Lifting frame

Abstract

Provided is a lifting frame that has a simple configuration and that can easily be adapted to the suspension of process modules of different sizes. A lifting frame 3 is provided with: at least two first beams 31 provided so as to extend along a first direction of a plant module 100 that has the set first direction and second direction; at least two second beams 32 that are each provided so as to extend along the second direction and have end regions that protrude further outward than the plant module 100, and suspension sections 320 which are respectively provided to the end regions of the second beam 32 and from which wire ropes 41 for suspending the plant module 100 are hung. The suspension sections 320 comprise a plurality of wire rope hanging positions 322 allowing for the wire ropes 41 to be hung at different positions, and convexities 321 for preventing positional deviation of the wire ropes 41 are provided between the rope attachment positions 322 that are adjacent.

Description

Lifting Frame

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for suspending and transporting plant modules that constitute a plant.

[0002] Plants that process fluids include natural gas (LNG) plants that liquefy natural gas and separate and recover natural gas liquids, oil refineries that distill and desulfurize crude oil and various intermediate products, and chemical plants that produce petrochemical products, intermediate chemicals, polymers, etc. These plants are equipped with numerous pieces of equipment for processing fluids, and these pieces of equipment are connected by numerous pipes that transfer fluids between them.

[0003] When constructing such plants, a modularization approach is undertaken, in which the numerous pieces of equipment that make up the plant are divided into blocks and the equipment in each block is incorporated into a common framework. Dividing the plant into multiple plant modules makes it possible to build each plant module in parallel in a factory separate from the construction site, thereby reducing the construction labor required at the plant construction site. Each plant module built in the factory is transported to the construction site and installed on the designated site, after which the piping and other components are connected to each other to complete the plant.

[0004] Plant modules are transported by means of transportation such as transport ships and self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs). Loading and unloading of plant modules onto these transports requires, for example, the use of a large crane to suspend the plant module by wire ropes. However, plant modules are individually designed to accommodate a variety of equipment configurations, and each has different dimensions, such as weight, height, width, and depth. Furthermore, there are cases where equipment is mounted on the top surface of the plant module that interferes with the wire rope when the module is suspended.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a building unit lifting jig that is interposed between a crane and a building unit when the crane suspends the building unit at a construction site, etc. This building unit jig is configured so that the outer periphery of its body can be expanded or contracted in accordance with the outer periphery of the building unit. Patent Document 2 also describes a block lifting device in which a frame-like body is connected by an expandable connecting member, and multiple pulleys are provided on the beams that make up the frame. Thus, the equipment (building unit jig, block lifting device) described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is configured to change the size of the body (expanding or contracting, expanding or contracting) to match the object (building unit, block). Therefore, the configurations described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 require a large workload to adapt to the size of large objects, such as process modules, each time they are sized.

[0006] JP 11-147686 A British Patent Application Publication No. 1453986

[0007] The present application provides a lifting frame that is simple in construction and can be easily adapted to suspend process modules of different sizes.

[0008] This lifting frame is a lifting frame for lifting a plant module that is rectangular in plan view and has a first side extending horizontally and a second side perpendicular to the first side and extending horizontally, and comprises: at least two first beams arranged above the plant module and extending along a first direction in which the first side extends; at least two second beams connected to the first beams and each extending along a second direction in which the second side extends and having an end region that protrudes outward from the second side; and a hanging portion provided on each end region of the second beams and on which a wire rope for suspending the plant module is hung, the hanging portion having a plurality of wire rope hanging positions at which the wire rope can be hung at different positions along the extension direction of the second beam, and a convex portion provided between adjacent wire rope hanging positions to prevent the wire rope from shifting position.

[0009] The lifting frame may include the following: (a) the second beam is detachably connected to the first beam via a connecting portion that can be bolted, and the first beam has a plurality of bolt holes formed at different positions along its extension direction so that the connecting position of the second beam can be changed. In this case, the wire rope suspends the plant module from the second beam via a pillar of a frame that constitutes the plant module, and the plurality of wire rope hooking positions and the connecting position of the second beam to the first beam are selected depending on the arrangement position of the pillar. (b) the second beam is connected to an upper surface side of the first beam. (c) at least two third beams are connected to the first beam, each extending along the second direction and suspended by a wire rope of a crane that suspends the plant module, and each third beam is detachably connected to the first beam via a connecting portion that can be bolted, and the first beam has a plurality of bolt holes formed at different positions along its extension direction so that the arrangement position of the third beam can be changed. In this case, the third beam is provided with a plurality of sets of connection jigs that connect the crane's wire rope to the third beam, and each set of connection jigs is fixedly arranged at a different position on the third beam. Alternatively, the third beam is provided with a plurality of connection jigs that connect the crane's wire rope to the third beam, and the connection jigs are configured so that their placement positions can be changed along the third beam. Furthermore, the third beam is connected to the underside of the first beam. (d) The placement position of the first beam is configured so that it can be changed along the second direction. (e) The wire rope hung on the hanging part is connected to the plant module via a joint part that is provided so as to protrude from the side of the plant module in the second direction.(f) The wire rope hung on the hanging part is connected to the plant module via a joint part that protrudes upward from the top surface of the plant module.

