WO2003008741A1

WO2003008741A1 - Arrangement for production plant

Info

Publication number: WO2003008741A1
Application number: PCT/FI2002/000644
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrzej Czuryszkiewicz; Jouni Lehtonen
Original assignee: SCANSEV Oy AB
Current assignee: SCANSEV Oy AB
Priority date: 2001-07-20
Filing date: 2002-07-22
Publication date: 2003-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 2004-01-20
Also published as: FI20011563A7; FI20011563A0; FI20011563L

Abstract

The object of the invention is a system for a production plant, which production plant comprises machinery, conveying equipment and storage spaces, which as parts of the production plant are placed inside freight containers during transport, the outer dimensions and coupling elements, necessary for hoisting and transporting, of which containers are of the same type as those of so-called sea freight containers. Some of the freight containers are arranged in an erected up-right position for production operation and the containers are arranged in several stories for production operation. The mentioned production plant comprises a concrete production station and a factory unit for the production of dry mix. Freight containers containing sand treatment equipment are placed on top of the vertically positioned sili containers in at least one, preferably in two stories.

Description

Arrangement for production plant

The invention relates to a system for a production plant, according to the preamble of the independent claim 1, which system comprises machinery, conveying equipment and storage spaces used for production, which as parts of the production plant are placed inside freight containers during transport.

Many solutions are known, whereby various facilities can easily be moved to another place using transport equipment. The publication GB 1 589 510 presents a freight container, which contains a workshop, equipped with machinery and tools and the necessary auxiliary systems. The publication GB 2 264 470 presents a freight container, which comprises, in particular, equipment and spaces intended for housing, such as a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, etc. WO 00/74895 presents a production plant transported in freight containers, which production plant fits inside the containers as functioning parts, is dismantled from the containers and hooked up as a production line.

In the publication US 6,179,358 a field hospital is set up inside freight containers, which are transported by some means of transportation to a destination and are installed as rooms next to one another using adjoining corridors. The publication OA

6739 presents a versatile transport container, which can be extended horizontally to nearly double its width to obtain additional space for production, research or other premises at its place of destination. The publication DE 32 48 345 presents a production plant structure, which is transported as considerably large units to its location, because nowadays very large units, weighing even hundreds of tons, can be handled, at least in some locations, using lifting and conveying equipment. The large units previously mentioned are lifted one on top of the other and thus a production plant is formed, which, in the publication in question, is a plant for producing formaldehyde.

The publication SE 440879 presents a portable concrete plant, in which several standardized freight containers are used, which can be placed one on top of the other and can be interlocked with one another, some of which are raised vertically (silo containers). To obtain a sufficient height they are placed on a steel lattice structure. The above-mentioned publication does not express the idea of setting a container on its side, nor does it mention two production lines, only a concrete plant is presented. The presented solution is inadequate for operation i.a. in that the control center is on the ground in a different building. Even the sand pre-treatment machinery, which is extremely important, is not on top of the sand silos. The publication FR 2748053. presents a high fodder plant built on a chassis frame, part of the space of which being used as storage space, part being used for production. However, sea freight containers, or the like are not used here. The publication EP 1004724 presents a production plant in the field of chemistry, the example presenting an oil refinery, which comprises freight containers, each of which containers contains a part of the production process. There are only two containers placed one on top of the other, and one is placed vertically.

Freight containers, or the like, placed one on top of the other have been used for a long time in housing construction also, such that e.g. for a new blocks of flats or a site being renovated in a city block the on-location office of the building firm, some of the storage spaces, and the social areas and changing rooms for employees are arranged in two or even three stories on top of one another and side-by-side, primarily to save space, because city blocks are often fully built or in the process of being built up fully. However, none of the above-mentioned solutions proposed that the freight containers be used on their side, or raised up-right, such that the end which is vertical during transport would form a horizontal base.

