploy policies, detect needs and identify potential areas for savings.

The R&D&I Committee, as the highest governing body, establishes the Group’s strategy for Research, Development and Innovation

6 InnovaTIon anD SuSTaInabIlITy ManageMenT area

Port of Punta Langosteira. La Coruña. Spain.

Juan-Miguel Villar Mir and Josep Piqué Camps, chairman and CEO of OHL, in the awards ceremony for the 2013 OHL Award to the Most Innovative Idea (the third edition of this prize).

R&D&I Management System

The OHL Group thinks that innovation should be planned so that the R&D&I activities of all the business activities within the Group can be coordinated and structured. With this goal in mind, the R&D&I Management System was implemented in mid-2008, as per standard UNE 166002:2006 and as certified by AENOR. This system efficiently ensures the criteria for R&D&I activities are systematic and standardized throughout the company.The application of the standard ensures com-pliance with the requirements of a complete R&D&I management system as regards the tools, procedures, docu-mentation and relation-ships between business units to guarantee their quality and efficiency.OHL has structured its R&D&I management sys-tem in such a way that the Innovation and Sus-tainability department provides these business units with a complete model, since it considers it is important they all use the same standard and systematic process. Furthermore, the R&D&I management system has been put together around a set of processes that define the skills of the managers and the assignment of the re-quired resources.

Common culture and innovation

The Director of Innovation and Sustainability has instituted a series of initiatives to reach

the ambitious goals that have been set in the R&D&I strategy of the OHL Group. These initia-tives involve all the employees as innovation agents and foster the generation of innovative ideas and the application of innovations in everyday tasks. These include, among others: n The Innovative Ideas Forum and the OHL Award for the Most Innovative Idea. Their purpose is to stimulate creativity so as to improve the pro-ductivity and efficiency of both the works and construction processes and of the functional processes at the offices. The OHL Group has or-ganized these two open creativity initiatives on a yearly basis since 2008. They are aimed at all employees and fall within the framework of the Group’s R&D&I Management System.

The Innovation and Sustainability Department has started work on a set of initiatives that contribute to involving all employees as agents of innovation

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n The OHL Group R&D&I Bulletin.This publica-tion informs about the most relevant in-house and external activities on Research, Develop-ment and Innovation. It is aimed at the Group personnel that is involved in these activities to a greater or lesser degree. The publication in-cludes information about successful projects, important news, upcoming events and techni-cal advances, either from the Group itself or from others. n The Technology Watch service, or technology radar, launched by the Director of Innovation and Sustainability in December 2012. The pur-pose of this new innovation project is to tackle all the information needs of the OHL Group re-garding technology, research and analysis of the competition.

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Laser theodolite.

This service allows technology reports to be generated upon demand from the production lines. All OHL employees can send a request for information to idi@ohl.es, including a brief description of the relevant issue.Its implementation follows the strategy set forth by the OHL R&D&I committee. In addi-tion, it is a requirement of the R&D&I Management System in place and certified as per standard UNE 166002.

Main advantages of the technology watch

n Foreknowledge: proposals for actuation based on detected information.

n Risk reduction: proposals for actuation to counter threats.

n Lines for improvement: proposals for actuations to overcome identified discrepancies.

n Innovation: proposals for new ideas

n Cooperation: identification of potential collaborations.

n Use of opportunities: proposals for actuation to exploit any identified advantages.

InnovaTIon anD SuSTaInabIlITy ManageMenT area

A model for innovation in the sector

The OHL Group sets the Spanish and European standard for R&D&I and actively participates in initiatives geared towards innovation in the sector. This presence reflects its strong and

determined commitment to this activity and its key role in identifying the innovation cha-llenges within the field of construction and in developing strategies and plans to tackle them.

On an international scale, the OHL Group has a presence in the governing bodies of the most important initiatives in the field:

n European Construction Technology Platform (ECTP).

n European Network of Construction Companies for Research and Development (ENCORD).

n SHIFT2RAIL: European technological initiative to promote research and innovation in the railway field.

n Research for Future Infrastructure Networks in Europe (reFINE): European initiative to promote R&D in transport infrastructures.

n International Road Research Board (Ir2b): Global collaboration platform for research and innovation in roadway infrastructures.

n Spanish Construction Technology Platform (PTEC).

n R&D&I Committee of the Association of Spanish National-level Construction Companies (SEOPAN).

n R&D&I work group of the Advisory Council for the Certification of Construction Companies of the Spanish Standardization and Certification Organization (AENOR).

n Spanish Railway Technology Platform (PTFE).

n Spanish Water Technology Platform (PTEA).

n Spanish Fusion Technology Platform (CIEMAT).

n Environmental Technology Platform (PLANETA).

n R&D&I Group of the Spanish Association of Asphalt Mix Manufacturers (ASEFMA).

n R&D&I Group of the Association of Infrastructure Maintenance and Operation Companies (ACEX).

On a national scale, OHL is a leading member of the following entities:

The commitment to promoting R&D&I is personified in Juan-Miguel Villar Mir, who has chaired the Cotec Foundation since 2012. This body was created in 1989 by a group of businessmen upon a suggestion from HRH King Juan Carlos, himself currently honorary chairman, to contribute to the growth of the country through innovation in the business field and in society as a whole.

Authors: Manuel Villén Naranjo, director of Innovation and Sustainability and Teresa Sánchez Segura, head of the R&D&I Section

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10 PreSenTaCIÓn Del MonogrÁFICo10 PreSenTaCIÓn Del MonogrÁFICo10 ConCeSIoneS

Bicentennial Viaduct. Mexico

OHL Concessions sets R&D&I as one of the basic pillars of its strategic policy

Pioneering developments in transport infra-structure arising from major R&D&I projects and initiatives generated from the concessionary experience, making the company an international benchmark

With a clear focus on innovation since its inception, OHL Concessions de-fines R&D&I as one of the basic pillars of its strategic policy. The ongoing analysis of market demand and future projections have helped increase the company’s competitiveness by incorporating new technologies, the development of products and processes to improve the management of transport infrastructure and the commitment to deliver optimum safety and comfort to users.

OHL Concessions, a division of the Group in-corporated in 2000, develops its R&D&I policy from a dual perspective: through participa-tion and leadership in large multidisciplinary research projects such as Intelligent Roads, OASIS, SMARTSIT and FOTsis, and through the development of initiatives that arise in order to optimize the use of transport infrastructure by creating state-of-the-art proprietary tools and technology for operation and control solutions. The experience from this dual perspective has led to the creation of the company’s technol-ogy subsidiary, Traffic and Transport Systems (TTS), which offers public administrations, in-vestment funds and large concession groups the most advanced systems for the control and management of transport infrastructure sup-ported by effective communication networks. For over a decade, both positions have planned projects and initiatives grouped into four prior-ity lines: toll control systems, new operation and control technologies, paving technologies and minimizing environmental impact.

Bicentennial Viaduct. Mexico11oHl ConCeSSIonS

Toll control systems

Intelligent Roads. Testing gantry installed on the M-13 in Madrid. Spain.

Intelligent Roads

The first major R&D initiative undertaken by OHL Concessions in the field of toll road con-trol systems was Intelligent Roads, a project born in 2001 with the goal of developing a system of barrier-free tolls (free-flow) with pro-prietary technology that would allow a greater flow of vehicles on toll roads. Its development was based on the use of multilane barrier-free toll gantries that facili-tate the free movement of vehicles through the point of collection by means of automatic toll collection at any speed, regardless of the weather and even while changing lanes. During the development of the first phase of Intelligent Roads in 2001, built and imple-mented a gantry, by construction, was unique in Spain and a benchmark for future models of toll and traffic control. In the second phase, between 2004 and 2007, progress was made in the plan for operational testing with the installation of a gantry for testing real traffic on the M-13 Highway, the connection between the old terminals at Madrid-Barajas Airport and the new T4 terminal. The third and final

phase took place in 2008 and involved the integration of the various subsystems that made up the final prototype, which was then subjected to a process of validation and cer-tification. Launched with the collaboration of Indra and the Politechnical University of Madrid (UPM), the project was funded by the Center for In-dustrial Technological Development (CDTI), the Ministry of Industry and the Madrid Insti-tute for Development (IMADE). The Intelligent Roads project produced the electronic Free-Flow toll system (PFF) thanks to the integration of the latest technologies, allowing for collections through the unam-biguous identification and classification of vehicles, the generation and pricing of trips and the management and collection of tolls based on the distance traveled. PFF integrates artificial vision technology, communications, and automatic license-plate OCR, which gives a high degree of reliability in vehicle detection and classification. The system is modular and configurable, allowing the operator to tailor the toll collection and classification of vehi-cles to the requirements of each project.

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Free-Flow gantry installed on the Northern Urban Toll Road. Mexico.

The most relevant result of Intelligent Roads was the first commercialized version of the sys-tem, installed as part of an electronic toll sys-tem under a semi-free flow model in the Bicen-tennial Viaduct in the State of Mexico in 2009, with replication in other urban toll road conces-sions in the metropolitan area of Mexico City.From a strategic standpoint, Intelligent Roads marked the beginning of a series of major ini-tiatives focused on the use of new technologies for improving the operation of highways.

Standard Toll Systems (SEP)

The Intelligent Roads project was joined by a new initiative in 2009: Standard Toll Sys-tems (SEP). This model arises from the need for a system that offers the user comfort and speed, while providing the concession con-trol center the administration, monitoring, management and maintenance of all ele-ments of the toll system.SEP is considered as a latest-generation pro-duct, reflecting all the accumulated experience of OHL Concessions in the management of tolls and the im-provements identified in existing products on the market. It al-

Toll plaza located on Mexiquense Beltway. Mexico.

lows for the most efficient and profitable ma-nagement of any toll-collection system model –manual, automatic or dynamic–. It also sup-ports the collection and management of tolls with maximum traceability of information and mechanisms for the elimination of fraud, the integration of the application maintenance with tolls and video, validation and reporting of anomalies in real time as well as the pos-sibility of total configuration of user, fees, re-ports and control of the tolls.This will save on maintenance costs, on the margin charged by system integrators and well as providing new functionalities.Product development was carried out in 2009, the prototype was tested in 2010 and the first installation took place in early 2011 in the Northern Toll Road in Peru.

SEP is considered as a latest-generation product, reflecting all the accumulated experience of OHL Concessions in the management of tolls

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Technologies for improving mobility and safety: OASIS, FOTsis and SMARTSIT

oaSIS

Within the framework of one of the research lines of the oaSIS project (Safe Intelligent and Sus-tainable Road Operation), various studies were made between 2008 and 2011 with the aim of achieving much higher safety and mobility levels than the present. The research was based on the technological developments of the ITS project (Intelligent Transportation Systems) in coopera-tive I2V-V2I systems (Infrastructure-Vehicle and Vehicle-Infrastructure communications).To this end, a number of services were devel-oped from the combination of various tech-nologies, such as artificial vision and the Li-dar method (Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging), which included:n Warnings of danger to the user in real time. Provides information to drivers in real time.