[0010] This lifting frame has at least two first and second beams arranged to intersect each other, each of which has a plurality of wire rope hooking positions at both end regions of the second beam, where wire ropes for suspending a plant module can be hooked, and is equipped with a hanging section provided with a protrusion to prevent the wire rope from shifting position between these wire rope hooking positions.With this configuration, the lifting frame can be adapted to plant modules of different sizes simply by selecting the wire rope hooking positions according to the size of the plant module and hanging the wire rope.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an example of a plant composed of plant modules. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pipe rack installed in the plant. FIG. 3 is a side view of a lifting frame attached to a plant module. FIG. 4 is a front view of the lifting frame. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the lifting frame. FIG. 6 is a side view of a connecting section connecting a main beam (first beam) and a top beam (second beam). FIG. 7 is a front view of the connecting section. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a suspension section attached to the top beam. FIG. 9 is a first example of a connection between a pillar of a plant module and a wire rope. FIG. 10 is a second example of a connection between the pillar and the wire rope. FIG. 11 is a third example of a connection between the pillar and the wire rope. FIG. 12 is a side view of a lifting frame attached to a plant module of a different size. FIG. 13 is a front view of the lifting frame.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a plant including plant modules. The plant module shown in FIG. 1 is lifted using a lifting frame according to this embodiment. The plant shown in FIG. 1 is an LNG plant 1 that performs a process for producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from, for example, natural gas, which is a fluid. The LNG plant 1 includes a plurality of process modules 11 each equipped with a large number of equipment groups that perform pre-liquefaction treatment and liquefy the pre-treated natural gas. The LNG plant 1 also includes a pipe rack 12 that supports a plurality of pipes (not shown) through which various fluids handled in the LNG plant 1 flow, so that these fluids can be exchanged between the respective equipment in the process modules 11. The pipe rack 12 is arranged so as to be surrounded by the process modules 11. As described below, the pipe rack 12 is composed of a plurality of pipe rack modules 120.

[0013] For example, the pipe rack 12 has a frame structure for supporting a large number of pipes, and a large number of air-cooled heat exchangers (ACHEs) 121 are arranged on the upper surface of the frame structure. As shown in Fig. 1, the pipe rack 12 has a long and narrow rectangular shape when viewed from above, and the length in the longitudinal direction may reach, for example, several hundred meters.

[0014] As explained in the background art, the process modules 11 and the pipe racks 12 may be manufactured in a factory different from the construction site of the LNG plant 1. In this case, the completed pipe racks 12 are transported to the site of the LNG plant 1 and then installed on the site of the LNG plant. However, as mentioned above, the pipe racks 12 are huge structures with longitudinal dimensions of several hundred meters, and it is difficult to transport them as they are. For this reason, a modular construction method is used in which the pipe racks 12 are divided into modules and constructed in blocks, and the modules are then connected together on the site of the LNG plant 1 to construct the pipe racks 12.

[0015] Specifically, a plurality of pipe rack modules 120 shown in Fig. 2 are manufactured in a factory, and the plurality of pipe rack modules 120 are transported to the site of the LNG plant 1. Then, the pipes of the transported plurality of pipe rack modules 120 are connected together along the longitudinal direction to construct the pipe rack 12.

[0016] The process modules 11 and pipe rack modules 120 described above (hereinafter collectively referred to as "plant modules 100") are also configured, for example, in a long and narrow rectangular shape when viewed from above. The plant modules 100 are configured, for example, with longitudinal dimensions of about 20 to 50 meters and lateral dimensions of about 5 to 10 meters, and some weigh as much as 1,000 tons.

