The UCL 175 TCH Factory Expansion Project by Bosch Projects for UCL Company, KwaZulu-Natal

JOINT WINNER The UCL 175 TCH Factory Expansion Project by Bosch Projects for UCL Company, KwaZulu-Natal

During February 2020, UCL Company (Pty) Ltd approached Bosch Projects to undertake a design capacity increase study at its sugar factory in Dalton, KwaZulu-Natal, with the intention to evaluate the increase in factory crush capacity from 150 to 175 tonnes cane per hour (TCH). The three-month feasibility assessment culminated in the submission of key engineering deliverables and a 15% cost estimate in June 2021. At this time, it was determined that for UCL to meet its 2021/22 season and commence crushing cane crop in March 2021, detailed engineering and procurement of key long lead process equipment items should be accelerated.

UCL appointed Bosch Projects to provide engineering, procurement and construction management services (EPCM) to address the project’s technical, commercial, and contractual requirements. UCL also separately appointed Bosch Projects to design, fabricate, install and commission several critical process equipment items to fasttrack the procurement process and meet the project timelines.

In addition to this, and also under a separate appointment, UCL appointed Bosch Projects to manufacture, supply, install and commission a 1 m extension to a 4 m wide moving screen diffuser in the short two-month plant maintenance (shutdown) period, in order to handle the increased crushed cane required to justify the back-end factory expansion.

The details of these three major projects, implemented between July 2020 and April 2021, during Covid-19 and the ensuing challenges, are summarised below:

EPCM The EPCM services undertaken by Bosch Projects included: project management and scheduling; procurement and contract administration; quality assurance and cost control; detailed integration engineering across process, mechanical, piping, civil/ structural, electrical and control systems engineering disciplines; commissioning; and close-out.

Process vessel design and supply Bosch Projects designed, fabricated, delivered, installed and oversaw the commissioning of five specialised and bespoke sugar equipment vessels, including a ‘C’ continuous vacuum pan (CVP), a long tube evaporator (LTE), two strike receivers, as well as a condensate vessel. Responsibilities included design and fabrication adherence to regulatory and project-specific codes and specifications, logistics and rigging/installation, and the successful commissioning and handover of the equipment.

Diffuser expansion Additional throughput of the original Bosch Projects chainless diffuser was required to achieve 175 TCH, and Bosch Projects undertook a world first in the design, supply, project management, construction management, installation and commissioning of a sugar cane diffuser widening project. The entire side structure, all troughs and trays, mechanical piping and equipment ancillaries, such as the kicker and dewatering drum, were designed for the new duty and replaced during a two-month off-crop period.

PROJECT TEAM

Client: UCL Company (Pty) Ltd Consulting Engineer: Bosch Projects EPCM: Bosch Projects