More expansion work at our plant.

MidState Steel seems to be well organized. They have done several big projects for us. As Dave said, find the numbered parts that go next in the pile and lay them out.

 

I was on my 7 days off, I was surprised at what the steel crew got done in a week.
Built the bottom structure to hold the calciner..legs and beams
They have gotten about 2/3 of the shell assembled.
Chain come alongs holding things in place
Still more to go up here...the round openings are where the burners will go.

 

Update on the progress of #8 calciner system.
The calciner shell and building structure is complete, working on the infeed silo system now, it's on the left side
The other contractor is now pouring the concrete between the building pads
And put in two access ramps to big mill and calciner

 

Quite the project.

Is this just an update/replacement to the old equipment, or are there efficiency improvements regarding the flow of product?

 

This is a completely new calciner system. Big bucks being spent on this project. Our little plant is planning for the next 10-20 years. I hope to stay until it runs, then retire.

 

I had to Google calciner to find out what it does. Very interesting. The product coming out at the end is it the purist form for it or is there more processing afterwards?

 

It goes through a final milling process to insure particle size is right. One of our calcined class is used a base for another product we make. It is treated with different chemicals that make the clay hydrophobic. That product is then used in underground wiring, protects the wire from moisture.

 

A better picture of the new calciner system in the daylight. Middle structure is at least 100' tall.
Calcine is the dark brown cylinder in the back.

 

The information I found was only describing a horizontal calciner. I didn't do intensive research on it.

 

Look up hearth calciner or vertical calciner

 

The motor control room...
Looked like they had just put some type of sealer on the floor.
More controls

 

Rockwell panels...good stuff

 

A couple better pictures of the MCC room. Motor control panels and PLC cabinets...

 

One of the main components of the calciner came in. This is the center shaft. The arms that move the clay through the calciner attach to this. The design allows cooling air to flow up the center, out into each arm, and then exit out through the outer opening.
The sections...
Bottom pivot sits on oil filled bearing. The stainless flange is the water jacket seal. It bolts to the frame above. It traps and dust from escaping and helps maintain air pressure inside kiln.
Getting the sections bolted together. Yes it's big enough for 2 scissor lifts to be inside
Center shaft installed, top bearing and water jacket seal are on the white frame. The shaft is kept in line with set screws that push against graphite plugs...

 

In my much younger days I used to wire those.

 

That last pic looks like a picture from a space station.

 

Will upgraded training be needed for the operators or is this just a new version of everything they have been doing all along?

 

Might be a few things a bit different, but should be very similar to the units we already run. #8 calciner is supposed be be like #1 calciner, the other operator in the control room runs that one.

 

Vertical terminal strips...I like it...ours run horizontal, but this looks cleaner.
Looks like they are doing a good job of labeling wires...that is key for the poor sap that has to troubleshoot later on.
We just went through an upgrade of our 25 yo scada system last year...did it mostly in house, with the help of our integrator and his assistant...saved a couple hundred thousand $ over hiring out the whole job. Switched over to fiber optic cables for communication between panels too...that allows for a good amount of expansion in the future.

 

Job security!