Turning the cooling crystalliser on its side

Preparation for heavy loads

Very often, the road infrastructure imposes restrictions on oversize loads, which can easily exceed height limits or bridge load ratings. Thanks to their many years of experience with the right specialised oversize loads carriers, the logistics experts at BMA will get every component to its destination – safely and on time.

Packaging it and placing it on the transport rack

In 2015, an order placed with BMA for two crystallisers had included transportation from the manufacturing site in Braunschweig to the inland port of Salzgitter-Beddingen by road. Each crystalliser is 30 m long, has a diameter of 4.50 m and weighs 75 tons. The painstaking preparations started several months before the transportation date: possible routes were reviewed and the necessary permits applied for. Particular challenges included crossing a busy motorway and the Frankfurt-to-Berlin highspeed rail line. Deutsche Bahn allocated a time slot of Transportation only 30 minutes for this, during which all rail traffic on the line would be suspended.

For transportation of the two crystallisers, two special LHV and trailers were selected, plus two 500-ton and 200-ton mobile cranes for moving the equipment.

left: Height clearance check and securing of load , right:  Transportation

Transportation successful

On the day of the move, the two cranes were moved into position and set up. The LHV had arrived the night before. They were assembled and the required preload was applied to the low loaders, so the loaded LHV could stay within the permitted ground clearance and height. Once the police had authorised the load, the two LHV set off, escorted by several police and pilot cars. Along the route, preparations had already started: the motorway had to be closed; crash barriers and gantries were removed, as were traffic lights; overhead tram lines were raised, and metal plates and ramps placed in critical places. The level crossing was reached and crossed on time. After that, the only obstacles to be negotiated were narrow roads through built-up areas and round-abouts. Thanks to the excellent planning, there were no holdups at all along the way.

The next morning at the appointed time of 7 a.m., both LHV were waiting at the port for the equipment to be loaded onto ships – mission accomplished.

Frank Müller-Nentwig
BMA AG
sales@bma-de.com