[0017] In the plant module 100, the frame structure supporting the equipment and piping is formed by combining steel frames and includes a plurality of columns 101 arranged at intervals from one another and beams 102 (see FIGS. 2, 8A, 8B, etc.) arranged horizontally to connect adjacent columns 101 (see FIGS. 2, 3, etc.). These columns 101 and beams 102 form the main structure (main frame) of the plant module 100. The process modules 11 and the pipe rack modules 120 both constitute the plant module 100 of this example and can be lifted using a lifting frame.

[0018] 2 shows a simplified view of the frame structure of the plant modules 100, illustrating only the outline of the frame structure and several columns 101 for each plant module 100. In particular, for the plant module 100 on the front right side of Fig. 2, the ACHE 121 is omitted and only the main structure consisting of the columns 101 and beams 102 is shown. In reality, the frame structures that make up the process module 11 and the pipe rack module 120 are made up of a greater number of columns 101, beams 102, braces, etc., so as to maintain sufficient strength to support the equipment and piping arranged in each module and enable it to stand on its own.

[0019] In the following description, the side extending along the longitudinal direction of the rectangular plant module 100 in a plan view is referred to as the "first side," and the side perpendicular to the first side and extending horizontally along the short side is referred to as the "second side." Note that the first side and the second side may be interchanged, with the side extending along the short side being referred to as the "first side" and the side extending along the longitudinal direction being referred to as the "second side." The direction extending along the first side is defined as the "first direction," and the direction extending along the second side is defined as the "second direction."

[0020] Here, the planar shape of the plant module 100 that can be lifted using the lifting frame 3 of this example does not need to be strictly rectangular. For example, when viewed along a first side, which is the longitudinal direction, the lifting frame 3 of this example may have a protrusion protruding from the first side or a recess recessed from the first side. As will be described later, the lifting frame of this example has a configuration that allows it to be easily attached to a plant module whose dimensions change in a second direction perpendicular to the first side (first direction) due to the presence of these protrusions and recesses.

[0021] Next, an example configuration of the lifting frame 3 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 10. Figures 3 to 5 schematically show the state in which the lifting frame 3 is attached to the plant module 100 that is loaded on the SPMT 2. As shown in these figures, the lifting frame 3 of this example includes at least two main beams 31 (two in the example in the figures) that are provided to extend along a first direction (the X-axis direction in the figures), at least two top beams 32 (three in the example in the figures) that are connected to the main beams 31 and that are provided to extend along a second direction (the Y-axis direction in the figures), and at least two bottom beams 33 (two in the example in the figures) that are connected to the main beams 31 and that are provided to extend along the second direction.

[0022] The main beam 31, the top beam 32, and the bottom beam 33 are made of, for example, steel bars and have sufficient strength to maintain the plant module 100 suspended from the lifting frame 3. The top beam 32 is connected to the plant module 100 via a wire rope 41 and is a member from which the plant module 100 is suspended. The top beam 32 corresponds to the second beam in this embodiment. On the other hand, the bottom beam 33 is a member connected to a wire rope 42 on the crane side when the lifting frame 3 and the entire plant module 100 are lifted by a crane (not shown). The bottom beam 33 corresponds to the third beam in this embodiment. The main beam 31 serves to support the top beam 32 and the bottom beam 33 from above or below. The main beam 31 corresponds to the first beam in this embodiment.

[0023] 3 and 4 , the bottom beam 33, the main beam 31, and the top beam 32 are arranged one above the other in this order from the bottom up. The top beam 32 is arranged on the upper surface of the main beam 31. This allows the main beam 31 to stably support the load of the plant module 100 that is applied downward to the top beam 32 via the wire ropes 41. The bottom beam 33 is also arranged on the lower surface of the main beam 31. This allows the main beam 31 to stably withstand the force that is applied upward to the bottom beam 33 when the lifting frame 3 is suspended by a crane via the wire ropes 42.

[0024] 5, the planar arrangement of the main beams 31, top beams 32, and bottom beams 33 is such that the plurality of main beams 31, the plurality of top beams 32, and the plurality of bottom beams 33 are spaced apart from one another. In this manner, the same types of beams 31, 32, and 33 are spaced apart from one another, and the first direction in which the main beam 31 extends is perpendicular to the second direction in which the top beam 32 and bottom beam 33 extend, thereby forming a lifting frame 3 that is rectangular in plan view as shown in FIG. 5. This lifting frame 3 is then placed above the plant module 100 to be suspended.

