SAFELY AND PRECISELY LIFT, SHIFT AND BALANCE MASSIVE AND ODD-SHAPED LOADS

RESOURCES AND infrastructure industries present some of the most challenging heavy lifts, because of the large and sometimes irregularly shaped loads that must be balanced and positioned safely and time-efficiently.

The towers, tanks, turbines, transformers, crushers, conveyors, mills and process infrastructure involved in project development and maintenance all need to be lifted and shifted with considerable care – yet with the minimum delay feasible to ensure multibilliondollar projects proceed without the huge costs associated with delay.

Two of Enerpac Heavy Lifting Technology’s time-saving solutions employed in such applications include:

• The latest SFP-Series split flow pumps, specifically designed to assist in safely and cost- efficiently lifting evenly distributed loads.

• EVO-Series PLC-controlled synchronous lifting systems, controlled by just one person, that precision-manage lifts of unevenly loaded and oddly shaped plant and equipment.

The latest SFP-Series electrically driven 700 bar split flow pumps are an ideal solution for lifting applications with multiple lift points where lifting synchronisation of a maximum

± 4% is appropriate to ensure safety of the job. Where such limits are appropriate, the SFP-Series split flow pumps are a safe and economical solution to ensure load is evenly distributed over the lifting points, says Enerpac.

SFP-Series split flow pumps are particularly beneficial when lifting complex loads with multiple lift points and are a far more efficient and safe option than using separately operated pumps, as they provide greater consistency of flow.

The load can be lifted simultaneously using single or double-acting cylinders. Depending on the application, the lifting points can be operated individually or simultaneously.

For even more precise lifts, split flow pumps are complemented by the PLC-controlled EVOSeries Synchronous Lifting Systems, by which one person can safely control multiple cylinders from a single point.

EVO-Series systems are the latest evolution of Enerpac’s 25 years of experience in specialised hydraulic engineering and lifting technology and have an accuracy of ± 1mm for applications requiring high levels of precision.

These systems link to Enerpac hightonnage cylinders using stroke sensors’ signals for synchronised lif ting and lowering of multiple lif ting points.

Depending on the model and sophistication required, EVO systems can extend from EVO B units – with pumps controlling four or eight lifting points

– through to custom-engineered systems governing scores of cylinders with total lifting capacities of thousands of tonnes.

Both split flow and EVO pump systems can be adapted to the needs of particular applications and different sites as far apart as the Outback of Australia and the frozen expanses of Canada.

HEAVY LIFT EXAMPLE – SPLIT FLOW PUMPS

Enerpac split-flow pumps were used in Australia to lift and lower into place large conveyor sections, achieving far more efficient installation procedures.

Leading heavy lifting and multimodal transport solutions specialist, Mammoet, needed to install 98 such conveyor sections as part of Rio Tinto’s Western Turner Syncline Project, at their open pit mine 20km northwest of Tom Price, in the outback of Western Australia.

Enerpac helped Mammoet achieve a fourfold productivity increase by delivering two stagelifting sets, both consisting of four BLS506 cylinders operated by a ZE split flow pump.

With Enerpac’s system, Mammoet was able to significantly increase its conveyor installation rate, lowering four conveyor sections per day and increasing their efficiency fourfold, despite the rugged conditions of the site

HEAVY LIFT EXAMPLE – EVO

An EVO custom system in Canada, meanwhile, involved the lifting of the base beneath a 600-ton coker at an oil sands development that needed to be repaired in order to stabilise the foundation.

To perform the base repair, the massive vessel needed to be lifted approximately 100mm. This involved lifting a vessel weighing 600 tons, 9m in diameter and 40m tall, which required a solution with a high degree of safety, capable of maintaining the balance of the load throughout the lift.

The custom-lift system designed for this application included eight Enerpac high- tonnage hydraulic cylinders with stroke sensors and custom cold-weather cables, manifolds, load holding valves, Arctic hydraulic oil and hydraulic power unit. Enerpac worked closely with HyPower Systems and the site contractor to design a system to lift the coker with the highest degree of safety. HyPower Systems’ on-site training, supervision, and 24-hour technical support, along with close collaboration with Enerpac ensured the custom synch-lift system completed the lift successfully.

EVO SAFETY BENEFITS

Safety benefits of EVO PLC-controlled systems include elimination of the potential for error that exists with older, multi-operator manual control, of heavy lifts. The digitally precise EVO-system incorporates warnings and stop functions. It offers full monitoring and control, with programmable failsafe monitoring and safety alarms.

The precision control offered by the EVO system reduces the risk of structural damage by bending, twisting or tilting due to uneven weight distribution or load-shifts between lifting points.

The easy-to-use and very user-friendly touch screen interface displays the movement process, cylinder positions and load read-outs by lifting points and total load.

The system incorporates a variable frequency drive ( VDF) motor, which facilitates lowering of engine speeds and oil flows as required to optimise control of the speed of lifting. This feature also makes it possible to use the system with various capacities of cylinders.

Using this ability to safely and precisely control lifting operations, as well as input parameters for load and stroke tolerance, users can safely and efficiently perform challenging lifting applications.

DETAIL, NEVILLE STUART, PH: 021 667 716, E-MAIL: NEVILLE@ENERPAC.CO.NZ