Pit Stop for a Refinery – The Turnaround–Challenge

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Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH

Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH

Italvacuum, Srl

In Rotterdam, the industrial services provider is acting as Managing Contractor for the project. On behalf of the plant operator Q8, the company has taken responsibility for selecting the subcontractors, planning and coordinating all necessary work and supplying the required equipment. Since more than 15 companies are involved during the revamp, this is no easy task.

Working with Specialists: Teamwork is the Key

The shrill noise of grinders can be heard in a temporary building constructed of plastic and tarpaulin. Sparks fly as welders and mechanics break down equipment and fittings. Welding torches hiss against a backdrop of metallic hammering. A beeping noise outside gets louder and softer, as forklift trucks pass by the thin wall. One of the workers dressed in a blue and yellow Bilfinger overall lays aside his angle grinder. He pushes his protective goggles up over his forehead and runs his finger along the freshly cut edge on a dismantled mixing tank. He then asks another worker who is dressed in gray moleskin clothes to come over.

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“He works for SGS, a company that specializes in material testing,” explains Gross. “We tear down the equipment and get the parts ready for re-installation, but the inspection is done by an independent company.”

The specialist uses an aerosol can to apply a fine, shiny coating to the edge. The fluid contains ultra-fine iron oxide particles in suspension. A U-shaped metal yoke with a strong coil wrapped around it is used to induce a magnetic field in the part. Any cracks and discontinuities in the material create deviations in the magnetic field, generating local attractive forces which cause metal particles to accumulate. This procedure, that is called magnafluxing, helps to detect component defects which could result in hazardous material failures during operation.

When the inspector is finished, the man nods and places his mark on the vessel to indicate that this part has passed inspection. For Gross, the partnership with SGS is just one example of the good teamwork between the various Bilfinger subsidiary companies and their subcontractors.

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