The Problem
High Operational Costs & Inefficiency: The manual feedstock handling setup was slow, expensive, and bottlenecked reactor supply lines.
Severe Vehicle & Traffic Hazards: Reliance on multiple heavy mobile equipment units operating within confined indoor spaces created major safety risks for site personnel.
Combustible Dust Risks: The processing area suffered from high airborne dust accumulation, creating hazardous operating conditions and dust safety compliance concerns.
Lack of Process Flow Control: Non-automated feeding made consistent feedstock sizing and steady-state reactor loading difficult to maintain.
The Solution
Turnkey Equipment Procurement & Integration: Designed, procured, and installed a heavy-duty, Australian Standards-compliant preparation system anchored by a 5 t/hr Twin Shaft Shredder.
Automated Conveying & Sorting Loop: Installed four integrated conveyor belts paired with a dedicated sorting and return loop to ensure precise particle sizing and uninterrupted material delivery.
Integrated Environmental Controls: Incorporated an industrial dust extraction unit to eliminate airborne particulates and maintain clean operational zones.
Full SCADA Integration: Fully automated the processing train by integrating controls directly into the plant’s existing SCADA system for centralized monitoring and dynamic speed regulation.
Commissioning & Change Management: Executed end-to-end commissioning, system debugging, and site staff training to ensure a safe, smooth transition from manual to automated operations.
The Outcome
$2.5M Annual Opex Savings: Delivered approximately $2.5 million in bottom-line operational savings per year.
Workforce Redeployment: Redeployed three full-time operators from high-risk manual loading tasks to higher-value critical plant functions.
Elimination of Site Safety Risks: Completely removed mobile equipment hazards from confined work areas while significantly reducing airborne dust exposure.
Higher Plant Uptime & Maintainability: Streamlined equipment maintenance and established steady-state feedstock throughput to maximize downstream reactor stability.
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