More than a thousand SNEP® luminaires illuminate the power plants of Tampereen Energia
The Naistenlahti 3 biofuel power plant was introduced in the spring of 2023, and its luminaires are local products from a neighboring municipality. The fluorescent tubes of older power plants have also been replaced with SNEP® by Purso LED luminaires. The lighting of power plants must support comprehensive, 24-hour camera surveillance and be able to withstand different temperatures.
High-quality industrial lighting in cooperation with Valmet Technologies Oy
The facility supplier for Naistenlahti 3 was the world’s leading provider of technology, automation, and services, Valmet Technologies Oy, which already had previous experience in the use of SNEP® light fixtures in the illumination of power plants in Denmark and Sweden. Jukka Huhtala (Lead Engineer, EI&C, Valmet Technologies Oy), who was responsible for electrical engineering, says that they had a turnkey approach to this project. Purso luminaires were the answer to the complex needs of the site, explains Huhtala:
– For example, extra lighting was needed at maintenance sites, and due to the varied structures, the luminaires sometimes had to be installed in an unusual manner to create even lighting; this is where the convenient brackets were useful.
The luminaire manufacturer and the supplier worked in close collaboration for the duration of the massive power plant project. For example, Huhtala says that he visited Tampereen Energia together with Vesa Eerola, Business Director of Purso Lighting Solutions, to have the planned luminaires approved. Once the go-ahead was given, Purso then handled the lighting calculations in a “solution-oriented and professional manner,” says Huhtala. He praises the speed of deliveries in particular:
– The luminaires were already used as construction site lights, and there were several delivery batches throughout the project. It was great that the deliveries were carried out so rapidly.
Special conditions create challenges in lighting plans
The production of the Naistenlahti 3 biofuel power plant covers approximately half of the district heating needs of Tampere annually. A lot is demanded of the plant lighting. The conditions are challenging, and the area to be illuminated is split into different parts, says Lauri Tala, Maintenance Engineer at Tampereen Energia:
– The plant does not have vast, connected areas to be illuminated, but instead around a dozen levels, one above the other. The heights of the premises are varied, and the areas to be illuminated are very fragmented.
The importance of planning cannot be emphasized enough, states Tala. For this reason, work at Purso began as early as in 2020, and the plans were updated for the plant supplier Valmet Technologies Oy whenever more specifications were added to the drawings. Due to the varied structures, the placement of the luminaires was not simple, and this had to be considered in the lighting calculations; planning had to be done manually, one area and one floor at a time.
– There are different floors, intersecting pipes, cold and warm areas, as well as everything in between, describes Tala, who is responsible for the electrical and automation maintenance of the plant.
SNEP® Mode X – because only the best is good enough
Lauri Tala was involved in the project acquisitions of Naistenlahti 3. He says that the requirements for the luminaires were intentionally set at a high level so that the end result would definitely be good enough.
For example, the ambient temperature requirement for the luminaires was specified at +50 degrees Celsius, although there are practically no areas at the plant that reach such temperatures. The requirements for the evenness of lighting were also extremely ambitious: in addition to accurate camera surveillance, the lighting had to support floor-level traffic, since inspection rounds, as well as operational and maintenance measures, are carried out at the plant. Since the lights are on 24 hours a day, a long service life with low maintenance needs were also in focus for the requirements.
– It was obvious that we didn’t want any cheap plastic-framed luminaires, concludes Tala.
A suitable industrial lighting solution was indeed found: robust MODE X luminaires with a frame made entirely of aluminum were installed at the power plant. The high IP67 rating and tempered flat glass ensure their suitability for varied conditions; some of the process equipment is situated outdoors, and the access routes there are also illuminated with the same luminaires. Tala says that serviceability was emphasized:
– When you have this many light fixtures, it is inevitable that some will fail over time. Now that the supplier is close by, spare part support can be guaranteed, and this in turn allows for a long service life until the end of the operating hours.
The serviceability of MODE X is facilitated by the fact that the outer frame of the luminaire is separate, and the SNEP® core, containing all the technology, can be easily removed, highlights Eero Kuoppa, Product Manager of Purso Lighting Solutions. Installability and serviceability are the advantages of all the luminaires in the MODE product family. Tala says that the mounting solutions in particular have received positive feedback.
Towards a brighter future – new lighting is an action to combat climate change
The Naistenlahti 3 power plant reduces the carbon dioxide emissions in all of Tampere by approximately 20 percent. It is the single most important climate action for Tampereen Energia, which aims to be carbon neutral in 2030 and carbon negative in 2040.
To achieve their objective, the company has also replaced the lighting in its older power plants. The energy-efficient SNEP® by Purso local products, which have a low carbon footprint, have replaced old fluorescent tubes in accordance with the RoHS Directive. Eero Kuoppa says that the companies share a common objective:
– Purso and Tampereen Energia have the same green values, so it is always a joy to participate in such projects.
