Open pit mining and underground solutions provider, Tenova TAKRAF, is supporting four Continuous Ship Unloaders through two service contracts awarded by the leading Italian power generation company, ENEL S.p.A. Tenova TAKRAF is part of the global total technology solutions provider, Tenova Mining & Minerals.
Each contract services two bucket chain Continuous Ship Unloaders (CSUs), previously supplied by Tenova TAKRAF Italy, and located respectively at Civitavecchia and Brindisi to feed coal to two of the largest power plants in Italy. Both contacts are 24-month duration extensions of previous contracts.
The service contracts are an evolution of maintenance support originally supplied by Tenova TAKRAF Italy for the two CSUs at Civitavecchia, with the main goal for the coal terminal being to maintain reliability and a planned annual output of 4.5 million t/yr. This has been consistently achieved at Civitavecchia, where the CSUs are the only source of input coal. At Brindisi, the CSUs are employed in replacing or jointly handling coal with grab unloaders.
The CSUs have an operating capacity of 1.5 mtph on the Civitavecchia project and 1.8 mtph at Brindisi and are able to download vessels up to 130,000 DWT (Deadweight Tonnage). The machines are equipped with a bucket chain elevator approximately 38 m high and a slewing/lifting boom, which includes the transfer conveyor, of 42 m length. One of the major advantages of these CSUs is their low environmental impact, as the power plants are under special control and supervision of the Italian Government to update/upgrade system equipment to reduce all emissions. The CSUs minimize dust and noise emissions during the discharge cycle.
“ENEL recognizes the importance of detailed and planned maintenance in consistently achieving optimum performance from their machines, which are of strategic importance in maintaining coal feed to the power plants” says Alberto Dardano, Managing Director of Tenova TAKRAF Italy. “All four CSUs have achieved excellent performances since installation”.
“These service contracts are an expression our enduring relationships with our clients; in ENEL’s case the relationship dates back to the 1980s when Tenova TAKRAF Italy was then known as Italimpianti” continues Alberto Dardano; “Furthermore, our aftermarket services are a crucial element in our total service delivery, as our support to the client does not simply cease at project handover. We believe in building long-term client relationships through living with and supporting our products over their complete lifecycle.”
Tenova TAKRAF Italy developed the bucket chain continuous shipunloader in the 1980s and, since then, with ongoing enhancement to the technology, has supplied 15 machines worldwide. The most sophisticated part is the articulated type digging foot for which Tenova TAKRAF Italy owns the patent. Through the coordinated movement of dedicated hydraulic cylinders, the digging foot can modify its geometrical configuration to obtain the best bucket filling and reach the walls to remove the material residual.
Tenova TAKRAF is a key supplier of equipment and systems for open pit mining & underground solutions and bulk handling, having provided hundreds of complete systems, as well as individual machines to clients all over the world in all climatic conditions. Globally sourced air pollution control, specialised handling equipment, and technology for the cement and fly ash industries ensure selection of optimal processing options.
Tenova Mining & Minerals is a total integrated solutions provider to the global mining, bulk materials handling and minerals beneficiation and processing sectors, offering innovative technological solutions and full process and commodity knowledge across the mining industry value chain.
Tenova is a worldwide supplier of advanced technologies, products, and engineering services for the metals and mining & minerals industries. More information is available at www.tenova.com.