The object of the invention is to provide a production plant to be transported in freight containers which are in the form and size of sea freight containers and which are arranged to an operational plant at their destination location by being raised one on top of the other, according to a plan. The object of the invention is especially to use containers which are of the same size and form as sea freight containers, because the possibilities of transporting sea freight containers are significantly diverse, since they can be transported long distances by ships, trains and trucks. The equipment necessary for lifting the sea containers when they are transferred from one transport vehicle to another is already available at most transport locations. The object of the invention is further to take advantage of the space of containers, using the size of sea freight container as parts of a production plant. The freight containers can also be used in the production plant in an arrangement other than that of the conventional transport arrangement, in which the length of a so-called long sea freight container is nominally 40 feet, width nominally 8 feet and height varying most commonly around 8 to 10 feet. If great height is needed, a container can be placed vertically, whereupon the difference in height between the top surface and bottom surface is about 40 feet. The object of the invention is also to set a freight container on its side, whereupon a 10-foot high freight container yields a 10-foot wide freight container, to be used as a part of the production plant. Additionally, the object of the invention is to transport nearly all machinery and equipment necessary for the production plant inside , additional freight containers, which are of the size and form of the sea freight containers. One object of the invention is also to provide the most self-sufficient production plant possible, in which the pre-treatment of raw materials would take place conveniently in the same unit. An additional object of the invention is to provide a system for the production plant, whereby both concrete and dry mix could be produced in one and the same plant.

The object of the invention is accomplished in the way presented in claim 1 and in the other claims. According to the invention, it concerns a system for a production plant, which production plant comprises machinery, conveying equipment and storage spaces, which as parts of the production plant are placed inside freight containers during transport, the outer dimensions and fastening elements, needed in lifting and transport, of which containers, are of the same type as in so-called sea freight containers. Some of the mentioned containers are raised to a vertical position for production operation and also arranged into several stories for production operation. If the mentioned production plant comprises a concrete production station and a factory unit which produces dry mix products, the same raw materials can be used to a large extent for two purposes in the production plant. If there are containers containing sand treatment equipment placed on top of the vertical silo containers, in at least one story, preferably in two stories, the plant can be made to cover a small ground area, but can be a very functional production plant.

If the freight containers are connected to one another with couplings, which can be opened when the production plant is to be moved again as freight containers, disassembling and reassembling after transport can be done quite quickly. Production operations can be- initiated again soon if necessary, because disassembling and assembling only take a small amount of time.

If some of the freight containers can be divided into at least two parts after transport, and they can be used as separate parts of the production plant structures, the system can be made to be versatile and practical.

If the machinery, conveying equipment and storage spaces inside the freight containers are connected to the freight containers, such that they stay fastened in their places while the containers are being lifted and transported, as well as while the containers are being turned on their sides and raised into a vertical position, in the event that the freight container should be in such a position for production operations, then there will not be any great danger that the production equipment inside the. containers will be damaged. When sizing and fastening, it is necessary to take into consideration, among other things, eventual rough seas during sea transport and stress in road transport caused by bad road conditions.

If at least those freight containers, which will have other containers placed on top of them in the production plant phase, are reinforced to withstand strain from the containers placed on top of them, even when all of the storage space in the containers would be full of materials used in production, the system can be made sturdy and durable. It is recommended that support structures be placed in the inner area defined by the outer surface of the containers, so that the outer dimensions and form of the containers remain the same as those of sea containers.

It is recommended that the freight containers comprise a control center, premises and equipment for quality control, machinery for generating electrical energy and compressed air, energy reserves, maintenance premises, packaging premises and other premises, according to need. Thus, the production plant will be an entity equipped with the premises and functions necessary to enable it to operate effectively and economically.

If at least some of the freight containers are detachably coupled to one another for the production phase, with energy transfer lines and lines for controlling, adjusting and monitoring the machinery, conveying equipment and storage spaces, assembly work and the corresponding disassembly work can be done quickly. Thus, the possibility of errors in coupling will also be especially small compared to cases where couplings are made using the traditional techniques.

If at least some of the material needed in production is conveyed upwards with a conveyor, which is on the outside of the containers, the material can be transferred simply and effectively to the upper part of the production plant. Thus, the conveyor does not take up space inside the freight containers. It is recommended that the conveyor be transported as a subassembly in a separate transport container.

If at least one container is used for transporting the equipment necessary for the conveyor and the ladder elements and the equipment used in production and for assembling and disassembling the production plant, the kind of container is transported for all transports using the same means of transport as the other containers containing the production equipment.

If the containers used are of the same size as sea freight containers, the width of which is nominally 8 feet, length nominally 20, 30 or 40 feet and the height of which is at least 8 feet, conventional equipment for lifting and transporting freight containers, which equipment is available at harbors, terminals and other loading and unloading places, can be used. It is apparent that the equipment suitable for transporting the freight containers can be used as such on waterways, railways and roads. Sea freight containers, or the like, are generally too heavy for air transport.