[0025] In the lifting frame 3 configured as described above, the top beam 32 is configured so that its position can be changed along the first direction (the extension direction of the main beam 31). To achieve this configuration, the top beam 32 is detachably connected to the main beam 31 via a connecting portion 6 (see FIGS. 6A and 6B ).

[0026] 6A and 6B are enlarged views of area A enclosed by dashed lines in FIGS. 3 and 4, showing an example configuration of the connecting portion 6 connecting the main beam 31 and the top beam 32. For example, the connecting portion 6 is made of steel. The connecting portion 6 includes a plurality of vertical support plate portions 601 spaced apart from one another to support the underside of the top beam 32 at different positions, and horizontal flange portions 602 arranged on the upper surface of the main beam 31 and connecting the lower ends of the support plate portions 601.

[0027] The upper ends of the vertical support plate portions 601 are welded to the underside of the top beam 32, and the connecting portion 6 is fixed to the bottom surface of the top beam 32. Meanwhile, bolt holes 603 are formed in the flange portion 602, and bolts 61 are inserted into the bolt holes 603, which are aligned with bolt holes 312 in the flange portion 311 formed on the main beam 31 side, and the connecting portion 6 and the main beam 31 are fastened with nuts 62. As shown in Fig. 6A, the flange portion 311 on the main beam 31 side is provided to extend along the longitudinal direction of the main beam 31, and a plurality of bolt holes 312 are arranged at different positions at predetermined intervals along the extension direction.

[0028] In the above-described configuration, the connection position of the top beam 32 relative to the main beam 31 can be changed by appropriately selecting the positions of the bolt holes 312 on the flange portion 311 side of the main beam 31. In this case, the weight of the lifted plant module 100 is transmitted from the top beam 32 to the main beam 31 via the connecting portions 601 and 602 in a metal-to-metal manner. During this process, almost no force other than a slight secondary stress acts on the fastening bolts 61 and nuts 62. Specifically, if a large force acts on the bolts 61, the threads of the bolts 61 and the nuts 62 are compressed, requiring a large force to loosen them. In some cases, the threads may seize, making them unable to be loosened even after the applied force is released. This may unavoidably require gas cutting, resulting in significant time and effort. In contrast, the above-described configuration reduces the force acting on the bolts 61 and nuts 62, making it easy to attach and detach the bolts and nuts when moving the top beam 32.

[0029] Furthermore, the connection positions of each top beam 32 to the main beam 31 can be, for example, a case where the top beams 32 are arranged at a position where it is desired to suspend the plant module 100 using wire ropes 41 hung on the top beams 32. For example, in the lifting frame 3 shown in Figures 3 and 4, an example is shown in which the wire ropes 41 are connected to the pillars 101 of the frame that constitute the plant module 100. In this case, the connection positions of the top beams 32 to the main beams 31 are selected in accordance with the positions of the pillars 101 of the plant module 100.

[0030] Looking at the configuration of the lifting frame 3 from this perspective, as shown in FIG. 3 , the columns 101 on the plant module 100 side are aligned along the first direction in which the main beams 31 extend. Also, as shown in FIG. 4 , some of the columns 101 constituting the framework of the plant module 100 are arranged facing each other across the main body of the plant module 100 in the second direction (short direction). The columns 101 arranged facing each other along the second direction are referred to as a pair of columns 101 (see also the three pairs of columns 101 constituting the main structure of the plant module 100 shown in FIG. 2 ). In this example, the top beam 32 connects wire ropes 41 to the pairs of columns 101 to lift the plant module 100. Corresponding to this configuration, the multiple bolt holes 312 formed in the flange portion 311 of the main beam 31 are spaced apart from each other along the direction in which the pairs of columns 101 are aligned (the first direction), as shown in FIG. 6A . This configuration allows the connection position of the top beam 32 to be appropriately selected depending on the arrangement of the columns 101.

[0031] 4, each top beam 32 has a length dimension greater than the second side (short side) of the plant module 100, and end regions at both ends of the top beam 32 are disposed so as to protrude outward beyond the second side of the plant module 100. Hanging portions 320 are formed in these end regions. Wire ropes 41 for suspending the plant module 100 are hung on the hanging portions 320.

[0032] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of area B enclosed by a dashed line in Figure 4, and shows an example configuration of the suspending unit 320. The suspending unit 320 shown in Figure 7 is provided with a plurality of wire rope hanging positions 322 at which the wire rope 41 can be hung at different positions along the extension direction of the top beam 32. Convex portions 321 are provided between adjacent wire rope hanging positions 322 for preventing the wire rope 41 from shifting position.

