Since its inception Bennett Associates has been involved in
the Power Generation Industry using its expertise in many and varied ways.
As early as 1984 Bennett Associates carried out an investigation
for the then CEGB into the failure of a number of pipe hangers on the PF
(Pulverised Fuel) pipework system at Drax Power Station.
A full report was prepared which highlighted that PF systems can
operate as a mechanism due to the inclusion of Viking Johnson joints which
affect the true distribution of the load to the hangers.
Fatigue failure of detail components was also investigated. As a
result of the report Bennett Associates were commissioned to carry out a
research project to investigate the characteristics of Viking Johnson joints
under all possible combinations of angular and axial movement, loading and
temperature.
Data sets were developed for the hysteresis characteristics of the
joint under all operating conditions.
The results obtained have been used by Bennett Associates in PF
pipework dynamic mechanism analysis using AMP2D, a software program developed by
Nuclear Electric which can be used to accurately predict hanger loads and pipe
deflection.
The work carried out on the research led to the full or partial re-design of PF
pipehanger systems at Drax, Ferrybridge C, Thorpe Marsh and Ratcliffe on Soar
Power Stations.
On some of the projects Bennett Associates was employed to act as
the inspection authority and to produce individual hanger data sheets of the 'as
built' record to be used by station maintenance staff for recording future
action.
Amongst its many other activities Bennett Associates has been
involved in the Power Generation Industry in the design and installation of
Material Handling Systems, Stress and Fatigue Analysis of the bolted connections
for the crossarm of the, 500 kW VAWT vertical axis wind turbine and Seismic and
dynamic analysis at nuclear power installations.
For more information, contact us on 01709-373782 |
