FEA on a Piping Section to Calculate Stresses
Client : Norda Stelo
Location : Montreal,Quebec
Year : 2021
Norda Stelo is a consulting engineering firm with operations in all engineering disciplines.
The equipment in a section of a nickel plant piping system showed signs of cracks. This equipment, the "desuperheater", produces a very large thermal gradient.
LDV performed a finite element analysis (FEA) and informed Norda Stelo of stresses in two (2) specific sections of the desuperheater piping.
- Carry out solid modeling of the two (2) piping sections;
- Provide gridding data of the two (2) models until convergence of stresses;
- Provide resolution in steady-state condition for the two (2) models to determine the temperature distribution;
- Provide resolution in steady-state condition for the two (2) models to determine the stress distribution, including the impact of bolt tightening at the flange;
- Provide second resolution in steady-state condition for the two (2) models to determine the temperature distribution with shorter transition (sensitivity study);
- Provide second resolution in steady-state condition for the two (2) models to determine the temperature distribution with shorter transition, including the impact of bolt tightening at the flange;
- Extract the von Mises stresses at the two points of interest specified by the client (one per model);
- Produce a technical review describing the model, assumptions and limitations, methodology used as well as stress diagrams with probes indicating the von Mises stresses at the two points of interest specified by the client (one per model).
End Results
Norda Stelo used the results of the analysis performed by LDV to take the necessary steps to repair and extend the life cycle of the equipment.
Design the Mining Site Camp
Client : AEX Gold
Location : Nalunaq, Groenland
Year : 2020
AEX Gold is a mining company founded in 2017, specializing in mining gold deposits in Greenland. The Company currently holds seven licenses in South Greenland, covering a total area of 3,356 km². It is the company with the largest footprint and licensing portfolio in Greenland.
AEX Gold plans to begin mining operations in 2021 at the Nalunaq site, where it aims to complete the full gold mining cycle. For the infrastructures of its future camp, it mandated LDV to coordinate the various technical trades to perform the following tasks:
- Provide civil and mechanical engineering;
- Design the fire protection system;
- Oversee water management (drinking water and wastewater);
- Oversee oil management (new and used).
Analysis of Tank Supports
Client : Orica Canada Inc.
Location : Opinaca, Quebec
Year : 2016
Orica Canada is the world's largest provider of commercial explosives and innovative blasting systems to meet the needs of the mining, quarrying, oil and gas and construction markets.
Orica Canada contacted LDV Consultants because one of its mobile tanks was sustaining recurrent damages always on the same spot. This tank was at times moved by a special truck designed by Orica Canada and then left on the same spot for several days. Orica Canada mandated LDV Consultants to find the source of the problem and recommend solutions to resolve the problem.
As part of its mandate, LDV Consultants carried out the following:
- Evaluate the worst load case (being moved or static);
- Conduct a numerical analysis on the tank;
- Validate through numerical simulation the resistance of the tank support;
- Assess several solutions that could solve the problem;
- Produce the detail drawings needed to manufacture the winning solution.
Owing to its expertise, LDV Consultants was able to identify the actual source of the problem and propose to the client minor changes to be made to the tank without having to incur significant costs.
Design of a Cap Press
Client : Orica USA
Location : Watkins, Colorado
Year : 2015
Orica, an Australian company, is the world's largest provider of commercial explosives and innovative blasting systems to the mining and infrastructure markets. Orica is world leading supplier of ground support solutions in mining and tunnelling as well as a leading supplier of sodium cyanide for gold extraction.
Orica mandated LDV Consultants to design a semi-automated press for a laser cap impeller in accordance with the client's specifications.
As part of the mandate, LDV Consultants carried out the following:
- Design the press;
- Produce the manufacturing drawings;
- Produce the installation drawings;
- Program the PLC.
At the end of the mandate, the following deliverables were provided to the client:
- Operational design of the semi-automated press;
- Complete set of engineering drawings;
- Operations manual;
- Maintenance manual including a parts list and the product data sheets.
.jpg)
Preliminary Detail Engineering of a Ventilation System for the Nickel Concentrator
Client : Canadian Royalties Inc.
Location : EXPO Mine, Quebec (Nunavik)
Year : 2013
Canadian Royalties is a mining company that operated a nickel and copper mine in Nunavik.
