(NOMINATION FOR 2016 AUREA AWARD): Ladjar transport - Manufacturing Plant for Coal Briquettes in Ub

Source: eKapija Wednesday, 09.03.2016. 11:26
Comments
Podeli

(Photo: ladjar.co.rs/ugljeni-briketi)
In December 2015, Belgrade-based Ladjar transport opened a manufacturing plant for coal briquettes in Ub, which implies the conquest of new technologies in energy source production. Coal briquettes are produced from coal dust generated from lignite from Kolubara Mining Basin with the addition of three elements which are exclusively organic and contain a maximum of 0.79 % of combustible sulfur while 1 % is allowed in Europe. The plant is unique in Europe for this and other technical characteristics - moisture percentage, calorific power and geometry of the briquettes, which allows 100 % combustion.

At the same time, the use of coal briquettes as a substitute for solid fuels (coals, wood mass and other fossil fuel) major environmental problems such as protection of forest resources, global warming reduction and ozone layer protection are addressed and coal dust which is used as raw material has so far been stored in Filter sedimentation in Mine Basin Kolubara.

New technology is the result of eight years of work of Ranko Scekic, a mechanical engineer who is now head of the factory, and the investment in the plant in Ub is a joint project with Ladjar transport. The plant was opened in the existing facilities of Termoelektro Beograd in bankruptcy in the Industrial zone in Ub municipality which was completely renovated and reconstructed and new production hall on 800 m2 was built.

A total of app. EUR 1,5 m was poured in the construction of the manufacturing plant for coal briquettes, exclusively from the co-owners’ funds, without incentives and support of the Republic of Serbia. Production is automated, there is no pollution of working area and environment and modern equipment was imported from China.

Test production started in December 2015. So far, 3,000 tons of coal briquettes were produced while the plant capacity is 150,000 tons per year. They will be completely offered to foreign markets where it is a deficit product. German company Krupp is interested in increasing production to 300,000 coal briquettes per year and Turkish market is a great after Russian sanctions were imposed.

By the end of March, the manufacturing plant for coal briquettes will directly employ 90 workers from the National Employment Service in the municipality of Ub and 30 workers who will participate in the plant operations indirectly (shippers , carriers , etc.).

INNOVATION

(Photo: Gajus/shutterstock.com)
The Ub-based plant project entails the conquest of new technologies in coal briquettes production, unique in Europe, which are a substitute for combustion of solid fuels. Basic raw material - coal sieve, which is a by-product in Mine Basin Kolubara, with the addition of three additives of organic origin, recipe and patent of Ranko Scekic, head of plant on which he worked for eight years, transformed into ecological combustible briquette.

After the test results in the Mining Institute in Bor, coal briquettes met environmental and European standards for solid fuels combustion because in Europe it is allowed to burn with 1.00% S (combustible sulfur), while briquette which Ub-based plant produces has only 0.79% S combustible (sulfur). Also, briquette has only up to 10.00% H2O (moisture), which is typically in the coal to be up to 40.00% H2O. Geometry (shape) of briquettes is elliptical so during combustion it has constant stream of air from all sides and achieves a high percentage of combustion and thus low percentage of ash after combustion without remains. Coal briquette which is produces in Ub has an upper calorific power without humidity of 4200 to 5900 kcal / kg and it has a wide range of usage, from individual boiler rooms to industry. Briquette is suitable for burning in steel plants as well they would mix it to coke, and compared to combustion of this fuel, it has a few advantages.

- Faster and easier turning on (at lower temperatures) compared to coke which is commonly used fuel in steel plants

- Supports turning on and combustion of coke

- It has a far smaller percentage of combustible sulfur (only 0.79% and coke even over 5.00% S )

- It burns at temperatures in the steelworks 100% without remains (which is present in a large percentage when burning coke)

Similar coal briquettes are produced in China , Russia , Bulgaria and Romania , but they have different geometrical shape and higher sulfur content (over 2.50 to 3.80 % S) and moisture. Factory in Bulgaria produces 900,000 tons per year but since it fails to meet European standards it is likely to close (briquettes have 2.5 % of combustible sulfur and Europe allows up to 1 % as of this year).

