Successful Rotor Rebuild for Ashuganj Fertilizer Industries Limited by RotoTech Bangladesh

Successful Rotor Rebuild for Ashuganj Fertilizer Industries Limited by RotoTech Bangladesh

Overview

Ashuganj Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited (AFCCL), a key player in Bangladesh’s fertilizer production sector, recently faced a critical challenge with their 14 MW Synthesis Gas LP Turbine. This turbine, originally manufactured by Nuovo Pignone (now GE Turbines, Italy), experienced a significant failure in its rotor assembly. The crisis threatened the uninterrupted production of 40MBDT of urea fertilizer, jeopardizing operations at a plant employing 1,200 personnel.

Thanks to the expertise of RotoTech Bangladesh Limited, the rotor was successfully rebuilt locally—a first for Bangladesh—saving valuable time and foreign exchange for AFCCL.

The Challenge

The turbine rotor’s last-stage blades, which are the largest in size, encountered severe issues:

Damping wires on both sides of the turbine blades broke.

One turbine blade was entirely broken.

Years earlier, the rotor had been sent to Italy for repair. However, the OEM deemed it beyond repair due to age and high associated costs:

Estimated repair cost: 50MBDT

Cost of a new rotor: 180MBDT

This led to the rotor being returned without repairs, leaving AFCCL vulnerable. Compounding this issue was the plant’s restricted gas supply, which only allows operations for 3-4 months annually. With gas supply available again in December 2024, AFCCL urgently needed a functioning rotor to resume operations.

RotoTech’s Intervention

AFIL turned to RotoTech Bangladesh Limited for a solution. Despite the complexity of the task and its unprecedented nature in Bangladesh, RotoTech took on the challenge, leveraging its turbomachinery expertise and external collaborations.

Key steps in the rebuild process:

Spare Parts Supply: RotoTech sourced and supplied essential components, including damping wires (DW).

Reblading: The damaged rotor blades were replaced and rebuilt.

Dynamic Balancing: After repairs, the rotor underwent precise dynamic balancing to ensure optimal performance.

    The entire repair cycle was completed in just two weeks, a remarkable achievement for such a technically demanding job.

    Outcome

    The rebuilt rotor was successfully installed, enabling the plant to resume operations in time for the 2024-25 production season. This saved AFIL:

    Significant Costs: Avoiding the expense of a new rotor and reducing dependency on international services.

    Valuable Time: Minimizing downtime during a critical production window.

    Impact

    The successful repair has brought several benefits:

    AFCCL avoided extended downtime, enabling the continued production of 40MBDT of urea fertilizer.

    A considerable amount of foreign currency was saved by performing the repair locally.

    The achievement was recognized by the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), which highly praised RotoTech Bangladesh Limited’s competency.

    Conclusion This project highlights RotoTech Bangladesh Limited’s capability to execute complex turbomachinery repairs locally, setting a new benchmark for the industry. Their ability to deliver innovative and timely solutions underscores their dedication to supporting Bangladesh’s industrial growth.

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