[0033] In the example shown in FIG. 7 , the convex portions 321 are formed by welding multiple semi-annular steel members at intervals along the outer periphery of the top side of the round bar-shaped top beam 32. In this configuration, the recesses between adjacent convex portions 321 form the wire rope hooking positions 322. Note that the method for forming the wire rope hooking positions 322 and the convex portions 321 is not limited to the above example. For example, the wire rope hooking positions 322 may be formed by carving multiple grooves at intervals along the outer periphery of the top side of the top beam 32 in the end region of the rod-shaped top beam 32. In this case, the portions between adjacent wire rope hooking positions 322 where no grooves are carved form the convex portions 321.

[0034] Here, the plant module 100 may have various different transverse dimensions. Furthermore, even within the same plant module 100, the transverse dimensions may vary depending on the position due to the presence of outwardly protruding convex portions or recessed concave portions. Even in these cases, by providing multiple wire rope hooking positions 322 for the suspending unit 320 as described above, the suspension position of the wire rope 41 can be changed simply by changing the wire rope hooking position 322 from the position indicated by the solid line to the position indicated by the dashed line, as schematically shown in FIG. 7 , thereby easily adapting the suspension position to the size of the plant module 100. Here, the suspending unit 320 may be configured such that the wire rope hooking positions 322 are arranged at intervals of several tens of centimeters to several meters within a range of 1 to 10 meters from the end of the top beam 32.

[0035] Next, an example of a means for connecting the wire rope 41 hung on the hanging part 320 to the plant module 100 will be described with reference to Figures 8A to 8C. Figures 8A to 8C illustrate the configuration of the joint part 5 for connecting the wire rope 41 to the pillar 101 of the frame that constitutes the plant module 100 as described above.

[0036] The joint part 5 includes a joint plate 51 attached to the pillar 101 of the plant module 100, a shackle pin 52 provided to pass through the joint plate 51, and a shackle body 53 bolted to the shackle pin 52. The plant module 100 can be suspended via the joint part 5 by winding the wire rope 41 around the shackle body 53.

[0037] For example, if the upper end of the pillar 101 is exposed when viewed downward from the hanging section 320 side, a configuration can be adopted in which the base end of the joint plate 51 is connected to the upper end of the pillar 101, as shown in Figure 8A.

[0038] 8B , the plate surface of the joint plate 51 is connected to a stub 104 attached to the side surface of the column 101. The method of attaching the stub 104 to the column 101 and the method of connecting the joint plate 51 to the stub 104 may be bolting or welding. By changing the size of the stub 104 attached to the side surface of the column 101, the position of the joint portion 5 can be adjusted along the extension direction (second direction) of the top beam 32.

[0039] For example, there may be cases where a leg of a small frame is placed on the top of the column 101, making it difficult to adopt the method described with reference to Fig. 8A in which the base end of the joint plate 51 is connected to the upper end of the column 101. In such cases, a stub 104 is provided so as to protrude from the side of the column 101 of the plant module 100 in the extension direction (second direction) of the top beam 32, forming a joint portion 5. This allows the wire rope 41 to be connected to the plant module 100 while avoiding the leg of the small frame.

[0040] Furthermore, large equipment may be arranged on the upper surface of the plant module 100. For example, as in the pipe rack 12 shown in FIG. 2 , equipment such as an ACHE 121 may be arranged on the upper surface of the plant module 100, and the upper end of the column 101 may be hidden when viewed downward from the hanging section 320 (illustration of equipment such as the ACHE 121 is omitted in FIGS. 3 , 4 , 8C , etc.). When such large equipment is installed, the circumference of the upper end of the column 101 may be hidden over an area of ​​about one meter or more. In this case, even if the joint plate 51 is connected via the stub 104 described with reference to FIG. 8B , it is difficult to connect the wire rope 41.

[0041] 8C , a cantilever beam 105 having a length of about one meter to several meters may be provided so as to protrude from the column 101 of the plant module 100 in the extension direction (second direction) of the top beam 32, and a joint plate 51 may be connected to the tip of the cantilever beam 105. A diagonal brace 106 may be provided to connect the cantilever beam 105 to the column 101 to provide strength reinforcement.

