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Placement of 1,140 ton Nuclear Plant Module with a SyncHoist System

Customer

South Carolina Electric & Gas Company

Location

Jenkinsville, South Carolina, USA

Challenge

South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G), principle subsidiary of SCANA Corporation, and Georgia Power were both working on nuclear generation station expansion projects in their respective states. SCE&G was tasked to place a 2.4 million pound CA01 module in the first of two new nuclear plants at the V.C. Summer nuclear generating station in Jenkinsville, South Carolina. Georgia Power was placing the same module for Unit 3 at the Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion. The CA01 module, a structural wall module designed to be filled with concrete fill after placement, marked the heaviest lift to date for both expansion projects.

The CA01 module, made entirely of steel, weighs in at 2.28 million pounds, or 1,140 tons, and is 70 feet tall and 80 feet wide. The module is used to house various components, such as steam generators, at the nuclear plants. In addition to being very large and heavy, these modules are typically irregularly shaped and are difficult to handle within the tolerances required. During a previous module installation, some challenges were encountered by the rigging engineers while leveling the module to the required tolerance. They had to repeatedly add additional counter weight to try and level it, which ultimately required a lot of extra manpower, equipment and time.

Solution

Enerpac assisted in positioning and placing future modules, including CA01. Enerpac provided the SyncHoist System, a below-the-hook lifting device comprised of multiple specialized hydraulic cylinders mounted directly in-line with the rigging.

The SyncHoist System, consisting of an 800 metric ton SyncHoist cylinder and two 400 metric ton SyncHoist cylinders, allowed operators the freedom to precisely monitor and adjust each lifting point independently, or together in a synchronized manner. The rigging engineers were able to easily and accurately adjust the length of the rigging to position and level the CA01 module to within the tight tolerance requirements in both the X and Y coordinates.

With the ability to adjust each point independently, the rigging engineers were able to level the module more efficiently and accurately, which saved a considerable amount of time.
With the use of integrated cylinder stroke sensors and pressure transducers at each lifting point, the operator was able to attain position and load feedback at the control station. This allowed them to extend or retract the cylinder, and because of the internal stroke sensor, monitor and verify the required movement was achieved.

For easy operation and management, the SyncHoist System featured a control system with a touch screen human machine interface (HMI). The system also ensured operator safety through overload alarms. Prior to the start of any job, operators can easily program safety alarms to indicate danger.

According to Kevin Marsh, SCANA chairman and CEO, "Successful placement of this major module demonstrates the progress being made with our new nuclear units that are under construction at V.C. Summer."

Products

Synchronous Hoist System