CUSTOMER: Glaxo SmithKline Pharmaceutical plant Scotland

PROBLEM: As part of the first cyclone refurbishment in some 25 years of operation, the outside needed re-plating. The corroded cyclone, used to filter waste products, coming from the penicillin fermentation tank before being released through the main scrubber vessel, also required the complete replacement of connecting pipe work. The plant produces a significant proportion of the raw ingredients for pharmaceutical production throughout Europe and shutdown was not an option.

SOLUTION:  Furmanite managed the project, taking primary responsibility for the hot tapping work and also overseeing subcontractors. By fitting a temporary bypass line and sealing of the main pipeline using inflatable bag stoppers Furmanite was able to replace the connecting 18 and 20” pipework feeding the cyclone. The plant remained on-line throughout and the cyclone was able to continue operating at a flow rate of some 40,000 metres cubed per hour

The initial task was to re-plate the outside of the cyclone, thickness testing of the existing cladding was required in order to assess areas strong enough to weld to. Once complete work began on replacing the damaged areas of pipe work, keeping the plant in operation. Temporary pipe work was installed by hot tapping into two 18 inch tees branching off the existing pipe work, thus avoiding the weakened areas of pipe work, and fitting a 20 inch temporary inlet nozzle onto the cyclone. Furmanite technicians then isolated the damaged sections of pipe work by hot tapping a further three points and inserting inflatable bag stoppers, allowing the waste from the adjacent penicillin fermentation tank to continue to be fed away and the plant to remain in production whilst the damaged pipe work was removed.

OUTCOME:  Significant shutdown time and associated costs have been avoided at the pharmaceutical plant, as specialist on-line engineering techniques enabled plant refurbishments to be successfully carried out whilst operation continued.