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LIFTING A PRESSURE VESSEL WITH TWO MAIN LIFT CRANES AND

ONE TAIL CRANE (2)
Heavy Lift Articles

I conclude this serie of 3 articles on multiple crane lifts with the erection of a pressure vessel of 520
tons by means of two main lift cranes and one tail crane.

The pressure vessel which needs to be erected is shown in Fig. 1.

We will make use of the technics which we learned in the previously discussed topics and which are
summarized below:

 Decrease of tailload due to offset of tailing lug

 Decrease of tailload due to position of main lifting trunions close to the CoG of the column
Enormous Crane
Due to the enormous weight and lenght of the column it would require a very large crane to erect it
from horizontal into vertical position. An alternative method would be the erection of this column by
means of a mast gantry system (or Gin Poles). The use of such a lifting gantry is though time
consuming and occupies a large area of the construction site due to guywires which are in many
cases needed. Guyless lifting gantries are available as well, but they still require a rather big crane
to assist in the erection of the gantry itself. Another disadvantage of the mast gantry system is the
high point load underneath the legs of the gantry, which must be absorbed by specially constructed
foundations.
Depending on the location of the jobsite, erection by means of two main lift cranes and one tail
crane, offers in general a far more efficient and faster erection method than the use of lifting
gantries. Only in remote areas, where the mobilization/demobilization of mobile cranes is very
costly, the previously mentioned disadvantages of the lifting gantries still justify the use of such
systems. Hire rates and mob./demob cost of mast gantry systems are in general lower than those of
large cranes. In Western Europe nearly all large columns are erected by cranes and only in those
cases, where cranes cannot offer sufficient lifting capacity, the mast gantry systems offer a good
alternative.
Overload Danger!
In this article we will limit ourselves to the erection of a 520 tons pressure vessel by means of two
main lift cranes and one tail crane. The main consideration which we have to observe is: How do we
monitor the load in each main lift crane “A” and “B” during the erection procedure.
As each main lift crane is connected directly to the main lifting trunion (See Fig. 2 below), and not
through an equalizing spreader beam, the danger exists that one of the cranes will be overloaded,
when they are not lifting the column at the same speed.
The answer to this important point is rather simple: We have to use a device which accurately
measures the position of each lifting trunion in relation to the horizon during the entire erection
procedure, so that we can adjust the the lifting speed of the main lift cranes accordingly. When both
lifting trunions are kept in a horizontal plain during the lift, than there will be no overload in any of the
two main lift cranes. When crane “A” lifts faster than crane “B”, it will result in an overload of crane
“A”. Depending on the distance of the main lifting trunion to the CoG, this overload could be
insignificant or could be dangerous. It is therefore required that these conditions are calculated
before one starts the lift and that we keep both main lifting trunions in a horizontal plain during the
lift. Let ‘s make some calculations on the overload on “A’ or “B” when both trunions are not kept
horizontal.
Suppose that our heavy lift pressure vessel is not lifted correctly and that crane “A” lifts faster than
crane “B” resulting in a 1o degree angle with the horizon. Due to this incline with the horizon the
load in crane “A” will be: 270.09 Ton and in crane “B”: 249.91 Ton. This overload is calculated
when the column is supported by both cranes in vertical position. It is proportional less when the
column has not reached its vertical position yet.
The larger the distance between the CoG. and the lifting trunions, the greater the influence of an
incline on loads in crane “A’ and “B” will be. These loads are calculated and as tabulated below:
When the distance of the main lifting trunions is increased to twice the original distance, the
overload will increase to twice the magnitude as well. See table below with a distance of the main
lifting trunions increased to 12 m.

What have we learned from this exercise?

First of all, let’s try to install the main lifting trunions as close as possible to the CoG of the pressure
vessel. Be aware of the fact that we should always keep the main lifting trunions at least 2 m above
the CoG. and not any closer. The reason for this is that the main lifting slings are placed around the
circumference of the trunions and the friction of the slings in the trunions could obstruct the trunions
to rotate in the slings, when the column is lifted from horizontal into vertical position. It will eventually
turn, but at the end of the operation, one will find out that the column will not completely turn into
vertical position, and that will hinder the lowering down over the foundation bolts.
In this respect I would recommend following tips:
 Place a 2 mm thick steel strip between the trunions and the lifting slings and grease it. This will
facilitate the slings to turn better around the trunions surface and at the same time it will protect
the sling from wear and tear. See Fig.4
 Place steel guides on at least 3 foundation bolts.
These guides will ease the lowering down of the columns base ring over the foundation bolts. It is
also advisable to connect 4 chain tackles or tirfors to the base ring during the lowering down
procedure. These tools will be of great help in guiding the base ring and it will avoid possible
damage on the thread of the foundation bolts during lowering down.
We still have not yet discussed the main issue of this operation and that is how do we accurately
monitor that each lifting trunion stays in a horizontal plain during the entire lifting procedure. During
a large number of tandem lifts of big columns, I have succesfully used the same method over and
over again.

During my first tandem lift back in 1976, I used two methods to monitor possible overload of each
crane. Load indicators, which were installed in the dead end of the lifting tackle and an electronic
inclino meter, which measured the angle of the imaginary line between both lifting trunions and the
horizon (See Figure 4).

