Figure 4. Needing more fertilizer storage capacity,
Paul Meyer Chemicals had a new tension fabric building custom-designed for their operation.
Figure 5. The natural corrosion-resistance of PVC makes an optimal cladding material for fertilizer facilities, and the fabric’s translucency provides a brighter working environment.
The construction timeline was a critical factor. Knowing that spring planting season is the most crucial for local farmers, the goal was to have the building project completed within a few months, in order to be up and running for the spring. When researching potential building partners through their agricultural network, the company began to consider a fabric building. They specifically focused on Legacy Building Solutions, a manufacturer that had provided tension fabric structures for several other fertilizer suppliers in the state. The ability to custom design the building and engineer it around their existing new equipment was a key consideration in deciding what company to use, in addition to being able to meet the construction timeline. The facility features a structural I-beam frame. Since Paul Meyer Chemicals works heavily with fertilizer, corrosion protection for the steel beams was essential to ensure longevity for the building. Fertilizer corrodes nearly everything it touches, prompting the company to choose a high-level epoxy coating to protect against corrosion. The building’s roof and sidewalls feature high-strength PVC cladding. The white fabric roof offers 12% translucency, allowing plenty of natural sunlight to filter in and provide a brighter daytime working environment and reduced lighting costs. The completed building measures 84 ft wide and 120 ft long, for a total area of 10 080 ft2, enough for a material storage capacity of 1700 t. It is designed to withstand wind speeds up to 105 mph and 30 psf ground snow load. The building frames were also engineered to support a 550 lbs/ft drag conveyor system.
A podcast series for professionals in the downstream refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries EPISODE 11
EPISODE 14
Graham Faiz, Head of Digital Energy, DNV, explores the current state of digitalisation in the energy sector and the key drivers behind digital transformation. Graham considers how companies can move from pilot projects to full-scale deployment of AI and digital tools.
Rob Benedict, Vice President, Petrochemicals and Midstream, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), discusses the outcomes of the final round of UN negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty.
EPISODE 12
EPISODE 15
Omar Sayeed, Centre of Excellence Leader for Reliability, and Rahul Negi, Director of AI and Industrial Autonomous, Honeywell Process Solutions, consider how new, innovative technology can help to overcome some of the challenges facing the downstream oil and gas sector.
David Wilson, CEO, Energy Exemplar, considers the role that oil and gas is currently playing in the booming data centre industry, and what the future holds.
EPISODE 13
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Sarah Miller, President and CEO of the GPA Midstream Association and CEO of the GPSA, outlines the vital importance of midstream operations, and some of the key challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
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