Large industrial pumps are critical components in power plants, water and wastewater treatment facilities, manufacturing plants, refineries, processing facilities, municipal utilities, and other industrial operations. When one of these pumps needs to be repaired or replaced, getting it out of position can be just as challenging as performing the repair itself.
Industrial pumps can weigh hundreds or even thousands of pounds. They may also be installed inside confined mechanical rooms, below-grade pump stations, wet wells, pits, treatment tanks, or areas surrounded by pipes, electrical equipment, railings, and other permanent infrastructure.
In many of these situations, a forklift or mobile crane simply cannot reach the equipment.
A portable aluminum gantry crane provides another option by allowing an engineered lifting system to be positioned directly over or alongside the pump.
Here’s what facilities should consider when planning the removal and replacement of a large industrial pump.
Why Are Industrial Pumps So Difficult to Remove?
The weight of the pump is only one part of the lifting challenge.
Many industrial pumps were installed during the original construction of a facility. Over the following decades, additional piping, electrical systems, platforms, railings, machinery, and structures may have been installed around them.
When maintenance crews eventually need to remove the pump, the original installation path may no longer be available.
Common obstacles include:
- Limited overhead clearance
- Narrow mechanical rooms
- Concrete walls
- Safety railings
- Floor drains
- Pits and wet wells
- Piping surrounding the pump
- Electrical panels and conduit
- Uneven operating surfaces
- Limited forklift access
- No permanent overhead crane
These conditions make pump removal a lifting and rigging problem, not simply a maintenance problem.
Start by Understanding the Pump and the Work Area
Before selecting lifting equipment, the maintenance team needs to understand exactly what is being removed.
Determine the total weight of the pump, motor, base, and any components that will be lifted together. Never estimate the weight simply by looking at the equipment.
Manufacturer documentation, equipment drawings, nameplates, maintenance records, and engineering documents may provide the information needed to determine the actual load.
The work area should also be evaluated carefully.
Important measurements and considerations include:
- Total load weight
- Available ceiling height
- Required lifting height
- Available crane span
- Distance between surrounding structures
- Doorway dimensions
- Floor condition and load capacity
- Location of pits and floor drains
- Available equipment removal path
- Whether the load needs to be moved horizontally after lifting
These measurements help determine whether a standard portable gantry crane will work or whether the application requires a custom lifting system.
Why Portable Gantry Cranes Work Well for Pump Removal
A portable gantry crane creates an overhead lifting point without requiring a permanent overhead crane or access for a large mobile crane.
The gantry can often be transported to the work area in individual components and assembled near the pump.
This can be especially useful in older industrial facilities where access is limited.
EC&MW manufactures portable aluminum gantry cranes in numerous configurations designed for industrial maintenance and equipment handling.
Aluminum construction provides an important advantage because the individual crane components can be considerably easier to transport and position than comparable heavy steel structures.
T-Frame Gantry Cranes for Pumps and Motors
One particularly useful configuration for industrial pump maintenance is the T-Frame aluminum gantry crane.
T-Frame gantries are frequently used for removing and installing pumps, motors, gearboxes, compressors, valves, and other industrial machinery components.
The cantilevered design can allow technicians to position the lifting point directly over equipment when access on both sides of the pump is limited.
This becomes valuable around:
- Pump stations
- Wet wells
- Lift stations
- Clarifiers
- Treatment tanks
- Mechanical rooms
- Utility vaults
A traditional A-Frame may not always fit around these structures. A T-Frame configuration can provide another way to position the beam and lifting point where it is needed.
Removing Pumps From Wet Wells and Pump Stations
Water and wastewater facilities present some of the most common industrial pump-removal challenges.
Critical equipment may be distributed across pump stations, clarifiers, treatment basins, chemical rooms, headworks, sludge-handling systems, and remote lift stations.
Submersible pumps are frequently positioned below grade inside wet wells. Maintenance personnel must lift the pump vertically, bring it above the opening, and then move it to an area where it can be serviced or transported.
A portable gantry can be positioned over the opening to provide the required lifting point.
EC&MW discusses these applications further in its guide to gantry cranes for water and wastewater treatment plants.
What If the Ground Isn’t Level?
Industrial facilities rarely provide perfect lifting conditions.
A pump may be located near floor drains, on a sloped concrete pad, beside a treatment basin, outdoors, or at a remote pumping location.
A standard caster gantry requires an appropriate operating surface. When the environment involves uneven terrain, a different gantry configuration may be necessary.
EC&MW manufactures All-Terrain aluminum gantry cranes designed specifically for more challenging surfaces.
These models incorporate adjustable support legs and leveling pads, allowing the gantry to be properly leveled on many irregular surfaces.
EC&MW’s All-Terrain models are available in capacities including 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, and 6,000 pounds.
Pneumatic Tire Gantries for Difficult Access Areas
Another option for certain environments is a pneumatic tire gantry crane.
Larger pneumatic tires can provide improved mobility on some slightly uneven surfaces where conventional polyurethane casters may not be appropriate.
