In yet another step towards ensuring safety of ageing gas pipelines of Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), the Energy Management Department (EMD) has replaced the 60 running metre (RM) of pipeline feeding gas to Mills like Rails and Structural Mill, Wire Rod Mill and Merchant Mill, officials informed.
As there is a ring main of gas pipeline supplying gas to these mills from two sides, the portion of the pipe line to be replaced was taken for shutdown in a planned manner and the job was successfully and safely executed without effecting the production of any mills.
The job was challenging in nature owing to height constraints and also possibility of smouldering in gas pipeline is high during summer seasons. To replace the pipe at such great heights, a working platform was made, so that the group need not stand on the roof sheet for the job.
The pipe was laid at a height of above 22 metres and there was no support between 30 metres span of pipe. In this regard, the Plant Garage department played a very vital role by charting out a proper strategy for safe dismantling and erection of 30 metres span of pipe.
Two cranes were positioned at calculated distance and the old pipe was dismantled and new pipe erected with 100% safety. The rail track shutdown as and when needed was provided by BBM and T&D & the dismantled pipes were continuously removed by MRD.
The fabricated pipe of diameter 1600mm was provided by TPl and transported to the site by trailers provided by Boria Stores on a continuous basis.Braving the scorching heat of summer in addition to the added heat at RSM roof top, the following team consisting of BSP personnel and contractor M/s G. Manoharan Nair could complete the job in a planned and safe manner.
The job was executed under the guidance of Navin Kumar, DGM I/c (EMD), PK Singh, DGM(Gas Safety and Operations) EMD, S. Ramani, AGM(Gas Safety) EMD & S.R. Dhruw, Asst. Mgr (Gas Safety) EMD. Valuable support was provided by Pradipta Bhaumik, AGM (Pl. Garage), AR Sontake, DCFO, Rajiv Amrotakr, DSO (RSM), DK Chauhan DSO (EMD), Sl Patel, Sr.Tech (EMD)Tech Cell, Plant Garage Crane Operators Iqbal and Fiyaz.
It may be recalled that earlier this month the Energy Management Dept had safely and successfully commissioned about 160 RM of new Coke oven gas line to Sintering Plant no. II.