Demolition of the reinforced concrete smokestack of Tirreno Power S.p.a. thermal power plant, in Vado Ligure (SV), serving the old VL1 and VL2 units, known as smokestack 1-2, including waste disposal.
Parts of the site, instruments and electrics, structural parts of the smokestack (lining and external stack), gangways, stairs and grids were demolished.
Smokestack 1-2 was a “single stack” type, with one reinforced concrete loadbearing external stack and a refractory lining coated in acid-resistant ceramic, made of shaped pieces held together by special acid-resistant concrete.
• Overall height: 200 m
• Height of conical frustum (upper part): 190 m
• Height of conical section (lower hopper): 7.5 m
• Outer diameter at the bottom: 15 m
• Inner diameter at the bottom: 8.5 m
• Outer diameter at the top: 8.8 m
• Inner diameter at the top: 6.5 m
• Overall amount of disposed waste: 9,500 tons
Since the Vado Ligure power plant is located one km from the coast, the smokestack was exposed to industrial and marine atmosphere, with frequent winds at peaks of 130 km/hour. Therefore, the critical points of the process were the typical atmospheric conditions of the region, compounded by adverse and even unusual weather in 2017, which certainly slowed down the demolition process. Another no less important criticality, in addition to bad weather, was definitely the proximity of the smokestack to the working plants, such as the VL5 combined-cycle unit and its pipe rack. However, despite such interference, the power plant was kept up and running all through the process. The process took place in strict compliance with the applicable safety, quality and environmental-protection requirements. All health and safety prevention and protection measures were taken to protect the staff involved in the project, so the job was completed without any accident.
The job was carried out as member of a consortium with the principals, DEMICED and MASSUCCO COSTRUZIONI.