Massive CASALE converter installed at Koch Beatrice

CASALE’s new converter for Koch’s Beatrice, Nebraska, plant is 30 metres by 4 metres in size and weighs 363 tonnes. PHOTO: KOCH

After a 6,000-mile transatlantic and continental journey, Koch Fertilizer finally installed a new CASALE ammonia converter at its Beatrice, Nebraska, fertilizer plant in mid-February.

The massive converter is 98 feet tall by 14 feet wide (30 metres by 4 metres) and weighs 800,000 pounds (363 tonnes).

The new unit replaces two smaller converters and is part of a multimillion-dollar upgrade at the Beatrice plant. It will generate ammonia used in the production of liquid urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) fertilizer.

The converter was shipped by CASALE from Venice, Italy. Its transport to Nebraska and its installation at the Beatrice site was a complex logistical and engineering task:

• In Italy, the converter was firstly placed on a ship bound for the Port of Houston – a journey of 5,000 nautical miles.
• On arrival in Houston, it was offloaded from the ship and loaded onto rail cars for the next stage of its trip – a 1,200-mile northbound train journey from Texas to Nebraska.
• After rolling into Plymouth, Nebraska, the converter was moved from the rail cars onto a crawler for the last leg of its journey – a slow 10-mile drive from Plymouth to Koch’s fertilizer plant in Beatrice.

Once at the plant, a 300-foot (91-metre) high VersaCrane TC24000 was used to lift the converter and place it on its foundation. This tall crane was built on site, after being delivered in 50 loads, and took about a month to put together using two smaller cranes.

“The converter project – from intricate engineering to international logistics – was a monster undertaking by the entire Beatrice team and a broad network of partners,” Koch Fertilizers said in a statement. “The successful delivery and installation of this enormous piece of equipment was a daily demonstration of incredible focus, attention to detail and an unwavering commitment to safety, setting the stage for continued success at Koch Fertilizer Beatrice.”

The converter project reflects Koch Fertilizer’s commitment to long-term growth and partnership with the Beatrice community, added Jason Stowell, Beatrice’s plant manager: “It’s a huge testament to the investment Koch has in this facility and the support for the employees here as well as the community.”