Safe and Successful Completion of a Critical Steam Shutdown
Cyma Builders & Construction Managers Announces the Safe and Successful Completion of a Critical Steam Shutdown
Cyma Builders and Construction Managers recently managed the successful completion of a critical site wide steam shutdown to replace a main steam distribution header at a large pharmaceutical research and development facility in Montgomery County, PA. This steam shutdown is part of an ongoing $3.6 million-dollar project to replace two existing 500 horsepower BTU boilers inside the Central Utility Plant. The two boilers and the associated steam header provide steam for heating, hot water as well as for critical vivarium and pilot plant operations.
In advance of the steam shutdown, Cyma Builders coordinated all aspects of the outage and worked with the installing Mechanical contractor (Herman Goldner Co., Inc.), site maintenance and engineering, facility personnel and several end users/client groups in order to minimize the impact to site operations.
The steam shutdown started on Friday, September 7, 2018 at 6:00 PM and continued around the clock through Sunday afternoon. The shutdown of the steam supply had to wait for off-peak hours to minimize interruptions to normal daily operations. A temporary boiler was mobilized to the site and piped in to existing steam distribution piping to provide critical steam for the site’s active vivarium. Herman Goldner Co., Inc. and Vasoli Electric Co., Inc. (Electrical contractor) installed utilities for this temporary boiler ahead of the shutdown.
Herman Goldner Co., Inc. removed the existing header and associated piping then installed the new steam header, steam pipes and hangers while working from aerial lifts, scaffold towers and portable ladders. Significant pre-planning and attention to detail was exercised to prevent welding flash and possible property damage in the confined work area; welding screens and fire blankets were installed throughout the work site.
With excellent pre-planning and coordination of contractors and site personnel, this steam shutdown was completed safely, on time and with minimal interruption to site operations.
For more information about Cyma Builders & Construction Managers, please visit www.cymabuilders.com.
