Biomass Pneumatic Conveying and Feed system Installation – Lynemouth Power Station
Customer: Lynemouth Power and their main Materials Handling and feed contractor Sir Robert McAlpine
Year of contract: 2017- 2018
Value: £2m
Site: Lynemouth Power Station, Northumberland, UK
The Opportunity
As part of the UK’s drive towards a lower Carbon power Generation future, Lynemouth Power Stations owners decided to retrofit the existing Coal firing boilers to burn Biomass largely imported from America and Canada. This retrofit works have two main work zones, firstly the new fuel intake, storage and feed to the Power Station and secondly the retrofit of generating assets to generate with the new renewable fuel.
Power System Services were awarded the contract by Sir Robert McAlpine to install mechanical handling and Pneumatic conveying equipment from the intermediate silos to the mill infeed locations. This included the following key construction items that were a combination of free issue and manufactured parts;
- 12 intermediate silo distribution systems each of which included Support Steelwork, 2 Screw Conveyors, 2 hoppers, valves, chutes on bolt on safety and control equipment.
- 12 Blower Compressors complete with pipework feeds to the underside of the dispense system to pick up Biomass and blow it into the power station.
- 12 Pneumatic Conveying Pipelines to transport the product from the intermediate silos to the mill feeds.
- Manufacture and installation of a pipe bridge and trestles to support conveying pipework and pedestrian access from the new fuel intake and handling site up into the Power Station.
- Manufacture and installation of a pipe support bridge inside the Power Station Mill feed building off which the 12 conveying pipes branch off to the mill feeds on all three units.
- Installation of 12 Mill feed Systems each of which included, steel structure (Manufactured by PSS in a separate contract), Screw Conveyor, two hoppers, valves, filters and bolt on safety and control equipment.
The breadth of knowledge in house at Power Systems, a good reference from the equipment OEM and the fact that Power System Services are familiar with both construction sites and power generating facilities was a key consideration in the clients award criteria, coupled naturally with the competitiveness of our offer.
The Solution
Power System Services deployed an experienced, well trained team to site who had a wealth of experience in construction and overhaul. The challenges faced during construction were immense not least because access and logistics to even get equipment to the construction areas with other contractors needing to operate in the vicinity were very difficult. Nevertheless, the works were phased in such a way that our works were executed on time and without too much disruption to others.
Power System Services were commended on;
- Attention to safety.
- Quality of Workmanship. (highlighted by 100% weld and pressure test pass rate)
- Attention to detail and problem/ issue solving.
- Prepared to work outside of usual working hours to accommodate others.
- Timely execution of the works.
- Team player.
Blowers and Pipework Feeds
Intermediate Silo Building
Pheumatic Conveying
Feeders
Power System services were a key fuel feed system installation contractor on this project working from a Common Data environment (Viewpoint).
The project was concluded safely, profitably on time and to the specified standards. We took an active role in the design and buildability process throughout and assisted with other large scale projects on the same site whilst this was under construction. Our drawings were uploaded onto the common data site as they were approved.
