Equipment Showcase: Construction Equipment
Successfully operating a power plant or other industrial facility depends on many things, including the vendors who supply equipment for construction of the facility, along with those who provide the materials and services needed to keep the plant humming. The power plant segment comprises a large part of the demand for construction equipment, which researchers say will be about a $210 billion market by 2020, growing about 5% year-over-year. Some of the leading manufacturers and service companies for construction equipment serving the power generation industry are featured here.
American Crane Serves Power Plants
American Crane supplies construction equipment for a variety of power plants, including nuclear, thermal, hydro, wind, solar, and biofuels. The company offers high-capacity turbine handling cranes designed for CMAA Class A1 service, with features that allow the crane to sit for long idle periods, followed by high production during maintenance activities. The cranes typically are in the 40-ton to 100-ton range (Figure 1), but can be provided up to 300 tons if necessary. American also supplies long lift “catalyst” hoists for coal-fired plants. The catalyst hoist can be provided with lifts in excess of 200 feet, in order to lower the catalyst to the ground for maintenance. American offers custom-designed solutions manufactured and engineered in-house as well as many standard “off-the-shelf” products, from small half-ton ratchet lever hoists to 300-ton overhead cranes. American Crane, Douglasville, Pennsylvania
Air Compressors Available from United Rentals
United Rentals Inc. is the largest equipment rental company in the world. United Rentals serves industries across North America, and offers several solutions for the power generation industry, including tools, pumps, aerial platforms, air quality machines, floor care products, welders, boom lifts, and more. The company provides a wide range of temporary power, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to serve power plants. United Rentals offers air compressors in a variety of sizes, including a gas-diesel 850–900 cfm compressor from Doosan Portable Power (Figure 2), which offers a high level of durability, productivity, and serviceability. This compressor line is ideal for air-powered tool applications, and feature increased fuel efficiency, reduced noise levels, and best-in-class serviceability and maintainability. United Rentals, Stamford, Connecticut
HPI Provides Global Experience
HPI provides several services for power producers around the globe. HPI’s commercial and site experience can seamlessly integrate various components of any power project, including construction. HPI designs and builds turnkey power plants, including the provision of operations and maintenance services after the sale. Projects are offered with a complete engineering, procurement, and construction supervisory capability, and the management of all engineering disciples and construction trades. HPI specializes in a modular plant design that enables plants to be built rapidly, fulfilling fast-track project obligations. HPI has engineered direct replacement units for aging and obsolete, or unsupported original equipment manufacturer controllers, including the Allen Bradley Logix family (Figure 3). HPI’s power generation equipment includes boiler control systems, boiler economizers, heat recovery steam generators, and burner management systems. HPI, Houston, Texas
Rolled Steel an ArcelorMittal Specialty
ArcelorMittal provides steel to a variety of industries, including power generation. The company provides steel for construction of power plants; the company says its rolled sections (Figure 4) account for about 60% of the total steel volume in a coal plant. The company’s steel is used in cooling towers, boiler frame structures, in the powerhouse, and in coal storage bunkers. Its steel also is an integral part of construction in gas and steam turbine power plants, along with alternate fuel power plants, where it is used in both building construction as well as for internal structures such as platforms and supporting framework. The company’s rolled sections are sold in grades that comply with European, American, Russian, and Japanese standards. ArcelorMittal, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
ULMA Scaffolding Solutions Serve Power Generators
ULMA provides scaffolding for all types of construction projects, including service to the power generation industry. The company says its scaffolding solutions provide intelligent and comprehensive formwork, complete with full-scale technical and logistical support from start to finish. ULMA offers versatile and robust working platforms to create safe and convenient working areas, with an orientation toward facade restoration, industrial facilities, and construction sites in general. Multiple configurations can be erected such as circular scaffolding, tower scaffolds, cantilever, or mobile scaffolding. Its scaffolding played an important role in an expansion of the Jaworzno III Power Plant in Poland (Figure 5), where ULMA provided comprehensive support for a new 910-MW addition to the plant. ULMA, Zibillaga, Spain ■