Giant lift for Port of Hull biomass tower
A spectacular operation has seen a landmark achieved in a key project reinforcing the Humber’s credentials as a leading renewable energy hub in the north east of England.
A huge crane lifted into place a major part of a structure built by Hull based specialist engineering business, Spencer Group, to enable the loading of sustainable biomass for transportation from the Port of Hull to the Drax Power Station. The work is part of £100m of investment in biomass handling facilities at the Humber Ports.
The lift topped off a 43m high biomass silo tower with a ‘penthouse’ structure, housing the drive mechanism for a conveyor belt to take the biomass from ground level, and a so-called ‘tambourine’, which seals the silo and supports the drive house.
The weight lifted was 75 tonnes and it raised the height of the structure to 50m, making it almost as high as the tower block at Hull Royal Infirmary and one of the tallest buildings on Hull’s skyline.
The big lift was filmed for a documentary series on crane company Ainscough, due to be broadcast on BBC Two this autumn, with the working title ‘The Crane Gang’, and the successful operation marked a milestone in a challenging project to construct the biomass loading facility and related infrastructure. The facility is due to be commissioned in October.
Gary Thornton, chief operating officer of the Spencer Group said: “This is a complex project, involving a number engineering elements and specialists from across the world. It has been quite a challenge to knit them all together, but the team have done a tremendous job in keeping the project on track and the biomass loading facility and related infrastructure is now really taking shape.
“The lift was exceptional because of the sheer size and weight involved. It was quite a spectacle and marks a landmark stage in the scheme. Following the preparatory work in pre-assembly at ground level, it was very satisfying indeed for the Spencer and Ainscough teams to see the biomass silo tower topped off.”
Spencer Group is delivering a multi-million pounds contract to create a facility to load sustainable biomass on to rail wagons to be transported from the port to Drax Power Station near Selby.
The biomass silo has a capacity of 3,000m3 and will be capable of storing up to 1,800 tonnes of wood pellets for discharge into the rail wagons. Sophisticated technology ensures an even load as the wagons pass through the base of the structure at crawling speed. The system is capable of loading up to 30 rail wagons with 1,500 tonnes of material in just 45 minutes.
The rail loading system is similar to one constructed by Spencer Group at the Port of Tyne in 2010, which was then the first of its kind in the world.
The work is part of an investment of £100 million in the Humber Ports related to a 15 year contract between port operator ABP and Drax Power Limited to handle biomass shipments destined for Drax Power Station. Drax is executing plans to convert three of its six generating units to burn sustainable biomass as it transforms the business into a predominantly biomass-fuelled generator over the next few years.
