West combined heat and power station

Once Mainova AG had placed the order, a DN 500 district heating connection pipeline (2x KMR DA 670 mm) was constructed between CHP West and CHP Trade Fair. The connection pipeline runs partially beneath the rail track approach at Frankfurt Central Station and beneath DB track 3631 on the Mainova premises towards Weilburgstrasse.

The tunnel work was carried out using shield pipe ramming over a length of 233 m and 2,500 mm in diameter. Both the start and end construction pits for pipe ramming were excavated using a pile driver. The shafts were about 12 m deep.

SWR laid the entire district heating pipeline underground. This included constructing the pipeline trenches, installing the district heating pipeline in the culvert, steel construction work for the support structure, installing the protective cable ducts and the risers in the start and end shafts.

Initially, SWR constructed an auxiliary structure in the centre of the pipe to ensure a continuous pipe feed. This meant that waiting times for non-destructive testing could be eliminated.
Once the complete feed line had been drawn into the tunnel, it was lifted from the auxiliary structure onto the installed bearing structure.

The insulation and metal shell was then attached. The same work method was used for the return line.