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New technologies for operation and control

n eCall-infrastructure. Improved reponse times to accidents by providing useful information to the emergency service and toll road control center. n Monitoring of of dangerous goods vehicles. Aimed at the detection of risks associated with the movement of special vehicles on the toll road.n Automatic location of incidents, such as stopped vehicles and pedestrians on the road, or the detection of vehicles driving in the opposite direction (kamikazes).In parallel, efforts were made to study and im-plement various intelligent management strat-egies aimed at the handling of traffic jams and other critical situations that occur on roads, all with the aim of optimizing the use of the infra-structure and cope with the needs of users at all times and every section. The systems that integrate new technologies for obtaining real-time traffic information were used to develop dynamic automated strate-gies to reduce the response time of toll road operators. This allowed a streamlining toll road management, making it was possible for

Mexiquense Beltway. Mexico.

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Prototypes installed on the M-12 Toll Road, in Madrid, as part of research under the OASIS project: antenna for detecting bluetooth devices and camera to detect traffic parameters using artificial vision.

responses to be more accurate and efficient and minimize the delays that often occur when these efforts are entirely handled manually by operators. These efforts were reinforced with the OASIS Integrated Architecture, designed within the project, which enables communica-tion between vehicles and the infrastructure and among the different parts of the infrastruc-ture.

FoTsis

As a continuation of the achievements of OA-SIS to improve mobility and safety technolo-gies, in 2010 the FOTsis project (Field Opera-tional Test on Safe, Intelligent and Sustainable Road Operation) was presented within the ICT Mobility of the Future area of the 7th EU Frame-work Program. This project was selected as

one of the Major IP (Integrated Project) in the said edition and endowed with European state aid to finance its development. The budgeted cost is over 13 million euros and the estimated duration is 42 months (2011-2014).The FOTsis project promotes the large-scale de-velopment and standardization of cooperative services between the vehicles and the infrastruc-ture as well as improvements in safety and the management of mobility through the use of new technologies on toll roads in six areas: emergen-cy and incident management, intelligent conges-tion control, dynamic route planning, monitoring of special vehicles, advanced systems for com-pliance and analysis of safety systems. In matters of safety, the infrastructure can play a very important role in management of an inci-dent or accident on the road once automatically detected by an emergency call from the vehicle

Diagrams of communications

architecture proposed in the FOTsis project.

(e-Call) or by means of the incident detection systems installed on the infrastructure. In these situations, the system will send pictures of the accident in real time to allow emergency ve-hicles to improve the logistics of the response and optimize the routes of the emergency ve-hicles based on the traffic conditions and the automatic opening of toll lanes or crossings on the median strip to significantly reducing the time to treatment and, therefore, the number of deaths by accident. In addition, all safety ser-vices include individualized messages to other vehicles, depending on the particular situation of each, so that drivers will be informed at all times of any incidents on the road.In the area of FOTsis mobility services, the toll road control center can provide reliable infor-mation on traffic conditions in real time, col-lecting data from sensors in the infrastructure and vehicles currently using the infrastruc-ture. Once processed, the information can be forwarded to the users, individually or collec-tively. Thus, a user who sends its location and planned route can receive various alternative routes with more reliable arrival times. Also, the infrastructure will have advanced traffic management elements, such as the variable speed limits.To achieve these objectives, we conducted large-scale tests in real environment of the management systems of road infrastructure necessary for the operation of seven co-opera-tive I2V (infrastructure-vehicle), V2I (vehicle-in-frastructure) and I2I (infrastructure-infrastruc-ture) services technologies in nine test areas in four European regions: Spain, Portugal, Ger-many and Greece. Notably, two of the selected areas, M-12 Toll Road and A2 Highway-Tranche 1, have implemented the services which were subsequently managed by the OHL Group.

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SMarTSIT

SMARTSIT, an acronym that stands for “Ca-racterización del tráfico y mejora de la mo-vilidad mediante el uso de Sensores MAg-neto ResisTivos para Sistemas Inteligentes de Transporte” (traffic characterization and improved mobility with the use of magneto-resistance sensors for intelligent transporta-tion systems), has also been configured as an example of the application of new tech-nologies to improve traffic management. Its main objective is the development of sen-sorization systems based on the magnetic cha-racteristics of the vehicles, which will improve the current procedures for obtaining traffic parame-ters and characterization of the vehicles using the infrastructure. The project continues the research started in OASIS regarding the magnetic footprint of vehicles and the possibility of unequivocally identifying them using said footprint. The project is expected to result in a solution very close to market that can replace or com-plement traditional detection systems and traffic systems for counting axles, presenting higher performance, greater efficiency, lower costs and less maintenance than those cur-rently used (scanner, laser, tampers, cameras, coils and piezoelectric, among others), espe-cially under free-flow conditions.The project has been presented within the IBEROEKA competition, aimed at promoting technological cooperation between Spain and Mexico. In order to have a work team that is ca-pable of performing the tasks proposed in the project, the company has created a consortium of Spanish and Mexican companies and universi-ties, including the operating company Operadora Concesionaria Mexiquense, S.A de C.V. (OPCOM), belonging to the OHL Group.

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A2 Highway-Tranche 1 and M-12 Toll Road, large-scale test scenarios under the FOTsis project. Spain.

Developments from the concession experience: CCI, SEP, MSI, HGT and SIGECON

The need to improve the overall and centra-lized control of resources in order to ensure the ability to consistently manage informa-tion, with delocalized access in real-time and regardless of the device used, has resulted in an ongoing analysis of different markets, the study of best practices and the development of proprietary initiatives to improve the solu-tions available on the market.

Integrated Control Center (CCI)

One of the main tools in this area is the Inte-grated Control Center (CCI) project, which is a response to the need to provide OHL Conces-sions with the efficient management of infor-mation from the various concessionaires of the Group. CCI is a modular platform accessible from any web browser and includes a wide range of ser-vices such as real-time ITS equipment, display and control of live cameras and the possibility of downloading files from maps and images of the infrastructure. The platform also allows the integration of other corporate modules and future developments that require geore-ferencing. In 2011 the first phase of the integration of ITS systems was launched in the concessions in Brazil and Mexico. The integration of the CCI with the rest of the concessions and the de-velopment of new modules: virtual tours, sur-facing management and tracking of vehicles using the infrastructure, among others, are all underway at this time.

Traffic Management Tool (HGT)

This tool, developed by OHL Concesiones along with a technology partner, is an innova-tive and effective web application that allows the analysis of all the information coming from traffic by the concessionaires and the parent company. The project, developed between 2005 and 2007, encompassed the program-ming and implementation of all the functions and installation on the toll roads managed by the Group. Also, it is available for implementa-tion in the new concessions.

Investment Tracking Model (MSI)

In parallel with the development of HGT plat-form, OHL Concesiones developed this appli-cation for the management of investments by concession companies during the operational phase. MSI allows the technical and financial control of maintenance and investments, the detec-tion of deviations from the forecast and the automated generation of tracking reports.

Concession Management System (Sigecon)

Sigecon stems from the need to create a single management system for all subsidiaries, with the ability to transfer the accounting, finan-cial, operational and investment data from lo-cal systems to a centralized system, which are standardized and parameterized for the auto-matic generation of reports, the traceability of management information and the production of specific queries and reports, including the balanced scorecard on its three defined le-vels: concession, country and central. In the area of economic and financial ma-nagement, the system serves the needs of

Traffic Management Tool. Advantages

n Global information for all toll modes: traffic and revenue by means of payment, vehicle category, time, route, direction and toll personnel

n Universal accessibility and configurable to be housed outside the infrastructure systems.

n The information is transmitted automatically, without human intervention and without the possibility of manipulation.

n Automatic generation of all activity reports and establishment of specific reports tailored to the specific needs of the manager.

administration –ensuring that the balan-ces obtained from each company are sear-chable, aggregated and comparable for the generation of accounting reporting– and in the financial area –aggregating the informa-tion on real monthly cash flow and forecasts for cash levels, financing and guarantees, among others, and automates the reporting area–.

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Investment Tracking Model. Advantages

n Record monthly production for budgetary control. Pays special attention to the time and cost deviations defined in a detailed way and by item.

n Registration of contracts. Cataloging of the services and identification of the corresponding cash outlays.

n Continuous monitoring of long-term forecasts. Allows financial and technical control.

Left: Detail of Cash Flows using the cash

flow module of the Concession Management

System. Right. Detail of Income Statement

using the administration module of the

Concession Management System.

The operating area uses the traffic manage-ment module, the Unified Operating Data Mo-dule (MUDE) and Investment Control Module in the Companies in the Operational Phase (MSIE).Lastly, the investments area controls and con-solidates the data and reports required at this stage through the Investment Control Module in Companies in the Investment Phase (MSII).

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Pavement technology

A2 Highway-Tranche 1 , Spain.

R&D experiences The strategic importance of the conservation of the pavements on highways during the operational phase has prompted research into new paving technologies and the deve-lopment of unified control models for invest-ments and monitoring of auscultations. The Methods and Tools for Dynamic Paving Management research line, initiated under the OASIS project, en-dowed OHL Concesio-nes with the technology needed to develop real-time pavement monitoring systems. Dynamic surfacing management is achieved through the application of new methods for data collection, the monitoring of relevant indicators for conservation management and the development of models that add the available information and predict the evolu-

tion of the paving and plan its maintenance. Information on the structural capacity of the pavement is obtained by sensors embedded in the different asphalt layers and the detec-tion and classification of cracks is achieved by the installation of artificial vision inspec-tion in vehicles routinely traveling across the toll roads. The use of accelerometers installed in maintenance vehicles allows for

the regular evaluation of the entire length of road and the estimation of slip resistance is calculated by the interaction generated be-tween the road noise and adherence. Among the initiatives undertaken in various countries, are included those by the Center for Technology Development in Brazil; the recycling of pavement in the construction of

Information on the structural capacity of the pavement is obtained by sensors embedded in the different asphalt layers

Experimental tests performed at mile

marker 37.5 on the A2 Highway Tranche 1 within the OASIS project. Spain.

A2 Highway-Tranche 1 , Spain.

20 oHl ConCeSSIonS

the new access to the Port of San Antonio, Chile, the research conducted within the OA-SIS project and the implementation of a soft-ware tool for expert surfacing management are all particularly noteworthy.In Brazil, with more than three thousand kilo-meters of toll roads in operation, the Center for Technologycal Development undertook an extensive research and development pro-

gram that included the study of new asphalt mixtures, varying both the granulometric com-position of the aggregate and asphalt binders used and testing of its behavior using a mo-bile traffic simulator weighing 50 tons. The Center also undertook studies on new types of sealing for cracks and in situ cold asphalt recycling, with a coating consisting of an ag-gregate of mineral fragments, filler, polymer-

Tests on different asphalt mixes with the traffic simulator on Brazilian toll roads.

21oHl ConCeSSIonS

Functional diagram of the Integrated Surfacing Management System.

modified asphalt emulsion, water and additi-ves to provide control of asphalt cracking.In Chile, the technology used in the construc-tion of the new access to the Port of San An-tonio avoided the removal of approximately 13,000 m3 of aggregates for the generation of the new concourse, recycling 7,700 m3 of con-crete waste, and achieved a decrease of 33 % in the production of asphalt needed for the surfacing.The preservation of surfacing is the main chapter of spending on toll roads in opera-tion and requires good planning. Over the past five years, OHL Concesiones has imple-mented Expert Pavements Management soft-ware tool (Gefirex) in its subsidiaries in order to ensure adequate technical and financial management of surfacing.

