Chinese-designed and Built Tailwater Gantry Crane Goes into Operation in Laos

The Tailwater Gantry Crane being Put through a Functional Test (photo provided by Sinohydro Bureau 7 Co., Ltd. under PowerChina )

The Xian Ping tailwater gantry crane in Laos, independently designed and built by Jiajiang Company of Sinohydro Bureau 7 Co., Ltd. under PowerChina, has recently gone into official operation after completing the final round of loading and functional tests.

The functional test put the crane through a series of maneuvers, including full and half-length mobility runs and lifting mechanisms. Meanwhile, the on-site loading test collected data from the crane operating at 50%, 75%, 100% and 125% of its dynamic load rating respectively. The main and auxiliary hooks performed adequately and safely during the test while a variety of standards such as running speed and lifting precision were also met.

The tailwater gantry crane, which boasts a lifting force of 200 kN, a lifting height of 26.5 meters and a full operational length of 78 meters, is tasked with hoisting the gate of the generator sets of three important units within the hydropower station.（Kevin）