Pulleys, Cables, Valves, Plumbing in Mega Projects

While the wheel is considered to be among one of the greatest inventions of mankind, an application based on the very technique of a wheel’s operation, the pulley, too deserves a special mention. A pulley is a wheel that functions on an axle or a shaft to supplement and also steer direction of a cable or belt along its circumference. Basically, pulleys have found extensive utilisation in transmitting power of motion from one source to another, lifting of loads and also to exert forces.

In other words, the concept of pulley has revolutionised the systems in material handing and proper streamlined movements of logistics. Technically speaking, a high performance pulley holds the trump card in every industrial activity. Consequent to tens of thousands of mega and minor projects on infrastructure being undertaken across the country, for the pulley suppliers India has become an eternal fertile ground to reap it rich.

A pulley is a highly precision engineered product in which the base metal or material is of prime importance. Pulleys are fabricated in different sizes as per the needs. They are also classified by various parameters such as Split, Taper Lock, Normal or Flat Belt Pulley, Brush Taper Lock, Timing Belt, Variable Drive, Clutch, Multi Groove, Cone, Rolling Mill, Paper Mill, Chain, etc. It is the live-wire medium of progress on all the socio-economic fronts.

Thus the pulleys are of utmost importance in turnkey projects. In India, there are a couple of such turnkey consultants engaged in providing services and products right from the blue-print stage to the ultimate execution of a project. Be it cement, a steel, a paper, a fertiliser or a chemical plant, a mining, a port or a granary project or a huge mill, these consultants would insist on pulleys of highest quality.

Apart from pulleys, these industrial consultants also pay utmost attention to numerous other products used in all the projects executed by them. For instance, if it is a chemical industry, the consultant would meticulously specify each system like the boilers, coolers, valves, etc. To cite an example, a gate or sluice valve controls the passage of liquid in a system. For extremely thick fluids, a specialty valve known as a knife valve is used to cut through the liquid while regulating its flow. Expert chemical engineers have evolved exclusive specifications for the knife gate valves manufacturers India. The component of metal, safety aspects such as leak-proof and corrosion are among the entities governing the design and production of these valves.

Multi pronged role of EPC Companies in Power Sector

The overall efficiency of a company in generation and supply of power and also the effective power capacity of any state could be assessed by the quality of transmission and distribution services (TDS). In the absence of proper monitoring and management of the TDS, severe outages would occur. People in north India would definitely recall the mega blackout that they had to endure for nearly two days at a stretch on 30 July in 2012. Grid failure had resulted in the worst possible load shedding ever recorded in the history of India.

The country’s apex business forum, FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) attributed the collapse of the power grid to a major gap between demand and supply. It observed in a statement that there is an urgent need to reform the power sector and bring about infrastructural improvements to meet the new challenges of the growing economy.

Let alone the grid failure, voltage drops are frequently experienced on the network of TDS that are termed as transmission losses. Hence prior to commissioning of any network, the engineers have to conduct an in-depth survey of the intended project covering various aspects like the topography, the weather, the booster points and reception stations. Based on this feasibility studies, the planning, detailed design and independent technical appraisals have to be worked out for the entire network. The economic, environmental and human factors are also reckoned before commissioning the TDS. Effective TDS also depend on the EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) companies engaged in the commissioning of power plants.

EPC companies in India have made a mark not only on the domestic front but across the seven seas too as evident from the hundreds of projects executed by them. An EPC boasts of experts and consultants from the streams of architecture, structural, mechanical and chemical engineering depending upon the nature of the project, environmental science and materials management among others. These companies play a pivotal role in the core sector and almost every segment of the industry.

The versatile expertise of an EPC can be assessed from certain projects undertaken by them. For instance, as an EPC, Energo, a leader in power plant development in India, has proved its mettle by executing 21MW Patnazi Bunjwah Hydro Power Project in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. It has been built over an isolated stretch in the foothills of the mighty Himalayas. This company has also undertaken the project of Periyar Energy Limited, a 2x300 MW thermal power plant near the port city of Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu.

Indian Material Handling Systems

To protect the biodiversity and prevent dumping of fly ash, there exists a law on collection and disposal of fly ash from coal-based industries and thermal power plants. Prior to the development of a technology to collect and recycle ash to make bricks and other items, it used to pollute the entire environment. It also posed serious health hazards like respiratory ailments. The enactment of a rigid policy on the disposal of ash ushered a new segment in the Indian industry. It resulted in the rapid growth of ash handling system manufacturers in India. Makers of material handling aids took the lead in this direction as they were already abreast with the boiler and turbine sectors.

Depending on the location and the process in vogue at a thermal-based plant, makers of ash

handling systems have evolved applicable technologies. Certain factors like the availability of ash disposal area, size of boiler, need for fly ash utilisation, pollution control requirement are kept in view while designing, manufacturing and commissioning of the handling systems. Apart from integrated and turnkey concepts, a good number of manufacturers undertake tailor-made systems.

The various systems manufactured in India are dry bottom ash collection, water impounded bottom ash hopper, hydro-bins, separator, decantation, hydro jet pumps, pneumatic conveyor and scrapper chain conveyor etc. The technology involves method of collection, conveying, interim storage and load out all sorts of ash residue from solid fuel combustion.

Another segment related to this sector is the system of handling coal and other fuels like lignite to respective plants. The coal handling equipment suppliers in India play a very vital role in the overall economy of the country. Often referred as the black diamond, coal has been the prime source of energy in the operation of thermal power stations and the steel and cement plants. Manufacture of conveyor belts and mechanized earth-moving systems like shovels and scoopers are the major players in coal handling equipment industry. In addition to catering to the domestic needs, this sector has also made a mark around the world. Stiff competition has been posed by makers of such systems from the USA, UK, Germany, Japan, Korea and China. Yet the Indian manufacturers of material handling aids have carved out a niche in the global market.

An Overview into Coal Plant Maintenance

When it comes to a coal plant, it comprises different machines and equipment that need maintenance on a regular basis to guarantee the efficient running of the plant.

There are two machines in every coal plant that require regular maintenance. They are as follows:

Wagon tipplers

• You may have bought the equipment from the best wagon tippler suppliers India; however you will need to follow specialized maintenance procedures to ensure their optimum functioning.
• Involved in emptying different loaded wagons by tipping it, these machines go through a lot of wear and tear on a daily basis.
• Proper oiling and cleaning is required to ensure friction less efficiency at all temperature and weight levels.
• The bearings between the tippling levers need special attention as these help in the tippling function of the machine.

Crushers

• These machines play an integral role in processing the coal nuggets in usable sizes.
• Coal is broken in with high impact and then scrubbed between two hard surfaces to be processed further.
• A crusher does both these jobs by combining attrition and impact crushing.
• Therefore, this machine needs regular cleaning and oiling to ensure better performance.
• Apart from this, coal crushing and scrubbing generates high temperatures, which can damage its walls and bearings if not maintained properly

Role of Remnant life assessment (RLA) in coal plants

A coal plant is known for generating excessive heat and temperatures that can harm the machines and equipment employed in coal processing and transportation.

Therefore, it becomes evident for maintenance procedures to include RLA processes. This procedure actually helps in predicting life expectancy of various machines and equipments thereby initiating maintenance procedures that help to sustain them for a longer period. RLA also helps in maintaining optimum safety measures in the plant as knowing the life span of the machine helps in replacing it before it wears out completely.

So, every coal plant will need to adopt different procedures of RLA to ensure better functioning of their machines and plant.