Integrated Surfacing Management (GIP) The experiences outlined have provided OHL Concesiones a source of privileged knowledge and has enabled the development of a unique product on the market for Integrated Surfacing Management (GIP).The development of the GIP system improves the technical and financial management of pavements by calculating the useful life based on the pavement structure in order to optimize solutions. Equally, as a proprietary product, it can be easily integrated into the georeferenced infor-mation systems developed by the subsidiary Traffic and Transport Systems.

Photovoltaic LED lamp installed on the Northern Urban Toll Road. Mexico.

Environmental concern is a constant through-out the history of OHL Concesiones, which has carried out several projects that can be grouped into two strategies: energy efficiency and interaction with the surroundings of high-ways.

Energy Efficiency

OASIS included a specific study line on energy efficiency, which was led by OHL Concesiones. We developed a methodology for analyzing the energy footprint over the life cycle of high-ways, considering the energy consumed for production (energy embedded in materials) and application of all work units and the con-sumption in maintenance and operation. This

project also assessed the energy impact of traffic associated with different Average Dai-ly Intensity scenarios, considering variables such as the speed and slope. The OASIS project was also a first approach to the technical and economic evaluation of specific actions to improve energy efficiency, for example, increased pavement material re-cycling, wind power generation in the area of the road and exploring new exterior lighting systems.Apart form this research, there are numerous innovation projects in this study line, implan-ting new technologies and more efficient procedures in the concessions. A common development across the different continents has been the implementation of LED technol-ogy for lighting, and photovoltaic technol-ogy for electricity generation. LED lights for

22 oHl ConCeSSIonS

Minimization of Environmental Impact

23PreSenTaCIÓn Del MonogrÁFICo

OASIS evaluated the effectiveness of improved management of soil, avoiding some hydroseeding circumstances.

oHl ConCeSSIonS

outdoor lighting have been installed in Peru (Northern Toll Road), Spain (West Light Rail Lines) and Me-xico (in the five toll roads in operation and Toluca International Airport parking). These devices provide service levels similar to those achieved with standard lighting technologies, but with lower energy consump-tion and lower maintenance and replacement cost.In parallel, we are working on real-time remote lighting control systems adapted to the use of the infrastructures. An important milestone was the zoning and scheduling of turning the lights on and off in the West Light Rail Lines tunnels synchronized with the passage of trains. Another noteworthy development is the differential lighting of collection-payment

lanes at toll booths in Peru, depending on whether or not it is in service. In response to specific requirements of the concessionaires, we have developed other

initiatives, such as a train braking system in West Light Rail Lines, causing a return of 30 % of the energy used in braking and, which has had, by far, the greatest energy impact in a concession with high energy demand. West Light Rail Lines also has reduced power con-sumption through the better energy manage-ment of climate stations and offices, as well as the regulation of hours of operation of ven-tilation systems in tunnels.

An important milestone was the zoning and scheduling of turning the lights on and off in the MLO tunnels synchronized with the passage of trains

24

Technological solutions for intelligent transport infrastructure managers

Research into the use of wildlife crossings by various animal species

as a passage, shelter or stalking.

oHl ConCeSSIonS

Interaction with the environment

OASIS also generated results in this area by developing a scientific methodology that allows an objective assessment of the lands-cape to make comparisons and measure im-pacts, investigating the causes of traffic acci-dent with wildlife for the purpose of reducing them, as well as vegetation management the area of the road.

As for the revegetation of slopes, the company has delved deeper into knowledge about the surrounding vegetation and the seed bank

in the soil removed in order to reduce costs and improve the efficiency in this phase of the work. In line with this research, OHL Concesio-nes have established best practice guidelines for revegetation in Mediterranean environ-ments. Faced with the opposite problem, OHL Concesiones in Brazil has defined manage-ment solutions for high plant growth, which affects the safety of the road. The Roçada re-search project addressed this challenge. Other initiatives for the management of flora include the reforestation conducted in protected

areas and those of envi-ronmental interest.As for wildlife, OASIS provided growing know-how on the behavior of

small mammals for their effective manage-ment. In Mexico, progress has been made on the handling of slow-moving fauna in areas

Highway construction as an opportunity to improve land surface hydrology. Detail of the basin to reduce runoff and facilitate filtration.

25oHl ConCeSSIonS

of the infrastructures during the construction phase and in Brazil a new design for wildlife crossings was developed after the specific study of the causes of accidents linked to pe-culiarities of the area.Another aspect addressed in innovation has been the preservation of water resources. The largest project was the improvement of the hydrological cycle in Sapucaí-Mirim, Par-do and Grandes river watersheds in Brazil. Along the infrastruc-ture dams have been built to collect surface water from rain, which allows a decrease in surface runoff and ero-sion and facilitates wa-ter infiltration in Guarani, the world’s largest known aquifer. With similar objectives, con-servation measures have been undertaken for hydrological canyons in the area of influence of Poetas Expressway. Meanwhile, West Ligth Rail Lines, in this case as an end consumer of water resources, has achieved a reduction of 8 % of spending, mainly thanks to the treat-ment and reuse of water for cleaning trains.

One innovation that is already consolidated in all concessions is a program for the collection and management of waste generated in their business, which facilitates subsequent reuse or recycling and helps to reduce the impact of the activity.There are other actions specifically developed for specific locations and the type of infrastruc-

ture. An important example is the significant reduction of the noise pollution generated by the passage of West Ligth Rail Lines trains in ur-ban environments. To achieve this, West Ligth Rail Lines has oiled, grinded and polished the rails of the track, which has favored a reduction of noise emission. This improvement has been certified according to the municipal law of Ma-drid by independent companies.

One innovation that is already consolidated in all concessions is a program for the collection and management of waste generated in their business, which facilitates subsequent reuse or recycling and helps to reduce the impact of the activity

Detail of a traffic camera in real-time accessible

from the Integrated Control Center.

Tráfico y Transportes Sistemas (TTS) was incor-porated in 2012 as a technology subsidiary of OHL Concesiones. This began a new business line to offer public administrations, investment funds and large concessional groups the most advanced infrastructure control and manage-ment systems supported by strong communi-cation networks. The systems and services that TTS provides consolidate the experience gained by the company in R&D projects, the commitment to technology and the support of more than 12 years as manager of transport infrastruc-ture and the proprietary solutions that have been developed for the operation, conser-vation, maintenance and monitoring of in-vestments.The tools and products provided are imple-ment on high performance and flexible open software platforms, which accept the para-meters of any highway and represent tailored technological solutions for the control of all significant components of the operation, as well as forecasting and planning of interven-

tions, which has allowed the optimization of costs under a sustainable business model that covers the entire life cycle of the infras-tructures.

Product Portfolio

The products and services offered by TTS are divided into three groups: management, ope-ration and maintenance, collections manage-ment and investment management.

Management, operation and maintenance

This set of products has been developed on the Integrated Control Center (CCI) web plat-form, a completely modular system for geore-ferenced management of the information of the infrastructure. Developed in an accessible graphic environment, CCI provides informa-tion of the infrastructure and its elements to the user in real-time.

26 oHl ConCeSSIonS

Traffic and Transport Systems (TTS)

The platforms and tools include:

n State-of-the-art toll systems. They offer a comprehensive solution, in addition to the most advanced methods of collection.

n Consultancy and turnkey projects that improve energy efficiency of infrastructures.

n Tools for characterization and management of activity in real-time.

n Instruments for global control, providing full details of all the information of the infrastructure in real time.

n Applications to optimize maintenance tasks and investments.

27oHl ConCeSSIonS

Virtual tour generated based on georeferenced images accessible from the virtual tours system.

CCI modules are grouped, depending on their functionality, as visual aspects, dynamic tra-ffic control and operational control. The representation of visual aspects is based on a georeferenced system of 360º images (SCI-360), which allows automatic omnidirec-tional images from a moving vehicle, providing a tool to create a database in which graphica-lly and geographically documents the length of the road (path, environment and elements) and the CCI is used as a GIS platform. Based on 360-degree georeferenced images and the Virtual Tours (REV) application, operators have the ability to view and navigate anywhere along the length of the infrastructure through high-definition pictures, configurable as virtual tours, and graphically document and remotely view the progress of infrastructure works.CCI is also used as a platform for traffic and mobility management through Dynamic Traffic

Characterization (CDT) and the Traffic Manage-ment Tool (HGT). CDT classifies traffic in real time, based on origin-destination informa-tion, mobility patterns, average travel time, network congestion, and traffic densities co-llected by the sensors installed in the roads. It also allows the development of customized projects to obtain traffic information using a low-cost, flexible, and easily configured web tool. Lastly, also encompassed under manage-ment, operation and maintenance, is ope-rations control, consisting of three modules: GIN (Incident Management), GIV (Inventory Management) and GMA (Maintenance Mana-gement).GIN optimizes resources in dealing with in-cidents, by centralizing and simplifying the task of monitoring the activities related to accidents or incidents, the creation of repor-

28 oHl ConCeSSIonS

ting and subsequent claims management. The tool allows for the audit and monitoring of service levels in incident management through consultation and custom reporting, real-time geolocalization of incidents and ac-cidents on the infrastructure, with the ability to include photos and layouts using mobile devices.GIV enhances control of all infrastructure ele-ments, facilitating their detection, classifica-tion and subsequent consultations. Based on images of the infrastructure, cartography, and data sheets, it is possible to generate reports on inventory-related aspects and maintenan-ce management, providing information on the service levels of the inventoried elements.GMA allows monitoring, computerized mana-gement and daily monitoring of work orders, planned and unplanned maintenance and as-sociated maintenance resources. The mainte-nance management tool is integrated with the toll control subsystem and CCI, jointly monito-ring all alarms.

Payment management

The second group of products and services offered by TTS includes those for collections

management on toll roads and can be of two types: conventional and electronic. The pro-duct portfolio of TTS includes SEP (Standard Toll System) to manage collection manual toll roads and PFF (Free-Flow Gantry) for collection for mixed of barrier-free roads. Both systems are described in the section on toll Control Systems of this article.

Investment Management

Last but not least, the final group of tools is for managing investments, which are structured into two parts: surfacing management and pro-ject monitoring.The The Comprenhensive Pavement Manage-ment tool (GIP), optimizes the management of future investments in pavement. GIP makes it possible to program future major pavement maintenance operations and has the ability to incorporate the specific characteristics of each concession and the regulations of each country. The tool calculates the pavement life-time, with improved evolution models and the possibility of choosing different calculations options for refurbishment, and generates fu-ture quality levels based on the real condition of the tollway. Additionally, through the confi-

360º georeferenced imaging system installed on test cars.

Incidentmanagement.

29oHl ConCeSSIonS

guration of different scenarios or studies, the tool allows for economic analysis in order to optimize the investment and provides a com-prehensive review of risks, which facilitates decision-making.

Furthermore, Civil Works Tracking and Control (CSO) and Investment Monitoring System (MSI) platforms are used to follow-up on the projects.CSO simplifies the monitoring of works by the investor, and allows tracking of civil

Stretch of the Northern Toll Road, Peru. Detail of the Standard Collection

Control System located in the tolls.

Toll plaza T2 of the Mexiquense Beltway. Mexico.

