Chemical Processor 1

Upstate, SC is our backyard, and where we serve our specialty chemical catalysts manufacturing and precious metal refining client. The client, who JDI maintains and has worked with daily for over 10 years, is on a developed site of over 30 acres. The plant manufactures precious metal catalysts and recovers these metals from spent catalysts, working with customers to supply fresh catalysts as well as refine spent ones in a full-loop service. In addition, recycling from the auto catalyst market is undertaken on a large scale. To support them, we employ up to 40 personnel on-site to create a 24/7 support network for their $50+ million capital investments.

• We’ve recently installed a CPT (chloroplatinate) HVAC platform and CPT enclosure project that involved creating foundations and airlocked walls to contain platinum, and the HVAC platform was installed to create negative pressure on the room to help with containment. JDI was also tasked with adding a Dissolution-Dispensing Room to this project to ensure the efficiency of the platinum process. We also added MRT Skid Access Platforms so that workers can safely access the reactors in the area.
• NOx Scrubber Foundation and Mechanical project involved over $1.5 million to rework an existing area to add a new production process for the plant. We began by demolishing the old asphalt and concrete, and then placing new concrete slabs, foundations, and containments, which involved water stops. The waterstops involved splicing multiple types of water stops together to aid in the containment. The new foundations we had to set three large new scrubbers, which included piping to the scrubbers, as well as pumps that had to be piped. We set new structural steel around the large new scrubbers to aid in the access to the scrubbers for the operators, which involved a four-story system with platforms for each level. We prefabricated schedule 10 stainless steel piping to be installed, CPVC, Copper type L propress, DurCor PTFE lined corrosion-resistant piping, FRP suction line, and a 26” FRP ducting, as well as copper air lines. Pipe supports and structural steel were all fabricated in our fab shop to support the project. The foundation took a month to complete, and mechanical was three months.
• EAF (Electric Arc Furnace) Scrubber Support 20×20 square, three stories tall, which involved removing the scrubber stack; this was a replacement of existing scrubber system that had burned out. We came in pre-shutdown to modify and remove the egress platform from around the scrubber, which involved taking out a large portion of structural steel. We also had to remove FRP Scrubber with a large 275-ton crane to access and reinstall a new manufactured housing in place of the old one and placed the structural steel back in place. This shutdown project cost $1million per day, so we created ten 12-hour shifts day and night to get the operation done quickly to keep the client from losing profit. We did the job in 3 shifts. We were originally tasked to get the job done in 5 days, and we did it in 36 hours.

• Prep Monorail was installed, and foundation required fabricating the rails and structure to fit into a tight two-story location to allow the client to move product to and from an auto sampler. A smaller 50 ft. monorail was created after, which involved a structural installation that required new foundations to support it; we had to make new entrances on two sides of the building.
• JDI also did a mass grade for the plant’s Slag Yard to allow for the slag grinding process that was originally offsite to the onsite location to be part of an adjoining parcel for future expansions.
• The client tasked us with a replacement project for a heat-trace system and wastewater dike that was completely inoperable, requiring JDI to completely replace them so that the caustic liquid wouldn’t freeze and rupture. This required immense manhours, complex scaffolding, and insulation to create the new dike.
• Distribution office and restroom remodel. The old office had mold in it and needed new flooring and ceilings, which required us to come in and install a roof with a dust-cap. This required abatement, new epoxy flooring and interior painting.
• North Truck Parking area of over 200 yards of, 80×140 grading, and replaced a 200-yard concrete slab to prevent tractor trailers from getting tied down in their distribution area.
• Engineering Office Remodel was also tasked to JDI, which involved combining two areas into one large office space that involved wiring new cubicles, sheetrock, painting, ceiling grid, and lighting, asbestos abatement, flooring, data cabling to give room for their engineers to be efficient.
• ERT (Emergency Response Team) Ready Room, was a transformation of an existing space to increase space for office personnel. We demo’d the walls, and created a lab, office area, and cubicle space. We were required to frame, sheetrock, move electrical panels and alarm systems, install fire alarm, epoxy coated floors, and paint, as well as asbestos abatement and paint, ceiling grid, and wiring.
• Prep Scrubber Platform, we fabricated and installed a new platform that connects to an existing man way to that provides observation and material delivery to a critical scrubber.
• ERT Building was a design, grading, and construction project for the client that involved a two-story, metal building with interior framing to house their emergency response vehicles and first-aid room, as well as tactical gear and a central command center on the second level. Included a patio break area for employees.
• Atomization Room, we demolished the former itemization room and process area, and were asked to create a larger area, as well as move equipment and modify platforms to accommodate the expansion.
• Bird bath area demolition, a giant glass bowl that you pour liquids into that evaporate materials and leave behind precious minerals. We demolished an entire process area including piping electrical and equipment to allow new processes to move into the area. It also included relocation and installation of a large oven. This production leads to the client providing customers with a wide variety of products, including herbicides, plastics, pharmaceuticals, auto-emission catalysts, fragrances, and fertilizers. Other products include specialty zeolite desiccant and water treatment media for the removal of lead, arsenic, and other impurities from drinking water.
• Utilities Generator Structural Replacement. We demo’d an existing area and built a new concrete containment and structural system to house the new increased size plant emergency generator and backup fuel tank; involved assisting in setting new equipment. Our fabrication shop created the steel for the project, and complicated water stops for the containment.
• LSD Burner Replacement. Complete replacement of burner unit inside a large spray dryer, that required modifications to the burner housing and reinstall of the burner and blower with new gas piping and air ducting, as well as structural supports. Our fabrication shop created all new piping and structural steel and made new filter housing for the 8” air duct.
• Prep Furnace Doors was our mechanical job that required replacing the mechanical system that controlled the doors. The current system is a chain-pulley operation that is on a pneumatic system. We are going to a new electric system with a pneumatic clutch override. The work will be involved on a shutdown date, that involves. Mechanics will come in to pre-assemble the new drive system, run new airlines to the control panel to eleven furnaces for seamless operation.