The ethanol loading skids supplied by Fluxo to Companhia de Bionergia de Angola (Biocom) were successfully commissioned by Fluxo, and the start-up took place in July 2015.
Commissioning was carried out by the Solutions Analyst of the Engineering and Systems Unit at Fluxo Luiz Andrade, accompanied by the local team from Usina Biocom.
The plant is located in a remote area, in the city of Cacuso, 350 km from Luanda. Luiz Andrade performed the service without any direct communication with the Fluxo office, and with a time difference of 4 hours, which was a challenge faced, since if any equipment malfunctioned, it would be very difficult to get support of instrument manufacturers. To circumvent this possible mishap, Fluxo carried out several tests with the skids still at the factory, and the system worked perfectly after installation.
Another challenge was to transmit the skid operation procedures to the Angolans, who until then had never handled this equipment. “Despite the difficulties faced, the plant's Brazilian team gave me all the support I needed and the startup was a success,” said Luiz Andrade.
Biocom is an Angolan company that emerged in partnership with Odebrecht Agroindustrial to take the first sugar ethanol and energy plant to the African state. Odebrecht, with all its experience and knowledge in this area, chose Fluxo to supply the ethanol loading system, as it already knew its equipment from Brazilian plants. This was the first system that Fluxo's Engineering & Systems unit supplied outside Brazil. With the loading skid in full operation, Usina Biocom is already shipping the manufactured ethanol safely and efficiently.