Boiler installation by ALE

Heavy lift and specialized transport service provider ALE installed a 140 tonne boiler at the Tyseley Resource Recovery Centre, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

The centre is a waste-to-energy power station forming part of the Midland energy project. It will supply power to more than 17,000 homes in the Birmingham area, helping save around 107,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, a spokesperson said.

ALE was contracted to move the boiler and an economiser from Ellesmere Port to the Tyseley site. Once at site, ALE used a four point hydraulic lift ‘n’ lock gantry system to raise the boiler more than 5 metres high. It was then skidded laterally over its support steelwork, aligned and lowered into its final position. It was moved using 8 axle lines of self propelled modular transporter (SPMT).

Tom Irvine, ALE senior project manager, said, “When transporting the boiler from Ellesmere Port to Birmingham, as required by the authorities, we selected a transportation arrangement to suit the load capacity in respect of the axle loadings on structures along the 121 mile [196 km] long route. In order to achieve this we used an 11 axle length, 3.65m wide hydraulic modular trailer with a Trojan tractor unit.

“After four days transporting the boiler to site, we then had to negotiate the limited space that was available to manoeuvre the boiler inside the building on an 8 axle SPMT. With the limited clearances available, our installation equipment was accurately positioned prior to the boiler arriving on site. The ALE transport and installation teams involved successfully executed and completed the project within six days from port to foundation.”

The Tyseley project is being built by the EPC contractor MWH Global.