How to rotate a pressure vessel at construction site prior to lifiting

[diegoamora]

Recently we've received a 200tons pressure vessel and during the offloading phase no one consider the best way to do it. Now we're facing a small problem. The lifting lugs were positined almost facing the ground, becaming very hard to acess them for lifting the vessel from the horizontal position to vertical and than mount on the foundation. The use of rolling elements to rotate the vessel whitout lifting is not an option due to space constrains. We are considering to rotate the vessel using two nozzles on the side of the vessel. My concern is how to rotate a 200tons pressure vessel on the construction site without rollers or something like that to reduce the friction. Any one knows a procedure or have the experience in situations like that?

Bests Regards,

Diego

 

[SnTMan]

diegoamora, how about a couple of cranes, spreader beams, slings. I would be very reluctant to start pulling on nozzles.

Regards,

Mike

 

[diegoamora]

Sorry SnTMan, I'm trying to help a colleague with this problem. Im a Dynamic Equipment Engineer so I don't have much experience in lifiting heavy pressure vessels. My doubt is: once I lift the equipment how I'm going to rotate the vessel horizontaly to put the lifting lugs facing up, not down as thay were offloaded? All the problem is that the lifting lugs were desinged only for vertical forces, this is why we have to put them facing up, than lift and mount on the foundation. Note the the pressure vesses is going to be mounted vertically.

Regards,

Diego.

 

[SnTMan]

diegoamora, arrange the spreaders alongside the vessel with the slings going underneath, at suitable locations. Lift the vessel. Lower one spreader, raise the other. Might take several "bites" to get the job done. However, if you don't have room for rollers, you may not have room for this either.

Regards,

Mike

 

[rakuday]

diegoamora,

Upload a picture or photograph of the vessel and its current location. This will give an idea for giving the best possible solution. Also note that while lifting (or rotating) from horizontal to vertical position, the CG of the vessel will suddenly shift, this can become dangerous to the personnel and facility.

Thanks

 

[racookpe1978]

Support the vessel on several (underline "several" there!!!) sets of the roller chain sets spaced at interval axially down the vessel.

Support each set of the rollers (capacity of each chain roller varies: I've seen them between 2 tons and up to 20 tons capacity for each roller) so they themselves are supported strongly and securely (2x2 foot blocks of wood or the equal steel capacity).

"Lift" the weight of the vessel from its current cribbing up by jacking up the current cribbing (or a crane lift with spreader bars and slinbgs), and then raise the rollers so they can "catch" the load when you lower the vessel.

Make sure you don't screw up twice and raise the vessel high enough so the nozzles can rotate without hitting the ground. Or dig grooves in the ground so they can rotate freely.

With the vessel weight now on the several sets of rollers, the rollers themselves on secure, steady cribbing wide enough to stay still, the vessel can rotate with little problem. At that point, push up at any convenient point to rotate the vessel or VERY CAREFULLY "pull" with a crane to rotate. You will have more control by pushing with a single jack than pulling with a crane.

 

[MJCronin]

How did that crack transport team get your vessel "off" of whatever it was that came on ?

Did they use the existing lifing lugs.....the ones that are now deep into the mud ?

It sounds like they simply rolled the vessel off the transport and drove away ?

Were several of the nozzle bent or flattened when the vessel rolled ?

Where in the third world are you located ?

How did they get away with this ?

Have you retained the final 10% payment until the vessel is set upon it's foundations ?

 

[rhg]

Where is the "Procedure for lifting and transport" ????

Regards

rhg