The report by Tate and Lyle Sugars in April 2009, was completed after a visit to the factory, and underlined problems with the diffuser in addition to issues with the bagasse ploughs and to a lesser extent, the punt dumper. The report also mentioned that Chinese contractors at the factory were observed programming in their language.
It is unclear how many of the problems cited in the report have been addressed by GuySuCo and whether the recommendations were taken on board and implemented. When contacted, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud told Stabroek News that some of the issues were dealt with prior to the commissioning of the factory in August last year. Persaud said he would check to identify what was addressed and promised to share the findings.
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) had raised the Tate and Lyle report in citing concerns about the industry and it had previously pointed to issues with the twin punt dumper at the factory. According to the union, the punt dumper is not performing satisfactorily and it called on the sugar corporation to correct this problem. Sections of the Tate and Lyle report, which this newspaper has seen, indicated that the punt dumper is unique to Guyana and it suggested the cycle time per punt unloading should not exceed a certain period to achieve thorough put rate.
The report said the diffuser at the factory was designed and installed with no PH correction facility, and it also observed that the diffuser was suffering from frequent flooding. It suggested that engineers at the factory adjust the recirculation sprays to an angle to achieve percolation within the destination cell, but it noted that the operational management team was not familiar with this procedure.
Further, the report stated that visibility inside the diffuser was poor and suggested installing proper lighting and wash sprays on windows to aid visibility. It said too that there are no observation points on top of the diffuser and indicated that manholes are required to check for channelling, poor juice percolation and non-uniform juice distribution which cause flooding.
Tate and Lyle said also that bagasse ploughs for boiler feed chutes are adjusted manually at the Skeldon factory and observed “ploughs were not designed to adjust automatically”. The report said persons are stationed at the chutes to adjust ploughs and clear blockages with ‘ram sticks’. It continued that plough automation was critical for optimum and efficient boiler operations.
The factory has no syrup clarifier according to the report. It also pointed out that mills are running too fast and the mill setting needs to be rechecked. “There are no torque alarms at the mills, this is an equipment safety feature,” the report added.
On the issue of programming, the report said GuySuCo’s DCS engineer should be working closely with the contractors to be acquainted with the programmes and adjustments that are made because the Chinese contractors were observed programming in Chinese not English. It added that staff training on equipment operation (especially diffuser and continuous vacuum pans) is essential in efficient operation.
The Skeldon factory was a turnkey project between government and the China National Technology Import and the Export Corporation (CNTIC), which was to be handed over in October 2008, one in a string of missed deadlines. The administration was said to have filed for liquidated damages, but information has not been forthcoming on this despite many enquiries. Additionally, the new factory was beset by mechanical problems during the initial operating period.
