When it comes to chiller installation in a tight underground space, it’s important to keep your cool. Ontario-based Ready Machinery, a machinery moving company servicing
Canada and the US, was hired to install a cooling system chiller unit in the underground area of a hotel that would help regulate the building’s temperature.
Two 3.0t aluminum
gantry cranes, four 2.0t hand chain hoists, and four 3.0t beam trolleys were used for the installation.Two 3.0t aluminum gantry cranes, four 2.0t hand chain hoists, and four 3.0t beam trolleys were used for the installation.
However, Ready Machinery project manager Steve McKenna was thrown a curveball the day before when he discovered that the chiller was a stackable unit, not the side-by-side unit the team had anticipated. Despite the unexpected change in chiller configuration, McKenna was able to contact Wayne Thompson of LGH, which provides lifting and moving equipment for rent, that evening and receive the necessary equipment by 7.30am the next day, with less than 12 hours’ notice.
The installation presented challenges due to the tight spaces in the underground room, with limited headroom, narrow width and small door size all posing significant obstacles. As the installation took place on the second level of the underground area, a gradual decline had to be navigated while maintaining control over the 6,000lb barrel. Ensuring the safety of the installation process while descending required careful planning and execution.
The team used two 3.0t aluminium gantry cranes, four 2.0t hand chain hoists, and four 3.0t beam trolleys to complete the installation. Selection of rigging equipment was based on several factors: the width of the room determined the appropriate I-beam, while the height dictated the use of the two 3.0t gantries.
LGH rents outs a range equipment from the manufacturers such as Spanco, Harrington, Tractel, JD Neuhaus and Oz Lifting.
“Usually, you would set the bottom barrel and then place the top barrel on top, but we didn’t have the room to do [that],” says McKenna. “We used [the] gantries to take the top one up, move the bottom barrel underneath, and then let [the top barrel] down.”
Ready Machinery says that LGH was chosen to assist with this project due to its “excellent service and the trust established through a longstanding customer relationship”. Even though Ready Machinery had some of its own equipment, it relied on LGH for its “reliable and wellmaintained products”.
“A lot of the time, we have [chain hoists and beam trolleys], but LGH’s are usually in such pristine condition that we rent them because we trust the quality of your product,” adds McKenna.
The project was completed ahead of schedule, under budget and with safety as the top priority.
Formed in 1982, Ready Machinery provides a range of services including transportation, machinery storage, staging and installation of heavy equipment and industrial machinery.
LGH, meanwhile, holds a comprehensive range of hoisting, rigging, jacking, pulling, material handling and safety equipment. With over 70,000 pieces, its lifting equipment is available for rent from 23 locations throughout North America, and its customers are supported by more than 50 rental representatives nationwide.
LHG provides lifting equipment for hotel cooling system