Hunan-made tunnel system set for Barcelona metro project

Assembly and testing has been completed on a large tunnel belt conveyor system, developed by China Railway Construction Heavy Industry, in Changsha, Hunan province, ahead of its shipment to Spain.

It is the first such piece of equipment made by a Chinese company to enter the Spanish market, according to the Changsha-based company.

The system, comprising seven belt conveyors with a total length of 4,500 meters, will be used in the extension of Metro Line 8 in Barcelona, the company said.

Situated in a densely built urban area with heavy traffic, the project includes approximately 4 kilometers of tunnel and requires strict standards for noise control, dust management and operational efficiency. A customized solution was developed over eight months to meet these stringent requirements, according to Li Pei, deputy head of the company's tunneling machine research institute.

The system features three industry-first technologies specifically designed for urban construction, Li noted. These include a noise-control enclosure that maintains operating sound levels below 60 decibels, a space-saving belt storage unit that increases space efficiency by 40 percent and conveying efficiency by 25 percent, and a rotating belt conveyor equipped with smart monitoring and automated controls to ensure efficient muck removal under various working conditions.

According to the company, more than 95 percent of the system's key components are domestically sourced, with core technologies being fully independent.

The export to Spain signifies that Chinese tunneling equipment has successfully overcome barriers to the European market, Li said, offering a Chinese solution for urban tunneling projects worldwide.