HBPW has landed one of its largest ever contracts – to undertake the civil engineering design of Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Immingham Renewable Fuels Terminal (IRFT).
The aim of the multi-million pound development is to create a storage facility for wood pellets, imported from around the world, ahead of their onward transmission to UK power stations via rail. Drax Power Station near Selby in North Yorkshire will be the principal beneficiary.
Using the existing Humber International Terminal (HIT1 Jetty), wood pellets will be offloaded from vessels, utilising two new rail-mounted Continuous Ship Unloaders (CSUs).
The purpose-built CSUs will discharge biomass pellets at a combined rate of 2400 tonnes per hour, using augers to lift them from ship holds. Sited on existing quay rails, the Continuous Ship Unloaders will traverse up and down the length of the quay discharging pellets onto a conveyor to their rear.
“It is absolutely critical the pellets remain dry, which is why the first discharge conveyor will incorporate an intricate opening and closing top cover to prevent rainwater from damaging them,” said HBPW Managing Partner, Paul Withers.
From the quay, pellets will travel by conveyor at a speed of approximately three metres per second, initially over a 65m single-span, enclosed conveyor bridge, to a transfer and sampling station, and then up to the top of four 25,000 tonne silos via enclosed conveyors.
Wood pellets will then be taken from the four storage silos, via reclaim conveyors, to a further concrete silo over the railway measuring 12.5 metres in diameter and 45 metres in height. At this point they will be discharged into specially built railway wagons for onward transmission to power stations.
“HBPW is justifiably proud to be involved with such an amazing feat of construction and civil engineering. We have had many years’ experience developing facilities for the handling and storage of biomass at major power stations and ports around the UK, and this contract is testimony to the confidence, placed in HBPW, by key players within the engineering sector,” added Paul.
