PTW Structural Solutions and Vancouver Branch Deliver Successful Sulphur Dumper Building Replacement
PTW successfully replaced a sulphur dumper building at a sulphur transloading facility, a crucial asset for the client’s operations. This complex project required careful coordination between PTW Structural Solutions and our Vancouver branch. Their combined expertise in structural design, site management, and execution was essential for minimizing downtime and ensuring the facility continued to operate at full capacity. The sulphur dumper building is vital for unloading sulphur from railcars into a storage pit at the client’s site, an integral part of maintaining production flow in sulphur refining.
The project began with the off-site fabrication of a modular, pre-engineered building designed for efficient on-site assembly, including pre-installed electrical and piping systems. This streamlined the installation process once the foundation was prepared.
The new building, essentially a replica of the original structure, was developed to replace an aging facility that had reached the end of its service life and was causing operational issues. Problems like foundation erosion drove the decision to build a new structure engineered to meet modern durability and seismic standards.
PTW Structural Solutions led the design of the new sulphur dumper building, focusing on seismic resilience and long-term durability. Using site-specific data, the structure was significantly upgraded to withstand potential seismic events, ensuring lasting integrity. This project marked a significant collaboration between our national Structural Solutions team and the local Vancouver branch, showcasing PTW’s ability to bring together expertise across regions to deliver seamless results.
PTW’s Vancouver branch oversaw all on-site work, including complex electrical installations and the coordination necessary for integrating mechanical, electrical, and structural systems. Their efforts in construction management, scheduling, and field coordination ensured smooth integration when the new building was lowered onto its reinforced foundation.
A unique challenge was maintaining operations while dismantling the original sulphur dumper building. With potential daily production losses reaching up to $1.5 million, minimizing downtime was critical.
PTW’s Vancouver branch developed and executed a strategy that involved fully assembling the new structure off-site while operations continued, then dismantling the old building before moving the new one into place.
A planned outage for the replacement was scheduled for March 4th, with the goal of having the new building operational within 25 days. Despite logistical challenges posed by the weight of the sulphur dumper—exceeding the weight of the building itself—PTW teams meticulously planned crane operations and foundation support.
Working under an accelerated timeline, the project was completed in just 12 working days, totaling 4,800 man-hours. The new sulphur dumper building, occupying a smaller footprint, is more efficient and technologically advanced, offering a modernized plug-and-play solution with fully integrated systems.
This project illustrates PTW’s ability to execute comprehensive projects—from design to construction—with precision and agility, emphasizing the strength of our integrated approach, as PTW Canada and our Vancouver branch collaborated as one cohesive team to achieve outstanding results.
For further information please contact:
Laryssa Lesinszki, Marketing and Communications Manager, PTW Energy Services
Tel: +1 403.247.5766; llesinszki@ptwenergy.com