Quality Liquid Feeds

At the Liquid Plant in Dunlap, Iowa, we were tasked with a comprehensive steam system redesign. The primary objective was to integrate a refurbished 350HP Cleaver Brooks firetube boiler while maintaining the existing 150HP Burnham unit. This upgrade was designed to provide redundancy and accommodate future steam load increases.

Quality Liquid Feeds (QLF) is a leading nationwide, family-owned company with over 45 years of experience in developing liquid feed supplements, low moisture blocks, and carbon-based fertilizers. Known for innovation and quality, QLF emphasizes research, expert ingredient sourcing, and manufacturing high-standard products. Their versatile supplements enhance nutrition for dairy and beef cattle, whether incorporated into Total Mixed Rations or delivered free choice. With its own transportation division and top-tier customer service, QLF ensures timely, efficient delivery while meeting the nutritional needs of both animals and crops.

For more information, visit Quality Liquid Feeds

Equipment Upgrades

We installed critical components, including a new feedwater tank, blowdown separator, and a combustion air makeup unit, to support the simultaneous operation of both boilers at full capacity. The redesign also ensured that all equipment was properly sized for optimal performance under maximum load.

Minimizing Downtime

Since plant operations couldn’t be interrupted for an extended period, we introduced a rental boiler system to keep the steam supply running smoothly during the transition. This rental system was piped into the main steam lines, ensuring that future maintenance or boiler replacements could be handled without disrupting plant operations.

Precision Installation

A key part of the project involved removing the outdated 70HP and 100HP boilers and relocating the existing 150HP Burnham unit. Our team then installed the refurbished 350HP Cleaver Brooks boiler, along with the associated piping systems, including natural gas, steam, feedwater, and condensate return. We also installed a new steam header and boiler stacks to ensure efficient steam distribution throughout the plant.

Customized Solutions

One of the unique challenges of this project was the limited access to the boiler room, which required the enlargement of the existing 8×8 garage door to a 12×12 opening to accommodate the new equipment. Additionally, we designed a flexible piping system to easily connect to rental boilers for future maintenance, providing a long-term solution to minimize future downtime.

Successful Commissioning

After completing the installation, our team performed the startup and commissioning of the new system, ensuring that all equipment operated as expected. This careful execution allowed us to meet the plant’s needs without compromising their operations, setting them up for reliable, high-capacity steam production well into the future.

Conclusion

This steam system overhaul not only increased the plant’s current capacity but also future-proofed their operations. With minimal downtime, added redundancy, and flexible maintenance solutions, this project stands as a great example of how we at Rasmussen Mechanical Services deliver tailored solutions to meet our clients’ evolving needs.