EPCM Project Success Spotlight: Compressor house design and construction
BBEnergy’s engineering, design and construction management experience and skills were showcased in a large EPCM project where a new compressor house, with two new compressors, were designed and constructed for a large mining client. The new system had to tie-in seamlessly into an existing compressed air network feeding the mine and underground operations.
Key highlights of the project:
- Reclaiming an unused area and developing a new compressor house
- 2x 21000CFM compressors installed, delivering air at a design pressure of 7bar
- Cooling system for compressors
- Water filtration systems
- VSD starters
- New 11kV switchgear and transformers
- Updated control hardware and software
- All electrical works
- Compressed air and water piping
- Design and construction of a multi-discipline project, including civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and C&I engineering works,
Main challenges:
From a design point, the reclamation of an unused area within the confines of an existing operation, presented various challenges and required careful design and 3D modelling to ensure a feasible new plant. Continuous “clashes” of equipment placement and layouts of cable or piping routes, between the various disciplines, had to be resolved to fit everything in on the limited space available.
Furthermore, managing a multi-discipline design and construction project, spanning multiple years from concept to commissioning, provided various challenges. Design changes impact schedules and cost changes impact budget allocations. All these need to be managed and executed within expected timeframes and costs.
BBEnergy was involved with the entire project life cycle, from investigating the feasibility of the project, to the concept design and costing, to the final detail design and execution. As the EPCM of this project, BBEnergy assisted with the procurement process and managed the construction and commissioning of the plant to client requirements.
