The Problem
- Char output was manually packed in bulk bags, moved by forklift, and loaded onto trucks
- The initial location (Option A) could not fit the preferred, cheaper 2 silo design under the 15 m site height limit (exceeded by 386 mm).
- Switching to a 3 silo configuration at Option A to meet height limits added $216,767 in equipment and civil costs ($765,017 total).
- Option A suffered from site issues: heavy rain flooding, truck queuing, and blocking critical set-down/Franna crane access.
- Traffic congestion and safety hazards existed between trucks, mobile plant, and pedestrians during shift changes.
- Potential operational disruption and traffic jams during civil piping installation across the road.
The Solution
Design a pneumatic transfer system to load char directly into storage silos for direct truck loading.
- Conducted a location study (Options A, B, and C) and evaluated a fall in ground levels toward the road.
- Re-sited the 2-silo design to Option B, which only required $585,972 total due to minor concrete pad adjustments.
- Moved installation to Option B along the internal asphalt road, complete with a garden bed.
- Re-routed truck traffic away from the site’s most heavily used pedestrian crossing (office to production).
- Staged culvert installation in sections and laid utilities before laying the new asphalt road.
The Outcome
Removed the bulk bagging process and eliminated manual handling.
- Identified that ground fall at Option B/C allows the shorter 2 silo structure to comply with the height limit.
- Absorbed the civil/installation cost of Option B within original budget contingency, saving ~$179k over Option A’s 3 silo design.
- Avoided blocking set-down areas, re-used existing stormwater drains, and provided a potential windbreak for dust control.
- Improved traffic flow and significantly reduced risk of vehicle/pedestrian conflicts.
- Option B (2 silo) was formally recommended as the most cost-effective and safe solution, though the overall project was later deprioritised due to client funding constraints.