Client: Tenega Nasional BHD, Malaysia

Location: Stesen Janakuasa Sultan Azlan Shah, Manjung

Project: Inspection, Maintenance, Repair and Improvement Works

The inspection, maintenance and repairs of industrial chimney’s, cooling towers and silos remain one of our core activities throughout the U.K., Europe and Asia.

Following a partial collapse of one of their brick flue sections the Client sought Syntex’ assistance in identifying the root cause and developing a system of repair and improvement works. Over a 6 year period Syntex carried out phased upgrading of all three flues of the Main 200m Multiflue Chimney.  The chimney comprises a 200m tall constant diameter reinforced concrete windshield containing 3no brick flues with a 7.3m internal diameter. The flues are made up of 8no. sections supported from intermediate reinforced concrete floors.  

A detailed inspection and analysis determined the root cause of the partial collapse to be a combination of a lack of external reinforcing to the freestanding flue sections and the progressive “packing” of open cracks with mortar and bricks. A pattern of cracking to each flue section was also determined to be caused by progressive creep in the reinforced concrete support floors during construction causing the brick sections to “lean” against the support floor of the section above.

Syntex Engineering then developed a solution which would correct the progressive cracking and prevent future deterioration by upgrading and stabilising the brick flues. The upgrading works executed over 6 years consisted of:

• an initial emergency brick work repair to the partially collapsed flue section,
• design and installation of a system of retaining bands throughout the height of each brick section,
• progressive removal of defective sections of the brick linings and reinstatement using purpose designed integrally reinforced interlocking brickwork,
• upgrading of the flexible gas seal arrangement to allow for extended service life and FGD operation.

The final upgrading works were completed in 2014 and subsequent periodic inspections have shown the upgraded brickwork to be performing well with no further developed defects.

The inspection, maintenance and repairs of industrial chimney’s, cooling towers and silos remain one of our core activities throughout the U.K., Europe and Asia.

Following a partial collapse of one of their brick flue sections the Client sought Syntex’ assistance in identifying the root cause and developing a system of repair and improvement works. Over a 6 year period Syntex carried out phased upgrading of all three flues of the Main 200m Multiflue Chimney.  The chimney comprises a 200m tall constant diameter reinforced concrete windshield containing 3no brick flues with a 7.3m internal diameter. The flues are made up of 8no. sections supported from intermediate reinforced concrete floors.  

A detailed inspection and analysis determined the root cause of the partial collapse to be a combination of a lack of external reinforcing to the freestanding flue sections and the progressive “packing” of open cracks with mortar and bricks. A pattern of cracking to each flue section was also determined to be caused by progressive creep in the reinforced concrete support floors during construction causing the brick sections to “lean” against the support floor of the section above.

Syntex Engineering then developed a solution which would correct the progressive cracking and prevent future deterioration by upgrading and stabilising the brick flues. The upgrading works executed over 6 years consisted of:

• an initial emergency brick work repair to the partially collapsed flue section,
• design and installation of a system of retaining bands throughout the height of each brick section,
• progressive removal of defective sections of the brick linings and reinstatement using purpose designed integrally reinforced interlocking brickwork,
• upgrading of the flexible gas seal arrangement to allow for extended service life and FGD operation.

The final upgrading works were completed in 2014 and subsequent periodic inspections have shown the upgraded brickwork to be performing well with no further developed defects.

In addition to the remedial and upgrading works to the flues Syntex Engineering also carried out general maintenance works including the replacement of damaged and defective insulation and cladding to the flue exit stubs, design and installation of access hatches and panels to the duct entry elbows and upgrading of the lightning protection systems.