[0042] Next, the bottom beam 33 will be described. As in the case of the top beam 32 already described, the bottom beam 33 is also configured to be detachably connected to the main beam 31 via a connecting portion 6. The configuration of the connecting portion 6 and the means for connecting with the main beam 31 are the same as those in the example described using Figures 6A and 6B, except that the top beam 32 is replaced with the bottom beam 33 and the figures are inverted, so a repeated description will be omitted.

[0043] According to the above configuration, the connection position of the bottom beam 33 relative to the main beam 31 can be changed by appropriately selecting the positions of the bolt holes 312 on the flange portions 311 of the main beam 31. The connection positions of the bottom beams 33 relative to the main beam 31 can be set, for example, at positions where the load applied to the wire ropes 42 is small and the plant module 100 can be suspended in a balanced manner when the entire plant module 100 is lifted by a crane (not shown) via the wire ropes 42. Specifically, the connection positions of the bottom beams 33 can be set so that the position where the wire ropes 42 connected to the connecting jigs 331 join on the crane side is located above the center of gravity of the plant module 100. For example, in the lifting frame 3 shown in FIG. 3 , two bottom beams 33 are arranged equidistant from the center of gravity of the plant module 100.

[0044] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the bottom beam 33 is provided with connecting jigs 331 that connect the wire rope 42 on the crane side to the bottom beam 33. The connecting jigs 331 illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 are configured as hanging ring-shaped members with openings into which the bottom beam 33 can be inserted. As shown in Figure 4, the upper end of each connecting jigs 331 is provided with a connection portion for connecting to the wire rope 42 on the crane side. The position of these connecting jigs 331 can be changed along the extension direction of the bottom beam 33 inserted into the opening.

[0045] Next, the position of each connecting jig 331 relative to the bottom beam 33 will be described. Similar to the setting of the position of the bottom beam 33 itself, the position of each connecting jig 331 can be set to a position where, when the entire plant module 100 is lifted by a crane via the wire ropes 42, the load applied to each wire rope 42 is minimally uneven, allowing the plant module 100 to be suspended in a balanced manner. For example, FIG. 4 shows an example in which two connecting jigs 331 are arranged relative to each bottom beam 33 so that the connecting jigs 331 are equidistant from the center of gravity of the plant module 100. The positions of the connecting jigs 331 are set to positions where the plant module 100 can be suspended by the wire ropes 42 without interfering with other components such as the main beam 31.

[0046] The following describes how to use the lifting frame 3 configured as described above. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, first, the top beam 32 and bottom beam 33 are connected to predetermined positions of the main beam 31 according to the size and shape of the plant module 100, and the lifting frame 3 is assembled. At this time, the position of the main beam 31 can also be changed along the second direction according to the dimensions of the plant module 100 in the second direction, the number of main beams 31 used, etc.

[0047] After assembling the lifting frame 3, the wire rope 42 on the crane side is connected to the connecting jig 331 on the bottom beam 33, and the lifting frame 3 is raised and positioned above the plant module 100. Next, of the multiple wire rope hooking positions 322 shown in FIG. 7 , the wire rope hooking position 322 closest to the position directly above the joint 5 is selected, and the upper end of the wire rope 41 is hooked there. Note that FIGS. 3 and 4 show a case in which the joint 5 of the type described with reference to FIG. 8B is provided on the side of each pillar 101 (FIG. 8B corresponds to an enlarged view of area C in FIG. 4 ). On the plant module 100 side, a worker waiting at the workbench 103 receives the lower end of the wire rope 41 and connects it to the joint 5. By performing the above-described operations on the wire rope 41 hooked on each hanging section 320, the plant module 100 is attached to the lifting frame 3.

[0048] As described above, in this case, there may be cases where a structure such as the ACHE 121 is disposed on the top surface of the plant module 100, hiding the upper end of the column 101, or where a convex portion protruding from the first edge or a concave portion recessed from the first edge is present when viewed along the first edge of the plant module 100. Even in these cases, the joint portion 5 is disposed below the hanging portion 320 using the stub 104 or the cantilever beam 105 as necessary. This allows the wire rope 41 to be connected to the joint portion 5 simply by selecting an appropriate wire rope hooking position 322. Therefore, unlike the conventional technology described in the background art, this configuration allows the top beam 32 to be expanded or contracted to fit the plant module 100, and the adoption of this configuration eliminates the need for the work of expanding or contracting the top beam 32.

[0049] Thereafter, by driving the crane, the plant module 100 can be lifted from the SPMT 2 while suspended from the lifting frame 3. Then, after the plant module 100 is transported, it is lowered onto a transport ship or onto the site where the plant module 100 is to be installed.

