ITER NEWSLINE
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The heavyweight crane has arrived
The heavyweight crane has arrived
Work to close up the north face of the Poloidal Field Coils Winding Facility can begin .... The last piece of the "building puzzle" arrived this week in the shape of two forty-metre steel beams. These beams, which make up the second of the facility's overhead travelling cranes, were installed directly on the waiting rails inside the facility on Tuesday, 4 October.
Travelling crane number two will have twice the lifting capacity of its
sister crane, or 100 tonnes. Operating from the far end of the building, it will have the responsibility for lifting and manoeuvring the completed poloidal field coil windings in order to complete the final "pancake" assemblies. Composed of two beams that support a hoisting trolley between them, workers will operate the crane by joystick from the ground.
A spreader beam attached to the trolley will permit the very careful, steady transport of the poloidal field coils with a minimum amount of tilt (on the order of 2-3 mm). This spreader beam will lift maximum loads of 50 tonnes.
The fully configured heavyweight crane will weigh approximately 180 tonnes. The steel beams (43 and 48 tonnes respectively) are now in place and the 48-tonne trolley suspended between them. Later this month, components for the 39-tonne spreader beam will arrive on site later for assembly on the ground and subsequent installation overhead.
Photo courtesy: Engage/AP
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