Project Overview

The new Power and Process Laboratory at a post-secondary college was intended to provide students with an opportunity to gain hands-on knowledge while completing a 200-hour 4th-class power engineering practicum. However, the laboratory was constructed with a significant number of safety and functional deficiencies which delayed its start-up. Rally performed a thorough assessment of the facility, then provided the detailed engineering and design services required to correct the largest issues and make the lab operational.

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Scope Definition

Rally performed a detailed assessment of the as-built facility, finding over 100 safety, operability, and code-compliance deficiencies. Rally worked with the college to rank the criticality of each issue, then created a cost-effective plan to correct as many serious deficiencies as possible prior to start-up. Where feasible, the original equipment was modified rather than completely rebuilt. Special focus was placed on ensuring the safety of instructors and students in a live medium-pressure steam facility.

Detailed Deliverables

Rally facilitated a HAZOP analysis to ensure that the basic laboratory processes and controls were designed with sufficient safeguards. An electrical power system study verified that the existing circuit breakers and arc flash protection were adequate.
Rally delivered material requisitions (MRs) for new heat exchangers, a hydronic expansion vessel, miscellaneous piping specialty items, and a wide variety of new instrumentation.
Construction work packages (CWPs) were issued to contractors to modify and correct the steam, condensate, glycol, fuel, power, and controls systems. The existing structural steel was significantly revamped to properly support the weight of equipment, piping, and cable trays. Clashes were minimized in the relatively congested lab area by the extensive use of 3D laser scanning.
Rally provided home-office support during construction and on-site field support during final commissioning. The power lab is now fully operational.

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