VISICS on site

Eneco Bio Golden Raand – The Eneco Bio Golden Raand (BGR) biomass power plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands, sustainably converts approximately 300,000 tonnes of waste wood chips into green electricity and steam every year. The waste wood used for this purpose arrives in Delfzijl by ship and truck and comes mainly from the Netherlands. In 2015, the Eneco BGR plant was the first in the world to obtain the Better Biomass certificate based on the NTA8080 standard for producing, trading or processing biomass in a sustainable way.

From wood chips to steam and power

The supplied wood chips are transported to the combustion boiler via the conveyor belt. The biomass burns in the combustion boiler at 900 °C. Steam is produced from the boiler via a water-steam circuit. This steam is supplied to the Delfzijl Chemical Park and is used to drive a steam turbine, which in turn drives a generator that produces electricity.

Annual maintenance shutdown

Once a year, the entire production process is shut down for 3-4 weeks to allow cleaning and maintenance work to be carried out on the combustion boiler, turbines, wood supply lines and air compressors. During this maintenance shutdown (turnaround), 200-250 contractors are active in and around the plant, with coordination in the hands of the daily Eneco BGR operational team.

More people, more challenges

During the turnaround, the biomass plant is a busy place. Whereas compared to the daily operations team of 15 – 20 employees to keep the production processes on track, this number increases tenfold during the maintenance shutdown. The additional headcount presents challenges in terms of safety and efficiency: in the combustion boiler alone, at times as many as 30 contractors can be working simultaneously.

VISICS Digital Confined Space Monitoring

The Eneco plant, as part of improving safety and efficiency during turnarounds, has been using VISICS’ digital solutions for years. “We were introduced to VISICS at the 2016 Industrial Safety Annual Conference in Utrecht. The first year we deployed VISICS as a trial. And with success: we wouldn’t want anything else”, says Siem Lok, Maintenance Manager Eneco.

During the turnarounds at Eneco BGR, VISICS monitors confined spaces by equipping them with digital access control, alarm and intercom units, gas detection units, multiple outdoor cameras and flexibly deployable indoor cameras. All images and other data are shared 24/7 and real-time on screens in the specially equipped trailer outside the premises, where VISICS operators keep a close eye on the data. They also have direct contact with the contractors in the confined spaces and with the Eneco BGR operational team, when necessary. And vice versa. Schepers: “We can now remotely check what is going on inside a confined space with just one push of the intercom button. Without VISICS, we would have had to go through the entire boiler room to do this, with the necessary waiting hours. Now it only takes us 15 minutes.” In addition to the digital solution, in the case of Eneco BGR, VISICS is also responsible for issuing work permits.

The added value is in the interplay

“During a maintenance shutdown, there is a lot of pressure on our operational team. VISICS then not only provides a piece of extra safety and efficiency: by actively thinking along with us, the VISICS team also unburdens us”, says Lok. “The flexibility that VISICS brings is of great added value to us. Also when, for example, the maintenance event runs longer than expected” adds Head of Industrials Tom Schepers. “The added value is in the interplay: through mutual experiences, we manage to make efficiency gains every year.”

Reports and insights

When VISICS is deployed, the VISICS reporting tool is included as a standard. This means that all findings can be easily logged and clearly reported on. Lok: “These overviews give us insight into where and how we can further optimise safety immediately. They also allow us to have constructive discussions at the contractor level, which immediately bears fruit.”