Insulated one of the world's most energy-efficient silicon plants: Elkem Salten
Insulation and good craftsmanship are among the success criteria behind one of the world's most energy-efficient silicon plants. The energy recovery plant at Elkem Salten recovers as much as 300 GWH per year, enough power for 15,000 households. In 2021, the Prime Minister cut the red ribbon. We spoke to Trøndelag Isolering and Ranbergs Isolering, who were commissioned to insulate the plant.
Visualise how you intend to solve the assignment
Project manager Tommy Lien talks about the project in his native Trøndelag. It's easy to see that he has a passion for technical insulation and a good dose of humour:
- ‘The secret to getting jobs like this is to be able to visualise how you intend to solve the assignment. After that, it's all about quality craftsmanship and close dialogue. As a rule, there are always changes. We're not always the cheapest, but customers know what they're getting. There isn't an elf standing in a garage cracking some ink and thinking that this is going to go well,’ laughs the man from Trøndelag.
When Tommy says ‘we’, he's referring to Trøndelag Isolering, but also to Ranbergs Isolering, which the founders Henning and Harald Andres Otnes bought in 2019 to enter the market in Bodø.
This led to a partnership with Elkem Salten, which was to build an energy recovery plant with a price tag of NOK 1.2 billion.
Read also: The ABCs of insulation (remember the basics of technical insulation?)
How do you insulate a five hundred metre long pipe with a diameter of 2 metres?
The challenge faced by Tommy and Ranberg's insulation company was to insulate three pipes with a diameter of 2 metres and a length of 480 metres each.
- ‘A complex task with many HSE challenges, due to the high temperature of the pipes, their above-ground location and the heat around them,’ says Tommy.
To win the contract, the company had to go through a long and demanding process, presenting 3D models of the solutions, an installation study and an HSE strategy before they could submit a quotation.
- ‘We worked hard to show Elkem that we had the best solutions for their project. It was a long process, but we knew that our expertise and experience would give them the quality they were looking for,’ says Tommy Lien.
They won the assignment. Although the scope tripled along the way, the project was completed without disrupting the customer relationship, thanks to close dialogue throughout. During the two and a half years the project lasted, they had only one HSE deviation.
Satisfied customers keep coming back. Recently, they were asked to carry out a study on the consequences of replacing the roof at Elkem's smelter, which covers more than 12,000 square metres. Via word of mouth in the Elkem Group, they also received a new assignment from Elkem Thamshavn in Orkanger, who had spoken to a satisfied buyer in Salten.
Photos from the insulation and sheathing job at the recycling plant at Elkem Salten
The pipes hold approximately 300 °C
Great precision is required for both prefabrication and installation of such large bends.
Bend had to be isolated and enclosed from the lift at a height of 15 metres. This posed many HSE challenges
Straight pipes were insulated and encapsulated from ground level
Isopartner - punctual supplier and sparring partner for products and solutions
The collaboration with Isopartner has been an important part of Trøndelag Insulation's success. Isopartner has supplied the necessary materials such as Rockwool's range of products for industrial and process insulation, aluminium cladding and panels, and tensioning straps for fastening.
- ‘We've been delighted with Isopartner throughout the entire process. They have always delivered on time and have advised us on products and solutions.
One challenge Tommy and his colleagues faced was that some of the old pipes above the new pipes they were working with had corroded quite a lot.
- We were afraid that it would rub off on the new aluminium pipes and that carbon would get between the stainless steel sheathing and the aluminium. The solution was a tightening band for fastening with adhesive tape on the inside, which was recommended to us by Isopartner. We appreciate having a supplier with expertise in the insulation trade, which is something I'm passionate about,’ Tommy concludes.