Huge vaccum column on 512-wheeler arrives in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) on Sunday brought another huge vessel on a 512-wheeler trailer as part of Visakh Refinery Modernisation Project (VRMP) at Visakh Refinery at a cost of Rs 21,000 crores.

The HPCL officials with help of traffic police had restricted the vehicles by blocking the road from Malkapuram to Dockyard junction. After two parts of crude and vacuum columns were brought in last Sunday, they had bought another part in the main equipment in Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) being set up under the project.

The vacuum column transported here on Sunday is approximately 63 meters in length, 12 meters at its maximum diameter and 920 MT in weight. The vacuum column is the largest equipment in single piece received in HPCL-Visakh Refinery.

The columns were manufactured by Larsen and Toubro Limited, at their Hazira works in 18 months at a cost of Rs 53 crore. For ensuring better quality as well as to expedite the project, these columns have been procured in a single piece construction.

Considering their length, girth and weight, these columns were transported around the coastline of the Indian sub-continent and around Sri Lanka, using a 280 class, 7,000 MT capacity barge, with a 2,000 HP tug from Surat to Visakhapatnam, with a total voyage time of 30 days.

From the jetty, these columns have been transported by road to HPCL Visakh Refinery, using 32 x 32 sets of hydraulic axles comprising 512 wheels and propelled by 800 HP power pack.