A world-leading industrial gas separation company specified Chockfast Red for setting a new electric motor driven compressor at their facility in Allegheny County, PA.
Chockfast Red epoxy grout provides precise permanent alignment for rotating equipment, while providing resistance to expansion under high temperature operating equipment and slow gentle curing characteristics. Chockfast Red helps
to extended equipment and foundation life, lower equipment operating cost and lower machinery maintenance cost.
Stevens Engineers and Constructors based out of Canonsburg, PA successfully completed this grout installation.
PROJECT DETAILS
Foundation Dimensions (each)
Motor – 18 Ft. x 6 Ft.
Compressor – 20 Ft. x 6 Ft.
Designed Grout Clearance - 3.5 in
Temperatures During Grout Installation
Interior Ambient: 65°F
Concrete temperature 56° F
Skid steel temperature 58° F
Part A Resin 72° F
Part B Hardener 72° F
Part C Aggregate 68° F
The installation crew grouted the motor and compressor unit using a total of:
40 Cu. Ft. of Chockfast Red Epoxy Grout (1.6 Cu. Ft. Units)
Process equipment is often critically aligned to precise tolerances within thousands of an inch. Completing final horizontal leveling pours in contact with critically aligned equipment, should be limited to maximum depths of 4”. In this instance, two separate grout pours are required. The first pour in the anchor bolt hole can be made using Chockfast Red up to 6 Ft. deep. Then a final leveling pour of 4” or less is made using additional Chockfast Red epoxy grout.
Chockfast Red may be used in thicknesses greater than 2”, however individual pours should generally not exceed 18” deep and 7’ in length. When grouting critically aligned machinery with foundation dimensions longer than 7’, the use of
closed-cell foam rubber expansion joints is recommended.
Chockfast Red’s low exotherm and slow, gentle curing characteristics allow for deep pours to be made without the potential for stress cracks often found in hotter curing epoxy grouts. Chockfast Red has an unmatched reputation for reliability among natural gas transmission, petrochemical, oil refining, power generation and other heavy industrial construction related industries.
THE DECISION TO USE CHOCKFAST RED EPOXY GROUT WAS BASED ON SEVERAL FACTORS:
Dependable Track Record
Chockfast Red has earned a reputation spanning several decades for providing problem free, consistent results in the most demanding equipment foundation environments. It remains the most widely known 3-part epoxy grout from the Chockfast brand product line. This legacy epoxy grout is also one of the most often specified epoxy grouts in the industry, for setting critically aligned rotating equipment.
Construction Schedule During the construction phase, grout work was required to be done as quickly as possible to contribute to a faster schedule and a quicker completion date. As a result, Chockfast Red Epoxy Grout was chosen to achieve the fastest startup time of the new machinery.
Weather Conditions The project’s location near Pittsburgh, PA often experiences variable weather conditions in late fall. The grout installation took place outside, so a temporary shelter was constructed for protection from the weather and outdoor elements and was pre-conditioned for 48 hours per manufacturers guidelines. Heat was added to the sheltered area, prior to any mixing or placement of the epoxy grout. For grouting to be successful under these
conditions, special preparation, handling, and installation techniques were required.
About Chockfast Red Epoxy Grout
Chockfast Red is a three-component, high strength, 100% solids, epoxy grouting compound used to grout large machinery and to support soleplates in all types of foundations. Chockfast Red has an extremely high compressive strength. This along with negligible shrinkage makes it ideal for installing critically aligned machinery within very close tolerances.
Chockfast Red features the following attributes:
Impervious to oil
No mixing ratios to measure
Grouts machinery in final aligned position
High physical strength
High impact strength
Resistance to many more chemicals
Strong bond to metal and concrete
Unaffected by weathering and freeze / thaw cycling
Stated physical properties assured
Superior resistance to fatigue
Learn more about Chockfast Red here.
About Stevens Engineers & Constructors
Stevens specializes in heavy rigging, civil concrete, earthwork, demolition and excavation. We also have expertise in mechanical equipment setting and alignment, construction management and plant maintenance, including shutdown and turnaround services. As a sole-source provider of design/build services, we have effectively merged outstanding technical, engineering, construction and management expertise to better enable our clients, large and small, to overcome their most challenging project obstacles. Many companies claim to offer the total package of services you ultimately need, but Stevens
constantly delivers on the promise of single source reliability. With Stevens, you can count on getting the results you need to reach your business goals from start to finish, to ensure that your project is safe and successful. www.stevensec.com
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