30 oHl ConCeSSIonS

works projects based on the needs of the investor, the infrastructure and/or the con-cessionaire.MSI monitors and analyzes deadline and budget information to optimize resource per-

formance, integrating and managing docu-mentation centrally and promotes communi-cations between the parties involved: project management, concessionaire, and parent company.

Check back issues of Techno: Oasis (Nº 83)

Authors: R&D&I Service of OHL Concesiones, Communications and CSR Service of OHL Concesiones and Administration Service of OHL Concesiones

Corporate cost study report obtained through the Integrated Surfacing Management System.

Detail of a work summary through a balanced scorecard obtained from the Works Control and Monitoring System.

Toll plaza T2 of the Mexiquense Beltway. Mexico.

31oHl ConCeSSIonS

Tests of OHL’s slab track system. Sulabu Project.

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OHL Construcción: towards technological leadership

The innovations are generated and applied on site and in technical areas, with the support of senior management and coordinated through the R&D and Innovation Service

OHL Construcción, through the Technical Division (TD) and R&D and Innovation Service, founded in 2012, promotes R&D&I projects within in a series of strategic guidelines aimed to maintain a clear po-sition of technology leadership through new solutions and more efficient construction methods. This research, development and innovation effort is assumed by the technical areas, works on site and sub-sidiaries of this division and applied in all areas in which the company operates. In addition to the plan-ning and execution of R&D&I projects, OHL Construction develops and implements innovations on site. These two complementary actions can generate high-value technologies applicable to the division’s activities in any of the countries in which it operates.

The innovative capacity of OHL Construcción is based on the experience of a team of over 10,000 professionals distributed throughout more than 20 countries around the world, as well as on that of its partners, associates and subcontractors, including, particularly more than 40 research centres and universities in 10 countries. This includes leading Spanish universities in the field of civil engineering, such as polytechnical universities of Valencia and Madrid, the Uni-versity of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), and re-search teams from other countries such as the Central School of Lyon (France), Aalborg Uni-versity (Denmark) and the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence.To order, promote, manage and add value to the innovative potential of the people within OHL Construcción, the Group division has an R&D&I policy developed using a management system that includes procedures, support

tools and a team of professionals specialised in the field. Similarly, we would highlight the commitment and direct involvement of the division’s senior management in the definition and monitoring of the innovation strategy, and in the funding and support of highly strategic initiatives, key elements of OHL Construcción to achieve and maintain technological leadership in its sector.

These capabilities, coupled with continued ef-forts, have led OHL Construcción to implement more than 20 R&D&I projects in the 2008-2012 period, recording innovation on site and an ex-ponentially growing project portfolio, with the beginning of 10 new projects in 2013.

OHL Construcción has a proprietary R&D&I policy developed under a management system that includes procedures, support tools and a team of specialised professionals

oHl ConSTruCTIon

Through its commitment to R&D&I, OHL Construcción develops a strategy characterised by:

Thanks to which:

n A comprehensive process of identifying needs, concept generation, project approvals and actions, implementation of R&D&I projects and application of the results.

n Presents bids with competitive advantages.

n The successful application of the results of R&D&I.

n Achieves maximum customer satisfaction.

n The generation and record of innovative ideas on site and R&D&I projects aligned with company strategy.

n Executes projects effectively.

n Provides the best service to society.

of customers; the update of the technical/technological knowledge of market and ongoing work with leading specialists; con-tact with prestigious universities and tech-nological centres, knowledge of the tools available in the market, the functions as-signed internally in R&D&I management, and constant generation of innovative solu-tions to technological, immediate and future challenges through R&D&I projects.

The Technical Division, a catalyst for innovation

Daily contact with the technical and tech-nological needs of OHL Construction has made the Technical Division (TD) the main internal catalyst for innovation. The aspects that have helped to consolidate this posi-tion include the channelling of the needs

R&D&I Agents of OHL Construction.

Schematic illustration.

34 oHl ConSTruCTIon

The involvement of the TD in the innovation cycle of OHL Construction has led to the following contributions:

n Generation and evaluation of ideas and concepts for R&D&I projects.

n Promotion and general coordination of the activities of OHL Construction in R&D&I and technology transfer, through the R&D and Innovation Service.

n Identification and recording innovations on site for future reuse.

n Execution of R&D&I projects.

LIDERA!, a pioneering programme to boost innovation

LIDERA! Programme, launched in late 2012, has become one of OHL Construction’s strongest bets in the promo-tion and recognition of initiatives that help to strengthen the Group’s technological leadership in the construction sector.Coordinated by the Technical Division, LIDERA! Programme encompasses a series of initiatives by OHL Construction employees anywhere in the world, focused on facilitating and encouraging innovation in the com-pany. Among these, we would highlight:

n the system of financial incentives for innovation on siten the funding and internal support of project managers in the implementation of R&D&I initiatives, n the annual awards recognising the most innovative contributionsn the channels and tools for technological transfer of results to the work sites.

a successful initiativeLIDERA! Programme has facilitated the streamlining and grouping of these tools and their dissemination within the organisation worldwide. This has allowed OHL Construction, over the previous year, to increase the ideas ge-nerated and evaluated for their development by fivefold; to quadruple the number of R&D&I projects launched; record more than double the innovations generated on site for future implementation and incorporate two new geographic areas of OHL Construction in R&D&I activities.

In the 2013 edition LIDERA! Awards the company recognised the most important R&D&I contributions of the year by work sites, technical areas and suppliers of OHL Construction.

35oHl ConSTruCTIon

Works, a continuous source of innovation

OHL Construction has the tools necessary for the proper management of innovations generated on site, which require specific procedures, tools and resources other than those necessary for the management of R&D&I projects. These capabilities enable OHL Construcción to record and generate many innovations in both processes (development of new me-thods and machinery that make construc-tion processes more reliable, economical or fast) and in construction solutions, (innova-tions in structural solutions, design or mate-rials solutions). The following are, by way of example, some of the highlights.

Innovations in maritime works Among the innovations developed by OHL Construction in the maritime field, we

36

Construction innovations in the Port of Palma de Mallorca. Spain.

oHl ConSTruCTIon

would highlight the floating formwork de-veloped for berthing of large vessels at the western docks of the Port of Palma de Ma-llorca. This innovation allows to execute a concrete slab in situ above the water, with-out requiring prefabricated devices.Another interesting example is the ultimate solution for asymmetric anchoring of cais-sons first applied in the construction of the north dock of the Port of Gijón extension, which, given the problems caused by the significant wave height, made it possible to overcome the difficulties prompted by the local climate.Thanks to the experience in the breakwa-ter of the Port of Granadilla (Tenerife), OHL Construction has proprietary methodolo-gies for detecting cracks in vertical dykes by means of the auscultation of the base of the breakwater, as well as for seagrass recovery, applicable to the ecological reco-very of the seabed affected by any marine works.

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FloaTIng ForMWorKInnovative solution for building dykes

n New system: allows execution of concrete slabs in situ above the water.

n Applicable to any concrete slab executed on water without requiring prefabricated elements.

n Floating formwork transportable point to point by sea.

oHl ConSTruCTIon

38

HyPerSTaTIC Pergola Innovative structural solution for road connections

n Unique structure that has enabled the connection, at different levels, between the new bus-HOV lane, directly in the middle of the C-58 toll road, and the entrance and exit lanes of the Ripollet Interchange, located on the exterior, in Barcelona.

n Development of an innovative hyperstatic structural solution based precast elements linked in situ.

n The solution developed by OHL Construcción has allowed a reduction of 64% in the number of beams needed.

n Development of an innovative solution to the joints of the lintel of the pergola with the box girder of the bus-HOV lane.

From top to bottom: examples of innovations on site at the Barcelona

Metro (fibre concrete segments and EPB

tunnelling (Earth Pressure Balance

System) in the Teatro da Música of Santiago

de Compostela (new perimeter wall system)

and the hanging library of the University of

Segovia (innovative hanging structural

solution).

oHl ConSTruCTIon

Innovations in urban environments works

Urban environments worksites often pose ma-jor challenges and lead to the generation of continuous innovation. To cite one significant example, regarding the works on lines 9 and 10 of the Barcelona Metro, in which OHL participated, we have developed:

n Technologies for the construction of fibre con-crete segments into a new scheme of optimised armour.

n Methodologies for building connection galleries in non-competent soil, allowing the execution of galleries junctions in areas of high geological and geotechnical complexity characterised by loose material with a high water table.

n New aquifer bypass system.

n New solutions for tunnelling using the EPB Sys-tem (Earth Pressure Balance) in abrasive densely populated areas.

Among the new construction elements deve-loped by OHL Construcción, we would highlight the perimeter walls system designed on site for Teatro da Musica in Santiago de Compostela, which guarantees the stability of the walls in a short period of time, the unique slim structural solutions designed for the Hanging Library of the University of Segovia, the novel structural solution for the pergola connecting different le-vels between the new bus-HOV lane and the en-trance and exit lanes of the Ripollet connection in Barcelona, which hyperstatic pergola based on precast elements linked in situ, has reduced the number of beams needed by 64 %.

Lift-Up, in situ concrete transport system developed at Búrdalo dam in Cáceres. Spain.

Work innovations applied to machinery

Regarding the implementation of innovations on site in machinery used by OHL Construc-tion, we would highlight the pre-cracking ma-chine for soil-cement bases, devised in the works on the A-66 Plata Highway (Cáceres); the truck bed Lift-up system developed on site at Búrdalo dam (Cáceres), which allows sav-ings of up to 30% in the number of concrete mixers needed on site, the computer con-trolled drilling system developed and used by OHL žS in the Czech Republic and the new Cubipods clip modified by SATO in the works on the Port of Langosteira (La Coruña), which allows the use of smaller cranes in the place-ment of Cubipods, a dyke construction ele-ment patented by OHL.

39

lIFT-uPInnovative system for the transport of concrete to work sites

n New proprietary system of OHL Construcción for transporting concrete, developed by the work team of the Búrdalo dam.

n Cargo box on a chassis attachable to most three-axle lorries in the market, allowing savings of 25-30 % in the number of con-crete mixer lorries used in construction sites.

n Solve the problems of common concrete mixers (discharge time, limited workability of the concrete, maximum aggregate size) and “pear” type lorry (import costs, higher rental rates, unavailability of spare parts in some countries).

n Enables transport of various materials: concrete, agglomerate, aggregate, bituminous mixtures

oHl ConSTruCTIon

Improved Cutting tools and robotic inspection systems and spare parts for TBM heads. NeTTUN Project.

Major technological challenges

Technologies for construction processes

The R&D&I projects of OHL Construcción are focused on technological development and innovation activities designed to give added value to our customers through new solutions and more efficient construction methods. When it is necessary to address complex challenges which still lack scienti-fic knowledge, the company also works with research teams from prestigious universi-ties and technology centres worldwide.Under this strategic line are included fields such as surveying, tunnelling methods, ecological restoration of areas affected by construction activity and control of infra-

structure and building movements. Some of the significant contributions of OHL Construcción in these fields are:

Gecmolsig

The technologies integrated into manage-ment, control and measurement of linear works project with Geographic Information Systems (Gecmolsig) enables the graphic recording the current state of the different elements of lineal works on a tablet or an Internet-connected PC through a proprietary GIS system. This is possible in near real time thanks to a geo-positioning system to simply define the status of work on site in terms of execution and budget and transmit the infor-mation instantly via wireless communication.

