Description Barnhart's team was invited to conduct a removal path clearance study for an upcoming maintenance outage scope of removing and replacing a 9 ft diameter x 12,000 lb condenser valve.
Scope Solve a problem for a Midwest nuclear plant: how to rig a 12,000 lb x 9 ft diameter condenser valve out of a pit with multiple obstructions
Challenges
Barnhart's engineering team designed a traveling low headroom cantilever system which would allow for adequate hoisting room and travel the system + valve under the overhead obstructions. Along with the Barnhart design and fabrication of the cantilever system, a 125% full load test and mock up was performed by Barnhart's team before delivering the system to site.
The cantilever system's 3 low headroom hoists were engineered to positions along the beam which would allow for a 3 legged vertical rigging arrangement. While the 2 outside hoist's were used for lifting the valve, the inside hoist was used in conjunction with a 4th hold back hoist to safely and smoothly rotate the valve to the angle needed for moving cantilever cart to safely back the valve out in within the allowable dimensional window. Barnhart's design proved to be the right tool for the job as the old valve was safely moved, lifted, rotated, and rolled out of the pit area. The reverse process was used to install the new valve.
This condenser valve replacement project is another example of how Barnhart's team of design engineers, and fabrication and load testing capabilities allow our nuclear services team to provide engineered solutions in the toughest of space limitations during routine, and not so routine, nuclear maintenance work. Contact your local Barnhart Nuclear Services Representative for a more thorough review of the capabilities of these tools and all our engineered rigging and moving systems.