Han-Tek’s Gantry-Crane Rebuild Adds Safety, Reliability at New York Power Authority Control Dam
The New York Power Authority’s Long Sault Control Dam in Massena, a component of the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project, helps regulate St. Lawrence Seaway water levels for the nearby international Moses-Saunders Power Dam. In order to meet federal requirements for flood control, one of two cranes that raise and lower Long Sault Dam gates must be functional year round. But when one crane was damaged in a storm and knocked out of service, the dam’s ability to control water levels in a major weather or flooding event was compromised. Neither aging crane met current codes. The lack of remote controls forced workers to move to hazardous heights to operate and maintain them. And asbestos and accumulated bird droppings were posing health and environmental hazards.
In response to NYPA’s crane repair and modernization mandates, Han-Tek is designing, engineering, manufacturing and installing electrical and mechanical upgrades to the two 275-ton gantry cranes. Han-Tek’s addition of AC inverter variable-frequency drives will allow the cranes to be moved at infinitely variable speeds along a rail, permitting precise positioning at gates. Hand-held radio controls will allow workers to operate the cranes from the dam level, without physically moving to hazardous heights.
The Han-Tek Gantry-Crane Rebuild solution also features:
- Normal electricity-generation activity at the nearby Moses-Saunders Power Dam during refurbishment process
- Reliable crane functioning that will ensure water-level control as needed
- Improved crane maintenance capabilities
- Enhanced worker safety
- Environmentally sensitive removal of hazardous materials, and installation of bird barriers to prevent future contamination