In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

More expansion work at our plant.

Discussion in 'Everything Else (off topic)' started by T.Jeff Veal, Apr 17, 2024.

  1. Skier76

    Skier76

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    Very neat to see the process. Thanks for sharing.
     
  2. morningwood

    morningwood

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    It's nice to see companies investing in their current plants in the U.S..

    Very interesting pictures.
     
  3. Horkn

    Horkn

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    Small world. One of our really good friends used to work at imperial industries. He worked there for like 25 years. Engineer, but got burnt out and left there.
     
  4. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    Yes sir, very slick.
     
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  5. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    More upgrades and expansions are beginning to happen at our plant.
    A calciner that I operate is getting a major overhaul.
    All new electrical control gear and burner panels...
    1000016779.jpg
    The calciner is getting rebuilt...
    Crews were working today, taking out the brick walls, floors... 1000016783.jpg
    That is the center shaft and some of the arms that move kaolin through the unit...
    Bricks are thrown through the door openings, then loaded by hand into the hopper on the skylift... 1000016787.jpg
    Then dumped in truck and hauled off... 1000016786.jpg
    They are breaking ground for a new calciner as well...it will take at least a couple years to complete... 1000016780.jpg
     
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  6. Dok440

    Dok440

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    You don't see US plants upgrade and expand on the news. This is terrific, thanks for sharing.
     
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  7. Erik B

    Erik B

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    T.Jeff Veal Will you be sent back to school to learn the new operating system?:whistle:
     
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  8. Sourwood

    Sourwood

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    They dont have any mines theycan use for storage purposes?
     
  9. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    I might stick around long enough to see it built...lol
     
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  10. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    No, all the mines around here are open pit mines
     
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  11. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    After the crew left today, I walked up on the calciner.
    Maybe ya'll can see why it was time for a rebuild...
    At top is how thick steel shell is supposed to be... 1000016815.jpg
    About rusted through in the middle... 1000016814.jpg
    More floor bricks knocked out 1000016816.jpg
    A look inside... 1000016817.jpg
     
  12. eatonpcat

    eatonpcat

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    We are doing some work on a few Calciners and adding a fan to a Trimer at a local BASF plant...Nowhere near the size of the Calciner you have pictured.

    20250213_120740.jpg
     
  13. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    Looks like a rotary kiln. That's nice. We have 2 types, the vertical hearth kiln, like the one being rebuilt...we have 4, so to be 5 of those, and 2 flash kilns.
     
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  14. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    New motor control center has been installed, now to just get it all wired... 20250218_214751.jpg
    More floors/bricks have been taken out, the view of the walls show how the original shell had rusted through. This unit was originally built in '86-87, I think. 20250218_215702.jpg 20250218_215719.jpg
     
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  15. eatonpcat

    eatonpcat

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    That's a mess, definitely time for a rebuild
     
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  16. billb3

    billb3

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    I guess they got all the miles out of that one.
     
  17. Screwloose

    Screwloose

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    What are some of the stats on NG consumption?
     
  18. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    A lot...lol...one unit is using about 8964 CFH...
     
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  19. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    Got the bigger crane set up now, taking the top off the building, so the old shell
    can be taken apart and new one installed 20250224_141624.jpg
     
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  20. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    They brought some nice toys...err...tools to work with...
    This is a BIG man lift... 20250224_145509.jpg
    Nice acetylene and oxygen tank set up... 1000016919.jpg
    Good view this morning of them taking the top structure apart... 1000016944.jpg 1000016946.jpg
     
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