Leased blowers from Aerzen International Rental B.V. for Rio Tinto
AIR, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aerzener Maschinenfabrik GmbH, offer a comprehensive range of leased frequency-controlled, oil-free compressing units in the pressure range of -700 mbar up to 10 000 mbar overpressure, which have been particularly developed for leasing, i.e. they are rugged, portable, user-friendly and suitable for outdoor installation. On request, complete turnkey plants are also supplied. Erection, commissioning and local training of the staff are also part of the scope of supply. The advantages for the customers are predictable costs, short delivery times, flexibility as well as support by a professional service provider around the clock. Rio Tinto, one of the leading manufacturers of aluminium, also made use of these advantages at their facility in Ashington in the northeast of England (Fig.). Quick action was needed there after the failure of a motor in the unloading station in the port. To deliver a new motor would mean a delivery time of four weeks. However, some ships had to be unloaded within this time.
Andy Gill from Rio Tinto contacted David Kearsley, Sales Engineer of AIR, and asked for help. They needed a volume flow of 27 000 m³/h with a low pressure of -480 mbar. Then Aerzen International Rental took all the necessary measures to supply six oil-free compressing blower units, type BVO 5500, including the required piping. The power requirement was designed in such a way that all blowers could be operated at the same time. The units were converted to low-pressure operation and delivered to England. There they were installed, the piping was mounted and the control system was connected. All this happened by the time the next vessel arrived at the port. Rio Tinto could unload 8000 t of aluminium due to the provisional leased plant from AIR.
