Barnhart was contracted to remove large components from the containment structure during the decommissioning of an SM1 reactor facility in Virginia. The major components included a steam generator, pressurizer, recirculation pumps and reactor pressure vessel (RPV). The components weighed between 4,000 and 32,500 pounds.
All the components were removed through the containment dome opening, which had been expanded to 12' x 17' to allow for additional clearance. The components not directly accessible were rigged with Barnhart’s C-bar and air hoist below the new hatch opening.
The components were lifted out and then lowered into containment containers. The RPV, at 32,500 pounds, was the last major component to be removed.
The components were set into a Conex with only a one-inch clearance for some pieces of equipment and loaded onto a truck. The original scope was to remove seven components in an 11-day schedule. The project turned into a nine-month project due to the removal of ancillary equipment requested by the customer.