When the boat comes in!’

Rental equipment doesn't just fill the gap when unexpected failures occur, it can also play an integral part in planning – for example, serving as a replacement during maintenance and repairs, facility construction and renovation, in research and development projects or during process optimisation. There is a wide range of applications: vacuum and positive pressure air systems for pneumatic transport, industrial and municipal wastewater treatment, filter rinsing, fermentation and many more.

ARD, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aerzen Blowers and Compressors, specialising in rental solutions. The company offers a comprehensive range of frequency-controlled, oil-free Aerzen blowers and compressors with a pressure range from -700 mbar to 10,000 mbar, specially developed for rental applications: robust, easy to transport, user-friendly units that can be installed outdoors. Complete turn-key systems can be supplied upon request. On-site installation, commissioning and personnel orientation are included in delivery.

The customer benefits are obvious: clear costs, quick delivery times and flexibility as well as around the clock support from a professional service provider.

Rio Tinto, a global leader in the manufacture of aluminium, took advantage of these benefits at its Ashington plant in Northumberland. Quick action was called for after their ship vacuum-unloading system had a major motor failure. A replacement was going to take around four weeks and Rio Tinto had ship deliveries due that required unloading.

Andy Gill of Rio Tinto contacted David Kearsley at Aerzen International Rental to see if they could help. They had a volume requirement for just over 27,000 m³/hr at -480 mbar. Aerzen International Rental then put together an action plan to send six BVO5500 oil-free blower packages to the site along with pipework. Power consumption was calculated so Andy knew he could run all the machines together.

Aerzen International Rental deployed their engineers to site. Some of the blowers were set up for positive pressure and so required converting to vacuum. Pipework was installed and control connection made.

With the ship due in, the system needed to work. Rio Tinto successfully unloaded 8,000 tons of aluminium.