YUNTIAN DOUBLE BEAM GRAB CRANE – WASTE-TO-ENERGY PLANT, NIGERIA
Background
A waste-to-energy plant in Lagos, Nigeria, built a new facility to process 1,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day into refuse-derived fuel (RDF). The crane was the single-point-of-failure for the entire operation, requiring continuous 24-hour duty in a highly corrosive, dusty pit environment.
The Challenge
1.Heavy-duty continuous operation: A7-A8 duty rating, up to 8,000 hours annually, handling wet and abrasive waste at 40°C in a pit containing hydrogen sulphide and methane.
2.Precise grab handling: A multi-jaw hydraulic grab was needed to reliably grip, mix, and release heterogeneous, compacted waste without spillage or jamming.
3.Full automation and reliability: The crane had to execute automated grabbing, mixing, weighing, and feeding cycles to maintain consistent RDF throughput.
The Solution
Two Yuntian QZ double beam overhead grab cranes were installed, each with 16-tonne capacity and 28-metre span. Each crane carried a four-rope, double-drum hydraulic multi-jaw grab (8 m³) for stable handling of mixed waste.
The enclosed double box-girder structure, fabricated from Q345B steel, received a multi-layer anti-corrosion coating to withstand the corrosive pit atmosphere. Electrical enclosures were sealed to IP54 and IP65.
A Siemens S7-1200 PLC with VFD control provided stepless speed regulation and three freely switchable operating modes (manual, semi-auto, fully automatic), with manual priority retained. Automated cycles included grabbing, mixing, feeding, and return-to-standby. Real-time dynamic weighing (±1% accuracy) tracked material flow, while integrated anti-sway reduced load swing. Safety features included dual braking redundancy, overload protection, slack-rope detection, and remote fault diagnostics.
Key Advantages
1.Heavy-duty A7-A8 rated double box-girder construction with sealed anti-corrosion protection for aggressive pit environments
2.Four-rope hydraulic multi-jaw grab (8 m³) for reliable penetration and gripping of heterogeneous compacted waste
3.PLC + VFD control supporting manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic operation with automated weigh-and-feed cycles
4.Real-time dynamic weighing (±1%) and anti-sway system for precise material handling and reduced mechanical wear
5.Multi-layer corrosion coating with IP54/IP65 protection for long service life in corrosive atmospheres
The Result
Both cranes were commissioned within 16 weeks and achieved the target throughput of 1,000 tonnes per day through six months of continuous operation with zero unplanned stoppages. The VFD-controlled motion and anti-sway system measurably reduced mechanical wear on travel drives compared to non-automated alternatives. The two-crane configuration provided the redundancy essential for an operation where the entire fuel supply chain depends on crane availability, and has since become the standard template for the operator's planned expansion at a second facility in Port Harcourt.
HENAN YUNTIAN CRANE CO., LTD.
Email: sales@sgycranes.com
Website: [https://yuntiancrane.com]
Whatsapp：+86-17337353108
