heavy industry / poland
© Gaukur Hjartarson
project:
silicon metal production plant
scope of work:
workshop design of steel structures / structural analysis of joints
location:
Húsavík / Iceland
timeline:
2016 – 2018
In March 2016, Jakosta was awarded the contract for the design of steel structures for the main process building of the silicon-metal plant in Húsavík, Iceland, commissioned by PCC BakkiSilicon hf.
It is one of the most modern and environmentally friendly plants of its kind in the world. Silicon metal is used, among other applications, as a component in aluminum alloys and in the chemical industry, for the production of siloxanes and silicones. Quartzite, as the key raw material used in the new plant, comes mainly from PCC owned mine in Poland. The production process is very energy-intensive. Therefore, Iceland was chosen as the most appropriate production site due to its rich geothermal and hydroelectric energy resources.
© Gaukur Hjartarson
The steel structure of the main building weighs approximately 4,000 tons (mostly closed and plates welded profiles). A major challenge on the project was the significant internal forces values due to the location in a seismic area. For instance, the compressive forces in the main bracing system reached 40 MN (40 000 kN!).
© PCC BakkiSilicon hf
Construction model – view from the perspective of the conveyor belt for the transport of input material.
