Customer: Mälarenergi, Västerås, Sweden
Project: Mälarenergi's new storage tank in Västerås
Partners: Ahlsell, Bilfinger, Midroc
Tata Steel products: Colorcoat Prisma®

Steel-clad giant vacuum flask will keep Västerås residents warm in the winter time

Rising 82.5m above the ground, Mälarenergi's new storage tank in Västerås, holds 26 million litres of water and was constructed using over 5600m² of Colorcoat Prisma® pre-finished supplied by Tata Steel.

Recently, Mälarenergi installed its new large storage tank adjacent to Västerås. A welcome addition to smooth out district heating production and manage power peaks during the coldest days of the year in the city. It is also a big step in Mälarenergi's journey to make the city's district heating and electricity production completely free of coal and oil by 2020.

The new storage tank, called thermos as it has the task of keeping the water warm, will increase the reliability that district heating will be available when required. The 26 million litres of water held in the tank will be used to smooth out the production of district heating during really cold winter days.

The challenge

With its 82.5 x 21m size, the tank is visible from a distance. The size and the modern exterior make the accumulator tank stand out in the Västerås city skyline alongside the chimneys on the CHP plant.

The top part needed to be fitted with a decorative strip of shiny stainless steel to which was fitted a 6m high crown constructed from a transparent stretch metal roof that can be illuminated with different colours.

The solution

The accumulator tank is clad with a three-layer Colorcoat Prisma®, in the silver grey colour called Orion, and was chosen for its long durability and resistance to ultraviolet light. The surface treatment is based on a three-layer technology that drastically improves durability, colour and gloss retention.

Colorcoat Prisma® is also available with the Confidex® Guarantee, which is the longest and most comprehensive warranty for finished steel products in Europe. The guarantee is valid for up to 40 years and with a 20 year colour guarantee.