[0050] 9 and 10 show an example of a lifting frame 3 in which the positions of the top beam 32 and bottom beam 33 and the wire rope hooking position 322 in the suspending section 320 are changed in order to suspend a plant module 100 of a different size from the examples shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Compared to the plant module 100 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the dimensions in the first direction are shorter and the dimensions in the second direction are longer in FIGS. 9 and 10. Also, FIGS. 9 and 10 show a case in which a joint section 5 of the type described using FIG. 8A is provided at the upper end of each pillar 101 (FIG. 8A corresponds to an enlarged view of area D in FIG. 10).

[0051] Since the dimension in the first direction is shorter than that of the lifting frame 3 shown in Figure 3, the top beams 32 and the bottom beams 33 are connected to the main beam 31 so that each of the two top beams 32 and the two bottom beams 33 is moved toward the center of the plant module 100. Note that Figure 9 also shows the positions of the top beams 32 and the bottom beams 33 in Figure 3 by dashed lines. Note that it is not essential to change the positions of the top beams 32 and the bottom beams 33 each time a plant module 100 of a different size is suspended. If the plant module 100 can be suspended in a stable state, the previously assembled lifting frame 3 may be used as is to suspend the next plant module 100 of a different size.

[0052] Furthermore, the connecting jigs 331 may be fixed to the bottom beams 33 by welding at predetermined locations. In this case, multiple sets of connecting jigs 331 are fixed and arranged in advance at different positions on each bottom beam 33. For example, in addition to the sets of connecting jigs 331 shown by solid lines in FIG. 10 , sets of connecting jigs 331 may also be fixed and arranged at positions shown by dashed lines. A large load acts on the joints of the connecting jigs 331 to the bottom beams 33, so high reliability is required. In this regard, when the connecting jigs 331 are fixedly arranged, it is possible to verify in advance that the reliability of the joint state is high compared to when the connecting jigs 331 are moved on-site where the plant module 100 is suspended. Furthermore, when the connecting jigs 331 are fixedly arranged, a more reliable joint is achieved, and therefore on-site work such as using more bolts to join the connecting jigs 33 to the bottom beams 33 can be omitted.

[0053] On the other hand, since the dimension of the plant module 100 in the second direction is longer, the position at which the wire rope 41 is hung on the hanging unit 320 in Fig. 10 is moved outward compared to the example shown in Fig. 4 . As such, even if the dimension of the plant module 100 itself in the second direction is different, as long as the joint unit 5 can be located below the hanging unit 320 using stubs 104 or cantilevers 105 as necessary, the wire rope 41 can be connected to the joint unit 5 simply by selecting an appropriate wire rope hanging position 322 (however, the examples shown in Figs. 9 and 10 do not use stubs 104 or cantilevers 105). Therefore, unlike the conventional technology described in the background art, the configuration and work of expanding or contracting the top beam 32 to fit the plant module 100 is not required, as in the example described using Figs. 3 and 4 .

[0054] The lifting frame 3 according to this embodiment has the following advantages. The lifting frame 3 has at least two main beams 31 and two top beams 32 arranged to intersect each other, and at both end regions of the top beam 32, a plurality of wire rope hooking positions 322 at which wire ropes 41 for suspending the plant module 100 can be hooked, and is equipped with a hanging section 320 provided with convex portions 321 for preventing the wire ropes 41 from shifting position at these wire rope hooking positions 322. With this configuration, the lifting frame 3 can be adapted to plant modules 100 of different sizes simply by selecting the wire rope hooking positions 322 according to the size of the plant module 100 and hooking the wire ropes 41 thereon.

[0055] Here, when constructing the lifting frame 3, it is sufficient that at least two main beams 31, two top beams 32, and two bottom beams 33 are provided, and the numbers are not limited to those shown in Figures 3 to 5, 9, and 10. Furthermore, providing the bottom beam 33 on the lifting frame 3 is not an essential requirement. In this case, for example, a connecting jig 331 may be provided on the main beam 31 to connect it to the wire rope 42 on the crane side.

[0056] Furthermore, the position where the joint plate 5 is attached and connected to the wire rope 41 on the crane side is not limited to the column 101 of the plant module 100. The joint plate 5 may be attached directly to the beam 102 constituting the frame structure or via a stub 104 or a cantilever beam 105, and the wire rope 41 on the crane side may be connected thereto.

