In 2018, the project “Optimization of Pressure Air Generation in Spolana, a.s.” was successfully completed in Spolana, s.r.o. Neratovice.
The pressure air generation in Spolana, a.s. is centralised in two compressor stations (operation VCM and operation VTP) that are organisationally incorporated in the PVC plant.
The existing equipment of the both compressor stations is strongly worn out and technically obsolete. This results in high costs of pressure air generation due to high consumption of electric energy, cooling water, steam. Due to poor technical conditions of the compressors, Spolana has decided to restore the VCM and VTP compressor stations completely.
The subject of restoration of the mentioned compressor stations was installation of a new technology of pressure air generation and treatment at the location of the existing equipment. Part of production equipment was dismantled in each compressor station and new equipment was installed at their place. Since the locality of Spolana, s.r.o. lies in a floodplain at confluence of the rivers Labe and Vltava, it was necessary also to solve possible damage to the installed equipment by a potential flood wave. Such possible damage is avoided by situating all main pieces of equipment over the determined possible flood level of +2.300m over the terrain, on a steel structure.
The main generation equipment for optimization of pressure air generation composes of two new turbo compressors type ZH900-7 with power of 10,000 Nm3/hour by Atlas Copco, and two adsorption dryers type XD-3600 with power of 10,000 Nm3/hour, also by Atlas Copco. One compressor and one dryer was installed to each of the mentioned compressor stations. Due to possibility of using the new dryers, also the existing, still operable compressors were connected to them. The new equipment is equipped with an autonomous control system that is then connected to the DCS system where the compressors and dryers are monitored and partially also controlled. This assures automatic operation of the both compressor stations with minimal interventions into their operation by an operator in the VTP compressor station control room.
The tender for the main contractor of this investment action was won by the Slovak company ROEZ, s.r.o. with the principal place of business in Levice; a Contract for Work was signed with them in November 2017. ROEZ, s.r.o. managed the role of the main contractor as a company with lot of experience and great references in various areas of power engineering.
The overall work performance by the main contractor and their subcontractors (Atlas Copco – supplier of compressors and dryers, MANAG, a.s. Kolín – electric and I&C part, Honeywell – DCS) was without any major issues, starting with elaboration of the detailed design and finishing with putting the equipment to commercial operation in the beginning of December 2018.
Completion of the investment action “Optimization of Pressure Air Generation in Spolana, a.s.” resulted in a significant increase of effectiveness of pressure air generation in Spolana, s.r.o., and we would like to express our gratitude to all involved parties, starting with the main contractor, their subcontractors and – last but not least – to Spolana, s.r.o. workers who actively participated in the work performance.
