The comprehensive renovation
ran smoothly and met the tight deadline
A technology leader in the chemical industry was due to renovate their tetraethyl silicate manufacturing plant. The large-scale project included significant replacement investments in the area of highly acid-resistant enameled pipelines and columns.
To keep stoppages as brief as possible, the schedule for the project was calculated very tightly. Every delay would mean unplanned, costly production downtime for the customer, so rigorous and focused execution was a top priority.
The plant’s various areas were exposed to different levels of corrosion and abrasion due to the concentration and high temperatures. This was considered in planning, so that pipelines and columns in each area of the plant were given a perfectly adjusted external coating.
To use the tight assembly intervals optimally, precise logistics were crucial. This means that: Over 1500 parts had to be at precisely the right place at precisely the right time. This went smoothly due to an intelligent labelling and packaging concept.
We also contributed to the project’s success by training the entire assembly team on site. It is vital that specialist staff understand the special properties and operation of enameled parts. This is all the more important when assembly must be carried out under great time pressure, as safety must never be sacrificed.
It sometimes happens that subsequently major changes are made in the detail engineering phase. This was the case in this project. As an experienced system provider, we are prepared for such situations and can respond immediately. By being flexible and working closely with the customer, despite unforeseen events the plant was ready and production could be resumed on schedule.
Düker Email Technologie as a system provider for the pharmaceutical industry
A renowned pharmaceutical manufacturer in the Netherlands was facing large investments in expansion. They were doubling the existing plant capacities at the active ingredients factory.
They also wanted to optimize the plant’s service life. It was also necessary to comply with the highest requirements for product quality, the plant’s cleanability and the purity of the active substance so that future revisions and associated costs would be kept as low as possible.
In a plant area with highly acid resistant enameled pipeline components, they required expertise and experience which couldn’t be provided by the main contractor. So the customer entrusted us with coordinating trades between assembly and engineering. Düker Email Technologie could act as a system provider at this point and bundle the specialist knowledge of the separate sectors into a closed unit.
Particularly in medium-sized chemical or pharmaceutical companies, alongside the plant’s existing process engineering they often don’t have their own specialists in detail engineering with stress calculation, proper storage and assembly for special materials available. We were able to take over these tasks and carry them out successfully.
The tasks set were completed successfully and on schedule, despite some structural changes during the project. The plant area was put into operation without complications and is achieving the set goals.
In this project we were able to show how important it is for the customer that we are not only a manufacturer of high quality acid resistant enamel pipeline systems, but also, and to an ever greater degree, that we can offer complete solutions as a flexible, efficient system provider.
Comprehensive engineering
services lead to success
A leading manufacturer in the chemical industry was about to expand an existing plant for the production of a strong organic acid. The production was to take place in the direct vicinity of the population, which places particularly high demands on operational safety.
The most recent expansion of the plant was problematic and did not go according to the operator management's expectations. Errors in the planning of the support concept and in the installation of the piping systems resulted in leaks during commissioning. The resulting interruption of production and the troubleshooting caused high costs and time delays during commissioning.
The plant is operated at very high temperatures. This leads to large linear expansions of the piping systems. These must be compensated to avoid damage to the plant. However, the use of suitable expansion joints was not possible due to the aggressive medium.
All this placed particularly high demands on the engineering and installation. The correct selection and professional installation of the supports according to isometric specifications was of the utmost importance. It is important to know that the assembly of steel/enamel components requires special knowledge as well as many years of expertise in order to be successful in the end.
In the upcoming expansion of the plant, these mistakes were to be avoided. For this reason, we were already involved in the project team during the planning phase and, together with the project managers, were able to help shape all the necessary steps for a successful project right from the start.
But also in the further course of the project we were able to support our customer with valuable engineering as well as installation services.
- Detail engineering support: carrying out plausibility checks of the stress calculation as well as for the support concept
- Training of the warehouse staff and accompanying of the goods delivery and incoming goods inspection as well as the professional storage of the goods in the project free warehouse.
- Assembly: Practical and theoretical training of the assembly group before the start of assembly in the plant
- Supervision: support and advice on the construction site until successful commissioning
Due to the early, comprehensive planning of all essential project steps, in combination with our project experience, we were able to start up the plant together with the customer in a safe and technically tight manner. The plant now fulfills its function and produces safely, efficiently and sustainably in the direct vicinity of the population.
