Modulift and Siemens Design Rig for Dockside Lifts
Below-the-hook equipment manufacturer Modulift and Siemens Heat Transfer Technology B.V. combined forces to design a special lifting rig for two Benson-type Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HSRGs) that weighed nearly 200t apiece.
Modulift sent two of these to Korea and Thailand for on- and off-load respectively. This included a total of 16 x 34t capacity MOD 34 beams in addition to slings, shackles, tie-plates, and other rigging gear.
Why was the Dockside Lift Required?
The two vertical steam generators first needed to be lifted aboard a vessel for transportation to the 1,300MW South Bangkok phase-one combined-cycle power plant, located 20km south of Bangkok in the Samut Prakan province, Thailand. On arrival, they would need to be offloaded, also using the specially designed lifting rig.
Siemens is part of a consortium serving the $550m project, an initiative of Thailand’s Government Power Development Plan, which aims to improve the reliability of the country’s power system and introduce clean power generation facilities.
Steam is an essential element in the energy supply system. As a primary energy source, it can be used to operate a turbine, process steam for use in industry, or for district heating. Therefore, HRSGs are important components of many power plants. They substantially increase a plant’s overall efficiency and help to minimise the fuel costs.
The Dockside Lift Challenges
Dennis de Jong, supply manager for Siemens HTT, explained that the HRSG-modules are the largest the company has ever constructed. This presented a rigging challenge, given the dimensions involved; slings would have needed to be rigged at an acute angle from an existing lifting beam to connect to the load’s pick points.
The solution was based on utilising the existing beam, beneath which eight 3.25m-long standard Modulift spreader beams would be rigged. They would be positioned at a 90-degree angle to the larger beam, essentially widening the below-the-hook system.
Why Modulift Spreader Beams were the Perfect Choice
De Jong said:
“Alternative lifting solutions also wouldn’t have been able to handle the weight of the generators, so we had to be innovative and combine our knowledge about the load[s] with Modulift’s below-the-hook expertise.”
“The result was a mix of the old and the new with an existing beam rigged above the new beams beneath. The use of wire rope slings was also carefully planned to ensure maximum safety and efficiency.”
Sarah Spivey, Managing Director at Modulift, said:
“Siemens wanted to utilise the same pick points, so we were steered towards the eight-beam solutio and added another layer to the rig. Above each beam, a sling was rigged at either end at a 55-degree angle to a [18t SWL] tie-plate; between the plates, a 17t [SWL] tie grommet sling provided stability and attached our rig to their beam.”
Spivey recalls that from the top of the MOD beam to the load was approx. 1.6m.
“Once we knew the specs of the load and the location of the pick points, the rig essentially designed itself,”
she added.
Modulift Spreader Beams and Lifting Equipment
To successfully achieve this lift, the MOD 34 spreader beams offered the perfect solution. Using eight beams for each rig allowed us to adapt to Siemen’s requirements and use the same pick points. We supplied the additional rigging gear, such as tie plates, sling and shackles to ensure a safe, well-balanced lift.
As shown by our varied case studies, Modulift lifting equipment, including spreader beams, lifting frames and lifting beams, can be adapted to any project.
To use Modulift for your next lift or find out more about our services (including custom lifting beam design) call us on 01202 621511 or send a message via our contact form.