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Azmet Reactors

  • Date of Steelwork Completion
    2023-08-31

Azmet Reactors

  • Date of Steelwork Completion
    2023-08-31
Project Type
  • Mining/Industrial
  • Export/Pan African
Project Team Interview Case Study
Project Summary Case Study
Steel Profiles Used
  • Date of Steelwork Completion
    2023-08-31
  • Tonnage
    280
  • Plates
    High Strength and Special Structural Plates
Project Overview

The Azmet Reactors project, exemplifies precision engineering, showcasing intricate design and fabrication processes. A collaborative effort led by Viva Engineering, the project involved creating six innovative reactors. These reactors, with a diameter of 9.9 meters and height of 11 meters, demanded exacting tolerances. Using structural steel and a

Project Details
Viva Engineering’s scope included :  Structural design  Shop detailing  Fabrication  Rubber lining  Corrosion protection Rubber lining and corrosion protection was undertaken prior to delivery to the site in the DRC. Due to the remote location of the mine in the DRC, careful consideration was given to the constructability of t
The foundation and surface bed concrete works were prepared for erection of the Reactors. Limited space was available within the existing plant for deployment of cranes and laydown areas for components to be lifted into position. The building structure required to be built over the Reactors due to their size.The Reactors were first erected befo
Transport Planning of truck loads for transport to the site was challenging. Individual components were fitted on cradles designed to optimise the transport deck space, minimise the number of loads and ensure the integrity of the items (including rubber linings and paintwork) during transportation to the site. Transport jigs were designed and built to brace the components and reduce vibration during the trip. Careful load packing optimized weight distribution on the truck for the long trip to the DRC. Bureau Veritas Certification and pre-clearing ensured that there were no customs delays at the South African, Zimbabwean and DRC border crossings. Due to the remote location of the mine in the DRC no abnormal transport was possible. The logistics of normal truck loads required detailed design consideration of component size and the location of bolted joints in the Reactors before the structural modelling, analysis and design commenced and long before any trucks started rolling to site Packing Each Reactor is 9.9m in diameter and 11.6m high with 3265 parts. All the components of each Reactor required to be packed so that upon arrival at site the Reactor could be assembled from the designated package. The Reactor components and small parts had to be carefully packed in specially designed cradles to optimise each load and minimise the number of loads to site
Benefits of Steel in this Application

The complexity of the Reactor geometry is best suited to fabrication in steel. Construction of the Reactors insitu in concrete would not be viable due to the complexity of formwork and deployment of plant onto the site of limited size.

The benefit of steel for this application is a relatively lightweight structure (compared to concrete), which can be preassembled and trial erected before being transported to site. This allows for fast and accurate erection in the final location.

On site fabrication of the Reactors would take too long and requires establishment of a substantial design office, fabrication works and skilled artisan team that is not available in the DRC.

Furthermore, fabrication of the Reactors at an established Workshop in Gauteng in a controlled and safe environment enabled the site civil works to be constructed concurrently.

The workshop environment allows better control and quality assurance than a site fabricated tank where manufacturing process can be monitored closely to ensure that all materials used in the construction are of the specified quality and workmanship is to the required standard.

Testimonials

We are proud of:

• Fabrication, transport of the six Reactor tanks 9.9m in diameter and 11.6m high and erection of 3265 parts fitting perfectly
• The workshop jigs were designed to ensure repeatability for the various components achieving site installation of 26 900 bolt without a single bolt hole out of place
• The detailed design of complex geometry with FEM modelling and integrated support frame and platform
• The quality of workmanship and design of the Reactors satisfied the specifications
• The project was completed within the project programme