Ring Tensioning Device RSV for BASF in Duesseldorf
From BASF Personal Care and Nutrition GmbH, a worlwide supplier for innovative products in the field of specialty chemicals, numbering their most important customers among the washing and cleaning industry, the nutrition and health industry as well as other industrial markets like paints and lacquers, the SCHAAF GmbH & Co. KG received the order to construct a Ring Tensioning Device for the closing of a tubular reactor at the production facility at BASF Düsseldorf.
The content of the BASF order for SCHAAF GmbH & Co. KG was to fasten a reactor cover with a diameter of more than 2 metres with twenty-four bolts (M120x6 / M80x6) using a Ring Tensioning Device. The Ring Tensioning Device consists of 24 Bolt Tensioners, which are mounted onto a supporting ring. Due to a ring line, these are connected to each other. Because of this device, there is no several crosswise tensioning necessary, as when tightening the bolts one by one, since all bolts act with the same pretensioning force during the tightening procedure. The same way, the bolt connections can be loosened (infinitely) in only one step.
The SCHAAF Ring Tensioning Device allows the simultaneous and absolute consistent pretensioning of all 24 bolts in only one procedure and thus, meets the requirements of the operator perfectly. A 100 % strength and closeness between the reactor body and the cover is ensured. The process offered by SCHAAF guarantees beside the enormous time savings a special protection for the flange and sealing elements.
The tensoining cylinders work with a maximum hydraulic pressure of 1600 bar and the state-of-the-art technology includes a very fast automatic return movement of pistons and an internal fixed stop. This way a simple handling is assured at absolute work safety.
Similar devices have been delivered from SCHAAF to Malaysia already in 1991 and in 2005 and ever since, they are in continuous operation interference-free and without any problems. Back then, BASF purchased a complete package, consisting of all necessary parts for the execution of the tightening process, such as Tensioning Device, high-pressure hoses, distributors, pumps, mounting centring pins, spare parts and so on, including the necessary tools.
The Tensioning Device is assembled horizontally. Two technicians could arrange the complete tensioning, respectively loosening procedure in less than an hour. Simultaneously, the attending professionals were introduced to the operation of the new “tool” by SCHAAF specialists. Products and process in this described category confirm impressively once more the innovative capacity of SCHAAF GmbH & Co. KG. All customers profit thanks to the demonstrated advance in technology and the service capability of SCHAAF GmbH & Co. KG – of course, even those who only have to solve “smaller” bolting problems.