SOCIAL UTILITY

(Photo: Romolo Tavani/shutterstock.com)
Coal dust used for production of charcoal briquettes has been stocked thirty years ago in Filter sedimentation in Mine Basin Kolubara and as such it has been creating serious environmental problems. So far, they have built two large pools for its storage and began to build the third one (construction totals several million euros ) . In the summer, it spread by wind and citizens inhale it, it enters premises of houses and flats, there is a self-ignition and must be sprayed with water. When it is raining and snowing, water passes through coal dust, drips and pollutes stream next to the filter precipitator which later flows into the Kolubara river and pollutes the river and apart from that, land becomes barren.

Processing with the most advanced technology on machines which are automated, this “ecological bomb " in the plant in Ub turns into an ecological solid fuel (ESO).

Coal briquettes thus can be used as a substitute in combustion of solid fuels (various types of coal, timber and fossil fuels). Combustion of coal briquettes reduces consumption and exploitation of forest resources (wood and wood mass) and thus protects ozone layer. In addition, environmental protection is carried out because there is a small percentage of burning sulfur during combustion.

Construction of the plant for coal briquettes production whose project in the first phase totals EUR 1.5 m is a significant inflow of funds for the municipality of Ub, and therefore the state of Serbia, because most of the investments (investment over 70%) went on domestic market (local companies, projects, construction of infrastructure, supporting facilities, various services, etc.), only production machines which are not used in Serbia were imported from China.

Facility of Termoelektro where the plant was opened was taken in bankruptcy, and another facility connected with the existing one was built. The biggest problem during rehabilitation of the plant was abandoned handle complex - 157 trucks of debris were transported from here, water supply, electrical installations and sewage system were completely done.

With the coal briquettes plant opening, the municipality of Ub employed 42 workers. In March, this number will increase because the statutory act stipulated that production will employ 90, and 30 workers more indirectly will participate in plant operations (transport companies, shipping, vendors, and others), which will result in unemployment reduction in Ub.

FINANCIAL POTENTIAL

Test production in Ub-based plant for production of coal briquettes started in December 2015, while full capacity is planned to start in 15 days. So far, the plant produced app. 3,000 tons while projected annual production of coal briquettes is 150,000 tons or 25 tons per day.

Placement of ecological briquettes is provided at international market, but due to the high production capacity, target group is primarily industrial production. Negotiations with German Krupp which is interested in boosting production to 300,000 tons of coal briquettes per year and, if successful, in. investing during 2016 in construction of another plant ( in parallel with the current ) for assembling the second line for production of 150,000 tons of coal briquettes more, have been in progress.

Investments are justified given that coal briquette is:


- unique in the European market

- shortage at the European market for quality and technical characteristics of coal briquettes

- shortage of solid fuel and class 1 ( coals) in Europe ( which coal briquette replaces)

- there is a large amount of basic raw materials ( coal dust ) stocked

This would , in addition, provide vacancy for 90 workers more from the National Employment Service in the Ub municipality and additional inflow of foreign currency of the Republic of Serbia would thus be generated.

Briquette is competitive in Turkey as well where prior Russian sanctions, more than 90 % of coal was coming from Russia and is now open market for new players .In addition, coal briquette from Ub are the most competitive in Europe in terms of quality (technical features ) , shape ( geometry ) and price . Russian coal Tombas that Turkey imported has a far higher percentage of sulfur and moisture so purchase of one ton of Russian coal which has more than 3 % moisture, a buyer pays 25 % water. Apart from that, price of Russian Tombas coal is EUR 200 while price of coal briquettes from Ub is EUR 120 per ton.

There are interested ones from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and the plan is to enter retail chains as well.

Delivery of coal briquettes can be:

- In bulk cargo (bulk)

- In big bags

- In perforated paper bags of 05/15/25 kg

Ladjar transport doo (abbreviated name LTB Ltd ) was established in 2004 as a company for transportation , trade and services in transport by inland waterways - the Sava , the Danube, the Tisa and channels, etc.

If the manufacturing plant for coal briquettes in Ub is your favorite for the Investment of the Year Award, you can vote for this nomination at the official website of the Aurea Award.

Comments
Your comment
Full information is available only to commercial users-subscribers and it is necessary to log in.

Forgot your password? Click here HERE

For free test use, click HERE

Follow the news, tenders, grants, legal regulations and reports on our portal.
Registracija na eKapiji vam omogućava pristup potpunim informacijama i dnevnom biltenu
Naš dnevni ekonomski bilten će stizati na vašu mejl adresu krajem svakog radnog dana. Bilteni su personalizovani prema interesovanjima svakog korisnika zasebno, uz konsultacije sa našim ekspertima.