This can be useful when industrial pumps are located outside the primary facility, around treatment areas, or in locations where getting the lifting system into position is part of the challenge.
However, the operating surface and intended movement of the crane must always be considered when selecting the appropriate caster and base configuration.
Removing a Large Pump Step by Step
The exact pump-removal procedure will vary considerably by facility, pump design, and lifting equipment. A qualified person should develop the lift plan for the specific application.
In general, the process involves several major stages.
1. Shut Down and Isolate the Equipment
The pump must be properly shut down and isolated according to the facility’s established procedures before removal begins.
This may include electrical lockout/tagout, closing and isolating valves, draining equipment, relieving stored pressure, and disconnecting associated systems.
2. Disconnect the Pump
Depending on the equipment, technicians may need to disconnect piping, electrical connections, couplings, guards, mounting bolts, instrumentation, and other components.
The pump should not be lifted until the maintenance team confirms that it is completely free from the surrounding system.
3. Position the Gantry Crane
The gantry should be assembled and positioned according to its manufacturer’s instructions and the approved lift plan.
The lifting point should be properly aligned with the load while accounting for the pump’s center of gravity and intended removal path.
4. Attach the Appropriate Hoist and Rigging
The hoist, trolley, slings, shackles, and other rigging components must all be properly rated for the load and application.
Only designated lifting points should be used when specified by the pump manufacturer.
5. Perform an Initial Test Lift
Before raising the pump to its full removal height, an initial controlled lift can confirm that the pump is free, the rigging is properly positioned, and the load is behaving as expected.
If the pump shifts unexpectedly or does not lift cleanly, operations should stop so the situation can be evaluated.
6. Lift the Pump Clear
Once the lift has been verified, the pump can be raised high enough to clear its mounting location, wet well, foundation, or surrounding structure.
Workers should remain clear of suspended loads throughout the operation.
7. Transfer the Pump to a Safe Work Area
After the pump has cleared its original location, it may need to be transferred to a cart, machinery skate, pallet, trailer, maintenance platform, or other appropriate support.
Whether a gantry crane can be moved while loaded depends on the specific crane design and operating conditions. Never assume that every portable gantry is designed to roll under load.
Installing the Replacement Industrial Pump
Installing the new or rebuilt pump essentially reverses the removal process, but alignment becomes particularly important.
The replacement equipment may need to align precisely with:
- Anchor bolts
- Existing piping
- Motor couplings
- Guide rails
- Discharge connections
- Equipment foundations
A gantry crane provides controlled vertical positioning that can help maintenance personnel lower the equipment into its required position.
However, the suspended load should never be forced into alignment using unsafe side loading or improvised methods.
When a Standard Gantry Crane Isn’t Enough
Sometimes the pump isn’t the biggest challenge. The building is.
EC&MW has encountered industrial lifting applications where cranes needed to clear electrical panels, operate around floor drains, fit inside extremely confined spaces, travel through elevators, or use beams that had to be separated into smaller sections simply to reach the work area.
In those situations, an off-the-shelf crane may not provide the best solution.
EC&MW can design custom aluminum gantry cranes around the actual dimensions and requirements of the facility.
A Real-World Pump Maintenance Gantry
EC&MW previously designed a custom 3,000-pound-capacity gantry crane for a nuclear power station in Illinois specifically for changing and servicing pumps and impellers.
The facility presented another challenge: numerous floor drains created an uneven operating surface.
Rather than attempting to make a conventional gantry work in the environment, EC&MW incorporated All-Terrain-style bases into the crane design.
This is a good example of why industrial lifting equipment should be selected around the entire application—not simply the weight printed on the pump’s nameplate.
Choosing a Gantry Crane for Industrial Pump Maintenance
Before purchasing a gantry crane for pump removal and replacement, consider the complete maintenance process.
Important specifications include:
- Maximum pump and motor weight
- Required lifting height
- Height Under Beam (HUB)
- Required beam span
- Available floor space
- Surface condition
- Indoor or outdoor operation
- Doorway and elevator dimensions
- Required portability
- Hoist and trolley requirements
- Whether the crane must be disassembled between uses
- Whether the application requires a custom base or leg configuration
Providing these details to the crane manufacturer makes it much easier to determine which configuration is appropriate for the application.
Industrial Pump Maintenance Requires the Right Lifting Solution
Removing a large industrial pump isn’t simply a matter of finding equipment capable of supporting its weight.
The real challenge is safely accessing the pump, lifting it clear of surrounding infrastructure, and getting it to a location where maintenance personnel can work on it.
That’s why portable aluminum gantry cranes are used in pump stations, wastewater treatment plants, power-generation facilities, manufacturing plants, utilities, and other industrial environments.
EC&MW manufactures more than 300 models of aluminum gantry cranes and can also engineer custom gantry solutions when a standard crane cannot accommodate the lifting environment.
If your facility needs to remove or replace a large pump, motor, impeller, gearbox, or other industrial component, explore EC&MW aluminum gantry cranes or contact EC&MW to discuss the load capacity, available space, lifting height, terrain, and access restrictions involved in your project.