I must admit that the load indicators were of no use at all. Due to the friction of the sheaves of both
lifting tackles, the variations in the dead end of the tackle of each crane were in no way a
reliable measure to monitor the operation. The inclino meter, which we installed on a swivelplate at
the basering of the column was far more reliable and prooved to be a very good tool. The
inclinometer is fitted on a multiplex board with a swivel and can be clamped to the top of the
basering or at the bottom. See Figure 5 and picture V52-5.

As an extra precaution we attached a normal spirit level on the same swivel plate, so that even in
case of an electronic failure we can still monitor the operation. As can be seen from above tables, it
is very important to keep both lifting trunions horizontal during the entire lifting procedure and thus
avoid any overloading of any of the main lift cranes. In normal circumstances, we would position
both main lift cranes and tailcrane as shown in Fig. 2.
By calculating the decrease of the tailload in relation to the angle with the vertical we can establish
the most economical position of tailcrane “C”. Let ‘s have a look at the values of decrease of the
tailload in relation to the angle with the vertical.

With the results of this table we can now establish the optimal position of the tailcrane.

The tailcrane should at least have a capacity of approx. 80 Tons at approx. 14 m radius. A Liebherr
LTM-1400 with Spanlift system has a capacity of 87 tons at 14 m radius with 36.5 m boomlength. It
seems that this telescopic crane would have sufficient capacity to handle the tailload of our column.
We now have to position the Liebherr at the side of the column between the taillug and the main lift
cranes, in such a way that we can really prove that the crane can guide the tailpoint of the column ,
until it has reached it’s vertical position.

In Fig. 4 the position of each crane is clearly identified. As main lift cranes we have selected two
mobile Demag TC-3000 cranes with Superlift attachment. Each crane is positioned at 10 m radius
with 54 m main boom and has a rated lifting capacity of 340 tons with 100 tons Superlift
counterweight. The ideal position is that each crane is placed perpendicular to the columns
longitudinal centerline. Both cranes can though be placed under an angle provided the clearance of
the boomheads are still garanteed. In our case, both lifting trunions protrude 650 mm outside the
column’s shell, which just gives a theoretical clearance of approx. 150 mm (this depends on the
physical dimensions of the crane boomheads).

The rated lifting capacity for both cranes in tandem is 2×340 = 680 Tons. With a weight of 520 tons
, this lifting capacity is 520/680 = 76 % of the max. allowable lifting capacity, which we considered
safe, provided the precautions are taken as described in this article. We could even accept a
smaller safety marging, which means that these crane types could even erect columns close to the
600 tons weight category.

Erection procedure
How do we now control the erection of this column? In the Netherlands, the usual practice is that
such an operation is carried out under supervision of the Rigging Supervisor, who clearly instructs
the operators of all three cranes. To limit the amount of instructions given and to make the operation
rather simple, a strict procedure is worked out. Before the cranes are attached to the lifting trunions,
the operators and supervisor check the speed of each crane and agree with each other at which
speed will be lifted. Both main lift cranes are then attached to the lifting trunions, as well as the
tailcrane. Then the column is lifted out of the transport saddles, so that we can adjust the level of
both main lifting trunions to an exact horizontal plain. This can easily be done by means of a level
instrument. When both lifting trunions are exactly horizontal, then we set the inclino meter and spirit
level at the basering of the column to zero degrees as well (Horizontal level). See Figure 5.

The inclinometer and spiritlevel are attached to the basering and will remain in the same vertical
plain during the erection from horizontal into vertical position, because of the swivel construction of
the multiplex board. When the measuring system is set and checked, the Rigging supervisor
instructs both main lift crane operators to start lifting. The tailcrane is placed in a free swing and
gently has to keep the basering from the ground and at the same time slowly slews towards cranes
“A” and “B”. One crane i.e. crane “A” is lifting at the same lifting speed during the entire
operation. Adjustments are made by stopping or increasing the speed of crane “B” , while crane “A”
continues lifting at the same speed. In this way , the rigging supervisor only has to instruct crane
operator “B”. When the column has reached an angle of approx. 70 degrees with the horizontal, the
basering is lifted high enough above the ground and final adjustments are made to ensure the
horizontallity of the main lifting trunions, so that in one swing without lifting the column any higher,
the tailcrane can slowly guide the column into vertical position. This method is followed, to avoid any
deviation from the horizontal plain of both main lifting trunions, as this will have max. effect on a
possible overload of crane “A” or “B”. The most critical part of the operation is when the column has
to be swung in between both crane boomheads. It is obvious that there should not be any clips,
nozzles or other obstructions in the area along the columns shell, where lifting tackle and
boomheads pass.

The picture shows the erection of two large columns at the Fina Refinery in Antwerp in Sept. 1989.
Each column weighed 513 Tons and one had a lenght of 76 m , while the other measured 82 m in
length, with diameters of 4.5 m and 5.4 m respectively. Originally it was intended to use a Liebherr
LTM-1400 as tailcrane and 2x Demag TC-3000 truckcranes as main lift cranes. At the last moment
the Liebherr was exchanged by a Demag CC-2000, as the Liebherr was not available when the lift
was planned. The erection of both columns was executed in a workperiod of only 10 days, this time
included the time for mobilisation and rigging of all 3 cranes, lifting the first column, the relocation of
one of the TC-3000 cranes (the other TC-3000 could stay in it’s original position) , lifting the second
column and the derigging and demobilisation of all cranes from the jobsite.
It speaks for itself, that the crane types used in this article are just examples and that the
same principles can be applied for other crane types.