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Case Study: EVN Vinh Tan Thermal Power Plant — Steel Platforms & Inspection Ladders — Vietnam

Project: Boiler Platform and Inspection Ladder Package
Client: Vietnam Electricity (EVN) — Vinh Tan Thermal Power Plant
Location: Vinh Tan, Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam
Year: 2021
Products: 28 Steel Platforms + 16 Inspection Ladders (FL-HDG-STD and CL-HDG-STD)

Project Background

The Vinh Tan Thermal Power Center is one of Vietnam’s largest electricity generation complexes, located on the south-central coast of Binh Thuan Province. In 2021, EVN commissioned an expansion of the Vinh Tan 4 coal-fired unit, which required comprehensive boiler platform access systems and inspection ladders for the coal handling, ash handling, and flue gas treatment areas.

Dengtai was selected to supply the steel platform and ladder package after a competitive tender evaluated on technical compliance, price, and documentation capability. The project required products that could withstand the combined corrosive effects of coastal salt spray, coal dust, fly ash, and sulfur compounds from flue gas — an aggressive environment for carbon steel structures.

The Challenge

Challenge	Detail
Combined corrosion sources	Coastal salt spray (Vinh Tan is directly on the South China Sea coastline) combined with coal dust, fly ash, and acidic flue gas condensate created a multi-factor corrosion environment. Standard HDG coating thickness was marginal for the most exposed locations.
High-temperature zones	Platforms and ladders adjacent to the boiler casing and flue gas ducting experienced elevated ambient temperatures (60-80degC), requiring verification that the HDG coating would not degrade.
Vietnamese standard requirements	While EN ISO 14122-4 was referenced in the project specification, EVN’s own construction standards imposed additional requirements for platform live loading and ladder bracket spacing.
Logistics to a remote coastal site	Vinh Tan is approximately 250km east of Ho Chi Minh City, with the final approach requiring coordination with the plant’s construction logistics team for on-site crane availability.

The Solution

Dengtai supplied 28 steel platforms and 16 inspection ladders in a mixed model configuration:

Component	Model	Quantity	Specification
Inspection Ladders (boiler area)	CL-HDG-STD	8 units, 4-6m	Q235B HDG >=85um; caged with intermediate platforms
Inspection Ladders (coal/ash handling)	FL-HDG-STD	6 units, 3-5m	Q235B HDG >=85um; fixed without cage (under 7.3m)
Access Ladders (FGD area)	FL-HDG-STD	2 units, 4m	Q235B HDG >=85um
Steel Platforms	Custom	28 units, various sizes	Q235B HDG >=85um; anti-slip chequer plate; 5.0 kN/m2 live load (above EN’s 1.5 kN requirement per EVN specification)

Engineering Adjustments

Three engineering adjustments were made during the specification review phase:

Increased coating thickness — All HDG coating was specified at >=85um (above the standard 80um) to provide additional corrosion budget for the combined coastal/industrial environment. Coating thickness was verified at 5+ measurement points per component.
Enhanced platform loading — EVN required 5.0 kN/m2 live load on all platforms, exceeding the EN ISO 14122-4 requirement of 1.5 kN/m2. Platform structural design was revised with closer support spacing and a thicker chequer plate (6mm vs standard 4.5mm).
SS304 fasteners throughout — All platform and ladder connection bolts were upgraded from standard HDG to SS304 to prevent fastener corrosion, which is often the first failure point in coastal/industrial environments.

Quality Assurance

Dengtai’s 5-step QC was applied to every component. Key QC focus areas:

Weld inspection — All platform structural welds inspected to ISO 5817 Level C. Special attention to the chequer plate-to-frame welds, which are the highest-stress joints under pedestrian loading.
Coating verification — Digital thickness gauge readings at 8+ points per platform and 5+ points per ladder. All readings met the >=85um specification. One platform with a localized thin spot (72um at one edge) was re-galvanized before shipment.
Load test — A representative platform was load-tested at the factory to 7.5 kN/m2 (1.5x EVN’s 5.0 kN/m2 requirement). Deflection measured at 3.2mm — well within the L/200 serviceability limit.
Pre-assembly — Multi-section ladders and platform-to-ladder connection interfaces were pre-assembled to verify alignment before packaging.

Results

Metric	Result
Delivery	All 28 platforms and 16 ladders delivered in two shipments over a 4-month period. On-time delivery for each batch.
Compliance	EN ISO 14122-4 Declaration of Conformity + additional EVN-specific loading certification. Full documentation package per batch.
Non-conformances	One platform re-galvanized for coating thickness (pre-shipment detection). Zero non-conformances at site receiving inspection.
Cost	Factory-direct pricing was approximately 38% below the competing bid from a regional steel fabricator in Southeast Asia.
After-sales	Dengtai provided remote installation support via video call for the platform-to-ladder connection detailing, resolving 2 site queries same-day.

Lessons for Buyers

Specify the operating environment in detail. EVN’s specification included “coastal industrial — salt spray + coal dust + flue gas,” which allowed us to recommend the 85um coating specification and SS304 fasteners during the quotation phase. If the environment had been described simply as “outdoor,” the standard 80um specification might have been inadequate.
Clarify local standard requirements early. EVN’s 5.0 kN/m2 platform loading (vs EN’s 1.5 kN/m2) was identified during the quotation phase, not during production. This avoided a costly re-design after the order was placed. When issuing an inquiry, list ALL standards that apply — not just the primary one.
Remote support is now viable. The two site queries resolved by video call (WhatsApp video of the actual installation) saved the cost and delay of deploying an engineer to a remote site. For standard ladder and platform installations, remote support is often sufficient.
Batch delivery reduces site congestion. EVN requested delivery split into two batches aligned to the construction schedule. This avoided stockpiling all 44 items on a congested construction site and reduced the risk of site handling damage.

Products Used in This Project

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Power generation or heavy industrial access requirements? Send your specification for a quotation.

Email: sales@dtsteelladder.com
WhatsApp: +86 155 1187 9488

FAQ

Q: What special requirements did the power plant project have?

The boiler platform application required high-temperature resistance (continuous exposure to 60-80C ambient with occasional higher temperatures near boiler access points). HDG coating performs well at these temperatures. Bracket spacing was reduced to 1.8m (vs standard 2.0m) for additional structural margin in the high-vibration environment.

Q: How were the platform and ladder systems coordinated?

Dengtai supplied both the 28 steel platforms and 16 inspection ladders as an integrated system. Platform heights, ladder positions, and guardrail interfaces were coordinated in CAD before fabrication to ensure all components fit at installation. Pre-assembly fit-check was performed before shipment.

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****：EVN。2021，EVN42816(CL-HDG-STD/FL-HDG-STD)。：+++。：>=85um(80um)、5.0 kN/m2(EVN vs EN 1.5 kN/m2)、SS304HDG。7.5 kN/m2(1.5x)，3.2mm。(72um)，。38%。2。：、、、。

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