General Mechanical

The new PL1M compressor plant compresses and stores industrial gasses (oxygen, nitrogen, and argon) and is considered the flagship project for Praxair, Inc. in Fife, WA. There were two phases to this project; the civil underground and foundations, and the mechanical above ground equipment and piping. The mechanical work included the setting of a 215-foot tall tower in two sections weighing 230,000 and 190,000 pounds; the setting of multiple skids of cryogenic equipment, compressors, motors and turbines; and the installation of 4,800 lineal feet of multiple piping systems. This work was completed on a very small footprint in an existing and operating older compressor plant facility.

The towers themselves were loaded with internal vessels, equipment, and piping, all of which required internal alignment prior to welding the 13-foot diameter casing. The setting of the tower required a two crane pick consisting of a 500-ton lattice boom crawler crane and a 300-ton rolling tail-pick crane. The upper section was held in place by the larger 500-ton crane around the clock until all internal, external, and structural alignments were completed.

Piping system materials included carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and brass. Some of the services required extraordinary cleaning procedures to be developed by GM that included sandblasting, hot water pressure washing with detergents, and nitrogen and clean air drying. Every piece of pipe, fitting, and valve were cleaned, tested, and re-tested prior to final installation. Test rags, black light inspections, swab inspections, and owner inspections were all documented and tracked for every piece of material throughout the project. Test pressures on some of the systems were nearly 1,000 psi and were also subject to the cleaning procedures.

The mechanical work consisted of nearly 24,000 man-hours, most of which were completed in a 6-month period. Negotiating, scheduling, and preconstruction planning activities took over a year to coordinate and implement. Both phases of the project were completed ahead of schedule, within budget, and with no recordable or lost time incidents.