Tuesday, 24 April 2012

Power plant's cooling tower



Problem: Deterioration, corrosion of embedded steel, and water leakage through the shells.

Structural Details: The towers that need repairs are about 370ft high above the normal ground level with the diameter of 248ft and repairs can only be carried out during scheduled outages to avoid disruptions in the area’s power supply.

Testing: Using visual inspection, hammer sounding throughout both towers, and laboratory testing of core samples, investigators identified the types and extent of concrete deterioration. In addition to the spalling, corrosion, and leakage already noted, cracks were found in the support columns and ring beams at the bases of the towers.

Challenges in repairing: Providing access to the interior and exterior of the towers to allow thorough inspection and repair was difficult. Careful structural analysis was required to maintain the towers structural integrity while repairs were under way. Repair materials had to be evaluated and selected for their ability to withstand the unusual conditions within the towers.


Our Approach:
Repair crew removed the deteriorated concrete from the tower shells with pneumatic chipping hammers and filled the created voids with dry-mix shot-crete. They sealed the cooling tower’s interior surfaces with water and vapor proof epoxy coating. They cleaned out cracks in the supporting columns and ring beam and sealed them with epoxy. Meticulous quality control testing and inspection during repairs helped ensure the project’s success. 

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