As solar PV and wind energy face continuous curtailment and transmission challenges due to intermittent generation profiles, Concentrated Solar Thermal Power (CSP) has emerged as the definitive base-load renewable technology. Unlike PV systems, CSP stores heat using molten salt thermal energy storage (TES). This allows plant operators to supply dispatchable green electricity around the clock. Supporting this system requires high-capacity slewing bearings capable of maintaining sub-millimeter tracking accuracy for heliostats and parabolic trough collectors under severe climatic circumstances.
Heliostat fields face extreme environmental forces, primarily from shifting wind loads in open desert plains. The tracking hardware must withstand significant axial loads, radial loads, and massive overturning moments (tilt torque) without losing optical calibration. Structural deflection of even 0.1 degrees can cause the solar beam to miss the central tower receiver entirely. Precision manufactured single-row cross-roller bearings and double-row four-point contact ball slewing bearings provide the necessary rigidity to prevent structural deviation under peak desert storms.
Most modern CSP plants are deployed in harsh environments characterized by high Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI), such as deserts and arid plateaus. These regions subject mechanical systems to fine dust, sandabrasion, and extreme daily temperature fluctuations (ranging from sub-zero nights to +50°C days). Seals must achieve IP65 or IP66 ingress protection to prevent dust from entering the raceways, which causes abrasive wear. High-quality coatings, specialized grease, and heat-treated surfaces are vital to guaranteeing a service life exceeding 25 to 30 years.
The company is located in Huangtu Town, Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, with very convenient transportation. The company has mature technical conditions and advanced equipment. Relying on exquisite forging, heat treatment and precision processing techniques, we can provide high-load-bearing, high-strength and long-life transmission solutions for construction machinery, medical equipment, intelligent warehousing, photovoltaic industry, port machinery, industrial robots, environmental protection equipment and other fields.
The company is equipped with advanced testing equipment and a complete quality control system. The products have a complete traceability from raw material selection to final product delivery, meeting domestic and international industry standards. The company always adheres to the business philosophy of "quality first, mutual cooperation", providing high-quality services and reliable products to new and old customers.
Global procurement teams must decide between gearless, external tooth, or internal tooth slewing configurations. External tooth single-row cross-roller bearings allow for straightforward drive setups with pinions, minimizing installation volume. Gearless configurations, such as our L-type ball swivel bearings, are frequently chosen when the tracking mechanism uses external hydraulic cylinders or direct-drive motor systems. Selecting the appropriate configuration reduces drive friction loss and lowers energy usage.
For high-load applications like heliostats and parabolic trough collectors, designers choose between ball and roller bearings. Single-row cross-roller designs offer high rigidity and support combined radial, axial, and tilting loads in compact envelopes. For larger installations, double-row four-point contact ball slewing bearings provide load capacity distribution that absorbs heavy moments, preventing localized material fatigue under cyclic wind loads.
In heliostat field operations, tracking backlash directly influences the focus of the concentrated beam. Minimizing backlash to less than 1 or 2 milliradians (or down to arcminutes) prevents positioning errors. Our custom manufacturing processes focus on grinding tolerances and raceway preloading to achieve zero-backlash or low-backlash operation. This optimization reduces the field area required to achieve targeted solar receiver thermal thresholds.
We provide customized design and technical support according to customer needs, helping partners achieve efficient and stable equipment operation. We are based on integrity and aim to build a century-old enterprise. We always insist on high product quality to ensure customer interests.
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
The company has always adhered to the business philosophy of "quality first, mutual cooperation and win-win", providing high-quality services and reliable products to both new and existing customers.
Tower CSP designs employ thousands of individual dual-axis tracking mirrors, called heliostats, to reflect sunbeams onto a central receiver tower. Our dual-axis horizontal rotary drive units are optimized to handle vertical wind loads while maintaining azimuth alignment. By incorporating high overturning moment resistance, they prevent physical load deformation from distorting the reflection target path.
Parabolic Trough plants use long, U-shaped curved mirrors to focus sunlight onto receiver tubes containing thermal oil. These long structural loops are driven by a single central drive mechanism along a single axis. The key requirement is high torque capacity to rotate up to 100 meters of steel collector structure. High-precision slewing bearings with hardened external gear rings provide the structural interface for these systems.
Linear Fresnel systems track the sun on a single axis using flat mirror facets that focus thermal radiation onto overhead receivers. Because Fresnel collector modules are positioned lower to the ground than parabolic troughs, they experience lower static wind forces. However, they require compact, cost-effective, high-durability slewing bearings. Our single-row ball type swivel bearing and L-type configurations fit these cost and spatial constraints.
We manufacture transmission solutions in compliance with international industrial standards. Raw materials undergo ultrasonic testing to check for internal micro-cracks before forging. Our heat treatment processes are calibrated to achieve the required surface hardness, ensuring wear resistance for the ball and roller raceways in global solar field applications.
Operating from Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, we leverage regional transport infrastructure to coordinate supply logistics to key shipping terminals. Our packaging protocols protect finished bearings and drive units against sea-spray corrosion and transport vibrations, delivering components ready for field installation.
In the future, the company will continue to focus on technological upgrading in the transmission field, and strive to provide global customers with higher-quality and more cost-effective rotary transmission products and services. This includes researching integrated smart-sensor technology for real-time tracking health monitoring and developing specialized, long-life lubricants for high-temperature desert environments.
Contact our engineering support team to discuss your project requirements, coordinate technical details, and request a comprehensive custom quote.
Manchen Transmission