41

geCMolSIgAdvanced surveying tools

n Advanced proprietary procedures for surveying on site, coordinated and in-tegrated in a common form for the en-tire company:• The different satellite navigation sys-

tems (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, COM-PASS).

• National networks of permanent re-ference stations.

• Different communication systems for transmission of survey data.

• The surveying instrument software. • Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

n Framework for topographic precision implemented and successfully applied to date in more than 12 work sites in various countries.

oHl ConSTruCTIon

NeTTUN

The technological contributions made by OHL in the field of tunnel construction include the company’s participation in European research consortium NeTTUN (New Technologies for Tun-nelling and Underground Works), cofunded by the European Commission within the Seventh Framework Programme and for the develop-ment of new processes in the field of under-ground and tunnelling works.

Among the many technological challenges facing the project, begun in 2012 with com-pletion scheduled for 2015, include robotic systems for changing cutting tools that save hyperbaric interventions; various soil predic-tion methods for excavations; cutting tools with improved wear resistance, and control mechanisms of the impact on surrounding structures in urban environments.OHL Construcción participates as the only Spanish partner in this consortium of 21 members from nine different countries.

Members of the research team of the European

project NeTTUN during a TBM site visit with OHL.

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neTTunAdvanced technologies for tunnelling machines

n Large R&D consortium funded by the European Commission and made up of 21 partners (com-panies, R&D centres and universities) in 9 dif-ferent countries, with OHL Construcción as the only Spanish partner. The project will involve major technological leaps in construction, management and maintenance of tunnels. The target technologies of the project are:• Improved cutting tools against wear.• Automation of the inspection and replace-

ment of cutting tools. • Prediction of soil systems, integrated into

the cutting head of the TBM.• Control the impact of tunnelling on surround-

ing structures.• Risk Modelling for tunnelling projects.• Support system for decision making in the

operational phase.

oHl ConSTruCTIon

Sogedron The Geomatics Solutions with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles project (Sogedron) has al-lowed OHL Construcción to become a pio-neer in the highly successful application of drones and UAV (Unmanned Aerial Ve-hicles), enhanced for geodetic and survey-ing applications, areas that require specific features and precisions that are not found

UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) equipped with OHL technology for surveying.

in current commercial UAV. The systems de-veloped by OHL Construcción allow the per-formance of:n Quality mapping. Includes a precision Digi-tal Terrain Model (DTM), with accurate infor-mation on the grading units. n Updated high-resolution aerial orthopho-tography, a differential tool suitable for managing interactions, especially with ur-ban and/or industrial environments.

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SogeDronLatest generation UAV technology applied to geodetics and topography

n OHL Construcción is a pioneer in the highly successful application of drones and UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), enhanced for geodetic and surveying applications, areas that require specific features and details that are not found in current commercial UAV.

n These proprietary systems allow OHL to obtain:• Quality mapping, including a precision

Digital Terrain Model (DTM) with accurate information on the grading units.

• Updated high-resolution aerial orthopho-tography, a differential tool suitable for managing interactions, especially with ur-ban and/or industrial environments.

oHl ConSTruCTIon

Control of movements in real time

Through two successive projects, OHL Con-strucción has developed proprietary technol-ogy for online real-time control of movements in infrastructure, buildings and tunnels during the construction and operation phases. In Teodolitos Láser Torre Espacio (TTE), the first of these projects (already completed) co-financed by the Centre for Industrial Tech-nological Development (CDTI) and the Com-munity of Madrid, movements are controlled with classical surveying tools like the total sta-tions, which are useful in the case of tunnels or scenarios with insufficient GPS coverage. In Dinasat, the second, also co-financed by the CDTI, Gaussian settings algorithms deve-loped by the Polytechnic University of Valen-cia (UPV) achieve high accuracy (about 0.5 cm) with commercial GPS receivers. This sys-tem is especially useful during the construc-tion phase for its easy installation, non-inva-sive nature, economy and reusability.

ecological restoration

OHL Construcción has a specialised team in ecological restoration of areas affected by our works on site, which is a benchmark in its sec-tor. In collaboration with various leading na-tional and international research teams in the field, the Environmental Department of the Technical Division of OHL Construcción has generated and validated novel processes for

optimal financial and environmental manage-ment of earthworks through various R&D proj-ects undertaken in the last decade. This team provides support to the production lines of OHL in the design and construction of roads, railways, waterways, ports, airports, quarries and mines.The competitive advantages of these innova-tions are based on the three pillars of sus-tainability: more efficient and economical process minimising maintenance costs–, social –the services provided to society in restored spaces are greater and varied– and environmental –respect and even increase biodiversity and associated natural capital.

Innovative construction solutionsThrough its R&D&I activities, OHL Construc-tion also contributes to the development of innovative construction solutions, either through new or improved materials, or struc-tural or design solutions in the field of sus-tainable buildings and infrastructure.In the field of materials, OHL has worked on the development of high-strength con-crete with special features that allow ad hoc manufacture according to client needs: high-altitude pumping, light, heavy, non-shrink (HAR project), reinforced with fibres (CLEAM

Ecological restoration techniques developed

by OHL and used in the M-12 Toll Road in Madrid,

for natural colonisationof embankments with

increased efficiency of hydroseeding and much

lower cost.

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Torre Espacio, headquarters of the OHL Group in Madrid, which used a high performance concrete, pumpable at high altitudes developed by OHL.

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project) and long guaranteed life (Sercong project). The subsidiary ŽPSV, based in the Czech Re-public and engaged in the prefabrication of concrete, has also made remarkable progress in binders developed from waste, the use of which provides a significant reduction of ce-ment used in the production of concrete.OHL’s international expansion in countries with arid or semi-arid weather has also led to research on the use of materials that were previously discarded. This is the case of wind-sand embankments (EOPLEN project). In addition, OHL has developed innovative so-lutions to solve everyday situations, such as avoiding bracing and anchors in the excava-tion of screens in urban environments through innovative post-tensioned screens that fit the deformations (Fitwalls project), and the col-laboration in developing construction solu-tions that ensure safety on Toll Roads (OASIS project).As a significant example of R&D in the field of sustainable building, we would highlight the Arfrisol project (Bioclimatic Architecture and Solar Cooling), led by the Energy, Environment and Technology Research Centre (CIEMAT) of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, which was co-financed by the Ministry of Science and Innovation. Today Arfrisol stands at an important benchmark in the field of construction with a high degree of energy ef-ficiency.

ICT for project management and LEAN constructionOHL Construcción innovates in the field of In-formation Technology and Communications (ICT) processes incorporating the most inno-vative business technology to its processes.

The proprietary technologies developed by OHL Construcción and applied on site cover a wide range of areas: building elements, construction processes, design solutions, new materials and ICT applications, among others

Design of the verge for safer highways. CENIT-OASIS project.

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Building built by OHL under the ARFRISOL project in Madrid, with 80% energy savings

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BIM model developed by OHL in the works on

site of Gustavo Fricke Hospital, in Viña del Mar.

Santiago de Chile.

This is the case of the Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools, planning applications and deadline management, advanced cal-culation software, and communication tools and management utilities, among others. In addition, the OHL Group division develops its own technology when it is more benefi-cial than acquiring commercial solutions or when, directly, there is nothing similar on the market. To ensure proper operation and use by em-ployees, internal developments are under-

taken with high involvement of employees who act as end users and are very know-ledgeable in the day to day work site and the requirements and functionalities that the tools should cover.Among its proprietary developments, OHL Construcción has several applications in con-tinuous improvement and updating. This is the case of Technical Master, configured as a tool for economic control of work sites, and the Procurement Management Information System, which allows direct participation of subcontractors and suppliers via the inter-net.In 2012, OHL Construcción began developing a family of next-generation applications cha-

racterised by real-time connectivity between company employees and subcontractors, and the intensive use of tablets focused on optimising management activities, monitor-ing and control on site at various stages of project execution.Among them, the MIC system (Industriali-sation of Construction Method), a common enterprise-wide system that integrates best practices collected in OHL to improve cost-quality-deadline, within the philosophy of LEAN construction or construction without

losses. Also, the work finishing management system al-lows the inspection and registration of finishing to be performed on site and the establishment of the necessary flow for repair by subcon-tractors through a pro-cess characterised by transparency, traceabil-

ity and speed, by eliminating the use of pa-per and the promotion of direct online access to the controllers of the work site. The instal-lation management system features similar functionalities as the previous application but adds further adaptations for the complex process of installations in buildings.In the area of LEAN construction projects, there are new developments currently under-way, such as the work site balanced score-card, which will integrate the management methodologies and tools of OHL, a guaran-tee of work site management aligned with the values and strategy of the company, and process simulation systems, oriented to deci-sion taking.

OHL Construcción develops next-generation applications characterised by real-time connectivity between company employees and subcontractors, focused on optimising management activities, monitoring and control on site at various stages of project execution

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Innovations in the railway sector

The international prestige of OHL Construc-tion in the railway sector is due to our large experience, inside and outside of Spain, and specialised Spanish –Guinovart & Osh-sa, Electrificaciones y Montajes– and Czech subsidiaries –OHL žS and žPSV–. Thanks to their high specialisation, the division deve-lops and incorporates its cutting-edge tech-nology projects. The R&D&I projects deve-loped include:

Sulabu

The research and development project for a multipurpose prefabricated slab track for rail-ways, Sulabu,–completed in 2013– marked a major international milestone in the genera-tion of knowledge on slab track systems.Recognising the potential of this techno-logy successfully used in Japan, Germany and other countries, OHL Construction has developed, in collaboration with the Uni-versity of Castilla-La Mancha and with the co-financing of CDTI (Center for Industrial Technological Development), a proprietary

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solution in prefabricated slab track that al-lows design adapted to the standards and specifications required for each case and in any country. This solution, patented by OHL, consists of a process for the development of a numerical model of slab track using the finite element method and a laboratory test protocol for its validation. The integrated system also has specific con-struction solutions for prefabrication and application, and includes the development of a cement asphalt mortar, a critical sup-port element in the installation of slab track.

arid-lap

The R&D&I consortium, Arid-Lap, aims to develop new technological solutions to minimise the effects caused by extreme climates on rail, a common infrastructure in areas such as Middle East, where OHL Construction is highly active. This initiative, co-financed by CDTI in the Innterconecta Andalucía 2013 programme, includes the participation of several companies, such as ADIF and Ineco, with OHL as sole construc-tion firm, and research teams from the uni-versities of Granada, Seville, Almeria and Complutense University of Madrid.

SulabuDesign and construction of optimal solutions of slab track for railways

n Proprietary patented method for the calculation by finite elements of opti-mal solutions for prefabricated plate depending on the different types of rail traffic and other critical variables.

n Proprietary patented protocol for labo-ratory tests for validation of numerical solutions. Specially designed to know the real fatigue behaviour of the slabs.

n Specific construction solutions for prefabrication and application of slab track, including the formulation of ce-ment asphalt mortar, a critical sup-port element in the installation of slab track.

