CAPS Australia has delivered the largest turnkey compressed air skid package ever designed, manufactured and pre-assembled in Australia to the southwest Pacific.
CAPS was awarded the contract to supply Koniambo with a fully configured plant based on its track record and expertise.
The compressed air package will service Xstrata Resources’ massive Koniambo nickel project in New Caledonia. The planned smelter will have an annual production capacity of 60,000 tons of ferrous nickel alloy and overall investment in the project will total US$2.2billion.
Due to the geographical location, the compressed air solution required stringent wind and earthquake allowances be designed into the system.
The remote location and extremely difficult logistics meant as much of the package needed to be completed as possible before shipment to New Caledonia.
All pipe work was prefabricated and galvanised prior to shipping, a requirement which called for a high level of accuracy and modular construction.
Additionally, because New Caledonia is a French territory, the entire assembly needed to conform to European CE directives. CAPS had to design and obtain CE certification for all components.
The package is comprised of three Ingersoll Rand C950 Centrifugal Compressors (9,100Nm2/h each) with pre and post filtration, two HC 143 (20,000Nm2/h each) energy efficient heat of compression water cooled desiccant dryers and two 35,000 litre air receivers.
CAPS Australia also selected, designed, fabricated and pre assembled all substantial interconnecting air delivery pipe work and cooling water pipe work, instrument tubing, piping supports and lagging.