The latest engine stand supplied to Clarke Energy in Liverpool is a Benco 25 unit, manufactured by The Brixworth Engineering Company and designed for the safe and effective powered manipulation of large engines or other heavy workpieces up to 25 tonnes in weight.
Clarke Energy is a specialist in the engineering, installation and maintenance of gas-fuelled combined heat and power plants. Ensuring high standards of aftersales support is a key component of the company’s offering, with an ethos that ensuring maximum equipment availability will deliver long-term customer satisfaction. This engine stand, developed from a unit with 20,000kg load capacity, can now accommodate a maximum torsional load of 80KNm, covering the extra stresses induced where the heavier load is rotated though a full 360° around the long axis. The benefits of this stand to Clarke Energy are that it ensures practical access to all sides of the engine block and speeds the overhaul time of large engines. This will help Clarke Energy to ensure speedy overhaul times and ultimately higher levels of customer satisfaction.
This Benco engine stand is used for modifications, repairs and personnel training associated with the large service exchange engines available from Clarke Energy. These include both GE’s Jenbacher 620, a 20 cylinder V engine weighing approx 19,000kg, together with GE’s larger Jenbacher 624 V engine which is a 24 cylinder unit with an approx deadweight of 24,000kg. Electrical control is provided for forward and reverse rotation, with the spindle remaining static when the controls are released.
The exchange engines can be at various stages of rebuild (i.e. crank shaft removed with cylinder heads still fitted and vice versa), leading to extreme out of balance load forces being generated. Engines can be optionally mounted on various beam length arrangements, or by utilising end plates, with both methods designed to adapt between individual loads and the twin flanges of an engine stand spindle. The drive motor for rotational movement can be combined with interlock systems to prevent unintentional movement, and the gear head arrangement can be supplied separately for use with customer special purpose jigs and fixtures. Due to the high gear ratio, the engine stand does not lend itself to manual load manipulations, but this could be made possible if required.
Benco engine stands can be supplied for load applications from 760kg and include 1520kg, 2286kg and 7 tonnes in their standard range, which incorporates both floor mounting and mobile versions. These include both fixed and variable spindle heights to achieve optimum working conditions for engines and gearboxes utilised in road, rail and air transportation as well as generators, static engines and drive units for construction plant equipment. The stands are designed to minimise or eliminate entirely any non-productive handling procedures while still ensuring full compliance with current working practice and safety regulations. As well as minimising the dangers of personal injuries associated with manual handling of heavy loads, Benco stands can also save up to 50% of labour handling costs with loads being easily rotated or manipulated both horizontally and vertically.
