When asked to erect a tower within 6 months instead of the typical 18, Paharpur adapted its process and systems to reduce lead time by more than 70%.
The Challenge
Compagnie d'Electricite was building a Thermal Power Plant in Bargny, Senegal. Their requirement was standard – cool 17,000 CMH of water from 38°C to 32°C. However, there was a significant challenge, they needed this tower in record time – 2 months, for a job that typically takes 12-18 months. At the time of order placing, the power plant was almost ready and each day's delay was worth millions of dollars in losses.
The Solution
To service their needs, we designed a Class 600 timber cooling tower with 11 active and 1 stand-by cell. The real challenge was to design, produce and erect the complete tower in just about 60 days – whereas an order of this magnitude would take at least 12 months to execute.
Working smartly to adapt processes, bypass hurdles and employ radical logistics, we achieved a phenomenal reduction in lead-time and completed the job in just under 2 months. Here's how we did it:
- Customising erection process:
Typically, transverse bents in the structural framework of a cooling tower are erected manually. However, in this case, we assembled them all in a single frame and lifted the arrangement using a crane of 60 Metric Tonnes – saving a lot of time.
- Fast-tracking an extensive process:
Treatment of timber and its procurement is an exhaustive and time-taking process. Paharpur uses only Douglas fir procured from North America, each timber section is individually tested and strength-graded by the CTI-certified West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau and then shipped to a Paharpur facility where they are fabricated and pressure-treated. Leveraging our strong relationship with WCLIB, Paharpur was able to expertly accelerate this process without sacrificing on quality
- A quick adaptation:
Cooling tower basins are erected sequentially for each individual cell. To fast-track the erection, the entire cooling tower basin for all the 12 cells were installed at once.
- Sequenced material kits:
One of the most unique features of this project was the kit-wise-supply of materials to the site. Typically, the materials are sent to the site as and when they are produced from the factory. By employing extra labour and working overtime, Paharpur prepared sequenced material kits – this saved a considerable amount of time which would have otherwise been utilised for sorting.
- Air-lifting materials to site:
For the first time in our history, cooling tower hardware as well as mechanical equipment was air-freighted to the site. This was crucial and helped save many weeks off the delivery schedule.
This problem-solving approach that we encourage within the organisation goes a long way and it is one of the many reasons why Paharpur is the most trusted name in the process cooling industry.