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SavI

OHL Construcción, through its specialised subsidiaries, G&O and EyM, and in colla-boration with the Polytechnic University of Madrid, is developing a novel road safety system using radio that will provide greater security for workers, machines and traffic during work intervention on railways with rail traffic.The project relies on networks of distributed sensors and actuators and will represent an economical and reliable solution that is compatible with various existing systems and adaptable to the traffic regulations or standards of railway authorities in Spain and other countries.

Innovation in maritime works

In the field of maritime works on site, OHL develops innovation primarily through its specialised subsidiary SATO, whose R&D&I projects include:

Cubipod

Various research and development projects undertaken by SATO in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Valencia, with occa-sional participation by the universities of Can-tabria, La Coruña and Aalborg (Denmark) and co-financed by the CDTI between 2007 and 2011, which have resulted in the development of the Cubipod. This is a new element for the protection of dykes that avoids traditional block paving and over-comes limitations of other classic commercial pieces. The Cubipod provides high hydraulic stability and lower overshoot, and features a greater structural strength, which provides a significant material savings. The project also de-signed special formwork and stacking systems, allowing for the systematic and efficient produc-tion of the final product at competitive costs.The Cubipod has been recognised with various distinctions, including the 2011 gold medal, with honours, and prize for Best Spanish inven-tion in the 39th International Exhibition of In-vention in Geneva, the largest exhibition of its kind in the world. The first real application of the Cubipod was in the Port of Malaga, where its use garnered the National Innovation Award 2011 from the Port Authority in the category of Innovative Public Procurement.

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SavISafety system for railway work site

n Innovative railway safety system using radio for works on railways with ongo-ing rail traffic, which includes:• Presence sensors in the direction of

traffic.• Actuators, signs and traffic lights.• Control stations and recording signals

along the road.

n The developed system will:• Cover the limitations of current war-

ning systems.• Provide greater security for workers

and machines and for road traffic. • Reduce the impact of the work, to re-

move speed limits and allow passage through the areas of the intervention.

• Increase pits or interventions on the track, with consequential operational profitability.

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SaTograb

Through the development of two consecu-tive projects co-financed by the CDTI, SATO has designed and developed a new system for high-performance recovery of blocks with different tonnage. It is a device for retrieving breakwater blocks in port docks that allows, for the first time, the transfer of these large marine structures.The system successfully employed in va-rious works on site, allows optimal sizing ranges for different weights of the blocks to be removed. This invention was awarded in 2011 with the silver medal in the 39th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva.

Floating breakwaters

The technicians of OHL Construcción and SATO have developed a unique mathemati-cal model for a floating dock, which was then tested in large-scale physical model for the study of all process variables. Thanks to this procedure, OHL Construcción is able to design and offer these building blocks, which have significant advantages over tra-ditional dykes, such as savings on materi-als and implementation costs, and reducing the impact on the seabed and Posidonia, characterised by high competitiveness with traditional designs of dykes in large draft areas (> 40 m) or in areas with environmen-tal restrictions.The developments, executed in two succes-sive projects, have been co-financed by CDTI in collaboration with Canal de Experiencias Hidrodinámicas of El Pardo in conducting the tests.

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SATOGrab block extraction system.

Port of Malaga. Spain.

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univerup

SATO developed, between 2006 and 2009, co-financed by CDTI, a proprietary system for computerized control of maritime works. This device allows the monitoring of mari-time work on site in 3D and in real time, both in situ and remotely via internet. The system is installed and operating since 2010 in all equipment of SATO (auxiliary pontoons, cranes, dredgers, barges and sub-mersible concrete caissons-pontoons) and has recently been adapted to the needs of the new SATO Levante Dyke for manufactur-ing caissons, allowing the automation and control of some of its operations in real time.

Dynamic positioning system for dredgers

SATO has proprietary technology for the control of position and direction during dumping operations by barges. This tech-nology is implemented and in operation since 2006 in the SATO barges and was de-veloped in collaboration with Seaplace and the Polytechnic University of Madrid, with co-financing by CDTI.

other projects

SATO contributes to knowledge about the behaviour of maritime infrastructure by col-laborating with customers, partners and research organisations, through various studies and projects aimed at designing, building and maintaining more sustainable and durable infrastructures.These projects include Dynaport, promoted

by the members of the joint venture Langos-teira, in La Coruña, which includes SATO, co-financed by the Mi-nistry of Public Works through the Transpor-tation and Infrastruc-ture Sub-programme

under the National Public-Private Coopera-tion Programme and with the collaboration of the Eduardo Torroja Institute (CSIC Cen-tre). Dynaport has allowed the develop-ment of a tool to calculate the safety and durability of port structures by defining in-dicators in situ, and a real time monitoring system applicable to the entire life cycle of the dyke. The Cliomar project, led by SATO and co-financed by CDTI, allowed the study as part of a dam under construction, of an

SATO maritime construction equipment has a proprietary computerised system for 3D and real time tracking via Internet since 2010, which has resulted in significant improvements in yields

Control the SATO Levante dyke operation using

UniverUp software.

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Baleares barge, of SATO, equipped with dynamic positioning system.

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important series of issues and phenomena through a video monitoring system, buoys and weather stations.The maritime infrastructure subsidiary of OHL Construcción also expands knowledge beyond the port area. Specifically, in the field of offshore wind turbine through the Off-Shore Great Depths Foundations project (CEO), financed by the CDTI and recently suc-cessfully concluded, SATO has developed a new foundation technology for wind turbines and other structures, enabling the techno-logical leap required for installation at large sea-depths between 30 and 50 metres.

High-tech surfacing

OHL Construcción has accumulated extensive research experience in the field of bituminous mixtures, asphalt and pavements, both in the design of components and their management and application, particularly through the spe-cialised subsidiary, ELSAN.The R&D&I activities of OHL Construcción in this area have resulted in many innovations, especially in the field of techniques related to asphalt paving, for which ELSAN has pio-neered the use in Spain and globally, expor-ting its technology to many countries.

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Check back issues of Tecno:Restoration Ecological (Nº 86)Cubipod (Nº 83)HAR Project (Nº 78 y Nº 79)Laboratorio ELSAN (Nº 87)

Complementary information:NeTTUN Project, www.nettun.orgArfrisol Project, www.arfrisol.esCubipod, www.cubipod.com

Author: Elena Arredondo Lillo, Juan Ignacio Mayayo Rodríguez-Isla, Diego Peñas Díez and Miguel Ángel Amérigo Revuelta. R&D and Innovation Service of OHL Construcción

n SMA Mixtures (Stone Mastic Asphalts) increased durability and lower noise and con-sumption.

n Hot mastic bituminous mixtures and slurries with anti-ice properties.n Discontinuous mixtures with high fatigue resistance, delaying the appearance of

cracks with high roughness and sliding resistance.n Bituminous mixtures and binders for semi-hot asphalt mixtures at working tempera-

tures 20°C lower than usual.n Pavements that do not require structural rehabilitation for over 40 years.n Capture and storing of energy from solar irradiation on the asphalt surface.

New bituminous, pavement and asphalt mixtures

n Aged bituminous hot recycled pavements.n Asphalt mixtures with high performance through cold recycling.n High quality bituminous mixtures with 70% recycled materials.n Warm asphalt mixes, grain size 0/D, and discontinued mixtures with recycled pave-

ment materials.n Bituminous grout with powdered rubber from NFU.n Hot mix asphalt with NFU powder using a dry process.n Management system for the manufacturing, transport, control and application of more

sustainable asphalt mixtures.

Pavement recycling and reuse of used tires (NFU)

Sections of the A-1 Highway in Madrid, and CV-50 in Valencia, incorporating SMA remixes with increased durability and lower noise and consumption, developed by ELSAN.

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Puerto Errado 2 thermal solar power plant, in Calasparra (Murcia). Spain.

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The application of innovation in energy gives OHL Industrial the edge

Pioneering direct steam generation and the use of advanced technology for the pretreatment and logistics of biomass

OHL Industrial, a division of the OHL Group specialized in the construction of turnkey industrial plants, has made innovation a cornerstone of its strategy. Several important achievements have been accom-plished, namely the thermal solar power plants of Puerto Errado 2 (Murcia) and Arenales, in Morón de la Frontera (Seville), as well as the largest biomass plant in Spain, located in San Juan del Puerto, Huelva, with a processing capacity of around 600,000 tons of biomass. This challenge has been tackled with advanced technology for the pretreatment and internal logistics of the biomass. In addition, the ther-mal solar plant in Puerto Errado 2 uses Linear Fresnel mirror technology, which provide the advantage of omitting the oil circuit used in conventional plants, integrating the solar field as a steam generator in the water-steam cycle. The Arenales thermal solar plant uses solar parabolic trough collector technolo-gy and includes a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) for a generating capability at full power of up to 3,000 hours/year.

OHL Industrial, active in the fields of Power, Oil & Gas, Mining & Cement and Fire Protec-tion, uses innovation as an essential element of its strategy. OHL Industrial has worked its way into the highly competitive market of Oil & Gas thanks to its commitment to high-tech-nology systems.Within the power generation field, impor-tant renewable energy projects have been awarded. The Puerto Errado 2 thermal solar power plant in Calas-parra (Murcia), with an electrical power of 30 MW, is the first ther-mal solar plant in the world under commercial operation. It applies direct steam generation technology (Linear Fresnel). There is also the 50-MW Ence Huelva biomass plant, the largest biomass power generation plant in Spain, with a projected yearly output of 337 million kWh. In addition, the 49.9-MW Arenales Solar ther-mal solar power plant, which includes a Ther-mal Energy Storage (based in molten salts),

has enough capacity to supply clean power to 42,000 households.The advances that have been implemented in these projects have received recognition from various entities and bodies. Thus, the new de-sign solutions for the power block in the Puer-to Errado 2 thermal solar power plant received an honorable mention in the second edition of

the Award for the Most Innovative Idea that is granted by the OHL Group. Furthermore, OHL Industrial submitted the new advances used in the project to the GENERA 2012 Innovation Gallery, an initiative created by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism that aims to promote some of the main lines of research in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

OHL Industrial has worked its way into the highly competitive market of Oil & Gas thanks to its commitment to high-technology systems

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The technological and sustainability ad-vances in the Ence biomass plant, in Huel-va, have been displayed in the National En-vironment Congress 2012 (CONAMA). It is also important to mention the Solar Fu-ture project which will help OHL Industrial move ahead in the thermal solar field. Within the field of Oil & Gas, OHL Industrial has undertaken the construction of the Vopak plant, designed for hydrocarbon storage and distribution in the Port of Bahía de Algeciras (Cadiz), and the expension of gas fractionation capability of the Camisea plant, operated by Pluspetrol in Pisco (Peru). It has also strengthened its ties with Pemex Refinación with the construction in late 2012 of a hydrogen plant using natural gas in Nuevo Léon, Mexico.The Solid Handling area has implemented R+D+i as the basis for its success in order to face new challenges in the current context of world economy. In 2012, the most relevant contract in this area was awarded: the development of a comprehensive grinding, transport, acid treatment and copper oxide piling system for the Ministro Hales division of the Chilean Corporación Nacional del Cobre (Codelco, National Copper Corporation), the world’s largest producer of copper. The

project is innovative as regards to the piling of the copper required for its leaching, since machinery has been developed to complete it in a semicontinuous process. The copper extraction process has also been improved. Its scope covers the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of the plant and the on-site checking of the results obtained. In this sense, it is important to emphasize that the applied solution has been an evolution from the two stackers on metallic pontoons supplied to the Endesa ash and gypsum facilities in Carboneras (Almeria) and Compostilla (León), respectively.Within the field of fire protection, Chepro, a subsidiary of OHL Industrial that focuses on the engineering, installation and main-tenance of fire protection systems, safety systems and communication systems, has collaborated with the rest of the lines of business in OHL Industrial, such as the Are-nales thermal solar power plant, which is fitted with complete state-of-the-art safety systems. Furthermore, Chepro is also a leading company within the nuclear sector through its collaboration in the develop-ment and innovation of new fire protection solutions.

