Transport and Setting of Turbine/Generator in a North Carolina Project

Market: Power

Location: North Carolina

The Challenge

Barnhart Crane & Rigging Co. won a bid on an already-in-progress job, which included the hauling, lifting, and setting of steam equipment, and the customer urged the team to finish the job on a very tight schedule. On top of that, very wet and extremely cold weather made the project even more difficult, not to mention a very constricting site gave the crew very little real-estate in which to work.

The Solution

Creative planning, hard work, and timely deliveries all helped Barnhart meet the deadline. In addition, clever engineering enabled the team to connect the Marino girder to the Barnhart gantry track, and as a result, saved much time and money.

The Description

The customer contracted Barnhart for the onsite transporting and setting of the turbine in addition to a generator. The job required the team to lift, haul, and set these massive pieces to an alternative location on the job site.

The project was already underway when the crew won the bid, and the customer desired a quick finish. Barnhart engineers then focused on quickly submitting the project plans. Other engineers on the site also flooded the team's engineers with questions, and Barnhart's quick responses kept the job on schedule.

Barnhart's engineers also developed a plan to connect the Marino girders with the Barnhart gantry tracks. This allowed the team more flexibility and availability with its equipment and saved quite a bit of time and money.

The rest of the crew suffered through cold and wet weather. In fact, the site conditions heavily constricted the equipment because of minimal space to navigate machinery. The crane operators and workers pressed onward with hard work and overcame the dreary setting.

A subcontractor also delivered integral parts and equipment to Barnhart right on schedule. This timely delivery, matched with Barnhart's creative engineering staff and diligent crew, allowed Barnhart to start a job behind schedule and finish ahead of the deadline.

Major Equipment Used

• Goldhofer Trailer
• Stator Frame
• 500T Hoist

Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Services:

• Crane Service
• Heavy Rigging
• Heavy Cargo Logistics
• Heavy Lift Cranes
• Machinery Moving
• Modular Lift Tower
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Feedwater Heaters and Rotor Replacement

Market: Nuclear

Location: South Carolina

Problem

Extremely tight quarters and equipment limitations slowed down the project.

Solution

Quick thinking and new basketing devices helped complete the job.

Description

Barnhart was contracted to remove and replace rotors and feedwater heaters. The rotor was railed to site, offloaded with the 44A system, and transported easily to the crane bay.

However, when the old rotor was loaded to a nine-line trailer for transporting to storage, the crane failed at a height of nine feet off of the ground. With engineering approval, we were able to load crane mats (five high) on the trailer and safely rescue the rotor from the inoperable crane.



After that, we quickly finished the remainder of the job.

Moving the feedwater heater challenged us as well. The 4B sat under a floor and we slid it out using a light slide. Furthermore, we inverted both the 4A and 4B to clear surrounding obstructions.

We used the new basketing devices on their maiden voyage and found that they were easy to use, and that they served their purpose well.

Next, we directed them through the legs of the gantry crane, between the MSR's, down a low risk path on the Turbine Deck, and finally to the crane bay.

With the successful nuclear project, four employees gained their "nuclear" badges, making them invaluable help for future nuclear jobs. They will be particularly helpful to speed up our work in case we need faster reaction time.

Major Equipment Used

• 9 Line PST Goldhofer


• Specialized Rigging

Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Services:

• Crane Service


• Heavy Rigging


• Heavy Cargo Logistics


• Heavy Lift Cranes


• Machinery Moving


• Modular Lift Tower


• Transportation Solutions

Four Types of Equipment, Seven Bridges, and Forty Miles Add up to Another Barnhart Transport Success

TEXAS - In August 2010, a customer hired Barnhart Crane & Rigging to transport a demethanizer and absorber from Houston to Sanderson. As they finished an almost identical job a year earlier, the crew not only had all the right equipment for the job but also the best experience to ensure yet another Barnhart success.



"We did this same project a year earlier," project manager James Weston said. "And even though the pieces were heavier, the method was still the same."

The team began at a Houston shop, where they used pull-up gantries to load the pieces on to 26-lines of Goldhofer PSTe. The platform trailers relocated the pieces to the nearest rail spur. From there, rail carts moved the pieces to Sanderson, and Barnhart used pull-up gantries and the slide system to place the pieces on the trailers.

The absorber, however, was much heavier than the demethanizer, which caused Weston and his team to configure a new trailer system: 30-lines THP dollies with a 16-dolly hybrid system. After the configuration was approved, the design eased the absorber's transport over a 40-mile haul, including seven bridges.

Weston noted the weight difference as the only hiccup in the move.

"Weight changes made this project different than its twin project done a year prior," Weston said. "So all the knowledge we thought we had going into the project was short lived with the increase of the piece weight. However, we made the necessary adjustments and were able to have the piece on the road within a week of learning of the new weights."



The weight change hardly set the crew back, as they compensated for the slow-down by promptly communicating with their vendors and pre-staging the equipment.

"We notified all the vendors of the pieces' arrival and coordinated the rail siding prior to vessel departure in Houston," Weston said. "Upon arrival, we were able to pre-stage equipment to ensure a timely off load of rail and transport to the job site."

The demethanizer, on the other hand, was slightly lighter, and the team returned to the railroad to place it on the original 26-lines trailer and 14-dolly hybrid system design.

But what made this project so special? Weston believes that Barnhart has a distinct advantage over its local competitors.

"With the knowledge of the bridges from the last job done a year prior, Barnhart had a leg up on the competition by already knowing the best methods to employ and already knowing what equipment would be necessary to achieve a successful project," Weston said. "And in the Houston Market, we do have some stiff competition with the heavy haulers and heavy lift companies. However Barnhart prides itself with having the necessary equipment, personnel, and expertise to ensure a project runs as planned."

Past experience, specialized personnel, and custom equipment all helped make this a special job, but Weston saw the relationships Barnhart made with the community as the most impressive aspects of this project.



"There are many projects where we are transporting a long distance and then there are times we are stationary in one location for an extended period of time," Weston said. "By being stationary you are able to meet and build relationships with the town's people and become a part of the community."

The small town of Sanderson provided the perfect Petri dish for comradery.

"Sanderson is a small town with about 500 residents," Weston said. "At no time did we go a day without someone asking us about the progress of the job or really being involved in the job itself. The local sheriff's office, the volunteer fire department, and some local businesses supported us in whatever we needed. It is nice to know that we have left a lasting impression in the community and that a lot of friendships have come from that."

James Weston is a project manager at Barnhart’s branch located in Houston, Texas. For contact information, please click here.

Or take a look at some other fantastic services that Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Provide:

• Crane Service


• Heavy Rigging


• Heavy Cargo Logistics


• Heavy Lift Cranes


• Machinery Moving


• Modular Lift Tower


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