ALE completes final installation for Embalse nuclear project
7 February 2017 by Sotiris KanarisALE has completed the final installation for the Embalse nuclear power plant life extension project in Argentina.
ALE was contracted to perform the transportation, lift and final positioning of two feedwater preheaters within the Turbine Building of the Embalse nuclear power plant.
Each preheater weighed 26t and measured 10.2m long, 2.3m wide and 2.8m high.
ALE transported the pieces and lifted them using strand jacks and climbing jacking system. It also moved the pieces by skidding them using skid beams and performed rotational skidding by using turntables.
To support the preheaters during transport, ALE designed and fabricated temporary auxiliary saddles.
One of the biggest challenges ALE faced was working in a very confined space inside the turbine building. This meant that the assembly and measurements had to be accurate.
The company worked to tolerances of just 100mm for the rotation and 10mm in the straight corridor. When negotiating the curve, a detailed swept path analysis was required to ensure precision and safe completion.
ALE’s scope took place over three months, completing the final lift in just four hours and the overall project within the timeframe.
