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The Concrete batching plant for the Tina River Hydropower Development Project has gone through its final installation work and is expected to be in full operation by January 2023.   Manas Ranjan Samal, Hyundai Electrical Engineering (HEC) Electrical Manager confirmed that the installation of the concrete facility is almost complete and will soon begin the process of testing and commissioning.   “We are now completing the electrical works and testing will commence in the coming weeks for commissioning.”   The plant will produce different grades of concretes for various works based on the mixed design taking into consideration the concrete slump, grade, and efficiency. Mixed design is the process of finding the right proportions of cement, sand, and aggregates for concrete to achieve target strength in structures.   The concrete batching plant process flow begins from the feeding of aggregates into individual bins depending on formation size.   “These aggregates will be weighed individually as per the design set in the control panel. After weighing, they will be transferred to the mixing unit. Above the mixing unit, are weigh hoppers for cement, admixtures, and water.   “The job of the weigh hopper is to weigh and then transfer the contents into the following mixing unit. Cement is transferred to the weigh hopper employing a screw conveyor. Water is pumped up into the weigh hopper. After mixing for a specific time set by the mixing unit, the mixer will discharge the contents into a transit mixer to be transported to the construction site.”  

A local mechanic provided assistance in the installation of the generators. The plant will only be used to produce conventional concrete for small structures, access roads, and power house. In order to produce concrete for the Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) Dam, two more Concrete Batcher Plants of 120 m3/hr and 180m3/hr will be installed near the dam site.   The Concrete Batcher plant is an important infrastructure for the construction of the Tina River Hydropower Project because it allows the production of quality ready-mix concrete.   “It has an advanced computerized control system for the accuracy and quality of concrete production. There are various ways to mix concrete but batching by use of a batch plant is very accurate,” Mr. Samal added.   “Batching of concrete is done in fixed batches (proportions) for a fixed time. Fixed proportions of each item are individually weighed prior to addition into the mixing unit. This concrete batcher plant will help to produce the required quantity and quality of conventional concrete for project construction work,” he explains.   The operation of the batching plant and production of ready-mix concrete also follows strict quality control and test requirements to be followed at each stage. Engineering & Mechanical Division workers of HEC with assistance from a local company, Island Enterprises Limited, have recently installed generators that will provide much-needed electricity to power the plant.