ALBA Line 4 Expansion Projects

‍Project Overview

GPZ was appointed to execute three contracts for the Bahrain-based leading international aluminium smelter, Alba, as part of their Potline 4 modernisation and expansion plans to increase the company’s aluminium production capacity.

1. Air Compressor facility:

A turnkey project for the complete design and construction of an Air Compressor Facility. The facility comprises five centrifugal three stage compressors delivering 665Nm³/min at a minimum line pressure of 700kPa at each point of use, together with three silica gel desiccant bed type air dryers, cooling water pumps, evaporative cooling towers, an automatic chemical dosing system and all associated controls.

The system was designed to provide 100% parallel redundancy and is equipped with a software package to achieve full automated unmanned operation of all systems in the plant, together with compressor and cooling water system sequencing and modulation. The facility is linked to the main control room via a data highway to provide the user with an overview of the complete plant on screen, as well as mimic alarms with automatic alarm diagnostics and hard copy prints at a remote monitoring station. An overhead crane of 10 tonnes capacity provides for easy maintenance.

The project included the construction of the Compressor Building, a local substation and associated facilities, together with the design, fabrication and erection of 120 tonnes of structural steelwork. All structural steelwork, mechanical and electrical installations were carried out by GPZ’s specialised divisions.

2. Casthouse 2 Building Extension:

A partially turnkey project for the construction of an extension to the existing Casthouse 2 Building. The 3,500m2 building is carried on heavy reinforced concrete foundations and comprises 850 tonnes of structural steel, aluminium roofing and cladding and an industrial lighting system.

3. Green Anodes Paste Plant:

Fabrication and erection of structural steelwork for a 36m high, 7-story industrial building for the Green Anodes Paste Plant. The building comprised a structural steel frame with steel plate flooring and corrugated steel cladding and roofing. Fabrication(including the design of connections and preparation of fabrication drawings) and erection of over 1000 tonnes of structural steelwork were carried out by GPZ’s specialised division. Approximately 1,150 tonnes of plant and equipment were installed within the building.

Additional Contracts for Alba

In 1996 and 2000, various other contracts totalling more than US$ 6,000,000 were undertaken by GPZ for Alba’s expansion plans. These included:

• Amperage upgrade works for the Casthouse 2 modifications
• Structural steelwork and civil works for the extension and modification of the Kiln 1 & 2 Buildings to accommodate a new furnace tendering assembly crane and other plant
• Survey, design, fabrication and installation works for the modification of the roof ventilation of Kiln 1 & 2 Buildings
• Civil works for the conversion of Kiln 1 Building to introduce Aluminium Pechiney Operating Technology into the production process
• Design and construction of numerous foundations for the Fume Treatment Plant, cooling tower, stack, diesel motor and other machines and bridges
• Design and construction of an Electrical / MCC building with air conditioning, ventilation, fire detection and electrical systems.