Machinery designed and built for Codelco.

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Arenales Solar power plant, in Morón de la Frontera (Seville). Spain.

Puerto Errado 2 power plant, in Calasparra (Murcia). Spain.

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Arenales thermal solar power plant

The Arenales thermal solar power plant, lo-cated in Morón de la Frontera (Seville), uses Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) technology and has an output of 49.9 MW. Producing 166,000 GWh/year, it is one of the largest power generation plants in its category, and it can supply clean power to approximately 42,000 households. Furthermore, since the

power generated is renewable, it will avoid producing 113,000 t/year of CO

2 from fossil

fuels. Its solar field, of north-south facing, has a to-tal surface of 510,120 m2 and a Thermal Ener-gy Storage that increases the total number of

hours at full power up to 3000 per year, while allowing the power transmitted to the grid to be managed. This element, plus the energy from the biomass, represents the biggest ad-vantage over the rest of the renewable ener-gies.Parabolic trough collector technology is the most mature and reliable thermal solar alter-

native from an operatio-nal point of view, thanks to the use of thermal oil as heat transfer fluid. On the other hand, the use of this technology has a high capital cost, and it is also necessary to have a series of auxi-

liary systems to ensure the heat oil circuit ope-rates correctly and safely. This, together with the limitations to its development, means that other technological options in the thermal so-lar field have been deployed. In this sense, OHL Industrial has acted on its

Parabolic trough collector technology is the most mature and reliable thermal solar alternative from an operational point of view, thanks to the use of thermal oil as heat transfer fluid

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Arenales thermal solar power plant (PTC).

The beginnings of thermal solar power: SEGS plants

The performance and reliability of SEGS (Solar Energy Generating Systems) plants have evolved up to their current level. The SEGS I plant, built in 1984 in California, required three years of running to consolidate its safe operating conditions and overcome inci-dents with heat transfer fluid leaks that caused small fires in the plant (heat transfer fluid has a low flash point). In February 1999, the plant was put out of service by a fire in one of the oil tanks. The SEGS II plant (1986) also encountered equipment reliability problems, which re-quired the development of an upgrade program so they could be efficiently solved. The operation of the equipment in the SEGS III and IV plants (1986) showed significant progress during the startup period. The availability of the fields exceeded 90% after the required two-month period to check the collectors and complete the facility accep-tance protocol. The reliability of the SEGS plants improved as the expertise gained in the first facilities was applied: up to nine plants were built whose output finally showed great produc-tion regularly.

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commitment to sustainability and process op-timization in thermal solar power generation by starting the development of the Solar Futu-re project, which will use Linear Fresnel tech-nology as a basis to improve the competitive-ness and safety of the different applications of this method.

OHL Industrial will develop the Solar Future ini-tiative in collaboration with the Thermal Energy Research Group of the Polytechnic University in Madrid, which is partnered with the prestigious Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) research center in Germany, led by 1984 Nobel laureate in Physics Carlo Rubbia.

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View of the auxiliary systems of the HTF

circuit (flash tank and spillover tank). In the background, Thermal Energy Storage (TES)

tanks and liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant,

on the right.

The challenge for thermal solar power plants: safety

There are almost 2,000 tons of heat transfer fluid (HTF) in use in the Arenales thermal solar power plant. This fluid transports the collected solar power (1) to the TES (2), so it can be used during periods of low or zero solar radiation, or to the water-steam cycle (also known as power block) through the steam generator to produce electricity.Within the power block, the generated steam channels the heat power to the turbine (3) and transforms it into kinetic energy as it expands inside the turbine. The turbine then turns the kinetic energy into rotating mechanical energy, which will be used by a generator connected to the shaft to produce electricity. The steam condenses at the end of the cycle and it is channeled to a water tank with a degasser (4) which controls the water-steam cycle and works as a first step to guarantee the water quality and hence the useful lifetime of the plant.The electrical power output of the plant depends on the amount and enthalpy of the steam supply, which is established by the heat power delivered by the collector field and which, depends on the solar power available at a given time. Whenever there is little or no solar radiation, the energy can be supplied by the molten salt system, if available.

Schematic diagram of plant with indirect generation based on a primary oil circuit.

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Three auxiliary boilers to heat up the HTF.

The elements of the facility that pose the greatest risk for both personnel and the envi-ronment have been analyzed and quantified so that safety hazards can be minimized. Below are the main hazards and their asso-ciated safety systems: auxiliary heat trans-fer fluid systems, the solar field, the steam turbine and molten salt and the electrical systems.

Heat transfer fluid (HTF) auxiliary systems

The use of HTF has proven to be an effective way of controlling the plant due to its good thermal inertia and to its remaining in a li-quid state at low pressure (between 15 and 35 bar), as required to prevent leaks in the moving receivers of the solar field.On the other hand, the heat transfer fluid does require a series of auxiliary systems to allow safe operation. The most important ha-zards and associated safety systems include the following: n The freezing point of HTF (12oC) means the fluid circuit needs to be permanently kept at a higher temperature (at least 25°C). The Arenales thermal solar power plant features auxiliary gas boilers to keep the fluid circuit

Main safety systems above 60ºC at night and during cloudy days, when the ambient temperature is lower. In any case, the amount of power required to maintain the HTF temperature above the freezing point is not high, since the asso-ciated heat losses are low. In addition, the auxiliary boilers can provide support du-ring the daily plant startup and shutdown, and they optimize output whenever there is cloud cover, that is, when solar radiation is insufficient. The boilers are redundant because it is important to ensure the HTF remains in liquid state and to counter any potential malfunctions. n During plant operation it is important to prevent the HTF from exceeding its heat de-gradation limit of approximately 430°C and evaporating. Otherwise, it degrades in com-ponents with high- and low-temperature boiling point (substances with higher and lower boiling points than HTF). This degra-dation can be minimized by operating the plant safely (< 400oC), conditioning the who-le operation and maximum performance –by up to 40%, approximately–, since it all depends on the operating temperature. Fur-thermore, the plant needs pressurization and inerting systems by means of nitrogen to maintain the HTF in a liquid state within an inert atmosphere, avoiding the access of air into the circuit. Otherwise, a fire or an explosive reaction could be caused if the

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hot HTF made contact with the oxygen in air. As an additional safety system, the plant has waste or ullage disposal devices that remo-ve the products derived from contamination by oxidation and cracking from the HTF, thus avoiding other greater problems such clog-ging filters, degrading pumps and valves, dropping in the exchange capabilities or lowering the flash point.n A flash tank is required due to the high ex-pansion index of HTF. This tank is installed at the highest point of the plant and connected to overflow vessels to counter the changes in volume of the HTF during the daily startups and shutdowns. These systems must main-tain the pressurization level (using nitrogen, as in the waste or ullage system) above the HTF steam pressure (12 bar) to avoid its vaporiza-tion and air intake into the circuit. They also work as a supply system for the HTF pumps. Since this is the most hazardous area in the whole plant, a pit will be installed to contain the HTF, and fire extinction will be facilita-ted by installing a medium expansion foam system formed by a perimeter ring attached to the pit and fitted with fixed medium ex-pansion nozzles. Action is automatic when flame detectors inside the pit are activated.Finally, the flash tank has a deluge water spray system with automatic-hydraulic ac-tion. It is fitted with a pilot line with sprinklers that act as detectors. The system is automa-tically activated if any of the sprinklers break due to temperature.

Solar field

The solar field holds the largest volume of HTF, so it needs to be continuously monito-red with control systems and 24-hour came-ra surveillance.HTF could ignite due to the temperature rea-ched in the plant and to contact with oxygen in the air, so it is necessary to guarantee air-tightness of the whole circuit and to control any HTF leaks. These problems may occur in the weakest points of the facility: the rota-ting joints and the glass-metal welds of the solar radiation receiving pipes. It is therefore essential to control the pres-sure inside the HTF circuit in order to remain within a range that ensures the HTF to stay in its liquid phase while at the same time not exceendig the pressure over the safety parameters of the elements and equipment involved. A main control system is available to protect the solar field. It uses various PLCs (Pro-grammable Logic Controllers) and sensors distributed throughout the plant to monitor the flow in the different loops of the solar field and ensure that their values are correct, depending on the amount of solar radiation received. A deficiency of HTF would result in a lack of cooling of the receiver pipes, cau-sing overheating and falling to disuse and be put out of order. Furthermore, the HTF could heat up, compounding the pressure changes and increasing the risk to the facility due to

Joint of the receiver pipes between troughs in the solar field.

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explosions. Since controlling the fluid circuit is critical for safety, there are four HTF pumps that ensure redundancy in the event of any problem. Apart from controlling the flow, the system also controls the operation of the sun trac-king hydraulic units, and it can defocus the troughs from the sun to stop power uptake if necessary. Finally, a fire truck is available at the plant for using in the case of a fire/ for using if a fire arises.

Steam turbine

The technology used for this device is over 100 years old and therefore very mature, but it is still conditioned by the thermodynamics of the water. It has two highly relevant cha-racteristics:n Condensation occurs at a pressure below atmospheric, so the ratio between the in-put and output pressures is of around 200. This demands several stages with increasing straight cross-sections due to the rise in the specific volume.n Water tends to condense easily in the last stages of the turbine, and the resulting drops erode the blades and affect performance.This may be partly countered by installing a high pressure unit and a low pressure unit and carrying out the necessary intermediate extractions.The steam turbines used in thermal solar power plants have been specifically desig-ned for thermal solar power, and they have been strengthened to withstand daily star-tups and shutdowns, but they need to re-main in steady-state operation as long as possible, like other turbines in conventional power plants fed with solid or gas fuels. The most serious malfunction in a steam turbine is a crack in the rotor. This problem, which can normally be solved by replacing the rotor, is common in thermal solar power plants because of their operating conditions (daily startups and shutdowns): the rotors are subject to thermal gradients and can operate at critical speeds which constantly cause heat stress, expansions and contrac-tions, and which can turn any sligth flaw into a crack. The replacement of the rotor can be a serious problem because normally neither the plant owner nor the manufacturer has spare rotors in stock, so a new one has to be ordered and manufactured. Bypass valves are one of the systems used to protect the useful lifetime of the turbine. They are used to monitor the status of the steam during startups and they guarantee that the super-heated steam is at the correct temperature to avoid condensate in the turbine stages. In

addition, when power is not being supplied, either from the sun or from the Thermal En-ergy Storage, in the evenings or upon a tur-bine trip, bypass valves channel the steam to the condenser, therefore completing a safe shutdown. In general, pressure needs to be monitored at the turbine inlet and out-let to ensure the steam superheating and the vacuum pressure, respectively, so that the turbine operates correctly in accordance with its thermodynamic cycle. A lube system is also required to supply enough oil to lubricate and cool the turbine and generator bearings. This is a key system to lengthen the useful lifetime of the turbi-ne. Its malfunction could cause the turbine seizing as a result of overheating. In this case, there is also a redundant pump that could continue operating if the first one malfunctions. In addition, the turbine lube system is fitted with a fire fighting system by means of CO

2 flooding, since the mineral oil

used is flammable.Finally, the systems in charge of guaran-teeing the water quality under the requi-red conditions need to operate correctly, otherwise silica scaling could appear.

