Carbon fibre hoops hasten repair of fertilizer tower

摘要

Hoops of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) plates have saved 70 extra days of shutdown on a urea prill tower at Qatar Fertiliser Co (QAFCO).UK consultant Mouchel, which advised on the project, says that the 65m high, slip-form concrete tower was strengthened with 3500 m of bonded CFRP plates in just 20 days, instead of the 90 days that would have been needed to carry out the job using steel or concrete.Constructed 30 years ago, the tower is a critical part of the QAFCO's process stream and produces 400 kt of urea fertilizer prills a year. When spalling faults and cracks appeared in the 380 mm thick wall, Mouchel structural repair experts were appointed to assess the problem and specify remedial measures that would minimize business disruption.