SPECTRAFLOW ANALYTICS RECEIVES A NEW ORDER FOR TWO CROSSBELT ANALYZERS FROM VICAT GROUP, FRANCE
SPECTRAFLOW ANALYTICS RECEIVES A NEW ORDER FOR TWO CROSSBELT ANALYZERS FROM THE VICAT GROUP, FRANCE
The Vicat Group (France) has ordered its first two SpectraFlow Crossbelt Analyzers for its aggregates project related to the new Lyon-Turin high-speed rail project. This project involves building the new Mont-Cenis base tunnel, the world's longest railway tunnel at 57.5 kilometers. This construction will generate a huge amount of agglomerate, which Vicat will handle as aggregates. These are the first two Crossbelt Analyzers for the Vicat Group. They join other major cement and construction material groups, such as Holcim and Heidelberg, in using the radioactive-free SpectraFlow Online Analyzers to optimize their operations.
About the Vicat Group:
Vicat is one of the world's leading cement, concrete, and aggregates producers, originating in France in 1853. To this day, Vicat remains a family-owned enterprise focused on balanced geographical development and innovative growth. The Vicat Group currently operates in twelve countries, generating 66% of its sales outside France and 30% in emerging countries. The group operates 16 cement plants and 5 grinding stations, which contribute about 56% of its business volume. Its aggregates section, contributing about 34%, is another important sector. Currently, 72 aggregate quarries and 272 concrete batching plants are in operation, giving the Vicat Group extensive expertise in handling aggregates.
SpectraFlow Crossbelt Analyzer for Aggregates Qualification:
Leveraging this expertise, the project management company TELT selected Vicat to handle the vast amounts of raw material excavated during the construction of the Mont Cenis base tunnel. The tunnel is the core of the Lyon-Turin high-speed railway line, which will replace the existing historical Mont-Cenis track. Built in 1871, high demand for passenger and goods transport between France and Italy has overloaded the old tracks for many years.
The complete project from Lyon to Turin will cover 270 km: 140 km in France, 46 km in Italy, and the remaining 84 km as a common section. The overall costs are estimated at 26 billion euros, with the first trains scheduled to run in 2033.
The Mont-Cenis base tunnel project will comprise two single tubes, each 57 km in length, plus four access tunnels and 204 connection tunnels, totaling 162 km of tunnels. This results in a huge amount of excavation material (MATEX), which the project will use as different types of aggregates: directly for concrete in the tunnel construction; for concrete in other projects; or for other purposes if its quality makes it unsuitable for concrete. Continuous and rapid monitoring of the excavation material's quality (MATEX) is essential to determine its appropriate use. For this purpose, the SpectraFlow Analyzer is an essential part of raw material handling, providing highly accurate, continuous monitoring of the MATEX's TOC, Sulfur, and Moisture content. This analysis allows for immediate decisions on the optimal use of the MATEX.
In the first phase, the project team will install the two analyzers at the two main tunnel portals on the French side. In a second phase, the team will use four to six more SpectraFlow analyzers at further excavation tunnel exits.
SpectraFlow Crossbelt Analyzer:
The SpectraFlow Crossbelt Analyzer is an online analyzer that measures raw materials on belt conveyors. As raw materials from the quarry are processed through a crusher, the material on the conveyor belt becomes statistically homogeneous, ensuring the analytical results from the SpectraFlow Crossbelt Analyzer are highly accurate.
By using a SpectraFlow Crossbelt Analyzer for aggregates (e.g., tunnel excavation material), users can continuously monitor the raw material according to its quality and direct it to its optimal use.
Summarized benefits are:
The analyzer is free of any radioactive sources, neutron generators, or hazardous components. This means the SpectraFlow Analyzer does not require any permits or licenses for importation, operation, or maintenance.
The SpectraFlow Analyzer is completely safe; operational personnel can perform maintenance at any time, safely during operation.
Users can optimize the value of the aggregate, as its chemical and mineralogical composition allows for determining its best use.
