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Group Turns 20

As engineers, we’re better at talking about inanimate objects than ourselves, but we feel compelled to update you on the many happenings at GROUP Engineering. Did you know that as a business, we are now over 20 years old? We’ve gone from strength to strength and now have a number of groundbreaking achievements under our belt.

Group Engineering - Celebrating 20 Years

GROUP FINDS SWEET SOLUTION

GROUP FINDS SWEET SOLUTION

– Proserpine Sugar Mill

Terry Holt, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

PROBLEM:

The Proserpine Sugar Mill needed to upgrade its facilities to improve both the efficiency and the capacity of its operation. One of the strategies employed to address this goal was to improve the processing of its energy source, which was a byproduct created during the milling process called bagasse. The bagasse was being used as captive fuel in the boilers for raising steam to generate power. At the Proserpine Sugar Mill, the installation of a bagasse dryer became essential because high moisture content in the bagasse was causing incomplete combustion in the boiler furnaces. Because of the combustibility of bagasse and its dust, there were a number of challenges during its transportation from one section of the operation to another, so a new expertly designed conveyor system was also required.

SOLUTION:

The solution GROUP provided was multi-faceted. Firstly, it involved the design, drafting, construction and installation of a bagasse dryer system. To ensure the end result was successful, GROUP was meticulous during the design phase of this project. GROUP also designed the complete electrical system and facilitated the commissioning of both electrical and mechanical systems. During the construction phase, which was done offshore, a GROUP engineer traveled to oversee the project. As additional components of GROUP’s involvement in the project, GROUP designed a conveyor system from the bagasse storage silo to the newly installed furfural plant. This consisted of two parts, including:

  • A new feed conveyor from the existing bagasse silo to the new bagasse dryers. The bagasse dryer separated the moisture from the bagasse and the excess moisture was then put through scrubbers, which separated the steam from the ash. The steam exhausted out through the existing stack via new Induced Draft (ID) Fans. This process involved the expertise of GROUP mechanical, structural, civil and electrical departments.
  • A new reversible feed conveyor from the bagasse dryer toward the furfural plant. This included modifications to two existing conveyors, a new conveyor servicing the new walking floor bin complete with a digester feed to the furfural plant. The new conveyor also bypassed the walking floor bin and rejoined the bagasse boiler feed circuit.

Finally, GROUP also upgraded the existing boiler feed conveyor system by designing a new 1800cm wide belt bagasse feed conveyor and extending the existing boiler feed conveyor. This included the re-design of the boiler feed chutes. Again, all GROUP disciplines were used.

RESULT:

This project required a broad range of specialist engineering skills and expert project management to coordinate the various aspects of the job in which GROUP was involved. Since the upgrade, the sugar mill has improved its overall capacity and reduced its energy costs.

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