Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
(OP)
Dear All,
Will there be any issue of transporting a 50m PV on road by trailer on road, assuming that we have got clearance from the Transport Authority & Vendor designs for the same with transport saddle.
After that, how this will be transported within the refinery plant.
We need to transport this as well as need to prepare a constructability report for the same.
It may be challenging to transport a 50m lengthy vessel in the presence of other running equipments in the plant.
I request you to throw some light on the same.
Thanks,
JAS
Will there be any issue of transporting a 50m PV on road by trailer on road, assuming that we have got clearance from the Transport Authority & Vendor designs for the same with transport saddle.
After that, how this will be transported within the refinery plant.
We need to transport this as well as need to prepare a constructability report for the same.
It may be challenging to transport a 50m lengthy vessel in the presence of other running equipments in the plant.
I request you to throw some light on the same.
Thanks,
JAS





RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
- Vessel height and width - cornering will depend on length and width. Height could be an issue for tunnels/bridges.
- Route selection - major highways would likely be okay, but you could have trouble on local roads. Major detours might be necessary.
- Vessel weight - bridge concern.
For vessels of this sort, it's best to contact the transportation companies early. They would likely have to perform a route survey, and could give you a yes/no. Regardless, the transportation would likely have to be accompanied by pilot cars, and would only be approved for limited travel times (middle of the night to avoid clogging up roads).As for on-site transportation, that's a question you would have to sort out with the end user. You would have to carefully plan out the on-site routing. If you can't get the part very close to the installation site because it's too tight, you may have to hire a much larger crane than originally planned to fly the vessel in from farther out. If it's a refinery, they'll have lots of tall distillation columns and would likely have experience with moving long vessels through their site.
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
Take it as far as possible by ship/barge. Trucking will be expensive, slow, and expensive.
And Marty is right, diameter and weight maybe be the real constraints on shipping.
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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
Around here, it's common to see them hauling wind turbine blades that likely that long. Not a problem on major highways, considerable problem if you start trying to thread it through a city or a refinery.
As pointed out above, height/width/weight are likely to be bigger issues, depending on details. (In refineries, pipe racks are another obstacle to be dealt with.)
Some what-not-to-do:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bH_CYdpjU4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v34bKHaS0LU
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
- proper truck load (per axle) for bridges
- overhead obstacles such as structure, pipes, power lines, etc.
- don't be afraid to ask questions
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
Yes. 50m is 4 times longer than normal loads so that's a big issue as soon as you come to any bend, roundabout or anything other than a motorway.
You don't state diameter or weight which is surprising.
Some temporary roads, bridges or special access may be required in the plant. Might even need to transport it upright for the last bit like a space rocket.
Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
In some sick way, I always enjoy seeing how the trucks in your video links are in complete control, until they're not... Then the load takes over completely and the truck goes along for the ride.
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
We have decided to approach the local Logistics guys who has already got experience in transporting such heavy & lengthy beasts, and also to prepare a constructability review report for the same.
Should we give any additional details to them other than Site visit report/photographs, vessel dimensions?
Thank you once again.
JAS
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
A FULL logistics study is required prior to even starting the design of such a thing.
Sometimes when I see these heroic "big moves" being undertaken, I wonder if the study was actually done, or done properly.
If it's a simple port-to-port move with short journeys on crawler trailers on either end, you can ship some truly incredible things. But if there is road transport of substantial distance required, seemingly minor changes to dimensions, weights or the time of year of shipment can have rather profound effects on the end result. And you are right, the final move from port to erection location can sometimes be a real deal-killer if it has to wind its way through operating equipment.
Rail is, surprisingly, sometimes an option:
http://www.hooperwelding.com/news/asme_reactor_shi...
This thing was 675 tonnes and though it doesn't say, it was really long too. And it shipped from Oakville, Ontario to somewhere in Kansas by rail.
All design of this kind needs to have a plan B if such a plan B is even imaginable, whether that be partial site construction, a body flange in the middle of the thing etc., so you know that the extra logistics cost and time of a massively over-dimensional shipment are actually going to pay off rather than just sounding like a good idea at the time.
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
We have approached the logistics person with the preliminary design with all the necessary details of the vessel to get his confirmation. We have asked the logistics to submit a Study report for the road transportation and constructability review report for inside the refinery.
Body flange option as a "Knocked-down" condition has been considered, but due to the Internal piping arrangement throughout the length of the vessel, we have not considered (or else, we need to change our Technical specification which has already been passed on to our EPC contractors).
Anyway, we will wait for the Logistics to respond. Thank you for your reply.
Regards,
JAS
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
Regards
r6155
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
Your types of loads are usually strong enough to tolerate the imposed loads of shipping by Schnabel car. They are well suited for this means of shipping, or with a little extra effort can be modified to accept the transport loads, as long as you are aware of these loads when you start the vessel design. With a Schnabel car, we can pick up about 3' of vert. clearance for increased vessel dia. or for nozzle clearances here and there. One of the interesting features of many of those cars is that they can shift the loads laterally and vertically, on the go, so as to clear lateral and vert. obstructions, and to improve the swing-out on horiz. curves, or to adjust underside clearance on vert. curves, etc. If the load is placed, on cribbing/saddles, over a track in the shop, the two halves of the car are brought into each end of the load, the Schnabel frames are pinned at the lower tension members, and the compression structures are brought into play up at the top, we just pick it up and are ready to go. That car was parked in Duluth, MN for a couple years, primarily hauling loads from the Duluth/Superior port to the sand tar/oil fields up in Fort McMurray, AL,CA. I’m in St. Paul, MN, so this is only a couple hours from the office. Other than the sheer physical size of the load, that car is designed and arranged in such a way that it really runs, and acts, essentially like a string of 9 coal unit train cars. There are some interesting You Tube videos of various moves of Hooper loads and others if you Goggle You Tube and/or CEBX-800.
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
RE: Transportation of 50m (160') Pressure vessel
Regards,
Mike
The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand