ICI - Replace Feedwater Heaters in Power Plant

INDUSTRIAL CONTRACTORS, INC. REPLACED FEEDWATER HEATERS IN THE ANTELOPE VALLEY POWER STATION FOR BASIN ELECTRIC POWER COOPERATIVE

ICI is replacing feedwater heaters in the Antelope Valley Station for Basin Electric Power Cooperative. ICI worked on a project at Antelope Valley Station for Basin Electric Power Cooperative to replace two Feedwater Heaters in Unit Two during their Spring Outage starting April 15.

The project involves removal of existing piping from two feedwater heaters located in the plant, and replacing them with two new heaters. These heaters are about 5.5’ in diameter. One is 33’ long and 47 tons. The other feedwater heater is 45’ long and 66 tons.

The heater floor in the plant is 165’ above grade, and we have to reach approximately 90’ from the center pin of the crane to the platform where the heaters will exit and enter the building.

Ringer Tracks We are assembling a Manitowoc 4100 Crane with a ringer attachment to perform this work. Cranes are normally on tracks but because this crane has to reach out 90' over the the top of the turbine building, it has to be put on a ringer. A ringer is a track that is anchored down to the ground.

Installation of counterweights on the crane.

Iron Workers Install Counter Weights
on the Manitowoc 4100 Crane

This crane has 300’ of main boom in the rig. It also uses an auxiliary support crane. The auxiliary support crane is a 75 ton American Truck Crane, supplied by Borsheim Crane Service of Williston. It took approximately five days to assemble the crane and ringer for this job. The crane was shipped to the job in 28 loads.

American Truck Auxiliary Support Crane

Manitowoc 4100 Crane with Ringer

Building opening to feedwater heater floor. We have opened up a section of wall on the power plant and removed some sheeting girts. We will install supplementary steel to support the loads involved, and erect a platform to land the heaters on to make the picks. When complete, the platform will be situated in front of the opening in the power plant wall.

Construction of Heater Platform

Building opening with platform to feedwater heater floor. In the picture to the right, the platform to land the heaters on has been erected.

View of platform from the feedwater heater floor.

View of Platform from the Heater Floor

The new feedwater heaters are at the work area.

New Feedwater Heaters at Work Area

Pipefitters Removing Trim Piping from Old Feedwater Heater

At this point, we have started cutting the piping away from the old heaters.

Removal of old feedwater heater from the building. In the picture to the right we are removing the old feedwater heaters from the power plant.

Crane Removing Old Feedwater Heaters

The crane is lifting the new feedwater heater off the ground.

Crane Lifting New Feedwater Heaters to the Platform

The crane is lifting the new feedwater heater towards the platform.

New heater piping connections. Here we are working on the main piping connection welds, trim piping and level control instrumentation on the feedwater heaters.

APi Construction Company is installing the new heater insulation and lagging.

Visit their website at www.apiconst.com

Level Control Instrumentation

Trim Piping and Insulation

Old Feedwater Heater

Along with moving these heaters, the project involves cutting and machining the pipe for the heaters, welding the new heaters to the existing pipe, stress relieving the pipe, removing and installing insulation and lagging (by APi Construction, Co.), and reinstalling the trim and instrumentation piping.

New Feedwater Heater

Feedwater heaters are used to raise the temperature of the water from the condenser that is sent back to the boiler to make steam. This improves the thermodynamic efficiency of the system, and also helps to avoid thermal shock to the boiler metal when the feedwater is introduced back into the steam cycle. The feedwater heater walls are 2" thick in order to withstand high pressure. As time goes on, these heaters wear out and need to be replaced. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to access these heaters for replacement, as is the case with this project.

Typical Coal Fired Boiler Schematic

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