The European chemical industry consumes much energy and consequently contributes significantly to the total CO2 emission of the EU. Therefore, it is important for the chemical industry to move away from fossil fuels in order to reduce this emission. The use of biomass for energy is an interesting alternative. Following this approach, Empyro will build and demonstrate the first poly generation pyrolysis plant in Europe that will use woody biomass to produce electricity, process steam and pyrolysis oil. The plant is expected to be ready by the end of 2014 and will be taken into operation gradually. The maximum production capacity will be over 20 million liter pyrolysis oil a year.
In the pyrolysis process biomass will brought into contact with hot sand to generate pyrolysis oil and gas. In the new pilot plant in Hengelo, The Netherlands. 5 tons of biomass will be converted into 3,5 tons pyrolysis oil every hour. The generated gas will be used to supply its own electricity supply and the adjacent salt plant of Akzo Nobel.
For the building of the new modular pilot plant in Hengelo, twenty-one pieces of prefabricated modules, with an average dimension of 12,5 by 5,5 by 7,0 meters weighing around 36 ton each had to be transported from the manufacturer in Enschede to the construction site in Hengelo, only 15 kilometers ahead. Because of the dimensions the engineering and execution of the transport was a major challenge. At the construction site the modules would be built together into the right order to create the main building.
With the help of several mobile cranes the frames were turned inside the hall at the manufacturers site with only centimeters of spare space. Some of the frames needed to be jacked up and skidded under need a hatch in the roof. So the new Wagenborg DEMAG AC 700 mobile crane, that was standing outside the hall could hoist the frames through a hatch in the roof on to low-loaders and modular-trailers. By nighttime the frames were ready for road transport to an inland vessel at a quayside nearby. This inland vessel would transport the frames from Enschede to a temporary storage area in Hengelo close to the pyrolysis plant construction site. At the arrival quay side in Hengelo, the mobile crane took care of the unloading of the frames. The frames were placed on elephant feet’s at the temporary storage area. So the frames could be transported just-in-time in any order to the construction site. With one of Wagenborg’s seven axle hydraulic extendable semi low-loader, equipped with extra support beams of 3.5 m. wide the frames were transported to the construction site.
At the construction site Wagenborg took care of the complete installation of the frames and accessories. The frames were transported right underneath the hook of the main crane. With the help of a tailing crane the frames were turned and maneuvered in the right angle and position for installation. The installation of the frames took place in only nine days, because of the just-in-time delivery at site. After all twenty-one frames were transported, lifted and installed, the plant began to become recognizable.