[0057] 3 to 5, 9, and 10 show an example in which the top beam (second beam) 32, which suspends the plant module 100 via wire ropes 41, is connected to the upper side of the main beam (first beam) 31, and the bottom beam (third beam) 33, which is suspended by wire ropes 42 on the crane side, is connected to the lower side of the main beam (first beam) 31. The positional relationship of the second beam 32 and the third beam 33 relative to the first beam 31 is not limited to this example. As long as the strength corresponding to the load of the plant module 100 can be ensured at the connecting portion 6, the second beam 32 may be connected to the lower side of the first beam 31, and the third beam 33 may be connected to the upper side of the first beam 31.

[0058] The plant module to be lifted using the plant module 100 is not limited to the examples of the process module 11 and the pipe rack module 120 that constitute the LNG plant 1 described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Various plant modules that constitute an oil refinery plant that performs distillation and desulfurization of crude oil and various intermediate products, and a chemical plant that produces petrochemical products, intermediate chemicals, polymers, etc. can also be lifted using the lifting frame 3 of this embodiment.

[0059] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 LNG plant 100 Plant module 101 Column 102 Beam 103 Work platform 104 Stub 105 Cantilever beam 106 Knee brace 11 Process module 12 Pipe rack 120 Pipe rack module 121 ACHE 2 SPMT 21 Loading platform 22 Tire 3 Lifting frame 31 Main beam 311 Flange portion 312 Bolt hole 32 Top beam 320 Hanging portion 321 Convex portion 322 Wire rope hanging position 33 Bottom beam 331 Connection jig 41 Wire rope 42 Wire rope 5 Joint portion 51 Joint plate 52 Shackle pin 53 Shackle body 6 Connection portion 601 Support plate portion 602 Flange portion 603 Bolt hole 61 Bolt 62 Nut

Claims

1. A lifting frame for lifting a plant module that is rectangular in plan view and has a first side extending horizontally and a second side perpendicular to the first side and also extending horizontally, comprising: at least two first beams arranged above the plant module and extending along a first direction, which is the direction in which the first side extends; at least two second beams connected to the first beams and each extending along a second direction, which is the direction in which the second side extends, and having an end region that protrudes outward from the second side; and a hanging section that is arranged on each end region of the second beams and on which a wire rope for suspending the plant module is hung, wherein the hanging section has a plurality of wire rope hanging positions that allow the wire rope to be hung at different positions along the extension direction of the second beam, and a protrusion is provided between adjacent wire rope hanging positions to prevent the wire rope from shifting position.

2. A lifting frame as described in claim 1, characterized in that the second beam is detachably connected to the first beam via a connecting part that can be bolted, and the first beam has multiple bolt holes at different positions along its extension direction so that the connecting position of the second beam can be changed.

3. The lifting frame described in claim 2, characterized in that the wire rope suspends the plant module from the second beam via a pillar of the structure that constitutes the plant module, and the hanging positions of the multiple wire ropes and the connection position of the second beam to the first beam are selected according to the arrangement position of the pillar.

4. The lifting frame according to claim 1, wherein the second beam is connected to the upper surface of the first beam.

5. A lifting frame as described in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two third beams connected to the first beam, each extending along the second direction, and suspended by a wire rope on the crane side attached to a crane that suspends the plant module, wherein each of the third beams is detachably connected to the first beam via a connecting part that can be bolted, and the first beam has a plurality of bolt holes at different positions along its extension direction so that the position of the third beam can be changed.

6. A lifting frame as described in claim 5, characterized in that the third beam is provided with multiple sets of connecting jigs that connect the wire rope on the crane side to the third beam, and each set of connecting jigs is fixedly positioned at different positions on the third beam.

7. A lifting frame as described in claim 5, characterized in that the third beam is provided with a plurality of connecting jigs that connect the wire rope on the crane side to the third beam, and the connecting jigs are configured so that their position can be changed along the third beam.

8. The lifting frame according to claim 5, wherein the third beam is connected to the lower surface of the first beam.

9. The lifting frame according to claim 1, characterized in that the position of the first beam can be changed along the second direction.

10. A lifting frame as described in claim 1, characterized in that the wire rope hung on the hanging part is connected to the plant module via a joint part that protrudes from the side of the plant module in the second direction.

11. A lifting frame as described in claim 1, characterized in that the wire rope hung on the hanging part is connected to the plant module via a joint part that protrudes upward from the top surface of the plant module.

Images