China's giant crane for nuclear power plant construction

The equipment uses a combination of a 137-metre and a 66-metre ultra-long boom, with a maximum height of 207 metres. According to the developers, under large-radius operating conditions in nuclear power plants, its lifting capacity is about 50% higher than that of similar foreign products, and it can meet the relevant hoisting operation requirements at a single station and under a single operating condition.

In terms of operation, the equipment adopts a fully electric drive mode and can be directly connected to 10kV industrial mains power, featuring zero emissions and low noise. According to project calculations, the application of this equipment is expected to shorten the construction period of nuclear power projects by 15%, reduce operating costs to about one-quarter of traditional oil-fired equipment, and decrease site costs and logistics costs by 20% and 30%, respectively.

In terms of safety control, the crane is equipped with digital systems such as intelligent anti-collision, 360-degree surround view, remote fault diagnosis, cable tangling detection, facial recognition, and work behaviour recognition to enhance risk identification and protection capabilities during on-site hoisting.

The crane - jointly developed by Sany Heavy Machinery and China Energy Engineering Guangdong Thermal Power Special Equipment Co Ltd - was produced at Sany's Huzhou Industrial Park in Zhejiang.

This crane was developed to meet the construction needs of the Hualong One 2.0 nuclear power plant's "one machine, two islands" system - this is where one ring-rail crane is positioned between two nuclear islands, allowing for the lifting of all modules and main equipment of both units with a single positioning and boom length.

"This marks a key breakthrough in the localisation of ultra-large tonnage nuclear power plant lifting equipment in China," China General Nuclear (CGN) said. It added that it "represents the culmination of seven years of technological research, achieving breakthroughs in structural design, manufacturing processes, and assembly control".

Hualong One 2.0

On 31 July, the construction of three pairs of Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors at the Jinqimen, Taipingling and Zhuanghe sites, as well as two Guohe One (CAP1400) reactors at the Laiyang site was approved by the State Council. The Phase II units (3 and 4) of China National Nuclear Corporation's Jinqimen plant in Zhejiang Province and the Phase III units (5 and 6) of CGN's Taipingling plant in Guangdong Province have been designated as demonstration projects of the Hualong One 2.0.

The Hualong One 2.0 is described as "an advanced pressurised water reactor nuclear power technology combining third-generation and advanced technologies, developed through independent innovation and overall collaboration, based on feedback from the construction and operation experience of Hualong One". So far, 10 Hualong One units are commercially operational both domestically and internationally, with another 37 units approved for construction.

CGN said the new crane "will be used at Taipingling Phase III and subsequent Hualong One 2.0 projects".