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Projects

GLEEP (Graphite Low Energy Experimental Pile) Decommissioning



GLEEP (Graphite Low Energy Experimental Pile) was a triumph for British scientists pioneering nuclear technology in the UK. Built in the aftermath of the Second World War at Harwell, the reactor started operation on the 17 th August 1947 and was the first reactor in Western Europe. Now 57 years later, the reactor core & outer structure is being demolished. UKAEA is overseeing the removal of over 13,500 graphite blocks each weighing up to 48 Kg. The size, quantity & weight of the graphite blocks made the task unsuitable for manual handling and the only access & egress from the reactor was through a 3 metre square roof opening, which prevented the blocks from being lifted from outside the reactor. UK firm RS Industrial Services devised a way to move 13,500 blocks one by one.

 

RSIS designed & installed a light crane system, which could be passed through the 3- metre roof opening and once assembled inside the reactor to provide an 8-metre square coverage. The crane was power driven on all (Hoisting, Cross & Long travel) motions and operated by a hand held remote control system. The blocks were lifted individually using a drill and tap machine suspended from the crane system, which was integrated and operated by the hand held remote control system. The internal crane system was used to lift individual graphite blocks into fabricated steel baskets capable of holding up to 20 blocks at a time. The baskets were then lifted out from inside the reactor using an inverter controlled power slew jib crane, which had been installed onto the outside roof of the reactor by RSIS. This could then pick up from inside the reactor, slew round and lower the baskets onto electric powered hydraulic scissor tables 13 metres below for processing.




RSIS also devised a solution for handling the blocks for processing as each block required checking on all sides for radiation. RSIS designed & installed a retractable free standing runway system above electric/hydraulic scissor tables that could be retracted to allow the jib crane on the roof of the reactor lowered the baskets of blocks onto the floor at the side of the scissor tables, and then repositioned over the basket to remove the blocks from inside the baskets onto the scissor tables for monitoring. Running along the runway system was a vacuum-lifting device with a special suction cup, with a head of under 100 mm designed for handling the blocks. As one basket was being lowered another was being filled inside the reactor. The process was carried out continually until all 13,500 blocks had been removed.

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Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd (Goliath Crane L/T Drive Refurbishment)

RS Industrial Services prevents costly downtime on refurbishment project When Cleveland Bridge UK put the project of refurbishing its 20 ton stockyard crane out for tender, RSIS beat off stiff competition by reducing the 4 week downtime of their nearest rival to no downtime at all. Cleveland bridge required the worn out long travel drives on its stockyard crane completely refurbishing. Removing all four drives completely and re- welding the wheels, cutting & refitting of pinion & spur gears , replacement of all brake units, removal & refurbishment of gearboxes and motors. WITH NO DOWNTIME ??? 

 

 

RSIS removed a single drive unit on a weekend, when the crane was not used.

 

At the same time fit a temporary replacement drive that RSIS manufactured for the crane, allowing the crane to continue in service the following week while the old drive was being refurbished. This allowed the crane to be refurbished still over 4 weeks but with NO downtime on production.

 

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 ABB Ltd (200 tonne Transformer Lift)

Following installation of a transformer unit into Rugeley Power Station it became apparent that the concrete base was unsatisfactory and that the anti- vibration pads on which the transformer was seated required replacement and levelling. As the transformer had been fully assembled and filled with oil it was not feasible to lift the transformer with its lifting lugs as these are only suitable for lifting the transformer in its dismantled state without any oil (weighing about 80 te). In order to replace and pack the anti-vibration pads the transformer needed to be lifted approximately 100 mm clear of the floor. The unit was covered with a 40 year warranty and if twisted or damaged during the lifting proce ss the warranty would be void. The only possible way to lift the transformer was from beneath the unit itself. However the maximum clearance between floor & transformer was 25mm. During the lifting process the transformer manufactures fit stress sensors to the transformer to ensure that it did not distort or twist. RSIS devised a lifting system that could lift any side of the transformer or any corner in a controlled operation in increments of less than a millimetre.

 

RSIS Set up a manifold system that could individually control 16 air jacks from a single mobile compressor unit. Each of the 18 air jacks 12 with a capacity of 20 tonne and 4 with a capacity of 40 tonne could be individually controlled with a hand controlled valve and were fit with pressure gauges to monitor the pressure in each air jack, this allowed any section of the transformer to be lifted or lowered as required to any height up to the required 100mm. The operation was carried out by two operators who each controlled one side of the lift, using hand held joystick operated control units. The transformer was lifted clear of the anti-vibration pads and packed out. Each pad was individually replaced and packed with stainless steel shims to level the transformer. The lift was completed within a single day without having to completely disconnect the transformer and without the use of any cranes or heavy lifting equipment. The complete lifting system was set up and controlled by only two men.

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Wavin Industrial Products Ltd (Manual Handling Solutions)

 

When Wavin Industrial Products looked for a solution to the handling of manufactured products in their Manchester factory, without preventing fork-truck access or taking up floor space, RSIS came up with the answer. RSIS designed and installed 2 overhead light crane system s suspended from the factory roof structure. The crane operates by hand push/pull long & cross travel with electric hoisting/lowering motion. A vacuum lifter is suspended from the hoist unit with the hoist controls fit into the handle of the vacuum lifter providing ergonomic controls

What Wavins 'Health, Safety and Environmental Report' newsletter reported

New system benefits operators With the aim of eliminating possible lifting & handling related injuries to operators, two new handling systems have been successfully installed on the Manchester site. The systems have been designed to handle heavy and difficult channels during manufacture and assembly operations. The first system, now running in the factory area, lifts channels by a vacuum method at the demoulding, quality check and palletising workstations. The second system has been installed in the warehouse, where heavy duty channel assemblies are made up on a daily basis. These channels were previously manhandled at every stage of the operation, explains the production director. But the introduction of this new equipment has greatly reduced the physical lifting and carrying required by our operators. When you consider that one unit can weigh 101 kgs, this is clearly providing a tremendous benefit. As well as achieving the specified health & safety objectives, the installation of the two new systems will also result in productivity improvements, with one operator now able to lift and carry channels which previously required the input of two. Feedback from operators during these initial stages of use has been extremely positive‚ says production. Improvements will be ongoing, but the health and safety benefits of the new equipment have been immediately clear.



Additional equipment installed in the Wavin factory
2 x 10 metre conveyor systems capable of carrying
10 x 1 tonne pallets,
1 x free standing overbraced jib crane with a 125 kg safe working load
2 x 110v electric/hydraulic scissor tables with a SWL of 2500 kg
1 x lifting clamp for lifting & handling pre-cast products

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Crane Removal & Installation

RSIS can supply and install both new and refurbished overhead crane systems to individual customers requirements Not being tied to a single manufacturer we can supply equipment that best suits our customer specific needs & job application