Large-scale industrial projects often push the limits of standard equipment. When a project comes with limited deck space, a crowded plot plan or strict noise restrictions, off-the-shelf cleaning equipment can quickly become a liability.
That’s why we design and build our own equipment in-house. When a project doesn’t fit the standard mold, we don’t force it to. We build the solution around the project, with the efficiency, safety and reliability our clients expect.
Where Space Constraints Can Show Up
Space constraints aren’t unique to one type of facility. They can shape the scope on:
- Offshore and floating facilities, where every square foot of deck is already spoken for
- Expansions and tie-ins inside operating plants, where work has to fit around live units
- Dense process areas with tightly packed piping and little room for laydown
- Sites near communities or other crews, where noise limits restrict what equipment can run and when
On any of these projects, contractors run into the same set of obstacles:
- Limited room to stage, operate and move temporary equipment
- Strict noise and safety requirements
- Tight construction and commissioning schedules
- Complex piping and utility systems that still have to be cleaned to spec
What Purpose-Built Equipment Looks Like at B&W
Our in-house engineering team designs our equipment with the realities of the jobsite in mind.
For example, our pulse units are housed in 20-foot containers. They arrive fully assembled and ready to operate, and they can be moved by truck or forklift to clean multiple systems across a facility. When a project needs more capacity, multiple units can also be connected.
Additionally, our dry silencers can vent up to 900,000 lb/hr of steam while maintaining a noise rating of 85 dB or less at 50 feet, without requiring quench water. Our pneumatic target inserters, also designed in-house, can significantly reduce downtime during steam blowing. Our temporary pipe spools are fabricated to ASME standards, and our prefabricated temporary vent piping is built to ASME B31.3.
Tailored Solutions in Action: The Shell Prelude FLNG
The Shell Prelude FLNG project is a clear example of what happens when a project’s space constraints rule out the use of standard equipment.
In 2016, B&W partnered with Technip and Shell to deliver engineering and steam blowing services for the 600,000-tonne floating liquefied natural gas facility. Onboard, space was limited and noise restrictions were strict. Our team designed and built customized temporary cleaning equipment that met the same high-efficiency, low-noise specifications as B&W’s standard equipment, but with a much smaller footprint.
Since our pre-engineering identified these requirements early, we were able to design and build the equipment on an expedited basis and support the project’s aggressive mobilization schedule.
The Value of a Partner Who Builds Its Own Equipment
Every project has constraints. The difference is whether your pre-commissioning partner has to work around them or can engineer through them.
With engineering, equipment design and field execution under one roof, B&W can tailor our approach to the unique demands of specialized projects, whether that means a floating facility, a congested unit or a site with strict noise limits.
Have a project that doesn’t fit the standard mold? Reach out to our team to see how B&W’s specially designed equipment can support your next project.