Base Handling Ltd - Reactor Drum Handling System

BHS/2P/1200/B/G Reactor Drum Handling System

This Reactor Drum Handling System was designed to raise, tilt, lower and rotate a large Plasma Reactor Drum with a Safe Working Load of 1200 Kgs in a safe and efficient manner. It was a double column lift design with a special purpose lift carriage to accept the drum being loaded from a bespoke transportation trolley.

The main frame of the Reactor Drum Handling System was manufactured from Grade 304 stainless steel and the lift carriage was mild steel with a powder coated finish. The machine was a welded construction throughout and was designed to be bolted to the floor without the need for a pit. Due to the overall size of the structure (3480mm Long x 2600mm Wide x 4000mm High), it was made in sections for transportation. The lifting was accomplished via chains driven by a motor gearbox mounted at the top of the one column with a crossover shaft to the other column. The rotation movements are completed using a heavy duty electrical actuators and the safety locks are also via electrical actuators.

Safety Guard to BS EN 14120:2015 Safety of Machinery Guards

This Reactor Drum Handling System was supplied complete with a safety guard to meet the guidelines of BS EN 14120:2015 Safety of Machinery Guards. The safety guard is constructed from 40 x 40 x 3mm stainless steel box section and 2.0mm stainless steel sheet. The safety guard encloses the Ractor Drum Handling System to a height of 2500mm on all sides with a pair of hinged doors through which the machine can be loaded and unloaded. Each door is electrically interlocked to prevent the machine being operated with a door open and in addition, the doors are mechanically locked closed whilst the machine is running. Each door may only be opened when the lifting carriage is at a safe position and locked in place or at the ‘at rest’ position.

Reactor Drum Handling System Electrical Control

This Reactor Drum Handling System was fitted with an IP65 Control Panel mounted on the Safety Guard at a convenient position to give good maintenance access under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulation 1998 (PUWER). The control panel incorporates all of the controls to raise and lower the Reactor Drum and to rotate the Reactor Drum. It also included all the safety devices associated with the locking pins and guard door interlocks.

Dual Upper and Lower end of travel limit switches were positioned to prevent inadvertent adjustment or damage but were easily adjustable by trained personnel for fine adjustment on site. All machine movements are on a ‘hold to run’ principle through the complete Reactor Drum unloading process using the Control Panel HMI.

Reactor Drum Handling System Safe Access System

This Safe Access System was fitted to the Reactor Drum Handling System during manufacture to allow safe access to the inside of the safety guard at the lower level for access, cleaning and maintenance.

The Safe Access System operated as follows:-

• The lift frame must be empty and the safety guard gates must be closed
• The Safe Access mode will be selected on the Main Control Panel
• Once selected, the lift carriage can be driven under ‘hold to run’ control to a Safe Access position limit switch
• At this position, the lift carriage is prevented from moving by a 50mm support bar driven out beneath the lift carriage using an electrical actuator
• As the bar is engaged, it will alter the state of 2 off separate safety limit switches
• The one switch will disable the Reactor Drum Handling Systems safety circuit and relay
• The second limit switch will allow the lower safety guard doors to be opened providing that the Safe Access Key Switch has been operated
• It is now safe to enter the lift enclosure with the Reactor Drum Handling System disabled and the lift carriage supported for cleaning or maintenance purposes
• To re-instate the Reactor Drum Handling System operation, the above sequence is reversed