In the following, the invention shall be presented detailed, with reference to the accompanying drawing, of which

- Figure 1 schematically illustrates a principled application of a system according to the invention, presented from a three-dimensional perspective,

- Figure 2 schematically illustrates a system according to Figure 1 , however, partially without the walls in order to clarify the location of the machinery.

Reference number 1 in the drawing in Figure 1 indicates a system according to the invention, which comprises several freight containers of the form and size of sea freight containers produced from steel. The system shown in the figure includes two production plants in the same complex, that is, a so-called dry mix station and ready- mixed concrete station, the products of which are partly produced from the same raw materials. The entire structure is erected on a supportive foundation, preferably rock, but other hard-based foundation is of course possible. Because the weight of the structure, with full storage spaces, may reach up to 900 tons or more, the foundation must be solid and able to withstand the mentioned mass without listing or sagging too much. If necessary, the area must be adequately roped off. The lower section comprises 20-foot containers 2 and 3 as well as 4 and 5, one on top of the other. On top of these are placed 40-foot containers 6 and 7, cross-wise but in a horizontal position. Silo containers 8, more precisely 8a-8f, which include at least one silo container, but most often 2-3 silo containers, are placed vertically on top of these. A freight container 9 contains storage space. The top-most freight container is container 10, which contains sand treatment equipment. Sand is conveyed up to the sand treatment station 10 by a conveyor 11.

The production plant in Figure 2 can be seen more clearly, because most of the walls have been removed for the sake of clarity. Reference number 12 shows a ready- mixed cement mixer and 13 shows a mixer for preparing dry mix. The aim of the production plant has been to use as many automatic functions as possible. A weighing belt 14 passes the materials to the ready-mixed cement mixer 12 and a weighing belt 15 passes the materials to both mixers 12 and 13. The material is lead from the dry mix mixer 13 to an intermediary silo 16, from which the dry mix powder is lead further to a packing machine 17. Operating devices and auxiliary functions are located in different parts of the production plant. A burner 18 generates heat energy, primarily for drying the material, but also to heat the station if necessary during cold seasons. Next to this is a generator 19, which provides the electricity production of the production station, although an external input is also possible, if there is a continual and even current supply at the location. An electricity and automation center 20 is located in the lower section of the production plant, as is the control center and the social area of the technical staff. The functions of the production plant are monitored, and, if necessary, regulated from the control center. In this branch of industry, automation machinery, commonly used and known, regulates and controls several processes. Conventional equipment, such as compressors, vacuum machinery or filters, known per se, are not separately illustrated, since they are known technique. Production also requires water, for which there is a separate tank. Using the stairs 21 the staff can monitor on the upper level the operation of the conveyors and other machinery.

The freight containers are strong in structure and can withstand the mass on the upper part of the structure, as well as other conceivable strains, such as wind load, strains, and the like, produced from minor earth tremors. It should be noted that the upper section may sometimes have a particularly uneven load as a result of the different degrees of fullness of the silos.

It is recommended that a crane for a large vehicles be used to raise and stack the freight containers. Hoisting elements, such as hoist brackets, or the like, are arranged in the appropriate places for the containers which are to be vertically raised. Each freight container has one or more silos built into it for dry substances or sand. These also contain smaller storage spaces for binding agents or additives. Each silo container has space for approximately 85 cubic meters of material, thus several hundred tons of mass can fit in these storage spaces when full. The silos are fastened to one another with bolted joints and, in a corresponding way, they are also fastened to the lower containers. There is a 20-foot container 10, located on top of the silos in the conventional position, which is 10 feet high. This container contains sand treatment equipment, particularly sieves, which sift and distribute the sand into different silos, which are in the containers. Pre-treatment equipment for the sand, such as a drum dryer and the necessary conveyors, is also located in the container. The conveyor 11, which lifts the sand from the bottom part of the silo, pocket or hopper (not illustrated) up to the container with the power of an electric motor, is located at the end. It is possible to place the mentioned conveyor inside the containers, but more often, the technically easier solution is to install it on the outside. If only one long conveyor is used, for example, a scoop conveyor, the material can be lifted up all at once. It should be noted that the size of the containers can vary within the limits allowed for standardized sea freight containers. Furthermore, it is apparent that the placement of the containers and the production equipment and other machinery contained in them can be arranged in a different way than previously described.

