15 Years of Reliable Operation: Revisiting China’s First Coal Storage Air Dome — The Shenhua Group Bayannur Project

As air-supported structures become increasingly common in industrial storage across China, few may realize that the country’s first air-supported coal storage facility was built in Bayannur, Inner Mongolia. Designed and constructed by Broadwell Air Dome, the Shenhua Bayannur facility marked the beginning of this technology’s application in China’s coal storage sector. Today, this landmark project has delivered 15 years of reliable operation.

On October 26, Broadwell returned to Bayannur, accompanying a delegation of South Korean clients on a visit to China’s pioneering coal storage air dome. Years after its completion, the site remained orderly and productive. Its vast dome still commanded attention, leaving visitors impressed by the sheer scale of the structure.

During the visit, Deputy Plant Manager Wang and the head of the storage and transportation department shared firsthand insights into the facility’s performance over the past 15 years.

Located near the boundary between Urad Middle Banner and Wuyuan County, in the wind-exposed Wubulangkou area, the facility faces strong winds throughout the year, along with winter snow loads. Two years ago, the owner commissioned a comprehensive inspection of the entire membrane and steel cable system. The findings were encouraging: the primary structure remained in good condition and suitable for continued use.

Over 15 years of continuous operation, wear-prone components in the fans, control system, and power-generation equipment have undergone scheduled maintenance and replacement. The equipment’s core components, however, have continued to perform reliably through repeated exposure to Inner Mongolia’s strong grassland winds and harsh, snowy winters.

“After 15 years of continuous operation, the facility remains in good working condition,” Wang emphasized. “We are extremely satisfied with the long-term quality it has demonstrated in practice.”

01 | Engineered for Safety and Reliability in Harsh Conditions

At completion, the project set a world record as the largest single air-supported structure by enclosed volume.

Broadwell’s patented Bias-Pro Diagonal Orthogonal Steel Cable Net System has helped the facility maintain stable performance through high winds and heavy snow, supporting uninterrupted production throughout the winter.

Inside, gas and dust concentration monitoring systems automatically adjust ventilation rates to match operating conditions. Together, these systems create a self-contained, enclosed working environment designed to address coal storage safety risks at their source. Over the past 15 years, all operating indicators have consistently met the required standards.

02 | Lower Costs, Greater Efficiency, Tangible Returns

According to the owner, the benefits of the air-supported design were evident from the construction stage. Compared with a conventional steel structure at the time, the solution reduced construction costs by approximately 60%, saving nearly RMB 10 million in capital expenditure on this project alone.

Those benefits have continued throughout 15 years of operation. A fully automated PLC-based control system collects and compares indoor and outdoor air pressure, temperature, wind conditions, and energy consumption data, allowing the facility to operate automatically without continuous on-site supervision. Low maintenance requirements further reduce long-term operating costs.

The vast, column-free and beam-free interior also accommodates the full range of coal stockpiling, reclaiming, and conveying processes.

03 | Containing Coal Dust, Protecting the Grassland Environment

During the visit, Wang recalled a striking detail from the years before the enclosed facility was built: whenever the wind picked up, coal dust would spread beyond the stockpiles and onto the surrounding grasslands. Coal dust could even be seen on the sheep grazing nearby.

That firsthand account made the environmental impact of open-air coal storage clear and tangible.

With the air dome in place, the coal storage area is fully enclosed, effectively separating the stockpiles from the surrounding environment and reducing windblown dust at its source. The enclosure also helps reduce coal losses during storage, supporting the company’s transition toward greener operations.

China’s first air-supported coal storage facility has now demonstrated its value through 15 years of stable, continuous operation. Its track record shows how sound structural design, appropriate material selection, and quality construction can extend the service life of a building’s core structure—and lower its total life-cycle cost.

Over those 15 years, what began as an innovative application has matured into an engineering solution proven by long-term use.

Broadwell Air Dome will continue investing in research and development for industrial domes, delivering greener, smarter storage solutions that help businesses improve environmental performance, reduce costs, and operate more efficiently.