Modular process plant buildings aren’t just about construction—they’re about efficient, scalable solutions for projects like Port Pirie’s Top Submerged Lance Furnace. This blog highlights ASPEC‘s design approach, using advanced software and strategic modelling to address unique challenges. We’ll explore how this modular design streamlines transportation, assembly, and operation, delivering robust solutions for complex projects.
A major element of the Port Pirie Transformation Project was the construction of a 30m x 30m 75m tall building for the new Top Submerged Lance Furnace and Waste Heat Boiler. The building was constructed and fitted out off shore and shipped to Australia in modules for final erection. The requirements for transport and handling of the large modules imposed a complex set of loading conditions that are not prescribed by the usual Australian Standards for structural design. The special loading conditions imposed by the operating process equipment are also not prescribed by the usual Australian Standards.
A “one-model” approach was implemented for structural design of the furnace building. Key success factors discussed in this paper are:
- Application of well-defined project design criteria.
- Use of structural analysis software with advanced modelling features.
- Leveraging the software capabilities through application of well-planned modelling strategies.
The document, which can be downloaded below, is an excerpt from the Australasian Structural Engineering Conference, presented on Wednesday the 26th of September 2018.