August 21 - B&G Crane Service has removed and replaced five heat exchangers at a project in Calcasieu, Louisiana, USA.
B&G Crane Service utilised a 300-ton (272.2-tonne) capacity Hydra-Slide HT300 heavy-track hydraulic skidding system to remove and replace two of the units.
The HT300 was used to slide the old exchangers, weighing 49,000 lbs (22.2 tonnes) and 59,000 lbs (26.7 tonnes), a distance of 60 ft (18.3 m) before repeating the process in reverse with the replacement units that weighed 58,000 lbs (26.3 tonnes) and 66,000 lbs (30 tonnes) respectively.
For the project, Hydra-Slide provided additional skid track sections to extend the 50 ft (15.24 m) of double track, which was connected using a lug and pin set.
The HT300 was utilised in combination with other lifting equipment, including two Liebherr mobile cranes - a 100-tonne capacity five-axle LTM 1100-5.2 and a 500-tonne capacity eight-axle LTM 1500-8.1. B&G also used a J&R Engineering Lift-n-Lock 1400 series hydraulic gantry and Scheuerle self-propelled modular transporters (SPMT).
Mark Morris, rigging superintendent at B&G Crane, said that the first stage of the project was the removal of the existing exchangers using the LTM 1500-8.1. He added: "At that point, grating from the elevation was opened up to allow rigging to be lowered through the existing floor.
"The exchangers were then blocked up with cribbing to allow installation of the Hydra-Slide tracks before they were lowered onto the skid shoes."
Once the exchangers had been skidded clear of the site, the LTM 1100-5.2 lifted them onto the SPMTs, for transportation to a laydown area.
B&G's full scope of work included removal and replacement of five exchangers; two were on top of a structure measuring 51 ft (15.24 m) in height and removed by crane, while one unit was moved using skates.
www.bgcrane.com
www.hydra-slide.com
www.liebherr.com
www.scheuerle.com
www.jrengco.com