Interesting technical detail: Among other things, our new development, the "Duo-Safe Flange DSF", was used in this project. This new type of flange provides a safe loose flange connection on any type of glass lined pipe system. Assembly by one employee is unambiguous and extremely simple. The risk of errors during assembly is 100% eliminated. In this way, assembly and operational reliability as well as speed are increased enormously.
The planning and implementation of modern process engineering plants is extremely complex today. However, the generation change in many areas of German companies leads more and more to the loss of valuable knowledge and experience. For this reason, we see our task more and more in supporting our customers with our know-how from planning to successful commissioning (and beyond), in addition to high-quality products. Each plant with its specific production processes has its own individual requirements. At the same time, time and cost pressures are growing. Such tasks require not only an excellent, interdisciplinary team of experts, but also optimal technical and temporal interaction with as few interfaces as possible. Under the name EPCMM (Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management to Maintenance), we therefore offer our customers comprehensive services - in line with our claim of "functionality, safety and customer benefit".
Process oriented bottom outlet valves
In a pharmaceutical plant, all the ground drainage valves had to be removed and cleaned for every revision and product change for decades. The resulting production downtimes at the plant were simply too long and were very costly.
The customer needed a solution that enabled cleaning to be carried out without dismantling the valves. Unfortunately, at the time there was no ground outlet valve that fulfilled these requirements.
Other providers had already declined, due to the difficulties and the development costs. Düker Enamel Technology worked in very close collaboration with the customer’s process engineering to develop a practicable process-oriented solution.
Now they do not have to dismantle the valves. That means that revisions can be carried out much more quickly. Also, the whole plant can be operated for longer, because the valves are gapless and have little dead space, so medium does not crystallize in and have to be removed from the valves.
It’s a great example of our team’s high level of flexibility, commitment and ingenuity, always with the aim of developing constructive solutions for customers.
restoration of a chemical plant
This project was about a production plant for chemicals for the manufacture of paints. After being in operation for ten years, there was some enamel damage in parts of the pipes, that had caused interruptions in production at times. The task was to find and replace the damaged parts as quickly as possible.
The customer's 3 week time limit was very ambitious and an absolute precondition for awarding the contract. Because each day of production stoppage would result in costs in the area of six figures.
The customer also required support in engineering, because it was suspected that the enamel damage had been caused by, among other things, incorrectly designed supports and the wrong choice of compensators.
The customer also wanted coordinated trades between assembly and engineering.
The customer chose us because as a solution provider and system supplier, we have many years of experience in all the important areas of the project. Also we always involve the customer very closely in the solution finding process. And we offer one of the best quality enamels on the market.
The first step was to carry out the necessary stress calculations. We used data to develop the optimal support concept and choose the right compensators. This was a basic requirement so that the entire pipeline would be within the range of permissible loads and stresses for the steel/enamel material composite.
In order to increase the plant’s future smooth operation and service life, we worked with the customer’s materials technology department to optimize the product requirements compared to the original specifications. So, for example, we gave the pipeline parts especially effective external corrosion protection, which will significantly extend the service life of the pipeline.
The extensive experience of our project and assembly team enabled us to optimize the plant without revisions or stoppages and within the required timeframe. The new configuration is designed for a maximum service life under highly corrosive conditions and was executed to the customer’s complete satisfaction.
Clever solutions for acidic exhaust air
A renowned chemicals group faced a tricky challenge: They needed a pipeline for acidic exhaust air (NW 300) which guaranteed safety in the event of fires compared to plastic pipes, and combined low weight, chemical resistance, vacuum resistance and diffusion tightness. For safety reasons, welding work could not be carried out on the existing plant. Complex requirements that had to be fulfilled.
During the decision making process, all conceivable materials were considered and tested. The tests, like on GRP-PTFE laminate as a lining variant, failed. The results showed that all the materials restricted process safety or had unreasonable costs. All except for one material: our email250light.
As an inorganic coating, only our email250light combined all the required properties. The very good environmental balance also favored of our solution. In contrast to polymer linings (PTFE, PPs, etc.), our technical enamel is diffusion-proof against media such as chlorine. Another added value of this solution: Since steel/enamel is fireproof, the exhaust air pipe does not increase the plant’s fire load.
The lower insurance costs means the investment pays off for our customers. And if there is a fire, people and the environment are not subjected to toxic fire load components.
The plant was put into operation smoothly and on schedule and fulfilled the objective of every chemical plant: safe and efficient production.