How do you replace 480 tonnes of refractory material within a five-day shutdown?

ATM in Moerdijk, part of Renewi, operates a thermal soil remediation installation (TRI) in which contaminated soil is treated at high temperatures. At the heart of this installation is a large rotating kiln over 52 metres long and 4.4 metres in diameter, continuously exposed to operating temperatures of up to 1,600°C. A refractory concrete lining protects the steel kiln wall against this extreme heat, but wears down over time.

This kind of maintenance can only be carried out during a planned production stop, and every day of downtime costs processing capacity. ATM asked VTG Beton to renew the entire refractory lining of the kiln within a shutdown of just five days, without compromising on quality or safety.

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Non-stop shotcreting with four crews working simultaneously

To process 480 tonnes of refractory material within five days, VTG Beton deployed two Montanburo shotcrete pumps and four shotcrete crews simultaneously. Work continued around the clock, 24 hours a day, to meet the schedule. A layer of high-grade shotcrete concrete was applied along the full length of the kiln, resistant to operating temperatures of up to 1,600°C and compressive strengths of up to 200 N/mm², anchored to the steel kiln wall with thousands of V-anchors.

After application, the refractory material had to be dried and heated in a controlled manner up to 500°C, a critical step to prevent cracking from heating too quickly. For this part, VTG Beton worked together with refractory specialist Jünger+Gräter GmbH, who guided the heating process step by step until the operating temperature was reached safely and without damage to the material. Only after this control phase could the kiln be released back for production. The work was carried out in accordance with VCA, VCA-P (Petrochemical), KOMO process certificate BRL 3201 and NEN-EN-9001.

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480 tonnes of refractory material, on time and without damage

Within five days, the entire kiln was fitted with new refractory material, controlled and heated to operating temperature without damage, after which the installation was fully operational again for Renewi. The project shows how phasing, equipment deployment and collaboration with a specialised partner reinforce each other under tight time pressure: 480 tonnes of refractory material processed, two pumps and four crews working non-stop, and a careful handover with Jünger+Gräter for the final critical step.

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