So much for a weekend! I told my wife that we would go out to eat and do whatever she wanted this weekend. Got to work last night and the GF (General Foreman) told me that six of us would work Saturday and, if needed, Sunday. We'll be measuring the holes in the tubesheets on the condenser for the boilers. ALL 60,000 tubes, which means 120,000 holes total because we have to do both ends.
Day shift has been pulling the tubes and cutting them up for scrap. They are stainless steel and the bores in the tube sheets are supposed to be .890". Only thing is there are a lot that aren't round or have deep scratches in them or some are actually good to go. We have to map the tube sheets so they'll know what to do with which one's. This has been going on for several days, so it all it lacks is finishing.
I'm the union steward on night shift so I have to be around if there's work going on. We've got 15 guys coming in Monday night so we'll have more help. The GF and Superintendent said it looked like at least four weeks of 7-12's til it's done. It could take even longer.
It'll be a money maker but it'll be a killer too. I just hope I can survive! Some of the holes will have to be sleeved and rolled (expanded with a roller system that seals the tube against the tubesheet) before the tubes can be put in, then they get rolled on both ends. Going to be a LOT of work.
The condenser is a giant heat exchanger that changes the steam coming from the turbines on the generator to water before being fed to the boiler to begin the process over again. There might be something on YouTube about rolling tubes if anyone's curious. Hope everyone has a great day..........I plan on sleeping my away. That'll be my idea of a great day!