Melbourne-based process engineering company, Rhine Ruhr Pty Ltd, has been chosen to design and engineer the process internals for a new tar distillation plant in China, and to provide equipment for a gas separating plant in Indonesia.
The expected production at the tar distillation plant is 300,000 tonnes of tar distilled into products including carbon pitch, carbon black oils and naphthalene for both export and local Chinese needs.
Rhine Ruhr will work with Koppers Kailuan Carbon Chemical Company, a Joint Venture between the international Koppers Company and local coal and steel producers at the Hebei Province of China.
The plant is expected to be commissioned later this year.
Rhine Ruhr’s sales manager, Stephen Shields, says that Koppers key focus was on achieving a cost effective result and in this instance it proved more effective for his company to undertake the design and engineering in Australia and for Koppers to procure the fabrication in China.
“Rhine Ruhr undertook the final sign off inspection in China at the end of September ensuring that the products were manufactured in accord with our process design,” he said.
Another current export project is being undertaken for global independent energy company Hess Corporation that is a partner in the major Jambi Merang natural gas field development in South Sumatra Indonesia.
The contract undertaken in conjunction with local group PT Tripatra Engineers & Constructors includes the internal separation equipment for the gas separation and processing plant.
Rhine Ruhr’s equipment design includes comprehensive analysis utilising computational fluid dynamics and is being manufactured in Australia.
Shields says his company’s design and drafting software is integrated with computer controlled manufacturing processes to create a fast, cost effective solution with an accurate finished product.
“Every project is subject to detailed review at critical points with fabricated items trial assembled before delivery. When supplied, every gravity distributor is flow tested on a custom built facility before despatch,” he said.
“Our wide range of vessel internals are designed to be cost effective and practical to install.”
Rhine Ruhr has been established in Australia for 22 years, providing world-class process vessel internals for the chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas and oil refining industries.
The Victorian company has established a recognised name for the design, engineering and manufacture of these products, says a spokesperson for the company.
Exporting is a fundamental part of the business, with sales to customers in over 30 countries including the Dyna-branded range of equipment.
The company hosts a team of experienced process engineers, producing state-of-the art fabrication equipment as well as process simulation and specialist equipment design software, says the company.
The Dyna range of process column internals are used to improve separation efficiencies at key stages in the production process as well as the maintenance of process technology used in oil, gas, chemical and petrochemical production.
Specialist process internals are also being used increasingly in environmental applications including water treatment, noxious gas cleaning and more recently in landfill gas treatments, desalination plants, sulphur dioxide removal and acid leach scrubbers.
The company recently won the Small to Medium Exporter section in the 2008 Governor of Victoria Export Awards and has earned more than half of its revenue from exports in the last two financial years, according to the company.
Rhine Ruhr retains all its engineering and technical activities at Sunshine West in Melbourne when many competitors are outsourcing them, says a spokesperson.
For more information contact Stephen Shields at Rhine Ruhr on 03 9300 5000 email stephenshields@rhineruhr.com.au or see www.rhineruhr.com.au