All of the freight containers mentioned are thus solidly fastened to one another to form a sturdy structure. The mentioned method of joining the containers with bolted joints is only one way to make detachable couplings. One possibility would be to use cotterings, known as such. If a system formed according to the invention becomes fairly high, over 25 meters or even higher, it is possible to place several containers, and/or the larger ones, lower. Although the mass of the structure is great, it is recommended that the freight containers on the foundation be fastened to the cast cement foundation with strong bolts, which have been anchored to the cement already in the casting phase. If the system must operate some time in such cold weather conditions, that the inside temperature of the containers could sink below freezing, at least partial heat insulation and the use of heating equipment is recommended, such as electric heaters or other corresponding equipment.

The freight containers also comprise hatches, through which different lines, such as energy transfer lines and regulation and control cables can pass safely. The whole structure must be designed so that rain water or other natural phenomena can not penetrate the production plant as a source of disruption or damage to the structure, raw materials, semi-finished products or products. It is also necessary to equip the freight containers, whenever it is possible, with maintenance platforms, passages, stairs and/or fixed ladders, lighting and dust removal equipment. So-called conventional manholes can be used, for example, for repair and inspection work. At least some of the dust can be mixed in with the product mass in the production phase. If possible, a system formed according to the invention is connected to a water and sewer system. In the absence of such a system, replacement procedures are arranged using different water and sludge tanks, which can be made, for example, by dividing a 40-foot sea freight container into two parts and equipping it with suitable connections and pumps, if necessary.

This sort of a production plant, in which dry mix and ready-mixed concrete is produced, is especially suitable for a location in a part of town or district where much construction is taking place. In the beginning phase of housing construction, the consumption of ready-mixed concrete is great, compared to dry-mix products and the amount of dry-mix increases as the housing construction progresses. Since both branches of production partially use the same raw materials, this kind of a production plant, covering two production branches, is clearly more advantageous than having two separate plants. It can be estimated that a production plant system according to the invention is located in one place for IV2 to 3 years, until it is transported, in its freight containers, for example, by train or heavy trucks to the next location, even up to hundreds of kilometers away, or farther, according to the market situation and the state of the construction industry. The products, ready-mixed concrete and dry mix, are transported to the vicinity with trucks, for which there are loading stations (not illustrated).

The invention is not limited to the accompanying embodiment, but several adaptations of the invention are conceivable within the frames of the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A system for a production plant, which production plant comprises machinery,, conveying equipment and storage spaces, which as parts of the production plant are placed inside freight containers during transport, the outer dimensions and coupling elements, necessary for hoisting and transporting, of which containers are of the same type as those of so-called sea freight containers, and some of which containers are raised in an up-right position for production operation, and which containers are arranged in several stories for production operation, characterized in that the mentioned production plant comprises a concrete production station and a factory unit for the production of dry-mix, and that freight containers containing sand treatment equipment are placed on top of the vertically positioned silo containers in at least one, preferably in two stories.

2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the freight containers are connected to one another by couplings, which can be opened in order to again transport the production plant as freight containers.

3. A system according to claim 2, characterized in that some of the containers can be separated into at least two parts after transport and can be separately used as parts of the structures of the production plant.

4. A system according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the machinery, conveying equipment and storage spaces in the freight containers are fastened inside the containers, so that they stay fastened in place when the containers are being raised and transported, turned on their sides and raised into a vertical position, if the container is in such a position in production operation.

5. A system according to claim 4, characterized in that at least those freight containers, on top of which other containers are placed in the production plant phase, are reinforced to withstand the load from the containers on top of them, even when all of the storage space is filled with material used in production.

6. A system according to claim 5, characterized in that the freight containers can comprise a control center, premises and equipment for quality control, machinery for producing electrical energy and compressed air, energy reserves, maintenance premises and a packing plant.

7. A system according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that at least some of the freight containers are detachably coupled to one another, for the production phase, by energy transfer lines and lines for controlling, regulating and. inspecting the machinery, conveying equipment and reserves.

8. A system according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that at least some of the material needed in production is conveyed upwards with a conveyor, which is on the outside of the freight containers.

9. A system according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that at least one container is used for transporting the equipment necessary for the conveyor and the ladder elements and the equipment used in the production and for assembling and disassembling the production plant.

10. A system according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the freight containers used are freight containers of the same size as sea freight containers, the width of which is nominally 8 feet, length of which is nominally 20, 30 or 40 feet, and height of which is at least 8 feet.