This was the final installation for the Embalse nuclear power plant life extension project. Each preheater weighed 26t and measured 10.2m long, 2.3m wide and 2.8m high.
Pablo Artusi, sales manager for ALE’s Argentina branch, said: “ALE transported the pieces and lifted them using several different pieces of equipment for the job, including four 90t skidding beams with ad hoc turning cradles to allow the curve of the two feedwater pre-heaters along the corridor.
“ALE also used eight 90t climbing jacks and two 70t strand jack units with a lifting frame to install the pre-heaters into their final position.”
To support the preheaters during transport, ALE designed and fabricated temporary auxiliary saddles.
Artusi said: “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, and we had to design ad hoc cradles to ensure the preheaters will turn properly as defined during the engineering stage.
“ALE 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.”
As Embalse is an old nuclear power plant, there were no accurate drawings and layouts provided. As a result of this, ALE had to do several site visits to ensure no obstacles could interfere during the skidding maneuver. ALE’s scope took place over three months, completing the final lift in just four hours and the overall project within the timeframe.
