“TITAN PROJECT”, this project couldn’t have been called anything else.
When B.S.P. has been approached few years ago, we immediately realized the challenge we faced.
Borsari group was interested in a huge investiment capable of completely transforming the Italian logistics market
Finally after 2years, in a big inauguration ceremony, this future-oriented logistics cooperation for bulk sugar handling and storage, incl. railway connection, 4 silos and a silo-truck loading area has now been officially kicked-off – and that just in time for the start of the new sugar beet campaign.
The sugar will be shipped via environmental friendly rail transports from Sudzucker factories to the new bulk sugar terminal, which will make the usage of plastic inliners in 30ft containers obsolete
✔ thus project will save more than 120 tons of plastic per year on top
✔ additionally, the rail terminal will reduce the weekly trucking over the Brenner Pass significantly.
✔ by shifting from road to rail, the CO2eq emissions can therefore be reduced considerably compared to the conventional truck shipments
Thus, Sudzucker will be able to serve the Italian market in a future-oriented, more sustainable fashion from this sugar beet campaign onwards
STORAGE
DOUBLE WALL SILOS
Double walled silo s a special design purposely studied for big storages of heavy products.
It consists in a sort of hybrid solution steel/concrete.
BSP erect the first cylinder skin through its special double folding system technology that allow the creation of cylinders profiling and folding rolled steel coils directly on site thanks to special automated former machines. While the first cylinder is growing a steel panel mesh layer is directly assembled over the external side of the wall. Once the first wall is completed, former machines have moved 25-30cm outside and start the erection of the second skin that works as a form work. Later, BSP or the client itself, provides the injection of concrete between 2 layers.
Double walled design avoids the welding of internal vertical rigid bars, reducing operations on site and speeding up assemblig times. The concrete gap allows an internal flat wall built in Magnelis , suitable for food contact rules ,morover it provides natural insulation against the creation condense.
EXTRACTION
ROTOBOX SCREW EXTRACTOR
One of the most difficult technological challenges was to extract the sugar on large flat-bottomed silos. This was possible exclusively thanks to particular planetary screw extractors of which BSP is the world leader. Maintenance tunnel beam and auger supplied in stainless steel in compliance with food contact regulations.
The tunnel beam allows the maintenance operations even with full silo and protects the gearbox by transferring the product load to silo walls.https
The planetary screw extractor collects the product from the whole flat bottom surface of the silo and conveys it towards the central outlet at the rate of 100tph avoiding air injection inside the product. The Archimedes screw floated in the product moves radially around the vertical axis of the silo (sweeping rotation) while rotating on itself.
TRAIN RECEIVING PIT & TRUCK LOADING STATIONS
TRAIN PIT
The design of the train reception pit was very compelling. The pit had to have the capacity of an entire wagon, at the same time it had to be able to be adapted to different types of products in case of revamping of the plant. A railway weighbridge had to be provided and it had to be able to adapt to trains and wagons of different lengths and types. Furthermore, a sliding cover had to be provided to prevent foreign bodies from falling. An integrated dust extraction system had to be provided for ATEX regulations, all certified for food contact. All these design inputs have given rise to a unique and particular design of the train pit which is currently capable of unloading 1 train of 1,200 tons in less than 6 hours at the flowrate of 200ton/h.
TRUCK LOADING STATION
The automatic and compartmentalized loading stations are equipped with weighbridges.
Sophisticated scheduling software allows drivers to book the exact loading time in order to streamline operations and avoid unnecessary queues and delays on site.
A special mobile loader with bidirectional auger allows the truck to remain stationary during loading operations.
QUALITY & CONTROL
A strict quality protocol was implemented in the truck loading phase. A cascade of sieves, magnets and metal detectors intercepts foreign bodies from the largest to microparticles of ferrous residues or other metals that can accumulate during the logistical process of transport and storage.
ATEX
ANTI-EXPLOSION ROOF
Another BSP know-how fundamental to the success of the project was the special explosion-proof roof
This special roof is a structural element composed by self-supporting male panels fixed to the cylinder and to the top of the roof, and female panels operating like the explosion venting area.
The female metal panels are designed and produced to perform as security venting devices against explosion, in compliance with 2014/32/UE enclosure III+V. The female panels are mounted alternate to the self-supporting male panels.
All panels converge to a very thick central top where every panel is fixed and locked.
To the calculation of the explosion effects and cylinder shell resistance to residual pressure, the opening of the female panels is verified by breaking the special connection across the largest part of the roof at a pressure inferior to the bolts locking on the central top of the silo.
This BSP certified know-how works like the lid of a coffee mocha: after venting the explosion, the female panels reposition in their natural place and the special bolts only need to be replaced. This system is safer than any other venting device because it deletes any residual safety risk like a venting membrane flying away
HANDLING
BELT CONVEYORS AND ELEVATORS
All handling takes place via special self-extinguishing food-grade rubber conveyor belts with food-grade stainless steel rollers
The stainless steel elevators do not have PVC elements or other materials that cannot be detected by the metal detectors located downstream of the discharge line due to the rigid and restrictive Sudzucker prerogatives.
Furthermore, a sophisticated compartmentation system for all handling lines has been designed to meet the highest safety requirements in order to block the expansion of the flame along the line in the event of an explosion.
CONCLUSION
The Villa Poma project can be considered a milestone, both for Italian sugar logistics and for BSP itself which has managed to make use of an enormous wealth of technological research and experience acquired in over fifty years of activity.
Technologies and processes without which it would not necessarily have been possible.
This makes us proud of the reality that we have become and necessarily places us face to face with new, increasingly prestigious challenges.