Plant solar field.

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Molten salt system

The main risk in the molten salt system is the solidification of salts, since their freezing point is below 245ºC. This can be avoided by installing heat tracing in pipes and in the areas prone to freezing, providing a safety margin that prevents clogging in pipes. In the case of Arenales, the system is designed to operate above 265°C.There is also a pipe and exchanger drain system with a container, used to collect the drains from pipes and exchangers.

An HTF condensate and leak detection system can separate the HTF from the molten salt cir-cuit and thus provide additional safety.There is a 24-hour video surveillance system, similar to the one in the solar field, that is complemented by a network of hydrants and water/foam monitors to counteract the effects of a fire in the area.

Main and redundant turbine lube pump.

Electrical system

The electrical system of the plant plays a key role in its safety, since it guarantees that all electrically-powered redundant and safety equipment can operate. Its main functions are to ensure an adequate supply of electri-cal power and to guarantee the best possible availability of power to all equipment under normal operation and upon loss of voltage in the national grid (black-out).Under normal operation, a PTC-type thermal solar power plant has a gross output of 50 MW

and consumes seven (around 15%). This is a high percentage when compared to conven-tional power generation (around 5%). The distribution of this

power in the Arenales thermal solar power plant is done by means of a complex system that requires the use of different voltage le-vels. It includes a HV substation (66,000 V) to transfer the power to the grid, hundreds of LV and MV switches for motors and normal con-sumers and even LV (24 V) electronic elements in hazardous areas.

In addition, the turbine lube system is fitted with a fire fighting system by means of CO

2 flooding, since

the mineral oil used is flammable

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Most of these elements are redundant to guarantee their availability. An uncommon element for power generation plants is the large number of motors (almost 20), that are fitted with frequency variators due to process needs. This type of device uses elements of power electronics -thyristors and IGBTs (In-sulated Gate Bipolar Transistors)- so that the motor can operate at any speed, from its une-nergized state up to its rated speed, and nor-mally 3,000 RPM. However, although the challenge for OHL Industrial design lies in distributing all the power required by the equipment under nor-mal operation, the most sensitive part was operation under black-out mode, when the turbine, solar field and molten salt system are at greatest risk. This risk is minimized in the Arenales thermal solar power plant by using the following emergency mechanisms, arran-ged from greater to lower criticality:n Two 125 Vdc uninterruptible power supply systems. Sudden changes in the steam condi-tions can pose a serious threat to the durabi-lity of the turbine. These changes can be avoi-ded by installing two battery-fed, redundant, 125 Vdc uninterruptible power supply systems with a backup time of 30 minutes. Their pur-

pose is to supply control voltage continuously to the electrical equipment and to supply a turbine emergency lube pump (apart from the main pumps of the lube system) in the event of a black-out. n Two 400 Vac uninterruptible power supply systems. These are redundant, battery-fed and have a 30-minute backup time. Their pur-pose is to provide a continuous power supply to the main control system and to the PLCs around the plant. Furthermore, in the event of a black-out, they allow the emergency HTF pump at the solar field to be started-up and preventing degradation of the receivers and the HTF if the main pumps shut down.n Two emergency diesel generators. The diffe-rence between the diesel generators and the uninterruptible power supply systems is that the former need some time to start up (ap-proximately 15 seconds), so they cannot be used for loads that require an uninterrupted power supply. They are used to ensure the equipment cooling remains operational du-ring a black-out. They are used for mechanical equipment (by means of the cooling pumps) and for electronic equipment (by starting up the air conditioning systems). They also keep the heat tracing active to prevent the crysta-

HTF pumps.

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llization of the salts and the solidification of the HTF.Additionally, in order to guarantee the highest availability of supply and the lowest risk for the personnel in the event of a fire, OHL Indus-trial has selected high-security (Rz1) cables with halogen-free polyolefin outer sheath for the Arenales thermal-solar power plant. These comply with all requirements stated in current regulations. Selecting this type of outer sheath as oppo-sed to the traditional PVC one yields several advantages, as fire resistance, low emission of opaque smoke or toxic fumes (no dioxines are released to the atmosphere) and an exce-llent non-fire-propagation capability. It is ade-

quate for use in ATEX areas and in areas with special floors or ceilings with more restrictive regulations.In addition, Chepro has selected complete flooding systems with automatic action to protect the plant electrical systems, such as transformer 10BBT30 and the rooms housing the control racks of the molten salts and the main electrical building. A groundbreaking gaseous extinguishing agent known as Novec will be used. It will be activated by detection mechanisms within the protected areas. The-se mechanisms will be governed by a specific extinguishing center for each hazard. This cen-ter will receive the alarms from the detection system and send the trip command.

Emergency diesel generator.

HTF-MSS frequency inverters.Rz1 cable connection to one of the molten salt system pumps.

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Novec gas. Advantages

During a fire, Novec gas acts by removing the heat. Novec is safe for personnel and environment since it is not a greenhouse gas and it does not damage the ozone layer. Furthermore, it has a long useful lifetime and it does not produce any was-te. Novec has been included and acknowledged in the most important regulations on fire protection systems using gas extinguishing systems: NFPA 2001:2008, EN 15004:2008 and ISO 14520:2006, among others.

Main advantages over the systems used in other plants

n Low operating pressure. It is stored at less than 42 bar and it emerges trough the nozzle at approximately 5.2 bar, which is a low pressure value compared to the rest of the protection equipment.

n Excellent environmental constraints. The only one in the market with a 20-year guarantee of use.

n Low concentration of use. It is currently the extinguishing agent with the lowest concentration of use in the market.

n Non toxic. It is compatible with the presence of human beings. It is one of the two safest gas extinguishing systems for humans.

Novec gas canister in HTF-MSS electrical equipment room.

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Solar Future project

By now, thermal-solar technology has had few chances to develop. The volatility pro-blems of wind and photovoltaic power have been resolved, but there has been little progress in the learning curve and in R+D+i investment. Proof of this is that in 2012 the wind power output in the whole world was of approximately 300 GW versus 3 GW of ther-mal solar power.However, some important milestones have been reached in this field: the Puerto Errado 2 plant is the first commercial application of Linear Fresnel technology with water as heat transfer fluid, and Gemasolar is the first plant with a central receiver and molten salts as heat transfer fluid. The world technology demand, set at around 100 GW for 2030, will produce the deploy-ment that thermal solar power requires to reach the same level of competitiveness as the rest of the renewable power sources. Thermal solar power plants with heat storage will be standard. This removes the possibil-ity of using the direct steam generation tech-nology of Puerto Errado 2, since there are no efficient energy storage systems available. However, this technological option shows good potential for hybridization or power in-

crease/saving applications with convention-al or biomass technology. For the time being, there are no solid initiatives in this issue. The only announcement is for the JOAN 1 plant project, in Jordan, where direct steam generation is combined with fossil fuels.

Characteristics of Solar Future

The purpose of the Solar Future project is to create, verify and optimize the design of a collector loop for its subsequent implemen-tation in large power plants. This will make the O&M of thermal solar power plants more competitive, reliable and flexible.This new concept avoids the potential risks in PTC plants, where the hot fluid and the pressurized water of the steam generator can come into contact and cause a large explo-sion. The same can be said about contact between salts, which are highly hygroscopic and have a high heat of dilution, and water. The exchanges in the Solar Future concept are done using CO

2 as the heat transfer fluid.

In turn, the analyses provided by the Thermal Energy Research Group of the Polytechnic University in Madrid (GIT-UPM) have iden-

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Linear Fresnel technology and CO2: a perfect match

After monitoring the available technology and taking in the lessons learned in the Puerto Errado 2 and Arenales plants, OHL Industrial has committed to Linear Fresnel technology, which provides improved operating and investment conditions thanks to its greatest tech-nological simplicity. Furthermore, the preliminary research performed in collaboration with the Thermal Energy Research Group of the Polytechnic University in Madrid (GIT-UPM) has indicated that use of CO

2 as heat transfer fluid is the best way to guarantee the storage and

safety of thermal solar power. CO

2 can be used with Linear Fresnel technology because the receiver pipe is fixed, which

eliminates the risk of leaks, unlike with PTC technology. In addition, replacing thermal oil with CO

2 greatly simplifies plant operation and maintenance, since it is not vulnerable

to heat degradation and to the reactivity in contact with air. This reduces the number of incidents in the collectors and simplifies the auxiliary systems, resulting in a 30% lower investment. The possibility of reaching higher temperatures also improves performance, since the development potential of PTC technology is currently limited.

tified Fresnel longitudinal collectors as the type of solar radiation concentrator with the best performance/cost ratio for the range of operating temperatures of CO

2 (a single Fres-

nel is enough with a radiation level of 40 kW/m2). Higher concentrations, such as those obtained with a central receiver, cause ther-mal-mechanical stress on the receiver, which

reduces its useful lifetime and compromises plant reliability. Looking ahead, CO

2 is shaping up to be a

better heat transfer fluid because it introduces the possibility of using Brayton cycles, which are better suited to the operating conditions of thermal solar power plants with daily startup and shutdown cycles.

Check previous issues of Tecno:Puerto Errado 2 (No. 81)Ence Huelva biomass plant (No. 85)

Additional information on the Solar Future Project: article: Optimization of Brayton cycles for low to moderate grade thermal energy sources, Energy magazine,

Authors: Ricardo Muñoz Rodríguez, R+D+i and CSR coordinator, with collaboration from Alfonso Martínez Sánchez, electrical engineer in OHL Industrial and José María Martínez–Val, professor of Thermotechnics in the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)

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Italian scientist and 1984 Nobel laureate in Physics Carlo Rubbia attended an informative meeting on solar power, its applications and impact on the environment in OHL headquarters in Madrid on this past 28th May. The Nobel laureate in Physics stressed the responsibi-lity of both governments and the business world in the fight against climate change, and also acknowledged OHL’s commitment to innovation through the Solar Fu-ture project.In his speech, professor Rubbia mentioned how clima-te change is currently out of the news because, among other things, global temperature has not risen in recent years despite an increase in the emissions of greenhou-se gases (GHG) beyond what the IPCC (Intergovernmen-tal Panel on Climate Change) had projected. This is due

to the emission of aerosols, which have the opposite effect of greenhouse gases: the GHG have an average life expectancy of around 35,000 years, whereas aerosol gases only last some decades. This difference could lead us to no returning point with the sudden appearance of the global warming.

Nobel laureate in Physics Carlo Rubbia presents the advantages of the Solar Future project in Torre Espacio

Carlo Rubbia, center, during his visit in Torre Espacio.

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obraSCÓn HuarTe laIn, S.a.Paseo de la Castellana, 259 - D - Torre Espacio28046 - MADRIDTelephone 91 348 41 00 - Fax 91 348 44 63www.ohl.es