Superior Engineering (S/E) worked with a Midwest steel manufacturer to upgrade their blast furnace gas mains to eliminate costly downtime and unexpected repairs. With over 3,000 feet of piping (some of which was over 100 years old), severe corrosion was causing significant operational delays. As the primary fuel source for all boilers, these gas lines are critical to their daily operations.
Due to the complexity of this project and its implications on production, the solution was executed in a phased approach. Once the defective areas were identified, the process began by performing selective laser scans to develop a 3D Model of the routing for isolation, complete w/ suggested isolation points. S/E determined that four new valves would be installed to isolate sections safely, while minimizing operational interruptions. Other preliminary work included obtaining quotes, technical bid review for the new isolation valves, creating process flow diagrams, foundation design, equipment specifications, preparing construction bid packages and a comprehensive flex analysis.
As the project progressed, S/E also developed the field contractor’s Scope of Work and Bid Packages requirements to install the four new valves. This included the mechanical, civil, & structural work required to install new valves, along with new steel platforms to safely access all four valve locations. Full construction support and project management services were also provided by S/E to guide the entire process as this aging blast furnace fuel system was upgraded.