Several contaminants were airborne in the concentrator due to inadequate ventilation. Canadian Royalties mandated LDV Consultants to provide technical support to its engineering team to fix the problem.
In phase 1 of the mandate, LDV Consultants carried out the following:
- Validate the technical solution proposed by a contractor and identify the critical zones;
- Prioritize the work and set a preliminary schedule;
- Analyze the impact of the changes to the ventilation on the glycol and electrical systems;
- Produce a preliminary layout.
In phase 2 of the mandate, LDV Consultants carried out the detail engineering, namely:
- Perform calculations for the fans, glycol pumps, electrical system capacity, piping supports and concrete foundations;
- Specify the equipment to be purchased;
- Design the P&ID for the ventilation and glycol systems;
- Supply the installation drawings for the fans, pumps and electrical connections;
- Provide the isometric drawings.
Tanks and Calcium Chloride System
Client : Cliffs Natural Resources
Location : Lac Bloom, Quebec
Year : 2011
Cliffs Natural Resources - Bloom Lake is a mining company operating an iron ore concentrator at Bloom Lake, a few kilometers west of Fermont. To overcome the freezing of iron ore concentrate in railcars, Cliffs Natural Resources wanted to develop and install an automatic calcium chloride spray system, which would prevent freezing without having to heat the railcars while unloading during winter.
To achieve this objective, Cliffs Natural Resources mandated LDV Consultants to design and support the installation of this system.
Therefore, for this project, LDV Consultants designed the tanks and spray arms, was involved in the selection of the pumps and piping, electrical parts, control methods and instrumentation, and produced detailed drawings and specifications for the installation. In addition, LDV Consultants was mandated to provide technical support for the tendering and construction phases.
Technical Assistance for the Bloom Lake Expansion Project
Client : Cliffs Natural Resources
Location : Bloom Lake, Quebec
Year : 2011
Cliffs Natural Resources - Bloom Lake is a mining company operating an iron ore concentrator at Bloom Lake, a few kilometers from Fermont. As the expansion project and construction were underway, Cliffs Natural Resources asked LDV Consultants to provide an engineer to join the owner’s team.
During the engineering phase, LDV Consultants’ engineer was responsible for the following:
- Plan the plant layout;
- Oversee all mechanical designs, chutes, pump boxes, etc.;
- Oversee piping routing and design;
- Ensure coordination between engineering and manufacturing of the mechanical equipment and/or components and piping;
- Review the engineering documents;
- Review the manufacturers’ documents.
Feasibility Study
Client : Osisko Hammond Reef Gold
Location : Atikokan, Ontario
Year : 2011
The Hammond Reef Gold reserve is located approximately 170 km west of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Osisko, owner of the property and mining rights, mandated LDV Consultants to build a 3D model of their concentrator and other facilities, produce instrumentation drawings (P&ID), design the structure and concrete of the main buildings and assist with different tasks related to the feasibility study.
LDV designed the plant using SolidWorks. Integration of various disciplines (such as mechanical, civil, electrical and piping) was carried out using Naviswork. Cross-sectional and elevation drawings of the plant were also produced to complete this feasibility report. The process diagrams and equipment list were updated by LDV, in accordance with the general layout of the plant.
In this project, several layouts and configurations were analyzed in order to minimize the floor space requirements, thus reducing the quantity and cost of the structure and concrete, while providing access to the equipment and optimizing the process flow. The instrumentation diagrams were optimized from original diagrams produced for the Malartic site, also owned by Osisko.
Spiral Test Bench
Client : Cliffs Natural Resources
Location : Bloom Lake, Quebec
Year : 2010
Cliffs Natural Resources - Bloom Lake is a mining company exploiting an iron ore deposit near Bloom Lake, a few kilometers from Fermont. Cliffs Natural Resources integrated, into its concentrator, a new test bench for spirals in order to test the effectiveness of different spiral models available on the market.
To achieve this objective, Cliffs Natural Resources mandated LDV Consultants to perform the engineering for the integration of the new spirals with those already in place. Furthermore, LDV Consultants was mandated to provide on-site technical support during the installation.
For this project, LDV Consultants performed the structural drawings for the new spirals, the modification diagrams for the washing water piping, the drawings for the general equipment layout and prepared the specifications for the installation.