Highly resilient alloys
Traditional power plants involving those, for instance, fired on coal run at a 500°C operating temperature and a pressure of around 240 bar. One of the ways to raise the efficiency of the entire plant is increase the temperature to 700°C and pressure to 350 bar. This would make it possible to come up with a 50% efficiency (as against the 38% German average).
However, absolutely new materials are needed for this "700°C / 50+ power plant" as normal power plant steel can only withstand temperatures of around 600°C. This explains why Hitachi Power Europe, in association with a power plant operator, is researching into special steel alloys with high proportions of nickel and chrome. These alloys make the material highly resilient as regards temperature and pressure.
In cooperation with a power plant operator, Hitachi Power Europe has through its subsidiary manufactured the corresponding components, such as superheaters, pipes and other system parts, or had them manufactured. In addition, the material properties have been subject to complex examinations in a test unit. The first 50 % efficiency power plant is due to go into service from 2014 onwards. | 
