Installation design for wind machines 26 and 27 at Tata Steel

Two wind machines at Tata Steel in IJmuiden needed replacement due to reaching the end of their service life. In addition to ensuring that the blast furnaces’ airflow was maintained, the replacement was also a vital step in making the production process more sustainable.

Iv managed the entire process, from concept to detailed design, including the tendering of work packages. Iv’s role included site preparation, civil engineering activities, pipework design, electrical systems and instrumentation, as well as carrying out dynamic calculations for the foundation to ensure the turbine could be installed in a vibration-free manner. Together with Tata Steel, Iv ensured attractive work packages for contractors and a smooth installation.

Wind machines are sensitive to vibration. So, to prevent these vibrations from causing damage, a detailed calculation was necessary. Iv performed these calculations to understand which forces act on the machines. Through intensive collaboration between various specialists within Iv, we effectively solved the vibration problems to allow the machines to operate safely and reliably. This project required a tight schedule because the old installations had reached the end of their life cycle, and the backup turbines were not operational. This made replacing the wind machines an urgent and crucial step to continue the production process without interruption.

The project is part of the Roadmap Plus programme, which is aimed at making processes more sustainable and reducing emissions. Wind machine 26 is placed at a new location west of Plant 2 (CEN 2), and Wind machine 27 replaces an existing wind machine. These replacements increase capacity, make the process more sustainable and contribute to noise reduction. They are essential for steel production, whereby a constant flow of air to the blast furnaces is necessary.